What I wish I would have known about food allergies from the start.
It’s been such a long and adventurous journey. One that has pretty much shaped my life and now my career. I want to share some of the things I wish I would have known at the beginning of my journey. I also want to tank the friends that contributed their wisdom to this list as well. Let’s get started!
At times, you will think your symptoms are all in your head.
I remember thinking that there was no way I was reacting to breads and cakes. So, I would go to a family gathering and eat them, only to end up on the bathroom floor later during the night wondering at what point I should call for help and go to the hospital. For me, my reaction to gluten is severe gas and bloating followed by days of constipation.
Symptoms can vary…..
Digestive issues ranging from bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea or toggling back and forth between both extremes are the symptoms you will hear people talk about the most. Other symptoms can be more difficult to link to an allergen exposure, such as nasal allergies, skin conditions, inability to focus, racing heart, anxiety, depression and arthritis like symptoms. The list goes on and on. Pay attention to how you feel after removing or adding a food from your rotation. A food journal makes keeping track of foods eaten and correlating symptoms so much easier.
Some reactions come slow and last for prolonged periods of time.
The gluten allergy reaction was generally pretty fast to show symptoms, typically 1-6 hours after exposure. Most “sensitivity” symptoms show up after the food has left the stomach and entered the small intestine where the nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream. However, my reactions to things such as potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes and peppers took longer to surface. I could eat several meals before my stomach would become tender to the touch and my toes began to feel arthritic and gout like symptoms. On these days, loose elastic pants and going bare foot was the only way to survive comfortably. And while the gluten exposure symptoms would resolve in a few days, nightshade exposure took more than a week or two to recover from.
You will experience anger and feel betrayed by your body at times. And it’s okay to grieve the way of life you once lived.
There were many times I would be so mad that I couldn’t go out and mindlessly eat all the foods without thinking about the repercussions that may happen later. Feeling so resentful, that I had to spend so much time in the kitchen or reading labels while everyone else could stop and grab fast food on the way home after a busy day. I was mad that my immune system was overzealous in protecting me from these terrible gluten protein molecules and thought they were the same the protein molecules that make up my thyroid gland, resulting in a thyroid imbalance. How dare my body betray me and be such a prima donna!
The journey can feel lonely.
If you have an allergy or sensitivity that doesn’t cause you to go into anaphylactic shock like a peanut or shellfish allergy can, most people will not understand your need to avoid certain foods. Some will tell you that there is no such thing as a gluten allergy and others will assume since your symptoms don’t hospitalize you, that you can ignore them because obviously the symptoms are not life threatening. Your friends and family will be confused about what you can and can’t eat. Some will try to understand and be part of your journey. Others will deem you a “health nut” or “picky eater” and avoid inviting you to join festivities altogether.
It was only after one of my dear friends asked for clarity about what I could and couldn’t eat, summarized everything eat by saying “Oh, you can eat meat and vegetables. That’s easy, I will fire up the pit this weekend and grill for you.” I now had the language to tell people simply what I could safely consume. After that my social life regained some traction. Soon, they realized that my food allergies were pretty easy to navigate and have even thrown some “gluten free” parties for me so that I could eat everything on the table without worry. Find some people that will love you in this manner.
You are not alone.
There are so many allergies and tons of support groups. Do your research, follow hashtags on Instagram, join Facebook groups. Some key words to search are: AIP (autoimmune paleo/protocol), GAPS (gut and physiology/psychology), FODMAPS (fermentable olgio-mono-saccharides and polyols) , SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet), Wahls Protocol. Each of these diets and protocols will help some but not the others.
This is your journey and it requires a sense of curiosity.
It may take you a while to figure out what works for you and doesn’t. The great thing is, there is no perfect way to do this. It took me five years to figure out my body’s needs. But I did not have all the resources available that are out there now. Hopefully, I can help you navigate this a little faster than I did.
Elimination diets can be daunting, intimidating and leave you feeling deprived if you don’t allow for some treats.
I have learned that simple is better. To keep it simple, I eat a lot of soups, salads and plates of meat with sides of cooked vegetables. I do incorporate smoothies with ingredients that my body can tolerate. It can be a bit of a mindset game as well. When I first started the AIP protocol, I printed the foods I could cook with and completely ignored the massive list of things that were now off limits. For me seeing the long list of things I could eat, made it easier to stay positive about the journey before me. When I started the GAPS protocol for my training, I took the list of things I could have and worked those into my everyday life. I kept my coffee and my evening glass of wine. These strategies warded off the feelings of deprivation that can sneak in and sabotage the strongest of people.
The journey is a long one, so pace yourself.
You will take one step forward and two back on a regular basis. Healing is not linear and does not happen on our command. Some people can remove an irritant from their diet, allow the body to heal and then are able to add the offending food back into their diet after a year or two. Others are not able to do that ever. My experience is that eating gluten is like playing Russian roulette, I may react, I may not. At this point, risking the symptoms isn’t worth it. I can sneak in some tomatoes and peppers into my diet occasionally without too much recourse. However, consuming them more than twice in a week sends me into an arthritic like flare.
Give yourself grace.
There will be times you have an accidental (or purposeful) exposure. It’s not the end of the world, it doesn’t mean that you are a failure, it is life. This is a lifestyle that takes some getting used too. There is no such thing as perfection on this journey. So aim for progress.
Once you start feeling better, you will want everyone to “convert.”
After complaining about my (then) husband not taking an active part in his healthcare, my yoga teacher told me “This is your journey, not his.” Let your people be. Lol! If they want to know more, they will ask. Lead by example, not by fanaticism.
Most of this has been geared to those with food allergies and sensitivities. I would like to take a minute and share how you can support your loved one that has a food challenge.
Find out the foods that trigger symptoms. If you are worried about making or buying something that they may not be able to eat, ask for their favorite recipes or brands of food. Include them in all activities. Inform them that they are free to bring their own food and drinks, you just want them to be included in your life.
While your friend’s symptoms may be invisible to you, they are very real to your friend or family member.
Is there anything you would like to add to this list that may help out someone else? if so, drop a comment below.