Allergies watch out! Prepare for elimination!
I am declaring war on my allergies.
The problem is, I don’t even know what I’m allergic to any more. It used to be easy. I used to have hayfever and my throat swelled up when I ate cucumber or melon. Admittedly that’s a bit annoying when you live in a place where hay’s made or even anywhere where trees and grass live (practically everywhere), but hayfever tablets are pretty good these days and not eating melon or cucumber isn’t really all that restrictive.
That was the beginning.
Since then I’ve collected a whole lot of other raw fruit and veg I can’t eat. That made salads a bit tricky, but a salad-free life is bearable.
Over the last year it seems I can’t eat anything without stomach cramps and/or bloating. I’m permanently knackered, any illness doing the rounds does a stint at my place and even the non-contagious illnesses make themselves at home. Various parts of me do things they’re not supposed to, others complain about doing things they are supposed to do. Most of me hurts.
If I was 60 I’d say I was getting old, but I’m not even 30 yet.
I’ve seen a handful of doctors and none of them can tell me what’s causing it all (though they’re willing to prescribe all kinds of tablets and vile-tasting medicines). I’ve been diagnosed with lactose intolerance, but I have the same symptoms despite cutting out milk products or eating the lactase tablets.
None of its life threatening, but it is incredibly irritating (especially when the tablets and vile-tasting medicine each come with their own list of side effects and problems).
And I want it to stop.
It has to stop.
And sooner rather than later.
A rather large chunk of my weekend was spent reading everything Google had to offer me about allergies and intolerances and how to go about getting rid of them.
Apparently, if you don’t eat [MILD*]allergy-inducing foods for 3 (better 4) weeks, your body forgets how bad they are and stops fighting them/itself.
(*I don’t suggest anyone try anything I write about without thinking about it, and maybe asking someone more knowledgeable first)
The plan involves not eating anything vaguely allergenic for 3-4 weeks, then adding ONE thing for a day before going back to the original plan for 2 days and watching what happens. Rinse and repeat for each of the remaining banished allergenic ingredients.
According to Google, you notice the difference and can decide what not to eat.
After 6 months or so you try the problem foods again.
I’m not sure how effective it is, but I’ve done vegetarian, sugarfree, paleo and vegan lents (and survived) and life really isn’t comfy the way it is now, so for the sake of 6 weeks of messed up eating, I’m prepared to find out.
Today is the first day.
Armed with an apple and a box of coconut milk rice pudding (with long grain rice because I ran out of pudding rice) I set out on the way to work and the way to a [hopefully] allergy free life.
One can hope.
Oh, you poor thing. I hope you figure it out. I know this is obvious and you have probably thought of it already, but do you wash your fruit and veg before you eat it? Lots of chemical yuck may have adhered to the surface.
Frustrating when you are not well, but can’t find the cause of it. Wishing you get better soon.
I do, but I probably don’t get all of it off… also, lots of what they spray ends up IN the produce.. I don’t know, it all sucks, but I ‘m growing my own tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and pumpkins this year 🙂
Sounds good, fresh strawberries are really yum.
I empathise about allergies but am not in your league. My worst thing seems to be if s0emone comes and sits beside me and is wearing heavy perfume or after shave or somesuch. My sinuses start raising indignant objections immediately and I have once even been so rude as to excuse myself form the area where the person was sitting! And if you really want to upset me just give me a bouquet of lilies and daffodils! Other than that and going into the store where lots of things carry smells that my snooty sinus turns its nose up at, its not really bad and some nasal spray helps keep things breathable. But the worst things that happened to me was to have extremely painful spasms in the diaphragm when I ate rice. I had been eating it for years when it turned nasty and decided it didn’t like me anymore, “so there!” I actually thought I might die, grabbed water, it couldn’t get past the spasm area and joined my outer self straightaway! Spasm passed and so did time so I decided to try rice again. Woweee! Noooo! It still had a definite grudge against me so I have avoided it ever since as it obviously had no desire for a further relationship with me. The feeling is indeed mutual!
I wish you good luck in finding a cure!
my partner, R, also has problems when eating raw fruits and certain raw veggies- same exact symptoms… oranges, melons, cukes, you name it.
How did this go? Any updates?
Been there with the elimination diet. I hope by now you’ve found out what works for you! (I think I just ended up eliminating elimination altogether!)