Food Allergies

[peanutterb]

So I never had food allergies. I had allergies to dirt, grass, perfume, smoke, animals, everything in the world except for food.

or so I thought.

Since my first MC in march I've started realizing alot of things.
1. my mouth tingles and/or goes numb - it started with inorganic apples then went on to tofu and even edamame. now it's inorganic strawberries, and spinach and walnuts and a few other random things. (three times i ate some thai food with tofu and once an amy's organic meal with tofu and had a bad allergic reaction with a sore throat and sneezing and everything)

2. I've always had clear skin but since my MC2 I've been getting the ocassional little bump and itching on my chin. I don't wear makeup or use any special face products so I thought that was strange until I realized that reaction is similar (but less severe) to what happens when I'm around cats.

3. Tonight I was eating some raw spinach, sun dried tomatoes, kale, guacamole and pumpkin seeds and the underside of my forearm started to itch. That's also a reaction I get from an allergy to something like a cat or perfume or detergent.

So I'm wondering now, why all of a sudden do I have these food allergies? or did I have them before but because my other allergies were so intense I couldn't pinpoint what it was? Or is my body more sensitive to things now and just rejecting things left and right?

Any ideas on what I can do to figure out what''s going on? ( and i can't take an allergy test bc I don't have insurance so that's not an option right now)

[sopheetsa]

Dear peanutterb:

I started writing to you when I was at work yesterday-- but I got distracted by my JOB. Also--the topic is not easy-- and I needed more time to think.

First of all, difficult as it may be, it sounds like you're more aware of what's going on in your body -- post cleanse than you've ever been before. How our immune systems-- learn what to react to, and what not to-- is very interesting-- and keeps a lot of scientists still scratching their heads. I just went to a crash course on Immunology that my boss sent me to--and it was really interesting to think about how--ideally-- we SHOULDN'T react to "food"-- but many of us do. Our bodies-- actually try to "learn" what TO react to, and WHAT NOT to-- and that's a real challenge, and sometimes things go wrong!

I've heard it said- that after the cleanse, it is a good idea -- to re-introduce foods carefully-- and I can't say that I did that. I went totally out of control, and I found myself reacting INTENSELY to everything.

The cleanse supposedly "retunes" our immune system, which is part of why I did it, and I know it helped me with my allergies (non-food).

One way-- to really figure out if you're allergic to something or not-- and it is a royal pain-- is to completely ELIMINATE it from your diet-- and then-- pay close attention when you introduce it. You probably heard about such a thing-- they talk about doing it with infants-- that is-- introducing foods one at a time to figure out what if anything, they're allergic to.

But ultimately-- you're asking some really good questions:

"why all of a sudden do I have these food allergies? or did I have them before but because my other allergies were so intense I couldn't pinpoint what it was? Or is my body more sensitive to things now and just rejecting things left and right? "

Hope you keep us all posted on what you figure out!

love,

soph

and PS: Happy Birthday!!! and congratulations on getting into those pants!!!

[peanutterb]

hey sopheesta!
thanks so much for the response and bday wishes.

It's tough noting what it is that I'm eating that's bothering me something because I'm also eating so many new and raw and delicious things.
I've got a small list and some of the things are only if i eat alot or if I eat certain types of the food. I generally stop eating it when I realize but I don't know what was making my face break out or my hand itch.

I read up alot about allergies and food allergies and how once the body learns to react to something as foreign it always will have the same response so I'm also taking note of that.

the strangest thing is the numbness in my entire mouth or the tingling on my tongue and throat. not nice feelings.

right now, i have a small list
strawberries
apples (in-organic w/ skin)
some tofu (might be the seasoning or the way it's cooked)
edamame from a bag
walnuts
pecans
raw spinach leaves

so I'm not going to eat those and see how it goes.

I'm going to have to put out the money to take an allergy test I think because I hate being allergic to food. I love food.

[sopheetsa]

Hey peanutterb:

No sweat-- I think we're all here trying to figure this out together. To be honest with you, the most difficult part of the Cleanse for me-- is NOT THE CLEANSE, it is *After The Cleanse*! (which is why I think it is SO valuable, that RES started that thread.

I did the WORST with that-- and if I could have-- I know I SHOULD HAVE really put on the brakes. I mean-- coming out of the cleanse your body is in a heightened state of purity-- and-- the WORST THING you can do (which I confess I more or less did) is throw all kinds of food at it.

So yes, you're probably in a heightened state of awareness-- AND it is practically an ORGY to get to eat-- after the cleanse. If you can (and I COULDN'T) try to take it SLOWLY. Introduce new and delicious things one at a time.

I can't practise what I preach there --at least not with the greatest of ease -- and so-- it will take me (with help from my friends-- HEY RES!) -- probably the rest of my life, or a good long while, to figure out how to do this right!

Best of luck to you, and looking forward to seeing what you figure out!

______________________________

my reactions to some items on your food list:
______________________________

I react to tofu also, even tho, being a vegetarian (for over 25 years) it was a big part of my diet. I am no longer a "perfect" vegetarian-- but there's a lot to think about vis a vis soy in general... and tofu ...

yes-- inorganic apples can DEFINITELY be a problem-- i've heard it said.

edamame - is soy-- so .... there is the soy issue-- important to read up on that-- hard to digest and it CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS. too lazy to look up websites now, but I'm sure you can find them... lots of debate there.

walnuts, pecans, nuts-- in general-- often cause allergies... oh dear, some of my favorite food!

hmm raw spinach. i LOVE raw spinach. all greens have trace to small amounts of toxins-- that's a long story. if you can read Boutenko's book "Green for Life" she tells an interesting story there.

it is important to rotate your greens.

don't DESPAIR THOUGH-- mainly just take it slow (ha-- if you can-- more power to you!)

soph

[peanutterb]

yeah i have been taking it slow. i took 7 days to fully break my 20 day fast. i ate only one cooked meal and otherwise ate all raw for those days.
i have been eating mostly good since then too - except for the muffin and oreo incidents (i ate 12 oreos one night) but that was more out of boredom than anything else.
what happens in the evenings is that i am just sitting around and want to eat or my family is eating and they fuss at me for not so i have a little something and a little something else.
but i'm giving myself more leeway since this is my birthday weekend and i have family in town and my mother thinks i have an eating disorder, but starting next week i'm going to get back on schedule, eating alot more raw food, working out and not eating after 8.


i did all kinds of research on soy allergies and such and the weird part is that it's not all soy products. i'm fine with soy milk, edamame i get from a restaurant and some tofu, especially if i cook it myself. so that makes it harder for me to figure out what it is in particular that's bothering me.

i kinda like that my body is more sensitive to bad stuff because i definitely can tell when i eat something bad (like the oreos) how my body just gets mad at me. much apologies body.
i just wish it didn't act out when i eat things i like, a spinach salad with strawberries and nuts is heaven in a bowl.

[sopheetsa]

well, it certainly sounds like you're doing things (ie taking it slow...) very well peanutterb-- I've got to hand it to you! I think I was pretty good-- for a while-- after my first cleanse.... but-- things creep up-- and-- I'M NOT GOOD at cutting myself slack-- because-- then-- it never ends!

I was afraid to tell my folks I was on the cleanse-- this is so embarrassing to admit-- and I LIVE WITH THEM (grown woman here). The amazing thing was that they were so GLAD and PROUD of me that I lost weight-- that not even reading about it in a magazine-- (ie that I was on the cleanse) seemed to get through to my mom's critical faculty. In fact, she's only started getting on my case NOW-- that I'm putting on the weight.

Anyway-- ENJOY YOUR BIRTHDAY-- but -- well-- good luck being careful in the long run. As for soy-- glad to hear you're ok w soy milk. I LOVE the stuff-- and do drink it-- but it does get to me, and glad you're on top of it-- research-wise....

I'm TOTALLY with you about nuts being heaven-- but-- my prob: i can't stop at one bowl!

PS: I know what you mean about eating-- either out of boredom... or family, evenings etc... I am struggling to figure out how the hell-- to NOT DO these things. Obviously-- we can do it when ON THE CLEANSE-- the question is-- how to do it *After The Cleanse*!

[peanutterb]

hey sopheesta, i can't figure out how you did the cleanse without the people you live with not noticing! that's amazing! and magical

i have been trying almond milk and rice milk but i think i developed a taste for the soy because i miss it. plus soy has more protein.

below are some links about overeating i posted in the after the cleanse thread. i have been reading them and it's kinda helping and giving me tips. the best one so far is chugging water so i feel full and that makes me stop, also brushing my teeth and also going upstairs and locking my bedroom door. lol.

why do you think you're putting on weight now? any theories?

article on how to stop overeating when you're stressed, socializing, depressed or bored:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...32/ai_91563265


another great article about how to stop
http://www.poppink.com/guide/edcgex1.html

and lastly, 101 tips

http://diet.ivillage.com/issues/ipor...,,bjzg,00.html

hope this helps somebody. it's helping me.

[sopheetsa]

hey peanutterb

I actually saw you posted those articles and thanked you- (I think).

Thanks for asking for my "theories"-- now you're really getting DOWN to it w me-- and believe me-- it isn't pretty!

The story in a nutshell: well I had some probs growing up-- both because I was born cross-eyed-- and .... some other things-- which probably make me overeat. i'm not trying to blame my problems-- MAYBE I AM

As for-- the folks not realizing I was cleansing-- they sure did notice I was dropping weight-- and somehow-- they didn't quite put it all together-- god bless 'em they're getting on in years now...

As for chugging water... yea-- i thought maybe i should get some "natural" GUM-- from Greece... for the whole chewing and oral fixation thing.. and certainly drinking water is good for you-- I was filling up on green smoothies much the same way...

Yea, brushing your teeth's a good one-- and yup-- tried the idea of just going to bed "hungry" ie w/out chowing down till i couldn't stay awake.

But the bottom line-- is-- like it or not- I hit the skids some times-- and I UNDERMINE myself and all that I do-- and I USE FOOD-- like other people use drugs.

It's gonna take quite something for me to get passed it-- and I thank you for helping me to think about it!

--

[peanutterb]

i find that wearing or staring at my size 8 jeans motivates me. lol
it's crazy but looking at my clothes i want to continue wearing and fitting in to really keeps me focused.

i think that's my cure for overeating now. I'm going to take those pants with me everywhere!

[peanutterb]

Everytime I go into a store - at the outlets, marshall's, macy's, anywhere, my throat starts itching, my face itches, i sneeze. it's so weird. nothing else makes my allergies react like this and this only started happening recently.