About eight years ago I discovered I was allergic to gluten, then eggs started giving me problem, a year later fish began causing horrible stomach cramps, and I’ve known for a long time that dairy doesn’t love me as much as I love it, more an intolerance then actual allergy.
I wanted to share some tips I have discovered through a lot of trial and fuck-ups so hopefully thing can be easier for you 🙂
Food allergy first aid kit. You should always have on hand chia seeds, charcoal, ginger, and a digestive aid you like. NOTE THESE ARE NOT ‘MEDICAL ADVICE’ AND NOT TO BE USED IF YOUR ALLERGY AFFECTS YOUR BREATHING!!! THESE ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR ME.
Chia seeds: these small black seeds are so amazingly helpful. If I eat something I’m allergic to, we’ll pretend it was an accident and not me being a pouty brat. I will put a teaspoon of chia seeds into a quart of water or juice, wait for them to swell, (they are gelatinous, just FYI) then drink them. I find the chia seeds remove whatever evil thing I ate from my body gently, effectively, and quickly. But I don’t need to stay near a bathroom all day. This is safe for me to use at work.
I find the chia seeds not only help with tummy/intestinal issues but also help remove the allergen so well that my migraines aren’t as bad.
Charcoal capsules: I get these at the health food store. When I eat something that causes a lot of bloating (gas), nausea, and cramping, charcoal is what I grab first. For me it seems to neutralize whatever evil is going on in my stomach. Just don’t freak out when what comes out of you is black/ grey in color. 🙂
Ginger helps soothe my stomach, helps digest greasy foods, and breaks up mucus. I find if my tummy is what needs the help, eating candied ginger works really fast. Ginger capsules help but they will help, including clearing up my sinus congestion .
There are tons of digestive aids, some basic, some specific to food intolerance (not allergies). Find one you like and help your body deal with possible contamination. This is really helpful when I travel. I take some digestive aids before each meal I eat out, just in case .
Restaurant tips
Go to the friggin’ website. Most restaurants have their menus posted on their website. Do they label dishes for allergies? Can you find something to eat? If you have in-depth questions, please call the restaurant ahead of time, during non-busy hours, or email them. It is very inconsiderate to ask a list of allergy questions of a waiter during the dinner rush.
BTW, dear restaurant peeps put your menu up with allergy info, I won’t go to restaurants I can’t check out first.
Do not expect friends and family to do this for you, and if you show up someplace and can only eat the dinner salad because you didn’t do your homework, no pouting. You cannot expect other people to look out for you like this, and if they DO, thank them repeatedly.
ALSO tip accordingly to the amount of help and extra work the staff need to do for you.
AND help fellow allergy sufferers. If you find a good place, post about it, on your blog, YELP, a website for people with food allergies, whatever. Share the wealth!
Ask
Seriously, many many people suffer from allergies and/or know others who do and these people have little kernels of wisdom that can help you, if you ask.
One day I was complaining on Facebook about craving an egg sandwich that I can’t have because eggs hate me, and a friend asked if I had tried farmer’s market eggs. What? No? Why would I?
Now, I can’t eat normal eggs. Not even the organic, range free, from chickens who listen to Mozart all day, eggs. BUT I found out I can eat eggs from farmer’s markets, from chickens or ducks that run around someone’s back yard and eat bugs and stuff. No idea why. And I would never have thought to try them if my friend hadn’t mentioned it.
Food allergies are a pain in the ass, expensive, and frequently make me want to cry. But I’m not alone and neither are you. What advice, tip, tidbit do you have to share?
I’d be willing to bet that your reaction to ‘factory’ chicken eggs is a response to whatever weird Frankenfood they are eating. The ‘real’ chickens are eating ‘real’ food, and you reap the benefit when you eat their eggs.
I’m sure you’re right. So eggs from chickens who eat bugs are better for me the eggs from chickens who eat grains. LOL gross.
Regular chickens are fattened on grain, as are cows, which I suspect leads to residual gluten contamination in their eggs and in the milk. I’ve noticed that if I eat dairy in the Caribbean or Europe, I get a lot less sick than I do if I eat it in North America.
Thanks for the tips on charcoal and chia seeds! I already do my research before eating out, but I also carry digestive aids, because sometimes, even if you tell the waitress, the kitchen messes up.
Good to know about the dairy in other countries, now I want to travel even more! Welcome, I hope my tips help, they have saved me several times.
I just ordered a cook book called 100 days of real food. (Should be here tomorrow!) The website has a lot of recipes on it too.
After finding out that so many products have carrageenan (I may be spelling that wrong,) in them, products that are supposed to be organic and good for you, but have this thickener that has been banned in some countries and causes stomach issues, I’ve about had it. It’s even in the organic almond milk in my fridge. Going to try and make my own homemade foods for a while and see how the family–and my stomach–reacts.
Here’s an article from prevention.com:
http://m.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/carrageenan-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet
Hmmm…inflammation, gut irritation and cancer? No thank you.
Thanks for the info on the Chia seeds! And I hadn’t heard of charcoal pills before but will check them out.
Keep the tips coming!
I hope the tips help! That cookbook sounds interesting, I’m going to check it out, and thanks for the article link, it is scary what winds up in our food!