What Have Been Your Experiences With MILD Food Allergies?

I am mildly allergic to raw apples. Any kind or amount of apple makes me feel as if I had a bellyfull of sour green crabapples. It can make my stomach hurt for a couple of hours. Some varieties, notably Macintoshes, make my mouth itch as well. The allergy developed when I was in my mid-to-late twenties; as a kid I couldn't get enough apples!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 12:17 PM

I am mildly allergic to raw apples. Any kind or amount of apple makes me feel as if I had a bellyfull of sour green crabapples. It can make my stomach hurt for a couple of hours. Some varieties, notably Macintoshes, make my mouth itch as well. The allergy developed when I was in my mid-to-late twenties; as a kid I couldn't get enough apples!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 12:17 PM

what kind of "mild allergy" are we speaking?

I consider myself very 'allergic' to wheat- however, I don't have anaphalaxis reactions. I just get bloated, cranky, watery eyed, emotional (kinda like pms on steroids...) and pro-longed exposure (meaning a diet that has wheat in it) leads to asthma, depression, acne, GERD, and migraines...

Corn also leads to migraines and acne for me.

Often it depends on whether or not the food causes and IgG or IgE response. Technically I have a food intolerance as opposed to allergy given that it's not an official histamine response, however it's clear my body is very adversely affected by consuming wheat or corn. Taking an anti-histamine is not going to affect my food intolerance at all. There is a difference between food allergies and intolerances, and knowing the difference may be important to an accurate response to the OP's question.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 3:53 PM

this is an extremely helpful distinction, thank you.

-Jackie

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:03 PM

I'm the 3:53 poster- checked the link, clearly the OP is not differentiating between food intolerances and food allergies, even though there is a HUGE difference. Allergy is thrown around when intolerance should be used. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergy/AN01109.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:05 PM

and when I say "thrown around" I don't specifically mean by the OP. I hear a LOT of people say allergic when they mean intolerant, and I admit I sometimes do just because explaining the difference to people can be tiresome in social circumstances.

I might also add, that while the link mentions a small amount can often be consumed, I haven't experienced that with wheat. Even the smallest amount creates a reaction in me. Granted, small amount means a smaller reaction, but I can still tell if I've been "contaminated" when eating out. (My home is wheat free and corn)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:07 PM

When I eat wheat my skin starts to turn red over time. mostly neck face and ears. If I eat a lot my face starts to get puffy as well. When I stop, the skin gets back to normal and then flakes off where the red was.

When I eat dairy and butter of any kind I develop pus filled bumps on my legs and elsewhere on my body. When I stop eating dairy they go away. When I am at a restaurant and ask for butter free dishes- I sometimes get a couple bumps anyway. It is very hard to get rid of butter in a restaurant.

Restaurants that specifically have a gluten free menu seem pretty good and getting rid of the allergens (or intolerants).

And it is funny- antihistamines do help somewhat, especially when the wheat allergy puffs up the face. Not sure what I have is categorized as, but it is not anphlaxic or whatever that word is. Thank god.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:32 PM

Hey everyone. I have over 40 food allergies and so does my daughter. Then there's all the medication and chemicals we have allergies to as well.

My daughter experiences coughing that lasts for about a month and her skin will feel like it's on fire, then break out. We have taken her to over 15 doctors, did 2 surgeries on her sinuses and adnoids, and been to 3 dermatologists, and a pediatric allergies and asthma doc. Nothing worked. She has experienced this since she was 9 months old (she's now 8). Anyway, 2 years ago I had a consultation with an osteopath and he figured it out right away and ordered blood work for us. We figured it out and now do homeopathic supplements for her.

My allergies are quite different. Itchy, red chest, swelling, light headed, bloated, stomach issues, and I will feel like I'm drunk some times.

I'd be happy to help anyone out or answer questions since we've done extensive treatment and research on food allergies. Let me know if I can help anyone.

Fab.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 4:47 PM

whatever you want to share fab, please do.

-Jackie

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 5:41 PM

I am mildly lactose intolerant. Have to be careful about quantities and qualities of dailry I consume so I go the lactose free route (use Lactaid products and go fat free).

If I am not careful I end up bent over with stomach and intestinal problems. I have learned my limits and don't have to pay much attention theae days. I am pretty automatic with my choices.

No more large servings of ice cream for me. This problem is a blessing!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 10:57 AM

I have a bunch of food allergies most of them arent bad enough to deter me from eating small amounts of things I shouldnt... Most of my symptoms include intense hacking to the point the I loose my voice and sometimes vomit from all the coughing. Rashes in my joints, and fever.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 11:56 AM

there are wonderful homeopathic pills that will help you with those symptoms. Your insurance probably won't cover it, but you can use flex money for them. It's amazing how great I feel and my daughter feels when we take the supplements for the food allergies/intolerance. Let me know and I can give you the names of what we take.

fab.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 6:06 PM

i'm allergic to wheat (certain forms, i'm not very sure but i can't have wholemeal bread or certain types of cereals such as oatmeal squares - which i love), i get itch, bad itch at the wrong places. (which i lived and suffered with without knowing the cause for 3 yrs, not forgetting countless, sleep-disrupted nights, scratching)

I also didn't know when i was young that i was allergic to msg, till i became an adult, i would get terrible burning sensations up my neck and on my face, my throat and chest would constrict and i would have difficulty breathing if there was a higher dose in the food.

haven't discovered other allergies but i isuspect i have mild allergies to some other food. though i do wonder if it has been aggravated by my change in diet 8 years back.

Friday, February 20, 2009, 9:15 PM

When my immune system was sensitized due to as yet undiagnosed Lyme Disease, I coughed whenever I ate or drank cow's milk products, despite having eaten them my whole life. I broke out in hives in reaction to flax seed and breads with yeast. First my lips tingled and then the hives arrived. Luckily no symptoms present now. The hives were uncomfortable, but not life-threatening and were helped by benadryl.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 1:05 AM

Mild problems with shelfish - like shrimp, scallops, lobster. Crab is usually ok. Scallops are the worst. They make me naseaus - once a date was ruined when I spent half the movie in the bathroom! Tiny shrimp are ok, the bigger the worse they are. Someone told me the problem was iodine.

Milk products increase congestion, so I consume a minimal amount. At this point I actually prefer soymilk.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 4:21 AM

Shellfish- shrimp, lobster, crab- if it came in a shell or touched something that did. I get itching in my throat and swollen lips/face. No life threatening reactions yet, but I am really careful because each reaction gets worse.

Do you think that food allergies can be realted? Like because I am allergic to shellfish I might have an intolerance to dairy or wheat...etc.?

I went dairy free for awhile and did feel less bloated in general, so I am just wondering.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 2:36 PM

Food Allergies

I have many food allergies: wheat, chocolate and high does of sodium (like in ham or lunch meats. Wheat for me is the hardest to stay away from, since many prepackaged and canned foods have wheat as an ingredient. I get severe migraines that last 4 to 5 days. However; I rarely have a problem, as I know what to eat and what not to. I am also allergic to all the usual things like grass, trees, mold, dust, cats, feathers, etc. You would think I wouldn't gain weight, but I still do.

Monday, March 30, 2009, 8:28 PM

My son is mildly allergic to cashews, that's it. Not all tree nuts or peanuts, just cashews. We can avoid them quite easily, but he does have an epi pen. His reaction was an itchy, swollen tongue, and then a VERY swollen eye. It looked like there was a golf ball underneath his skin! His breathing was never compromised, so we felt fortunate.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 3:08 PM

food allergies/sensitivities

I believe that I am sensitive to different foods. I have been allergy tested but they came back negative. I have developed psoriasis in the past year which some believe is linked to gluten, dairy, caffine sensitivity. Sometimes when I eat wheat or chocolate or have more than just a little caffine, I actually itch all over by torso.

Monday, May 4, 2009, 11:18 AM

milk/dairy- fall asleep for 4 hour naps- logey for days
corn- same
rice- same reaction but less extreme
beans- asthma attack, sick to stomach
soy products- become bloated, pale, grey and tired
eggs- asthma, tiredness, nausea
strawberries- hives
potatoes- all over itching, nausea

major allergy- gluten- fainting and seizures

I still sometimes eat potatoes, rice, strawberries

Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 6:28 PM

Question for Fab...

I think I may have a gluten intolerance. I thought perhaps it was IBS but my doctor didn't think so, said it was just stress. I'm going to try limiting my gluten intake for the next few weeks before I have any tests done by my doctor, just to see if I get any results since that's all I'll likely be told to do anyway is change my diet.

I'm wondering though if there's any naturepathic remedies for a gluten intolerance? I'm a bread and baked goods freak and thinking about a diet without bread makes me very sad. I realize there's gluten free flours and stuff and I could make my own, but if I'm out at a restaurant or something, it would be nice to have a remedy so I could eat out or buy from bakery's and things like that.
Anyone with info about this would be appreciated. Thank you.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 3:47 PM

If you have celiac disease, there is no cure, homeopathic or otherwise.

For a generic gluten intolerance, then digetsive enzymes could help, but the only "cures" are generally quite difficult. Some have had success with elimination diets. The other thing is it might just be commercial wheat that aggravates you.

I'm wheat intolerant but fine with spelt or kamut. Some consider spelt and kamut the same as wheat. Basically, spelt is to wheat as a poodle is to a wolf. Same family, but I'd rather have a poodle mad at me than a wolf. Spelt is not the same as the wheat normally used, however it certainly still has gluten. Some with gluten sensitivities find they can handle spelt gluten where they can't handle wheat gluten.

I don't have sympathy for the notion of not being able to eat breads at restaurants or buy things from normal bakeries. Going wheat free or gf isn't that hard if you know how to cook/bake. And making things from scratch on your own is much better regardless.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 5:31 PM

3:47 If you are getting a blood test (IgG) for celiac, DO NOT avoid gluten for the three weeks before the test. If you do, the test won't give an informative result.

The best test for celiac, however, involves an upper endoscopy and sampling of your villi.

5:31 I beg to differ with at least part of your last paragraph. I developed gluten sensitivity (not the same as celiac) as the result of another problem in the last year, and I am an accomplished baker. Yet I found gluten-free baking to be very difficult. Rice flour, for instance, is extremely different because of the water it absorbs. Gluten-free bread never tastes and feels "right." And wheat has fewer calories per volume than other grains, so gluten-free bread can be VERY fattening.

Sorry to hijack the mild allergy thread, but esp. the first point seemed important to know.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 6:46 PM

allergies

I iwll tell you all from someone that has mild and severe food allergies, it is life changing and has really taken a toll on my life.
to make it short, i was diagnosed with what is known as fruit/latex oas. basically, any food related to the nightshade family, i can't go near. the reactions i have vary from severe vomiting and cramps to hives around my lips , swollen eyes etc.
on top of that, i had the entire food spectrum "prick/scratch" test and the ONLY things i am NOT allergic to are wheat/dairy and animal protein. i however have a dairy intolerance.
i cannot eat prepackaged food, sauces, condiments, at resturauants, nothing.
true food allergies are nothing to mess with. if anyone has any suspicions, get tested. and blood tests are not as reliable.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 6:45 PM

Well 6:49, I'm an accomplished baker too, and I have no problems eating gf, or baking gf. Oat flour and amaranth flour have less calories than wheat flour. Quinoa has higher protein than wheat. Personally I don't care about calories- and for 30-50 calorie difference in a cup of flour, who cares?

Yes, all gf flours will have different characteristics than wheat flour. But with about 20 different flours to choose from, there's lots of combinations to work for whatever baked good you wish to make.

Thursday, August 13, 2009, 9:50 AM

Food Allergies and Bananas

After I gave birth to my second child, I became very intolerant to Bananas! Severe bloating and stomach cramping. Typically it puts me in bed for about 4 hours until it passes. I travel weekly and can be a real issue if I'm not careful. I've never been able to find out what is in the bananas that could do this.

Monday, August 24, 2009, 7:43 AM

Food Allergies

I have a severe reaction to peanuts and msg. The peanut allergy started when I was 6 mos. old. I discovered the msg allery when I was in my 50's. I have to be very careful with the peanut allergy. It has gotten worse over the years. It has really affected my life. I also got the "prick with needle test" when I was seven. No fun! There are other allergies that seem to be mild but I try to be careful when I buy products. It is very difficult not to know exactly what is going to cause the bloating, red, watery eyes, hives etc.

Sunday, December 27, 2009, 8:45 PM

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