Identifying food intolerances/sensitivities

[Dace]

This talk of ADD & Celiacs has renewed my interest in sorting out my families food sensitivities.

DH has daily headaches, upset stomach and frequent diarrhea...my 16 yr old gets migraines and diarrhea, my 13 yr old is very bright but struggles with school and my 7 yr old gets stomach aches.

After getting off of the carb roller coaster I can see that my 18 yr old is buckled into that bad ride and needs to step off...so it seems we all are having issues of some sort and I can't help but think it is diet related.

I went on an internet search and found a few books telling me that would help me but I know a few of you here have dealt with these issues so naturally I figured going to the experts was the wisest thing

I really have not dealt with this stuff because I don't know where to begin, but since the overhaul in our diet, suddenly it doesn't seem insurmountable to think about tackling this. Plus I know there are others here who may be dealing witht he same things.

Does anyone have any suggestions where to start?

 

[Wifezilla]

Well, you could try eliminating the most obvious culprits. Wheat is a big one. Try having everyone go without wheat of ANY KIND for a month and see if anything changes. Your next suspect is dairy.

 

[FarmerChick]

If problems are chronic, a trip to the Dr. might help. good place to start is find "maybe" medical problems...than go from there.

 

[freemotion]

You need to get off any traces of suspected foods for at least two weeks....read labels, better yet, make everything from scratch so you will be sure. There are a lot of things that do not have to go on labels.

Then add the suspects back in, one at a time, as follows:

One bite at breakfast, one bite at lunch, one bite at supper. Watching for reactions. Since you can react immediately, several hours later, a day later, or 2-3 days later, this can be tricky, so be patient and diligent. If you are worried about a big reaction in three days, you can take this down a notch....one bite in the morning only for three days in a row.

That is how I do it, but an allergist I went to years ago told me the above....then the second day, a larger amount at each meal, like three bites, and so forth. Have benedryl available, I use liquid dye-free children's formulas, they are about all you can find that is also lactose-free. Most OTC pills are based in lactose, so if that ends up being the problem, you won't be able to figure it out if you are taking pills with lactose. Check prescription stuff, too. It will be an inactive ingredient.

When I get diarrhea, I take benedryl, not pepto, etc. It works better for me, since it is almost always due to an allergic reaction. Again, at the allergist's suggestion.

Once you are up to a full serving of the suspected food at each meal and there are no symptoms, you are home-free. Take a couple of days off then add in the next food.

Once you find the offending foods, don't give up too quickly. I can now eat many foods that were a big problem if I prepare them using traditional methods.

You may not find the offending foods at all, but with all the cooking from scratch, you may find everyone gets a lot better. For some, it is chemical additives in foods like msg (under about 60 names on ingredient lists, including "spices!") or colorants or preservatives.

Many people with celiacs can eat traditionally prepared grains. Grains are not necessary to a balanced and nutritious diet, although it can be challenging in today's wheat and corn and soy based food industry.

I haven't taken benedryl in a LOOOOONG time now. Years.

 

[miss_thenorth]

What Free said. And also, I have been reading alot on the Weston A. Price Foundation website. You might want to take a look over there.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Tons of great info on Weston A. Price. I have to be careful to start reading that at lunch and not on the clock, otherwise I waste too much time.

 

[abifae]

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[me&thegals]

That's wonderful, abifae! I wonder how many other people would be willing to work so long and hard to figure such problems out. I suspect not many, and it would be interesting to know how much better people would feel in general if they took the time to pinpoint these things.

 

[Dace]

Wow abifae! That is great that you had the patience to stick it out and fine tune your diet to the point of feeling well and controlling it.

I think the vast majority of us have issues from the foods we eat and just have no idea. You know the old just pop a pill for that mentality.

I started a serious-gonna-stick-to-it food journal for my little one today. We are keeping it in her back pack so that on the way to school she can write down what she had for dinner the night before and breakfast in the morning, on the way to school , then after school she can write what she ate at school. I think keeping it portable will be the key to success.

Everyone has had really great info, thank you all for taking then time to share!

 

[abifae]

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