Rebekah's family, allergies, restricted diets

[Guest guest]

[Rebekah] I'm working on designing a rotation diet right now. For

breakfast I'm currently giving them a meat (homemade sausage or baked

chicken or fish patties) and a fruit with nut or coconut milk. Lunch

is homemade broth based soup with " safe " veggies of squash, mushrooms,

celery, and meat, plus a salad or fruit. Dinner is same as lunch, with

either a millet, or amaranth based bread item, or a pecan or

walnut-based " bread " item. Snacks are fruit, jerky/meatballs, and

fruit (fresh or dehydrated), and sesame butter.

[Rebekah] what I'm discovering is that MOST of our food allergies may

have been caused by overgrowth of candida, which caused severe damage

to our intestinal flora, and resulted in leaky gut. Thus, we react to

even the most innocuous foods, even organic ones. We've eaten only

organic sources of meat and produce for over 1 year now. On our

allergy tests, we cleared as OK for every meat, and most fruits, with

the exclusion of grapes, pineapple and cranberries. But, veggie-wise

we have to avoid SO many, it's overwhelming right now. I'm working on

a rotation diet of our " safe " foods, and techniques for repairing the

damaged gut.

[MikeP] Your case seems worth delving into in some detail in this

forum because it's like an extreme version of the issues many people

face these days. At least for me, I'm intrigued by this situation of

allergies to innocuous foods. If it's not too personal or

inconvenient, I'd love to see a full list of all the foods your family

tested allergic to. Perhaps some people in this group will have some

helpful culinary suggestions knowing the full details. The diet you

describe above sounds so fabulously varied and delicious considering

how severe your family's dietary restrictions appear to be.

You mentioned that you have to give up all grains, but am I correct in

assuming that millet and amaranth are actually not grains in some

technical sense? That seems like tremendous good fortune, because

there must be so many ways to use starchy seeds like those and get a

lot of calories. Is buckwheat okay? Sesame seeds are another food that

could go a long way. They seem to provide a lot of calories in some

cultures, like Korea, Middle East, etc. I'm assuming that all legumes

are off-limits, perhaps even just out of principle in a sensitive case

like this.

So what about roots? So many of them are tasty and flexible, like

carrots, sweet potatoes, etc that it seems like a major category of

food to consider in a case like this.

I'm intrigued about the nuts. Is it that some nuts are okay and

others aren't? Of course, the most important nut is coconut. For

anyone facing the putative rigors of a " meat and veggies " diet, it

seems like the first thing to establish is whether coconut is okay,

because it can be such a major part of the diet and offer so much

culinary pleasure in so many dozens of dishes.

In the fruit case, I'm very curious about these allergies are

determined. My first thought is that there are so many fruits in the

world, like all the exotic fruits that are imported into the US, wild

fruits, and so on. Do they have some kind of DNA or protein sample

for each fruit on some list and then simply test each one? Could it

be they are overlooking some fruits you might possibly encounter then?

Or perhaps they have a list of problem proteins and then a list of

foods that contain each one? Is there something common to grapes,

pineapples, and cranberries that makes them a problem, or are they

problems for separate reasons? What kind of education did they offer

you about this whole process and the methods they use? It's in my

nature to look for loopholes in everything!

I'm especially curious to know what your gut repair and

candida-fighting strategies are. Of course this is a pet topic for

many of us in these groups. Are there any specific bacteria or yeasts

you're aiming for in your diet?

I hope I'm not burdening you with too many questions, but I bet that

many people can benefit by studying a case like this in some detail.

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

[Guest guest]

[Rebekah] what I'm discovering is that MOST of our food allergies may

have been caused by overgrowth of candida, which caused severe damage

to our intestinal flora, and resulted in leaky gut. Thus, we react to

even the most innocuous foods, even organic ones. We've eaten only

organic sources of meat and produce for over 1 year now.

[MikeP] Your case seems worth delving into in some detail in this

forum because it's like an extreme version of the issues many people

face these days. At least for me, I'm intrigued by this situation of

allergies to innocuous foods. If it's not too personal or

inconvenient, I'd love to see a full list of all the foods your family

tested allergic to.

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

O.K. -- YOU ASKED, SO THE REACTIVE FOODS INCLUDE:

EGG WHITE AND YOLK, COW'S MILK, YEAST, GLIADEN (GLUTEN), WHEAT, OAT, CORN,

WHITE RICE, BUCKWHEAT, PINEAPPLE, PEACH, KIWI, PLUM, CRANBERRY, BLACKBERRY,

ORANGE, GRAPE, GARLIC, MUSTARD MIX (BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CABBAGE AND

CAULIFLOWER), CHILI PEPPER, KIDNEY BEAN, HARICOT BEAN (NAVY), SPINACH, WHITE

POTATO, OLIVE, CARROT, TOMATO, PEA, STRING BEAN, MUSTARD SEED, HAZELNUT, ALMOND,

PEANUT, CASHEW.

Perhaps some people in this group will have some

helpful culinary suggestions knowing the full details.

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREAT.

You mentioned that you have to give up all grains, but am I correct in

assuming that millet and amaranth are actually not grains in some

technical sense? That seems like tremendous good fortune, because

there must be so many ways to use starchy seeds like those and get a

lot of calories. Is buckwheat okay?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE) I'M TRYING TO WORK ON SOME GRAIN RECIPES USING AMARANTH,

TAPIOCA STARCH, MILLET, QUINOA AND ARROWROOT. WE ARE ALLERGIC TO BUCKWHEAT.

Sesame seeds are another food that

could go a long way. They seem to provide a lot of calories in some

cultures, like Korea, Middle East, etc. I'm assuming that all legumes

are off-limits, perhaps even just out of principle in a sensitive case

like this.

So what about roots? So many of them are tasty and flexible, like

carrots, sweet potatoes, etc that it seems like a major category of

food to consider in a case like this.

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

WE'RE USING SOME ROOT VEGETABLES, LIKE BEETS. WE ARE ALSO USING VARIOUS

MEMBERS OF THE SQUASH FAMILY; YELLOW SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, PUMPKIN, BUTTERNUT, ETC.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SWEET POTATOES, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T TESTED FOR, BUT I'M

PROBABLY GOING TO USE THEM ROTATIONALLY, JUST TO GIVE THE KIDS AS MUCH VARIETY

AS POSSIBLE

I'm intrigued about the nuts. Is it that some nuts are okay and

others aren't?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

EACH OF US TESTED POSITIVE REACTIVE TO DIFFERENT NUTS. THE ONLY MUTUALLY SAFE

NUTS ARE COCONUT, WALNUT, PECAN, AND BRAZILNUTS.

Of course, the most important nut is coconut. For

anyone facing the putative rigors of a " meat and veggies " diet, it

seems like the first thing to establish is whether coconut is okay,

because it can be such a major part of the diet and offer so much

culinary pleasure in so many dozens of dishes.

In the fruit case, I'm very curious about these allergies are

determined. My first thought is that there are so many fruits in the

world, like all the exotic fruits that are imported into the US, wild

fruits, and so on. Do they have some kind of DNA or protein sample

for each fruit on some list and then simply test each one?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

THEY USE PROTEIN SAMPLES FROM ORGANIC FOODS.

Could it

be they are overlooking some fruits you might possibly encounter then?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

ABSOLUTELY; THEY TESTED FOR 113 FOODS TOTAL. THERE ARE FOODS THEY DIDN'T

INCLUDE THAT WE COULD PERHAPS REACT TO, OR EAT SAFELY, BUT THE PANEL INCLUDES

THE MOST COMMONLY CONSUMED FOODS.

Or perhaps they have a list of problem proteins and then a list of

foods that contain each one? Is there something common to grapes,

pineapples, and cranberries that makes them a problem, or are they

problems for separate reasons?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

I DON'T KNOW. I'M JUST NOW INVESTIGATING HORTICULTURAL FAMILIES OF

FOODS/PLANTS, TO LEARN THIS MYSELF.

What kind of education did they offer

you about this whole process and the methods they use?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

WITH THE TEST RESULTS THEY INCLUDE A SMALL BOOK OF INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES

BASIC FOOD FAMILIES AND SUBSTITUTES FOR COMMON ALLERGENS SUCH AS GLUTEN, SOY,

MILK AND EGGS. THEY ALSO INCLUDE SOME RECIPES WHICH AVOID THESE COMMON

ALLERGENS, ALTHOUGH IN OUR CASE, THEY WEREN'T APPLICABLE, BECAUSE WE WERE

ALLERGIC TO THE SUBSTITUTES !!

It's in my

nature to look for loopholes in everything!

I'm especially curious to know what your gut repair and

candida-fighting strategies are. Of course this is a pet topic for

many of us in these groups. Are there any specific bacteria or yeasts

you're aiming for in your diet?

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

IN OUR CASE, I'VE INCREASED THE DOSE OF EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS WE TAKE, AND

WE STARTED TAKING OREGANO OIL, AND ADDED A NON-DAIRY PROBIOTIC. WE CAN'T DO

KEFIR/YOGURT, ETC. BECAUSE OF THE DAIRY ALLERGY, BUT I'M CONSIDERING WATER KEFIR

GRAINS. I'M ALSO GOING TO TRY AND ADD MORE FERMENTED FOODS TO THE DIET,

ALTHOUGH THE SAURKRAUT IS OUT BECAUSE OF THE REACTION TO CABBAGE. THE KIDS LIKE

THE NT GINGER ALE, SO I'LL MAKE IT WITHOUT THE WHEY. THEY DO LIKE KOMBUCHA.

I hope I'm not burdening you with too many questions, but I bet that

many people can benefit by studying a case like this in some detail.

(REBEKAH'S RESPONSE)

NO PROBLEM. A GREAT DEAL OF WHAT I KNOW REGARDING NUTRITION I'VE LEARNED FROM

THE DISCUSSIONS BY THIS GROUP AND OTHERS I'M A PART OF. I'D WELCOME ANY

THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTIONS. I'M HOPING THAT BY ELIMINATING THE REACTIVE FOODS, AND

WORKING ON GUT HEALING, WE CAN EVENTUALLY ADD BACK IN AT LEAST MANY OF THE

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. AND BOY DO I MISS EGGS AND GARLIC !!

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

[Guest guest]

Hi Rebekah,

Do you have any thyroid problems, that you're aware of?

And how about environmental mold?

Can you eat natural animal fat without problems?