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Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine

My doctor had her own kids tested. One was allergic to six things. The other, to 27! I was so hoping that my list would be on the short side. Even if it were six major things, I could be okay with that.

But no... I am allergic to gluten and 36 more things. So if you have a short list, you can compare yourself to me and feel grateful. If you have a long list, like mine, you can feel less alone in your plight. And know that I am determined to eat well despite this. Stay tuned for my fake pizza blog!

Here is my list:

Alfalfa
Banana
Barley
Bean, Kidney
Bean, Navy
Bean, Pinto
Beef
Blueberry
Cheese
Coffee
Cranberry
Cumin
Egg
Gluten
Milk, Cow’s
Milk, Goat’s
Mushroom
Oyster
Paprika
Peanut
Pepper, B/W
Pepper, Cayenne
Peppermint
Perch
Pineapple
Radish
Sage­
Scallops
Seed, Caraway
Thyme
Tomato
Vanilla
Vinegar (all but white distilled)
Walnut, Black
Walnut, English
Wheat
Yeast, Baker’s
Yeast, Brewer’s

So... what are your food allergies? Or your kids'?

He Bought Me Flours!

No wheat or gluten means shopping for things I never even thought about before. I sent my husband to a local Amish store and here's what he brought back for me:

Brown Rice Flour, Soy Flour, Oat Flour, and Almond Butter

I used the oat flour for about a week before discovering that it's probably not gluten free. (Oats are most often processed with wheat, so it gets 'contaminated' with gluten).

LESSON #1: If a package of oats doesn't say gluten-free, it's probably not!

I Can't Have What?!

I was (am) a foodie! I love food. I love trying new foods. I wanted to plan family vacations around food festivals! I pride myself on being the most adventurous and least picky eater in my family. I used to love eating things that would make my mom and siblings cringe. (Escargot, anyone? Tripe? Squid?)

So imagine my horror when my doctor recommended that I be tested for food allergies. What?! I don't break out into hives or go into anaphylactic shock. The only time I've even had heartburn was during pregnancy. How could I be allergic to food? I love it and it loves me. But she suggested that it could be the cause of my chronic depression, fatigue, and INSOMNIA. And I had friends who had been tested and it changed their lives.

Still, I told myself that the testing was too expensive and my insurance wouldn't cover it. But the truth is, I didn't really know how much they would or wouldn't cover because the real reason I waited an entire year to be tested was that I was terrified of what I would find out. What would I have to give up?

Well... a lot, actually (36 different foods, plus gluten). And I'm not happy about it. Not at all. But I will not be defeated by this. I will find a way to enjoy food without wrecking my body and mind in the process. And I'm going to help you do it, too! Maybe we'll help each other. Ready? Let's do this!