I have always had allergies and an inhaler for as long as I can remember. Over the last few years, I get a terrible pain in my thumb and joints - especially after a long day at the office or when it’s freezing out side. I had also been suffering from tightness in my throat, difficulty swallowing, bad breath, belching all the time, bloating after most meals, weight gain and waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty of breath.
When I learned the results of my food allergy test in October, I was pretty bummed about the fact that I am allergic to almonds. I also had just eaten a handful pretty much as I was reading my allergy report. The eggs part didn’t really bother me at first, but after really thinking about how many things we eat on a daily basis have egg in them, I got frustrated. The dairy was also a bit of a bummer because I use milk in my coffee and enjoy fancy cheeses.
Then it all hit me while I was in Greece: What can I eat for breakfast? I can’t eat eggs, and oatmeal is out of the questions because oats was a minor food allergy. That basically leaves fruit which has a lot of sugar… even though it is a natural sugar. I ate some meat for breakfast as well, but all I wanted for breakfast was eggs!
My best friend, Annie, joined me in Greece for a few days and she loves ice cream. We found an ice cream place near our hotel in Santorini, and the guy assured me that my ice cream had no dairy or eggs in it. I tasted it and it tasted way too good to be egg and dairy free! It was pure egg yolks and dairy of course. So, at times, it has been rough, BUT there is good news in all of this…
Since I have learned of my food allergies and have avoided those foods almost 100% (okay minus a taste every so often), I have seen a change in my inhaler behavior. I don’t have to use it as much! I also have been sleeping much better and haven’t had the joint pain.
Conveniently, my daughter eats dairy free (minus sheep and goat cheeses) and cooks many egg free & vegan dishes at home. While we all eat meat, we don’t consume dairy, so it’s been fairly easy when I am in Orange County and she can cook for me.
Back in February, Krysten finally launched Krysten’s Kitchen after a few years of encouragement from friends and family. She does a lot of trial and error to make many meals She makes the most delicious dinners and foods at home that I can eat:
stuffed chicken thighs (I have to go easy on the feta, though but doc said a little goat feta is okay here and there)
chia seed pudding - one of my favorites, tastes like tapioca
crunch bars - YES!
The best part about all of this, her recipes are all dairy free, almond and egg free! I love these brownies and a pizza crust mix that she makes from Namaste Foods. This company has many different food products that are all allergy friendly - so, no eggs, nuts, dairy, soy, tree nut, shellfish, corn etc in any of their stuff. It makes it easier on me, too. I also love this tasty vegan pesto from Basiltops. You would never know it didn't have cheese in it and it's wonderful on the pizza.
In all of this, I am grateful that I do know what I am allergic to, although it kind of stinks a bit when I’m out at events or holiday parties. However, I feel so much better when I avoid almonds, eggs and dairy. I have heard so many people say “I could never give that up.” If you have a key to feeling much better each day and choose to push it aside, that makes no sense to me.
If you would have told me that I needed to avoid dairy, almonds and eggs, I might have thought that it wouldn’t do anything because I don’t get a physical reaction or rash on my skin. However, following my doctor’s orders and giving it a try was the best thing I could have done because I feel so much better. Plus, there are so many alternatives out there nowadays and my daughter has made some of the most delicious recipes that are free of the stuff I cannot eat anymore.
Life is an adventure. Eliminating a food or two isn’t the end of the world. And for me, after eliminating these foods, all of those terrible things I had been dealing with have either disappeared or severely minimized!
Athena offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com
