Hi all ~ Boy, has it been a crazy last couple of weeks! In a nutshell, my DD15 had what started out as a usual cold, then turned into a nasty cough, then came a fever for several days and I finally took her in to dr. as nothing was getting any better. They said she had the onset of a bronchial infection on top of the flu! Ugh.... Needless to say, it was a good 2 weeks before she was back out of bed and on her feet again. When she was 9 yo she was diagnosed with corn, potato and chocolate allergies. Ever since then, when sickness comes, she gets it bad. We can eliminate the chocolate obviously, and potatoes/potato starch, etc. pretty much, but the darn CORN allergy is a tough one! Some form of corn is practically in everything from food, to soaps, to toothpaste and more! Her system reacts by flushing everything out down the toilet many times a day.... Our pediatrician has recommended specialist intervention again. So we just went through an MRI scan of her small intestine to see if that gives them any answers of something more going on. We will have some answers at the end of the month for her next appt with the specialist. I truly believe her issues stem from the allergies as they don't allow her system to absorb vitamins and minerals properly.... Does anyone else deal with severe allergies and intestinal issues because of them? Or how about anyone who can relate to the difficulties of a corn allergy??
I have gluten, dairy and MSG allergies, and some egg. And I react the very same way. Mine came on after a bout with cryptosporidium. I firmly believe it damaged my intestines in some way, but of course the doctors say it doesn't. Either way, the results are that I can't eat much of anything other than meat, veggies, rice and potatoes. It is very hard, and corn is even harder. Shoot! Corn is even in cold medicines! The up side of all of this is that today we have the internet. There are many, many companies and sites that deal with and sell allergy-free everything these days, and you can get them through the mail in days. I order soooooo much over the internet!!! Here are the things I do/did. First, I got used to eating healthier. I make pretty much everything from scratch. Have for many years - AND - I try to grow as much as I can get or buy fresh as often as I can. If she can eat wheat, she can eat a lot of things if you make them yourself. It's only the store-bought varieties that have the corn syrup and stuff in them. Buy a bread machine and make bread with it if you aren't already. The whole family will love the bread and using the healthy ingredients will benefit everyone! Try to cook from scratch. Fresh or frozen veggies, fresh fruits and meats. Make sure they don't have a "solution to enhance flavor" or preservatives. Just nice, fresh cuts of meat. You can even find them at WalMart if you learn to read labels (which you probably already have.) I've never found any cause for mine. I've known a couple of people who had the same issue, and they never had a cause pinpointed either, other than the food sensitivities. They don't even classify them as allergies any more. But tell your daughter I can definitely empathize. I've had the issues for almost 20 years now. It is not fun to live with, but I always console myself that I eat a LOT healthier than most people and definitely healthier than I would without the problems. If you would like any recommendations of websites to purchase allergy-free products or things like medicines/vitamins feel free to send me a msg. I have a few that I purchase from on a regular basis. Let your daughter know that over 10% of the population suffer from similar issues. She is not alone! {{HUGS}}
We have a type 1 diabetic and a red dye allergy and a shrimp allergy here. Plus I have one with SPD who has texture issues with foods. It's fun to shop/cook in our house! LOL While my shrimp allergy is bad, it's fairly easy to avoid. And while the red dye is hard to avoid in many prepackaged things, it's an allergy that isn't life threatening so he can have it, it's just best if he doesn't. I've also found, like the above person, making my own and shopping for a few things at specialty stores (I use Earth Fare locally or Kroger's organic/natural section) usually takes care of most things. HFCS is in EVERYTHING! I used to pay $2.50/loaf for bread made without it, but now I just make all my own bread (loaf, buns, rolls, etc) I want to learn to make a few more things as well (like tortillas) I'm going to make my own granola for the first time this week, I recently started making my own yogurt (to avoid red dye and to save money cause my kids eat a TON of yogurt!) plus I have a SPD kid who doesn't like fruit much so it's easier to get real fruit in him with homemade yogurt.... I now make my own chocolate syrup and 'magic shell'. I pretty much only use the organic/natural food store/section to avoid red dye. It's a way for my kids to get what other kids get (fruit snacks, gummis, 'lucky charms' etc) without the red dye-I don't buy these a lot, cause it's not easy on the budget, but I use them for treats. The one thing I simply CAN NOT make myself is biscuits! I have my mama make them for me LOL It's a horrible thing for a southern woman to have to admit! hahahaha My biscuits never turn out right so I gave up on trying years ago but I think I may have another go at them soon....
I agree with what Countrygal said. You become a healthier person by limiting things that often are not good for you anyway. We try to look at things in our lives that limit us as a blessing. If you lack willpower, there is nothing like a severe allergic reaction to keep you on track! While we don't have severe food allergies here, we have other conditions that make for special dietary considerations (Dh has diverticulosis among other intestinal problems; I've had gastric bypass). We are always trying to get even more natural and healthy than we were before. You're family just happened to get put on the fast track! Aren't you the fortunate ones!!!
