QuestionI have been having a lot of problems in the last 4 years. I can’t eat lemons or any citrus. I stay away from fruit. I can’t eat olives, tomatoes, as of late. I’ve cut out night shades completely. Peppers have been know to shoot the bp up. I had to call an ambulance about 2 weeks ago as I finished dinner and my bp started to go up. Face and chest were bright red. I ran to the phone and call an ambulance. Took 2 benedryl and waited for the ambulance. My bp was 224 over 114. I thought I … [Read more...]
What causes food reactions?
Have you wondered about which food chemicals cause most reactions? The following reactions were found in my detailed study of 113 families which I followed up very carefully over 18 months for my Masters Degree. My work had followed up a study of 500 families published in the Australian Journal of Dietetics.Of 100 people who react to artificial colours and flavours:87% still reacted to flavoured but uncoloured lollies87% reacted to chocolate (even though cocoa was allowed in the Feingold Diet, … [Read more...]
Colonscopy prep drink reaction
Lyn had a very bad reaction to the colonscopy preparation drink with severe headache which took days to resolve. The Lavage solution has a strong artificial flavour. Usually you are recommended one pack of Picolax and one pack of ColonLYTELY. The Picolax is only available as Lemon but the ColonLYTELY can be obtained without flavour. You do need to discuss this issue with the nurse who advises you before the procedure. Each practice is different. It is wise to let staff know a month before that … [Read more...]
The Milk Ladder has branches
I like the idea of thinking that "the milk ladder has branches" as that way we think of something organic like a tree with branches, with different food-sensitive families working out which factors may matter most to a food sensitive person or their child when they want to test milk for tolerance, rather than a series of steps that follow one from another. Where there are any concerns about a serious reaction discuss your plan with your dietitian or doctor. Testing milk tolerance is complex … [Read more...]
Moist ginger cake, with no ginger!
My mother used to make this lovely soft cake so I rewrote the recipe without the ginger and it tastes darkly caramel with the brown sugars and syrup and a dash of treacle. It is fun adapting recipes for the Low Chemical Diet as you can adjust amounts depending on your tolerance of salicylate, and the size of your piece of cake each day. Diet tolerance hint: You can decide if you use any dark brown sugar or treacle at all. I have used a little of both here to give a rich flavour. … [Read more...]
Quality of life and needing a diet
Having a grief reaction to needing a diet is an important issue. I remember when I worked with ADHD patients I attended a seminar for disabled children and thought I was in the wrong place as my patients where not disabled in the same way. But one mother talked about the grief of the loss of the normal child they had expected. This was quite a powerful idea. If we apply this to patients who need an elimination diet they have a grief reaction to the loss of themselves without symptoms, and the … [Read more...]
Sport, does red cordial increase speed?
Where people are sensitive to food chemicals red cordial does increase activity. The following ideas help explain how and why it can be useful, or if it produces more problems than benefits. Usually I am writing about food chemical intolerance as a problem. In the general population foods suspect for causing reactions are those which are sought after as they are enjoyable and stimulating. These include foods high in additives, spicy foods, acidic fruit, peppermint, teas, herbal preparations, … [Read more...]