Are all these food allergies real?

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Replies

  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    When I eat tree nuts or mangos, within seconds I start to break out in hives, which are big red, swollen welts and they will get as big as quarters and then get so big they start to meld together into one big giant blob all over my body. Then I take antihistamines and after about 30 to 45 minutes they will start to go away. I made an appointment to get an allergy test, but have to wait for my appointment. While waiting I am not eating tree nuts or mangos (it would be illogical and stupid to do that). A couple times I forgot and it happened again. I do think it is possible that it could be a bizarre coincidence that somehow only happened when I ate tree nuts (it happened when I ate almonds, then walnuts, then mangos which I found out after the fact are related to cashews). Sometimes extreme stress can cause people to break out in hives as if they are having an allergic reaction and I do have ptsd (from a very severe and serious crime) and the hives were happening during a time when I was preparing for an aspect of the legal process which was causing a relapse of the ptsd (bodies are weird, they do weird things sometimes, you can ask your doctor about that). But, in my family there is a genetic history of extreme allergies and a lot of my family members (including my twin) have nut allergies (they also break out in hives and have tested positive), as well as other allergies and have to carry epi-pens (because some are of the serious variety) and they have to go to the doctor daily for medical treatments for the health problems they have (allergies can sometimes be related to other serious medical conditions and can be related also to the body's inability to metabolize certain foods). If the allergy test comes up negative I will be happy to try eating tree nuts again. Until then, I'd rather just wait.

    Also I was eating whey protein for a while and I loved the flavor. It was one of my favorite foods. Then one day I ate it and I threw up. So, I returned it and told them it had gone rancid. I got another one and again it caused me to throw up. So, I returned it and tried another and it caused me to throw up. I don't really care to try again. There are a million other ways to get protein and it causes no one any inconvenience if I do not purchase whey protein. It would be absurd to eat something that causes me to throw up, whatever the reason is. I figure it's some kind of intolerance because if you throw up obviously you are not tolerating it, you are rejecting it. At 100 pounds I can not afford to eat things that result in vomiting and financially I can't afford that either. And it's unpleasant.

    I really don't understand what your issue is or what anyone else's issue with this is. If you want to learn about it, you would have a lot better education by actually taking the time to read from some reputable sources.
  • helenta77
    helenta77 Posts: 45 Member
    No one in my family or husbands family is allergic to anything, yet my son is anaphilactic to walnut, pinenut, shellfish and raw egg. He also has dustmite alergy and hayfever. At first i didnt want to accept it but when he accidently ate just a drop of raw egg we ended up in hospital, his face had all swelled up and he was unrecognisable, i knew it was serious. My daughter has nothing. The only thing different i did was with my son i followed the rules of what i wasnt suppored to eat while pregnant. No soft boiled egg, no prawns, no deli meat, no unpasturized etc, and with my daughter i just ate everything. Who knows why it happens, but it is real.
  • jflint86
    jflint86 Posts: 74 Member
    As far as the "gluten free fad" goes, there are a LOT more people than you think who are intolerant to it, in some way or another. My husband's stomach bloats up when he eats gluten. My intestines have a hissy fit and you can literally hear my stomach and digestive system having war when I eat gluten. I am nauseous for days and cannot leave my house because I am so sick. In my head? Real? Just telling you my experience, although I'm sure many ppl here will just write it off as being all "in my head". Yes, I am self-diagnosed. No, I do not need my doctor to tell me I have a problem digesting gluten. I'm a smart cookie :) The second I went gluten free, all my symptoms disappeared. I've experimented with going back on it several times over the past few years in hopes that it *wasn't* real. Unfortunately, it is.

    Be careful about judging others when you haven't walked a single minute in their shoes...
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    My oldest son appears to be allergic to something, but we can't figure out what! Tests negative to everything, but gets covered in a full body rash frequently.

    I can completely sympathize with you on this one. I've had skin allergies since I was in elementary school - basically covered in rashes head to toe and it took testing to discover I was allergic to just about anything that's a plant and also highly allergic to certain grains like wheat (which I was told is an untreatable allergy in my case which is why I'm totally gluten free now).

    Here's something to consider: I'm very allergic to detergents. I use a detergent by Biokleen that's made from Grapefruit and also use a softener they sell at Whole Foods that's completely hypoallergenic with no perfumes. You may need to look at shampoos, soaps for clothing, anything that comes in contact with his skin. He literally may be going crazy from a contact allergy. I was having the same issue to a previous detergent until I switched because their new whitener made it NOT hypoallergenic as they claimed. I also have to be careful of Shampoos and Conditioners. I'm allergic to petroleum products. I use Aubrey's line and so far they seem to work well for me.

    Monica

    P.S. Has he been tested for Candida in the blood stream? If no, get the doctor to run that test. I had one year where the docs couldn't figure out what was causing my rashes and my dad had them do a test and it turned out the candida in my bloodstream was WAY out of control and it was actually causing the rashes.
  • jflint86
    jflint86 Posts: 74 Member
    I have to agree with Natasha. Why does it matter if I have discovered that when I eat red meat I have horrible intestinal pain therefore, I stop eating it. Its an intolerance to red meat. Its my body and I feel better if I don't put red meat in it. Simple as that. Would you continue to eat something that made you feel crappy? Isn't this site about getting healthy and losing weight? Finding what works best for you? If gluten makes you swell and retain water then that is YOUR problem to deal with. If cutting out gluten makes you feel better, I say go for it. If it was my problem, I would.

    We all make decisions about what we put in our bodies.

    ^^^^^ Gold. Perfectly stated :)
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    I too, wonder what the heck is going on! If I read or hear one more thing about "going gluten free" I am going to scream! I think it's a marketing tool and people are buying it hook, line and sinker. It's just interesting to me since something like only 10% of the population even has Celiac disease.

    Celiac's and gluten intolerance manifests in many different ways. There's a good chance the average person has suffered from one of the symptoms, such as headaches or sore joints. Tell them to stop eating gluten, and BAM, placebo effect in full form! I saw this happen with a couple patients at my internship. They told me they cut out gluten and their world had changed. Turns out that they thought gluten was sugar...I didn't really want to tell them they were just mixed up in hopes they'd cut back on their sugar intake haha

    Not to discount those who have true sensitivities. Gluten sensitivity is real. But the recent "popularity" of this allergy has made me skeptical. If you did enough nutrition counseling in areas where most people didn't graduate high school, you'd be cynical too.
  • jflint86
    jflint86 Posts: 74 Member
    I too, wonder what the heck is going on! If I read or hear one more thing about "going gluten free" I am going to scream! I think it's a marketing tool and people are buying it hook, line and sinker. It's just interesting to me since something like only 10% of the population even has Celiac disease.

    There are so many things I would like to say in reply to this post, but I'd likely get banned for it right now, I'm in a mood :angry: So I'll just curse at my computer screen instead :explode: For someone who has serious genuine issues with gluten, this post is downright maddening.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    I call the dairy and gluten 'allergies' because I tested positive when given the skin test AND in the blood tests. So while my reaction is more an intolerance reaction, the science says I'm actually allergic.

    I also was tested but I started to have my allergies as a little kid. The tests prove I'm highly allergic. Treatment barely minimized it. Ironically, I get migraines if I have too much wheat in my diet (as well as the rashes). I know people who adore bread but who suddenly, out of the blue, started experiencing horrible bathroom and digestion issues that included stuff I don't want to mention here but which came out of the blue. They stopped the gluten as it was suggested to them by a doctor and suddenly - it worked. Trust me, you don't go gluten free unless something is seriously wrong. It's way too expensive to do that. My breads are 2-3 dollars more than regular bread...you don't even want to know what a gluten free cookie can run. Basically, going gluten free involves spending LOTS of money.

    FYI - 10% out of a 100% is basically the equivalent of 10 people out of 100. Now, do the math....if you do that at a much higher population - you have a group of people willing to spend ANYTHING to eat things that resemble pasta, pizza and breads. Trust me - we are a guaranteed market willing to spend the cash. That's no minor thing.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    This thread keeps going back and forth through a couple of different issues. I'm glad I brought this up. Initially, I was trying to distinguish between people that have real problems with different food conditions, whatever they might be, and people that make them up.

    I do think there is a huge difference between people that get official medical diagnosis and people that just claim that not eating wheat makes them feel better. I don't at all think there is anything wrong with it all by itself. But, as it relates to the growing trend, it is hard to tell the difference between a real problem and one that's not real. I shouldn't have to define what not real means but since this is the internet, I sort of have to qualify it. So, I'll just say it is anytime that there is not a medical diagnosis of an actual medical problem. So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    So, we can move this forward and stop going back and arguing about an opinion that something makes you feel better. Again, just because you feel better on a gluten free diet does not mean that being gluten free has solved your problem, because you don't know what the problem really was. It could be that some component within the gluten free environment was the problem and you dont' actually have to eliminate gluten at all, you just think that because you felt better after eliminating gluten. This is a fact that seems to escape a lot of people. That's why I weigh heavily on more of an official diagnosis. It was never my attempt to belittle those with actual problems. I was more discussing those that are either jumping on the band wagon, or criticising those that self-diagnose. I was also asking if there was an actual increase in actual medical statistics of these increases. It seems that there is a general increase in over all dietary issues. It sounds like it is not clear as to why just yet. But, there are a lot of asumptions and theroies as to why.

    Anyway, interesting dialog. Obviously, this topic touches a lot of people. I'm concerned.
  • Yes, it is awful. The farmers around here don't even want to deal with the big M that tries to promote their company as such a family loving, environementally friendly, gag, gag, gag.............

    The billboards around here make me sick.
    I bet. I'm still bitter because I found out one of my county's locally based "organic" food companies pumped $500,000 into suppressing GMO food labeling. It's so frustrating because I just want information that should be available BY DEFAULT.

    Oh yes. I know Whole Foods backed up Monsanto a whole lot in this mess.

    I have also heard from others that live in California that it is possible that there was ballot tampering and that the measure might have actually passed.

    I was praying for rop 37 to pass in California as a first so that it would spark and unite other states to join in also.

    Of course Missouri would want no parts of it because they are big Monsanto lovers around these here parts.

    This is not true. I work for Whole Foods and I know they've been fighting for YEARS to have labeling in GMO foods. They have been the biggest backer of the Non-GMO Project since it's inception! We all wanted Prop 37 to pass as well. It was a company wide initiative. They got a bad rap because people pointed out that many of our foods have GMOs, but that is simply unfair because many of EVERYONE'S food in the US has GMOs. Nearly 80% of the food chain supply in the US has GMOs. That's the problem with Monsanto and others getting away with not labeling, plus there is the issue of cross-pollination and drift which makes it virtually impossible to avoid all GMOs. Trust me, everyone in this company wants GMO labeling. We have said this from the very beginning. Our message on this issue has never changed, we just got a whole bunch of bad press which marked us as somehow being different from every other natural retailer (and indeed every conventional retailer as well), but EVERY natural retailer has this problem. Whole Foods was targeted simply because it is the biggest. Do not for a second think that your natural retailer is any different just because it isn't Whole Foods. Every single part of the food chain is poisoned by Monsanto. They need to be stopped!

    Your being lied to by your employer. There was a big article written a while back about the Partnership between Whole Foods and Monsanto.

    It is kept under wraps to keep people shopping at Whole Foods.

    I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    Whole Foods needs to stop stocking Kashi and other mainstream brands if they want to continue to have support. I know a LOT of people that have begun boycotting Whole Foods.

    The video is linked in the link below.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/037329_Whole_Foods_GMO_undercover_video.html


    Whole Foods has mastered the art of bait and switch"

    That's not a bait and switch. What that is is a case of a couple of stock boys being uninformed. It's unfortunate that they didn't understand what GMOs were, but that has nothing to do with Whole Foods stance on the issue. The article outright lies several times. Never, not once, have I ever seen them train anyone to say we don't carry GMO products. In fact, for YEARS, way before all this bad press started, they have been telling us we DO have GMOs in some of our products and what we're doing about it. We've been backing NON-GMO initiatives for a very long time. We stopped selling Silk two years ago because of it. We're re-evaluating our relationship with Kashi. Whole Foods is not in bed with Monsanto. We've fought them MORE than any other grocery chain. Do your research. Don't believe an article you read. Research it. Research all the other grocery chains and tell me which ones profit most from Monsanto and which ones have supported GMO labeling the most. Whole Foods is not the enemy on this issue. They do many things wrong, but in this case they are absolutely being scapegoated.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?
  • I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    This shows how uninformed you, yourself are. Do you understand that if you eat anything labeled as "conventionally grown" you have likely eaten GMOs? Do you understand that the problem with them not being labeled means you almost certainly HAVE eaten GMOs? It does reduce your chances that you don't buy packaged foods, but if you or anyone in your family eats anything with wheat, corn, or soy, you can be sure you have consumed GMOs.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I do think there is a huge difference between people that get official medical diagnosis and people that just claim that not eating wheat makes them feel better. I don't at all think there is anything wrong with it all by itself. But, as it relates to the growing trend, it is hard to tell the difference between a real problem and one that's not real. I shouldn't have to define what not real means but since this is the internet, I sort of have to qualify it. So, I'll just say it is anytime that there is not a medical diagnosis of an actual medical problem. <snip>

    This is a perfect summary. I totally agree.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Seriously? Did you read what I wrote? Sheesh. Come on.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    This shows how uninformed you, yourself are. Do you understand that if you eat anything labeled as "conventionally grown" you have likely eaten GMOs? Do you understand that the problem with them not being labeled means you almost certainly HAVE eaten GMOs? It does reduce your chances that you don't buy packaged foods, but if you or anyone in your family eats anything with wheat, corn, or soy, you can be sure you have consumed GMOs.

    I can tell you one thing, I am anything but uninformed. All I do in the evenings is read, research and fellowship with like minded people both in real life and through the internet.

    The fruits and vegetables are actually labelled so you know if your purchasing GMO or not. Conventionally grown means traditionally grown with pesticides. That is all. It does not mean GMO.

    I don't buy any produce that begins with an "8" if I buy things from the grocery store. The majority of my food comes from local farmers, CSA membership, Coop and Farmers Markets.

    In fact, we barely go to any stores such as Wal-Mart, Target or grocery stores. I do buy organic apple cider vinegar, baking soda, coconut oil and other "basic" items so that I can make cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products.

    I make my own shampoo, soaps, cleaning supplies, etc. We use soap nuts and lavender oil for laundry products. There is very little need for me to go to a grocery store or big box store, except for things I mentioned above and toilet paper.

    You can tell how produce was grown from the labels on them...........

    Here are the basics of what you should know:

    1.If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

    2.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is possible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

    3.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011


    We don't eat wheat, corn or soy and my husband sometimes does eat organic, steel cut oats - which are non-GMO.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Yes, it is awful. The farmers around here don't even want to deal with the big M that tries to promote their company as such a family loving, environementally friendly, gag, gag, gag.............

    The billboards around here make me sick.
    I bet. I'm still bitter because I found out one of my county's locally based "organic" food companies pumped $500,000 into suppressing GMO food labeling. It's so frustrating because I just want information that should be available BY DEFAULT.

    Oh yes. I know Whole Foods backed up Monsanto a whole lot in this mess.

    I have also heard from others that live in California that it is possible that there was ballot tampering and that the measure might have actually passed.

    I was praying for rop 37 to pass in California as a first so that it would spark and unite other states to join in also.

    Of course Missouri would want no parts of it because they are big Monsanto lovers around these here parts.

    This is not true. I work for Whole Foods and I know they've been fighting for YEARS to have labeling in GMO foods. They have been the biggest backer of the Non-GMO Project since it's inception! We all wanted Prop 37 to pass as well. It was a company wide initiative. They got a bad rap because people pointed out that many of our foods have GMOs, but that is simply unfair because many of EVERYONE'S food in the US has GMOs. Nearly 80% of the food chain supply in the US has GMOs. That's the problem with Monsanto and others getting away with not labeling, plus there is the issue of cross-pollination and drift which makes it virtually impossible to avoid all GMOs. Trust me, everyone in this company wants GMO labeling. We have said this from the very beginning. Our message on this issue has never changed, we just got a whole bunch of bad press which marked us as somehow being different from every other natural retailer (and indeed every conventional retailer as well), but EVERY natural retailer has this problem. Whole Foods was targeted simply because it is the biggest. Do not for a second think that your natural retailer is any different just because it isn't Whole Foods. Every single part of the food chain is poisoned by Monsanto. They need to be stopped!

    Your being lied to by your employer. There was a big article written a while back about the Partnership between Whole Foods and Monsanto.

    It is kept under wraps to keep people shopping at Whole Foods.

    I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    Whole Foods needs to stop stocking Kashi and other mainstream brands if they want to continue to have support. I know a LOT of people that have begun boycotting Whole Foods.

    The video is linked in the link below.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/037329_Whole_Foods_GMO_undercover_video.html


    Whole Foods has mastered the art of bait and switch"

    That's not a bait and switch. What that is is a case of a couple of stock boys being uninformed. It's unfortunate that they didn't understand what GMOs were, but that has nothing to do with Whole Foods stance on the issue. The article outright lies several times. Never, not once, have I ever seen them train anyone to say we don't carry GMO products. In fact, for YEARS, way before all this bad press started, they have been telling us we DO have GMOs in some of our products and what we're doing about it. We've been backing NON-GMO initiatives for a very long time. We stopped selling Silk two years ago because of it. We're re-evaluating our relationship with Kashi. Whole Foods is not in bed with Monsanto. We've fought them MORE than any other grocery chain. Do your research. Don't believe an article you read. Research it. Research all the other grocery chains and tell me which ones profit most from Monsanto and which ones have supported GMO labeling the most. Whole Foods is not the enemy on this issue. They do many things wrong, but in this case they are absolutely being scapegoated.

    OK, LOL............you want to stick up for your employer. That's nice.

    I have 2 fellow friends that were working for Whole Foods and they both told me that these articles that were written are unfortunately accurate.

    These 2 friends live in 2 different areas of the country and I know they are not lying.

    And besides, the fact that they carry GMO products shows their support of GMO's so despite what you or anyone else says, seeing is believing. So in my book they are no better than Wal-Mart, especially when they carry some of the same products.
  • newmooon56
    newmooon56 Posts: 347 Member
    I read the first 2 pages and wanted to comment on many of the responses- skipped to the last page and will add one word I havent seen yet in this thread, but maybe its buried in the many pages-

    Psychosomatic. A lot of whats wrong with ppl IS all in their head. Enlightened individuals understand that statement. Others- Im not picking on or calling stupid- but I dont feel like explaining to disbelievers.

    ADHD and some allergies- excuses are what they are. My kid fails- hes adhd and no one understands him. My kid wont listen- go to doc and beg for meds to "calm'' him "slow him down" And we wonder why we have a generation of tv/xbox zombies??
    If kids went out and ran like crazy for 12 hours like they did in the "old days" maybe some of that energy would be sucked out of the little devils??

    I know ppl will fire off and explain HOW REAL what ever it is that happens to them or their kid is. Im sorry- but rarely do I believe its truly an UNFIXABLE medical issue. Usually a good BALANCED- CLEAN diet will fix many ills- so will drinking a ton of water - but few ppl want to believe its that easy.

    I honestly think some ppl like the attention (Munchausen anyone??) and some just want an easy answer. Of course some want the pills that come with a Dx- especially if its going to calm the kids.

    A lot of back pain is psychosomatic and so are many many ills of today's society.

    I truly believe if we cared enough (as a planet and people) about good nutrition and did what ever we had to do to not eat garbage pumped out in factories and bathed in hormones and poisons much of MODERN DAY ills would go away. Doctors are in the MEDICINE business- not the nutrition business- its not good for business to point you to your own cures.
  • I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    This shows how uninformed you, yourself are. Do you understand that if you eat anything labeled as "conventionally grown" you have likely eaten GMOs? Do you understand that the problem with them not being labeled means you almost certainly HAVE eaten GMOs? It does reduce your chances that you don't buy packaged foods, but if you or anyone in your family eats anything with wheat, corn, or soy, you can be sure you have consumed GMOs.

    I can tell you one thing, I am anything but uninformed. All I do in the evenings is read, research and fellowship with like minded people both in real life and through the internet.

    The fruits and vegetables are actually labelled so you know if your purchasing GMO or not. Conventionally grown means traditionally grown with pesticides. That is all. It does not mean GMO.

    I don't buy any produce that begins with an "8" if I buy things from the grocery store. The majority of my food comes from local farmers, CSA membership, Coop and Farmers Markets.

    In fact, we barely go to any stores such as Wal-Mart, Target or grocery stores. I do buy organic apple cider vinegar, baking soda, coconut oil and other "basic" items so that I can make cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products.

    I make my own shampoo, soaps, cleaning supplies, etc. We use soap nuts and lavender oil for laundry products. There is very little need for me to go to a grocery store or big box store, except for things I mentioned above and toilet paper.

    You can tell how produce was grown from the labels on them...........

    Here are the basics of what you should know:

    1.If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

    2.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is possible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

    3.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011


    We don't eat wheat, corn or soy and my husband sometimes does eat organic, steel cut oats - which are non-GMO.

    I will grant you that you are more informed than the average consumer. And if you aren't eating wheat, soy, or corn as you say, than likely you ARE avoiding the majority of GMOs, which is great! However, don't believe what you read about the PLUs. I'm aware that conventional just means it was grown using pesticides, however many conventionally grown items have GMOs and you have no way of knowing because labeling isn't required. PLU codes are optional. They are not a requirement. Many GMO foods are not labeled. Also, PLUs are designed for the supply chain, not for the consumer. Because of this, they often go out of their way to hide information from the consumer. If you seriously believe all GMO produce is labeled with an 8, and by just avoiding that pesky 8 you'll be safe, you are sadly mistaken.
  • tashjs21
    tashjs21 Posts: 4,584 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Also, my insurance is not the best so I can not afford to go through the testing required to get an official diagnosis. My self diagnosis of "I eat this food and feel these symptoms so I am not going to eat this food" works for me. That is why I say "intolerance" instead of 'allergy'. I have talked to other people that have a gluten allergy and that is not what I have. I don't get sick to the degree they do.

    I think the ones just jumping on the bandwagon would be pretty easy to spot. When something truly makes you feel like utter crap from eating it...you don't eat that food period. I have seen people talk about going gluten free then eat things that have gluten in it. That brings up a flag for me.

    But again, I don't see how it affects someone else? Are you going to shove food in someones mouth to test out their truthfulness of an allergy? Why does it bother you what people consume?
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    People who are arguing that these things are psychosematic piss me off a bit. It took over ten years for me to be diagnosed because when I'd go into the doctor with my symptoms he kept brushing me off or telling me to get 'psychiatric' help. It took me, on the floor, in anaphylatic (yeah, I can't spell it) shock before they took me seriously. Freaking morons.

    The symptoms they brushed off?

    1. Intense heat spells. I mean INTENSE. I remember running outside and burying myself in a snow bank in the middle of -15C weather. I was so hot I would just sweat and sweat and sweat.

    2. Fainting spells. Poof - she's out! And I never knew when it was coming. It was a real mind f***. Caused a LOT of anxiety after about the third spell.

    3. Intense stomach pains (with bloody discharge).

    4. Chain puking (uncontrollable. I'd puke until there was nothing left to puke and then I'd puke more. It lasted more then an hour one time when I got a handful of nuts - and NO, I didn't think it was the nuts. It wasn't until I tested positive for nut allergy in the skin tests and blood tests that I put two and two together).

    5. Hives. Hives. Hives. Hives. Hives. Everywhere. Anytime.

    And after all of those symptoms I had to end up with my throat closed and the world blacking out of existence before they ordered allergy tests. A near death experience is what it took. Are you kidding me? How useless are medical professionals???

    So yeah. All the dismissive attitude pisses me off a bit. I didn't have to suffer as many years as I did. Maybe a bit of awareness of what allergies really ARE and what they can do would have saved me a LOT of grief.

    I don't think the answer is dismissing people or accusing everyone of having 'mental problems'. I think the solution is educating people on what allergies are, what intolerances are and how to spot the difference.

    I don't care if you end up humoring a million false sufferers. If you make the life of even one true allergy sufferer easier by being understanding then why the hell wouldn't you humor those million others?

    *grumble grumble*
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Seriously? Did you read what I wrote? Sheesh. Come on.

    I did. It all looked like white noise to me.

    Blah. Blah. Blah.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Also, my insurance is not the best so I can not afford to go through the testing required to get an official diagnosis. My self diagnosis of "I eat this food and feel these symptoms so I am not going to eat this food" works for me. That is why I say "intolerance" instead of 'allergy'. I have talked to other people that have a gluten allergy and that is not what I have. I don't get sick to the degree they do.

    I think the ones just jumping on the bandwagon would be pretty easy to spot. When something truly makes you feel like utter crap from eating it...you don't eat that food period. I have seen people talk about going gluten free then eat things that have gluten in it. That brings up a flag for me.

    But again, I don't see how it affects someone else? Are you going to shove food in someones mouth to test out their truthfulness of an allergy? Why does it bother you what people consume?

    And again, your very last sentance is the ignorance that keeps prevailing here. Geez. If you're not interested in social or medical trend, or why there could potentially be a rise in food issues, why respond at all. I don't care what people eat. I've made that pretty clear over and over and over again to the point where I am now just going to be flat out rude about it. What I am asking is different and if you can't see that, then you might want to consider reading comprehension courses at your local community college, or maybe an evening adult ed course.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Also, my insurance is not the best so I can not afford to go through the testing required to get an official diagnosis. My self diagnosis of "I eat this food and feel these symptoms so I am not going to eat this food" works for me. That is why I say "intolerance" instead of 'allergy'. I have talked to other people that have a gluten allergy and that is not what I have. I don't get sick to the degree they do.

    I think the ones just jumping on the bandwagon would be pretty easy to spot. When something truly makes you feel like utter crap from eating it...you don't eat that food period. I have seen people talk about going gluten free then eat things that have gluten in it. That brings up a flag for me.

    But again, I don't see how it affects someone else? Are you going to shove food in someones mouth to test out their truthfulness of an allergy? Why does it bother you what people consume?

    And again, your very last sentance is the ignorance that keeps prevailing here. Geez. If you're not interested in social or medical trend, or why there could potentially be a rise in food issues, why respond at all. I don't care what people eat. I've made that pretty clear over and over and over again to the point where I am now just going to be flat out rude about it. What I am asking is different and if you can't see that, then you might want to consider reading comprehension courses at your local community college, or maybe an evening adult ed course.

    Dude, you cannot control how people respond to your post. Deal with it.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I don't shop at Natural Grocers and I don't buy packaged foods and such. I make sure the fruits and vegetables I eat are either conventionally grown or they are organic. So, I don't worry about GMO's being eaten by me or anyone that eats in my house.

    This shows how uninformed you, yourself are. Do you understand that if you eat anything labeled as "conventionally grown" you have likely eaten GMOs? Do you understand that the problem with them not being labeled means you almost certainly HAVE eaten GMOs? It does reduce your chances that you don't buy packaged foods, but if you or anyone in your family eats anything with wheat, corn, or soy, you can be sure you have consumed GMOs.

    I can tell you one thing, I am anything but uninformed. All I do in the evenings is read, research and fellowship with like minded people both in real life and through the internet.

    The fruits and vegetables are actually labelled so you know if your purchasing GMO or not. Conventionally grown means traditionally grown with pesticides. That is all. It does not mean GMO.

    I don't buy any produce that begins with an "8" if I buy things from the grocery store. The majority of my food comes from local farmers, CSA membership, Coop and Farmers Markets.

    In fact, we barely go to any stores such as Wal-Mart, Target or grocery stores. I do buy organic apple cider vinegar, baking soda, coconut oil and other "basic" items so that I can make cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products.

    I make my own shampoo, soaps, cleaning supplies, etc. We use soap nuts and lavender oil for laundry products. There is very little need for me to go to a grocery store or big box store, except for things I mentioned above and toilet paper.

    You can tell how produce was grown from the labels on them...........

    Here are the basics of what you should know:

    1.If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

    2.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is possible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

    3.If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011


    We don't eat wheat, corn or soy and my husband sometimes does eat organic, steel cut oats - which are non-GMO.

    I will grant you that you are more informed than the average consumer. And if you aren't eating wheat, soy, or corn as you say, than likely you ARE avoiding the majority of GMOs, which is great! However, don't believe what you read about the PLUs. I'm aware that conventional just means it was grown using pesticides, however many conventionally grown items have GMOs and you have no way of knowing because labeling isn't required. PLU codes are optional. They are not a requirement. Many GMO foods are not labeled. Also, PLUs are designed for the supply chain, not for the consumer. Because of this, they often go out of their way to hide information from the consumer. If you seriously believe all GMO produce is labeled with an 8, and by just avoiding that pesky 8 you'll be safe, you are sadly mistaken.

    I don't know why you are skipping over the point of I don't buy food from grocery stores. And I do know for a fact that in terms of produce, there are very few GMO's that are grown.......... the kinds of GMO produce in the U.S. are quite limited: Hawaiian papayas, some zucchini and yellow squash, and corn on the cob.

    We don't eat papaya at all and I only eat zucchini and yellow squash when they are in season and from my own or my sisters garden. We don't eat grains, so that nixes corn.

    The majority of my produce comes from FARMERS MARKETS, CSA, and LOCAL FOOD COOP. I get my MEAT, DAIRY, HONEY and EGGS straight from LOCAL FARMERS..........

    These are the types of things I buy from the grocery store/////////

    Coconut oil (mostly buy from Tropical Traditions online, but sometimes buy Nutiva from my local store)
    Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, regular white vinegar to clean and use in the laundry
    Coconut Amino Acids (similar in taste to soy sauce)
    Organic Yellow Mustard
    Occasional Citrus or Tropical Fruits (oranges, grapefruit, bananas, pineapple)
    Coffee (Organic and Rainforest Alliance)
    Baking Soda
    Raw nuts out of the bulk bin
    Soap Nuts
    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

    I make my own soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodrant and cleaning supplies. I use coconut oil to shave, cleanse and moisturize my face and it is a good scalp conditioner for my husband.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I don't know why you are skipping over the point of I don't buy food from grocery stores. And I do know for a fact that in terms of produce, there are very few GMO's that are grown.......... the kinds of GMO produce in the U.S. are quite limited: Hawaiian papayas, some zucchini and yellow squash, and corn on the cob.

    We don't eat papaya at all and I only eat zucchini and yellow squash when they are in season and from my own or my sisters garden. We don't eat grains, so that nixes corn.

    The majority of my produce comes from FARMERS MARKETS, CSA, and LOCAL FOOD COOP. I get my MEAT, DAIRY, HONEY and EGGS straight from LOCAL FARMERS..........

    These are the types of things I buy from the grocery store/////////

    Coconut oil (mostly buy from Tropical Traditions online, but sometimes buy Nutiva from my local store)
    Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, regular white vinegar to clean and use in the laundry
    Coconut Amino Acids (similar in taste to soy sauce)
    Organic Yellow Mustard
    Occasional Citrus or Tropical Fruits (oranges, grapefruit, bananas, pineapple)
    Coffee (Organic and Rainforest Alliance)
    Baking Soda
    Raw nuts out of the bulk bin
    Soap Nuts
    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

    I make my own soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodrant and cleaning supplies. I use coconut oil to shave, cleanse and moisturize my face and it is a good scalp conditioner for my husband.

    I'm sorry. Maybe I missed it? Where do you get your information on what GMOs are or aren't grown in the US? Why do you feel these sources are reliable? Do you believe it's possible more GMOs are out there and it's simply not public knowledge?
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    So, by saying that I feel better eating gluten free food DOES NOT mean that I have celiac disease. And, that's what I was attempting to get at with my post.

    If they feel better eating gluten free, why shouldn't they eat gluten free? How is it hurting them?

    Also, my insurance is not the best so I can not afford to go through the testing required to get an official diagnosis. My self diagnosis of "I eat this food and feel these symptoms so I am not going to eat this food" works for me. That is why I say "intolerance" instead of 'allergy'. I have talked to other people that have a gluten allergy and that is not what I have. I don't get sick to the degree they do.

    I think the ones just jumping on the bandwagon would be pretty easy to spot. When something truly makes you feel like utter crap from eating it...you don't eat that food period. I have seen people talk about going gluten free then eat things that have gluten in it. That brings up a flag for me.

    But again, I don't see how it affects someone else? Are you going to shove food in someones mouth to test out their truthfulness of an allergy? Why does it bother you what people consume?

    And again, your very last sentance is the ignorance that keeps prevailing here. Geez. If you're not interested in social or medical trend, or why there could potentially be a rise in food issues, why respond at all. I don't care what people eat. I've made that pretty clear over and over and over again to the point where I am now just going to be flat out rude about it. What I am asking is different and if you can't see that, then you might want to consider reading comprehension courses at your local community college, or maybe an evening adult ed course.

    Despite what sheeple like you tend to think, it doesn't always take expensive medical testing and a million Doctors to tell you something is wrong. The body tells you itself when you pay attention to how you feel, sleep, etc.


    An individual person knows BEST when they are intolerant or allergic to something.

    I don't know what is so hard to understand about that.

    My Doctor has even mentioned that for people that pay attention and are very aware of their own bodies, they know best when something is off and just not right.

    For me, I knew something was wrong and I went to the Dr and said I believe that I have an allergy to gluten. I went over how I felt, and told him that I had been avoiding gluten and all grains because it is easy for other grains to be contaminated with gluten. He told me that if I physically felt better when avoiding these foods, then there is either an intolerance or an allergy so he said just go with what I have been doing.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I don't know why you are skipping over the point of I don't buy food from grocery stores. And I do know for a fact that in terms of produce, there are very few GMO's that are grown.......... the kinds of GMO produce in the U.S. are quite limited: Hawaiian papayas, some zucchini and yellow squash, and corn on the cob.

    We don't eat papaya at all and I only eat zucchini and yellow squash when they are in season and from my own or my sisters garden. We don't eat grains, so that nixes corn.

    The majority of my produce comes from FARMERS MARKETS, CSA, and LOCAL FOOD COOP. I get my MEAT, DAIRY, HONEY and EGGS straight from LOCAL FARMERS..........

    These are the types of things I buy from the grocery store/////////

    Coconut oil (mostly buy from Tropical Traditions online, but sometimes buy Nutiva from my local store)
    Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, regular white vinegar to clean and use in the laundry
    Coconut Amino Acids (similar in taste to soy sauce)
    Organic Yellow Mustard
    Occasional Citrus or Tropical Fruits (oranges, grapefruit, bananas, pineapple)
    Coffee (Organic and Rainforest Alliance)
    Baking Soda
    Raw nuts out of the bulk bin
    Soap Nuts
    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

    I make my own soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodrant and cleaning supplies. I use coconut oil to shave, cleanse and moisturize my face and it is a good scalp conditioner for my husband.

    I'm sorry. Maybe I missed it? Where do you get your information on what GMOs are or aren't grown in the US? Why do you feel these sources are reliable? Do you believe it's possible more GMOs are out there and it's simply not public knowledge?

    I got this information from the farmers that own my CSA farm and other farmers in the area where I get meat and eggs. I trust the people where I get the bulk of my food from

    There may be some other GMO produce out there, but I buy very little from the grocery so I don't believe I have that to worry about.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    My son's allergic to dairy (not lactose intolerant--allergic to caesin) and it's been a real b!tch.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I got this information from the farmers that own my CSA farm and other farmers in the area where I get meat and eggs. I trust the people where I get the bulk of my food from

    There may be some other GMO produce out there, but I buy very little from the grocery so I don't believe I have that to worry about.

    Cool. :) I live in a farming community. The farmers I deal with are very open about the fact that the seeds they get have been modified in some way or another. In fact, if I recall correctly, corn seeds were injected with some kind of pesticide so they would live through the weed killing process.

    Talking to those farmers scared the crap out of me and convinced me that grocery store or bought from a farmer - either way you're getting crap food.

    Bottom line, vegetables are NOT healthier then the junk you buy in packages. They've been messed around with too.

    Mind you I live in a different country (I do believe), and a different community. I'm not saying YOUR food isn't clean. I'm just saying I don't trust that mine would be, even from local farmers.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I got this information from the farmers that own my CSA farm and other farmers in the area where I get meat and eggs. I trust the people where I get the bulk of my food from

    There may be some other GMO produce out there, but I buy very little from the grocery so I don't believe I have that to worry about.

    Cool. :) I live in a farming community. The farmers I deal with are very open about the fact that the seeds they get have been modified in some way or another. In fact, if I recall correctly, corn seeds were injected with some kind of pesticide so they would live through the weed killing process.

    Talking to those farmers scared the crap out of me and convinced me that grocery store or bought from a farmer - either way you're getting crap food.

    Bottom line, vegetables are NOT healthier then the junk you buy in packages. They've been messed around with too.

    Mind you I live in a different country (I do believe), and a different community. I'm not saying YOUR food isn't clean. I'm just saying I don't trust that mine would be, even from local farmers.

    I belong to an organic CSA that has goes through organic certification every couple of years.

    Please stop.......you are making me laugh.

    Do you REALLY think that fruits and vegetables are NOT healthier than packaged junk? You have got to be kidding me.

    I do trust local farmers around here where I live. I don't trust large Corporate farms and such. Here in the United States the large farms have massive recalls due to salmonella and listeria poisoning that it just pushes me more and more to eat as local as I can until I can grow all of my food myself.

    And those farmers that are telling you about corn, wheat, soy and other seeds that are injected with pesticide..........That is Monsanto, round up ready seed.

    That is only one reason as to why I don't eat grains. I have many other reasons also.