Allergies and intolerances

nomorefatplease2
nomorefatplease2 Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm allergic/intolerant to a lot of things. I have oral allergy syndrome, meaning I have allergic reactions to fruits and vegetables that cross-react with certain pollens. Cooking them usually breaks down the proteins that cause the reactions, but obviously there are a lot of fruits and vegetables that completely lose their flavor/texture when cooked and do not taste good. The reactions don't happen every single time, but there are some vegetables and fruits that are absolutely off-limits. Here's a list of what I'm allergic to:

- Celery
- Carrots
- Artichoke
- Cabbage
- Chickpeas
- Romaine lettuce
- Iceberg lettuce
- Red onions
- Radishes
- Sprouts
- All squashes
- Avocado
- Bananas
- All melons
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Some nuts (unidentified - not peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, or almonds)

I'm also lactose intolerant. I can handle a small amount of cheese, no yogurt or ice cream, and a very small amount of skim milk. I have IBS which I believe to be mostly caused by my lactose intolerance, as I've felt better since cutting most dairy out of my diet. However, I still get sick from time to time, often after having a greasy/high-fat meal.

Because of all this I've kind of defaulted to carbs, which isn't really healthy and definitely isn't helping me lose weight. Do you have any suggestions for meals and snacks I can eat that are easy to prepare and fit within my restrictions? It's just so frustrating because I look online at all these diet menu ideas and more than half of it incorporates foods that I can't have. Do you think I could benefit from seeing a nutritionist? Is it worth the money?

Replies

  • maracuya23
    maracuya23 Posts: 122
    Can you put together a list of foods that you are not allergic to? That might help with coming up with ideas.

    A registered dietician might also be really helpful in your situation.
  • bethanytapp
    bethanytapp Posts: 79 Member
    I agree... what aren't you allergic to? There were lots of vegetables and fruits I thought of that aren't on your list, but maybe you just haven't been tested for them.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Yes, you absolutely need to see a dietitian. Some health plans cover it. Either way, you need a health team. This kind of thing is not like a do it yourself project.
    Forget the fruits and veggies. You can lose weight without fruit or vegetables.Eat meat and carbs until you see the nutritionist:

    ~beef, pork, chicken, lamb, eggs, fish
    ~baked sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, rice (white or brown), quinoa, oatmeal. . .

    Meal one: meat or egg and carb

    Meal two: meat or egg and carb

    Meal three: meat or egg and carb

    That is easy to follow and interesting enough that you can mix it up and not get bored. If you can get a food scale, measure ingredients BEFORE cooking. That is how you stay under calories.
  • Serafimangel
    Serafimangel Posts: 174 Member
    Can I just throw this in: have you been checked for gallstones?
    You get massively sick from anything with a bit of fat in it and it doesn't just affect older people, I got them when I was 18.
    (I now have IBS 6 years later, and am totally fine with fat, though I know IBS affects everyone totally differently).
  • sweetmelissa222
    sweetmelissa222 Posts: 290 Member
    Sorry doll, I completely understand how sucky OAS is. Mine include apples, peaches, pears, plums, etc. Mostly fruits with a skin that you can either peel or eat is the best way that I usually describe it. With the combination of OAS, Intolerance and IBS, your diet is definitely going to be tricky. I think it really would be worth seeing a nutritionist or dietitian so that they can help you plan out some meals and snacks that will be good for your and won't make you feel sick.

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