Do you have food allergies and don’t even know it? Symptoms can be both physical and emotional such as migraines, constipation, diarrhea, or chronic colds and fatigue. Some people have reported having mood swings, low concentration, or feel anxious and depressed. The major culprits are wheat, corn, gluten, dairy, and peanuts and nuts. The best way to see if you’re allergic is to use the elimination diet and ask your health coach for some guidance. Fortunately, there are increasing numbers of substitutes available for those with food intolerance. Your local health food store is a good place to start. Here are some foods to avoid if you’re allergic to the following:
Wheat. Almost all baked goods, pasta, cereals, and gravies contain wheat. Seitan, bran, wheat germ, bulgar, and couscous are forms of wheat. Ingredients with the presence of all-purpose flour, wheat gluten, bread/cake/enriched/pastry/phosphate/white flour, semolina, bran, bread crumbs, food starch, malt and wheat germs all have wheat. Try substituting with quinoa, buckwheat, rice, corn, etc.
Corn. If you’re allergic to corn, avoid corn, cornmeal, polenta maltodextrose, dextrose, corn oil, corn fructose, and corn syrup. Try wheat, rice and potato-based products and use honey as your sweetener.
Gluten. Glutens are the proteins found mostly in wheat but also in rye, oats, barley, triticale, spelt, and kamut. When you’re gluten-sensitive, the gluten protein damages the absorption surface of the small intestine. Try using rice, corn, potato, nuts and seeds.
Dairy. Dairy allergies are a reaction to the proteins in milk-casein and whey. Many people do not have the lactase necessary to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Hence, digestive disturbances from dairy are signs of lactose intolerance. Look for dairy-free labels and try some soy ingredients. Make sure the soy product isn’t overly processed.
Peanuts & Nuts. As with all allergies, read the ingredients and avoid peanut butter, peanut oil or the specific nut you’re allergic to. If you’re only allergic to peanuts, try tahini and other nut butters.
Do you have reactions to food? Share your story. I’ve had clients who had no idea they were allergic and after cleaning their diet, they realize that the allergies have caused fatigue, weight gain, bowel issues, etc. Call me if you need extra support: www.HappyFoodHealth.com or (619) 876-2655.
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