As if it weren’t enough to be alcohol-free, drug-free, and partner-free, now I have to be gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, tomato-free, berry-free, apple-free, nut-free, corn-free and sugar-free.
Phew! That, peeps, is a LOAD of frees to be dealing with.
What in God’s name am I supposed to live on??? My entire existence has been built from aforementioned food staples. I NEED to eat bread and butter. I HAVE to eat omelettes. Without my cup of tea in the morning, I’m a useless pile of poo. I’m English, for goodness sake. I MUST have dairy, and if not dairy, then I MUST have soy substitute. Rice milk in tea is like cat’s piss. Almond milk curdles into stuff that looks like algae on a manky pond. Hemp milk? Bleugh!!!
The lowdown is that Bunny and I are suffering from multiple food intolerances and allergies. Quite why they have decided to rear their ugly heads into my life right now, is beyond my comprehension. I am HEALTHY! I drink lots of water! I exercise! I don’t smoke! I don’t eat food additives!
Anyway, it’s pointless fighting it. Acceptance is the only way forward. I’ve been in denial for the last 16 months, but no more!
I knew Bunny was allergic to dairy since the get-go. And wheat. But the gluten connection only hit me like a ton of bricks in the last couple of weeks. All my spare time is now spent reading gluten free blogs. I had no idea that gluten sensitivity was so common. 10 years ago, it was 1 in several thousand. Now around 1 in a hundred people have it. It’s an epidemic, peeps! We are ALL going to have a gluten intolerance by the time 2012 comes around. You mark my words!
It all seems so obvious now. Of COURSE he’s gluten intolerant. That’s what all the writhing and fighting in bed has been about. The eczema. The fatigue. The hyperactivity. The constant pulling of the right ear. The bloom of red rash over stomach, back, neck and face. The neediness. The not wanting to eat anything. The constipation. The diarrhea. Poor little bun-buns has been suffering for months now, and his ditzy mama has taken nearly a year and a half to figure it out. What’s more (and this is surely connected to the ditziness) I’ve been suffering from similar symptoms myself. I have a hideous rash on the back of my arms. I don’t sleep well. I’m spacey. My digestion is all messed up. I feel bloated and puffy.
Right now my kidneys and liver are aching so badly, that the doctor says I have to drink 3 to 4 litres of water A DAY to flush out my system!!! And if I want to get better I have to be absolutely adamant in eliminating all aggravating foodstuffs from my diet. It’s no joke, folks. Things have got to change big-time around here.
I feel like someone lifted a veil from my eyes, and suddenly the whole world looks different. Things make sense again. I have a handle on what is happening on Planet Bunny. It doesn’t look good, and I’m struggling but at least I’m not in a denial daze. I’ve got my feet planted firmly in reality land. I’m dealing with the cards I’ve been dealt, one hand at a time.
I’ve cleared out my kitchen cupboards and ditched all known allergens. I’ve bought my gluten free restaurant cards. I’ve ordered a couple of cookbooks. I even subscribed to “Living Without” magazine (pretty crap title if you ask me, not exactly enticing one to subscribe). I haven’t gone into the toiletries yet, but that’s next.
I have no idea how we’re going to get through playdates and lunchdates, nevermind traveling back to London next month to see the F.O.B. (I wonder if British Airways does a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegetarian meal?) God only knows how challenging this is going to be once Bunny goes to preschool…
Somehow I am going to have to upgrade my culinary skills, and my communication skills, and muddle us through this minefield of food intolerances. It’s gonna be a steep learning curve.
We need a T-shirt. Some stickers. A sign or two to stick around the house. Food disabled. Nutritionally challenged. Please don’t feed.
On the upside, I’m bound to lose some weight around the middle on this diet. Look on the bright side, eh?
Tue 7 Jul 2009 at 6:08 pm
I feel your pain! My 3 yr. old was just diagnosed with many food allergies – I’m feeling a little overwhelmed about what to feed her. I appreciate connecting with others who are experiencing the same challenges.
Stephanie
Vancouver, Canada
Wed 29 Jul 2009 at 10:44 am
Hi my neice is 6 months old and is having terrible allergy problems even dairy free rice cereal is causing hives basically I am wondering if anyone can suggest some baby food cereal options that are dairy soy gluten and wheat free since because of her health issues she is unable to start on anything else including fruits and veg. Good luck to you all!!
Tue 18 Aug 2009 at 1:24 pm
Thanks Stephanie and Jacqueline. I don’t have any answers or advice yet, only more questions and challenges. I feel your pain too! Good luck and keep me posted!
Wed 19 Aug 2009 at 1:26 pm
I am a university student in the United States, and I am gluten, dairy, and soy-free, too. It is hard to find food to eat here in my cafeteria, and going out to eat is almost impossible! However, this sort of diet is much healthier, and I feel so much better than I did before eliminating the allergens. Hopefully you and your loved ones feel the same.
A great site for people like us, though, is http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/. They have some foods that fully meet my, (and hopefully your), needs. The food is actually good, too, albeit pricey.
Good luck!
Sat 22 Aug 2009 at 5:22 am
My 4month old baby has just been diagnosed as having food intolerances (apparantly not formally called allergies until after they are one) and I have to avoid dairy, wheat, soya, fish and eggs when starting to wean him. I am looking to do this shortly and was advised to use baby rice but cannot find any that will say they are dairy free (although they do meet the rest of the criteria). If anyone is able to help or recommend a brand they know is dairy free that would be great. If anyone needs a cake that is dairy, wheat and egg free then let me know as my sister bakes and has got a recipe for this. So at least my child won’t miss out there.
Sun 30 Aug 2009 at 1:27 pm
Bob’s red mill has gluten free oat products. You could put the whole oats in the food processor to make them finer.
Mon 31 Aug 2009 at 7:17 am
I have the same problem. My baby is 9 months old and I am still breastfeeding him. I have to cut out dairy, wheat, corn, egg whites, onions, garlic, carrots, banana, mango and hazelnuts. I have been trying to avoid all this for a month now and I personally feel much better so it seems I am allergic, too (in addition to my own allergy to tomatos, peach and melons which I had already noticed). My baby doesn’t show skin reactions but he is very gassy and bloated all the time, screams from gas pain all day long and never sleeps well.
). The following are some meals: pumpkin with oats/barley, apples, zuchini with potatoes, rubbit with rabbit liver and rice cereal and olive oil. He also takes digestive enzymes, iron and zinc supplements, pro-biotics and natural immuno-stimulants. I have read several articles on why allergies have become so wide-spread.Some suggests this is due to vaccinations as it interfers with the immunity system of young babies. Also when the mother has digestive problems (as I do) and weak immunity, undigested food seems to reach the baby in the breastmilk causing him to become allergic.
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Joanne, I am using a rice cereal that doesn’t say dairy-free but my baby doesn’t seem to react to it. It is called Rizini. I am not sure if it’s available outside Egypt.
However, my baby reacts to white rice, so obviously it has traces of gluten in it.
I would like to know the recipe of your sister’s cake. Sounds Nice. I hope it doesn’t contain banana or other ingredients on my black list.
Currently I eat for breakfast oats, boiled egg yolks with olive oil and cumin, barley bread with black or white honey. For lunch I eat zuchini/aubergine, potatoes and chicken/meat/fish.
I also sometimes eat smoked salmon or caviar. For snacks I take almonds and pistachios. I also take multivitamin, zinc, iron and calcium supplements, digestive enzymes and pro-biotics.
My baby eats more or less the same (which is funny
And by the way, badmuthablogger, I have lost 10 kgs in one month by following this diet, so yes there is a bright side