The Avoidance Phase

Results

2010-11-09T04:06:00.000-08:00

Okay so here it is. The end. I have spent the last six weeks (forty-two days or one thousand and eight hours) avoiding thirty-five foods. But who's counting?And here is what happened as a result:

I can breath through my nose. I'm not completely clear and I know that environmental allergies play a big part in that, but I can breath through my nose. I've already told you that I was never able to do that. I wish the doctors knew how to help me a hundred years ago when I was a teenager, because it was really inconvenient at times. Okay one paragraph of whining and I'll stop.

I was seventeen when I joined the water ballet group at our neighborhood pool. The choreography was exciting and we were perfectly in sync! Our costumes and bathing caps (I told you it was a hundred years ago) were beautiful and we all matched. Same color, same everything. Except for me! I couldn't blow the water out of my nose like the other girls, so I was the girl with the nose plugs. I looked like a mutant mermaid from planet ugly.

I no longer have a bloated stomach after I eat. Okay, this is great! I love that I don't feel miserable and look pregnant after a meal. No more loosening the top button. I can actually enjoy dinner without having to get into my fat pants.

I have lost 5 & 1/2 half pounds, 1 & 1/2 inches off my waist and 1/2 an inch off my hips. Okay, so I'm not setting any records for weight loss. I realize that. But you have to realize that I have not been counting calories. Far from it. Since I stopped the Raw Food Detox Diet 5 weeks ago,I have been eating everything legal. I still love my fruit and veggies, but I have also been snacking on nuts, popcorn (no butter), chips and soda. My meals have included potatoes, rice, rice pasta, corn and bacon. Not exactly diet food. Color me baffled! But happy.

My shoes and my rings are too big for me. I now have 2 pairs of pumps that I am literally walking out of and rings that fall off of my fingers. There's not a woman worth her salt who does not know about retaining water.It's right up there with intuition and PMS.I must have been saving for a drought because I'm down 1/2 of a shoe size.

I can concentrate. Ever walk into a room and forget why you're there? Ever start a sentence and be unable to finish it? Been there. Done that. Don't remember where I bought the Tee-shirt. However, now I can navigate my PC between browsers and tabs without losing my place.I thought senior moments were something that I would have to live with, but I can multi-task and converse like a young kid of forty. Is it possible that my food was making me dim-witted?

The best result of this diet is that I feel great!

Thanks for joining me. You've helped me stay focused, honest and accountable.

Trick or Treat and Nothing Sweet?

2010-11-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

My favorite part of Halloween has never been the costumes or the parties or even the lovely little trick or treat-ers most of whom are adorable but many of whom seem to get older every year. If you're old enough to vote maybe your trick or treating days should be behind you. Just sayin.

For me Halloween has always been about the stash of candy that my daughter was never able to successfully hide from me. Hey, at least I always gave her a head start. First I would work my way through the leftover candy I bought for the trick or treat-ers. Then I would start in on her stash.

When it comes to Halloween my go-to-candy is chocolate. Milk chocolate. You can have your lolly pops, liquorice and pretzels. Even cookies leave me cold on Halloween. Not a fan of candy corn or hard candy,Reese's pieces,milk duds,snickers and M&Ms are where my heart lies.

If I am still sensitive to milk chocolate next Halloween, I have a plan. The experts at Sage tell me there are options. Indie Candy and Sweet Pete's both offer allergen free candy. Hmmm. Maybe Easter?

Sadly, this year I'll have to do without. No delicious chocolate candy for me. Yes, I know what your're thinking. "BOO WHO!"

Dining Out Italian Style

2010-10-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's my fault. I agreed to a family dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. What am I? A glutton for punishment? Maybe I just have an over-inflated sense of my coping skills. I am living far too dangerously.

As soon as the server brings the basket of fresh-from-the-oven-Italian bread with the mini pads of butter, I know I'm in in trouble. The bread is so warm you can watch the steam rise from the basket. The sweet aroma that wafts over the table leaves me salivating. I'm guessing that it has same effect on my family, because faster than you can say Tony Bennett, the basket is empty. If I didn't have almost four weeks of 'avoiding' behind me, I might have wrestled my poor mother to the floor for a piece of that bread.

When you can't eat wheat, dairy or tomatoes, reading a menu in an Italian restaurant is like navigating through a culinary mine field.

I can't even muster the courage to look at the pizza section of the menu, but my daughter is kind enough read aloud about the fourteen varieties of pizza,including Margarita and Hawaiian. (ugh!)

I chew on my lower lip as I read the entire page dedicated to pasta; Linguini spaghetti, and penne. Most of the pasta dishes come with tomato sauce and what doesn't, comes with-and I quote-"a creamy Alfredo sauce." Boom! The classics:, Ziti, Manicotti,and Ravioli are not only made with tomato sauce, but also come with either Ricotta, Romano, Mozzarella or Parmesan. And let's not forget Lasagna, which comes with at least three out of the four cheeses. Boom! Boom! Boom!

I break out into a cold sweat by the time I peruse the meat and seafood dinners; all of which are served with a side of pasta. Even those dinners are made with tomato or cream sauce and what isn't, contains cheese. Many dishes include both. Boom!

Salads typically come with Croutons, cheese, tomatoes and carrots. Even dressings can be hazardous. Thousand Island is made of mayonnaise (which contains eggs and lemon juice) and ketchup (made from tomatoes). Ranch is made from mayonnaise and sour cream. Creamy Italian contains mayonnaise and even the most innocuous dressings can contain soy. Boom!

Okay, so however dangerous, I have survived the meal without incident! While my family enjoys two baskets of warm bread, and dines on stuffed shells, pizza, calzones,and pinwheels, I eat a salad of lettuce, onion and grilled chicken. Balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I know. Pitiful. I do find solace in a glass of Chardonnay. And trust me, without that, someone might have gotten hurt.

But wait! I'm not out of the woods yet. As Frank Sinatra croons "The Way You Look Tonight", here comes the dessert cart. Boom!

Breakfast

2010-10-19T05:25:00.000-07:00

When you're allergic to eggs, milk,wheat, oranges and grapefruit what's left to eat for breakfast? That pretty much leaves out eggs, omelets, pancakes, toast, bagels, cereal, or a fruit plate. Breakfast is just no fun anymore. And even less fun since I gave up coffee.

Since college, the smell of brewing coffee was always motivation to get out of a warm bed, no matter how early my day started. (or how late my night ended) And from the moment I had my first cup at age seventeen I became a caffeine addict who could not hold a civilized conversation before my first cup. A purist, I preferred only coffee with my coffee. No sugar, no milk no nothing. And although I did learn to enjoy the occasional cup of hazelnut, I was never a fan of designer coffee. Latte what? I never did get the whole foam craze. But I must admit that I am impressed when I'm dragged into a Starbucks and witness a friend order an Espresso Con Pannas or an Iced Single Venti Mocha, no whip. It takes real commitment to place an order like that. These types of coffee lovers intimidate the frap out of me.

As for me,coffee eventually took it's toll. Besides staining my teeth and leaving a terrible taste in my mouth, it occasionally upset my stomach. And a few weeks ago,I had to ask myself: Is it really coffee I love or the idea of coffee? Truth be told I always preferred the smell over the taste and because of that, coffee always seemed to over-promise and under-deliver.

I always heard that weening off of caffeine can be a miserable experience resulting in headaches. Because I switched from coffee to caffeinated green tea, I didn't experience any withdrawal other than being a little tired for a few days.

So what is on my breakfast menu these days? Mostly Fruit. (yawn) And because I have to rotate; here is a typical week.

Monday: Strawberries and Bananas
Tuesday: Cantaloupe
Wednesday: Grapes
Thursday: Apples
Friday: Strawberries and Bananas
Saturday: Grapes and/or apples
Sunday: Bacon. (I know. But I have to shake things up sometimes.)

Now that I'm in week four, I finally feel like I am getting the hang of this. And you know what else? I feel good. That bloated stomach that has cursed me for years is gone!Go figure.

Labels

2010-10-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

Since junior high school I have had a love/hate relationship with labels. Labels like Jocks, Geeks and Losers can feel like a life sentence when you're a teenager.And since I was neither athletic nor academic, I pretty much fell into the latter category. (Teens; if you're reading this: Labels don't stick! No matter which one is bestowed upon you.)

Post college, I coveted unattainable labels like Halston, Gucci and de la Renta. I know. Deep.

Today I find myself obsessed with yet another type of label. Yes, you guessed it. If you read my last post, you know that I really goofed by failing to read a food label, and after confessing my faux pas to the brilliant (and thankfully compassionate) Sage lab technologists Mark and Dorothy, I received the following email:

Subject Line: The Misadventures of "Olive Oyl"

Dear Audrey,
After an extended coversation with my colleague the VERDICT is in!We are certain that you have learned your lesson regarding label reading "after the fact" and that you will be even more diligent to follow this through to the "Better End", we recommend that you Press On and if need be maybe reintroduce that food a little later during the "Challenge Phase".

Keep on keeping on!
The Lab.

Is that smart or what? Why didn't I think of that? Okay,don't answer that.I'm just thankful that I dodged another bullet. (If I keep this up I may have to start wearing Kevlar.)

As I near the end of my third week of Avoidance, I have learned at least one thing (besides actually reading the labels before you eat). When it comes to labels, less is definitely more. The fewer ingredients the less chance you have of messing up.

If it reads like 'War and Peace" put it back on the shelve, back in the fridge or back in the pantry.

Wherever you found it, just walk away.

Out of the Frying Pan

2010-10-12T16:32:00.000-07:00

Within the last 2 days I took a triumphant leap out of the frying pan and did a nose dive straight into the proverbial fire.

Still reeling from my icing episode I consulted with the experts at the lab. After eying me suspiciously (can you blame them?) they assured me that if indeed it was just a smidgen of icing, I'm okay. Here's a quote. "It's not only what you eat, but how much you eat that can trigger an allergy." Phew. Safe! Until last night.

Bet I know what you're thinking: Did I not learn my lesson? I did. Promise. I learned that when temptation is right under my newly functional nose, I need to walk away. Pronto.

Turns out I have more than one lesson to learn: Read labels! Last night I made some rice pasta for dinner. It's good. Really. Especially when you add a little basil with Olivio. You know Olivio, right? It's a great tasting butter substitute made of olive oil, among other things. You see where I'm going with this, don't you? (Sigh)

About an hour after my small bowl of rice pasta, I get a just a touch of a stomach ache. No big deal. But just enough cause me to raise an eyebrow. "Uh Oh. What did I eat?" I checked the pasta box. Two ingredients: Rice Flour and Rice Bran Extract. All clear there. Then I checked the ingredients of Olivio. I'll spare you the entire label. But, Holy Cow! Besides olive oil, some of the other things are:, buttermilk, lactic acid (milk) and soy. (Groan)

I'm guessing that reading labels works out a whole lot better it you do it before you eat. I have cooked with this stuff at least twice in the last two weeks, and have put it on rice pasta twice. And unlike the icing incident, we are talking a whole lot more than a thimble full. But if there are only trace amounts of the allergic ingredients, can I get away with this?

Today I go back to the lab and find out my fate. Do I press on with two weeks and two days behind me or do I have to start all over? (Whine)

Okay, either way I am determined to do this. And do it right. But in the meantime, does anyone know where I can find "The Idiot's Guide to the Avoidance Phase?"

The Icing on the Cake

2010-10-11T05:12:00.000-07:00

So on my birthday, I really wanted a piece of cake but three of the main ingredients in cake are flour (made from wheat) eggs and milk. And since I am at the end of my second week of avoiding my allergic foods, I had to ask myself, "Do I really want to cheat?"

If this were a weight loss diet the effects a piece of cake could be reversed with a couple of hours of vigorous exercise. Okay, so this an allergy diet. Was there anything I could do? Enzymes or Crunches?

I scoured the Sage website for a loophole. But there it was. Painfully clear in black in white: "You can expect to get better only if you completely eliminate the foods to which you are sensitive. There is no getting away from it. Your immune system knows if you are “cheating” with even the smallest amount. To Repeat: The offending foods must be completely and rigorously removed from your diet." Fudge!

I guess that should have been the end of it. Okay, here comes the disclaimer: If you are in the avoidance diet, DO NOT try this at home!

There it sat on the dessert plate. Looking like a slice of heaven. Daring me. (I could have sworn it winked at me.) It was the untouched piece of mouthwatering chocolate cake with chocolate icing that I brought home to my daughter, Olivia.

It was just all too tempting. Olivia reached for the fork and the rest is an ugly blur. The next thing I knew, I was licking a smidgen of icing off the tip of the fork. My daughter stared at me wide eyed and open mouthed. "You ate cake!"

"No", I corrected. "I tasted the icing." Afraid I wouldn't stop there, Olivia grabbed fork and the cake and disappeared.

The amount of icing on the fork was not enough to fill a thimble, but it was chocolate icing that may have contained, butter,and milk.

So have I blown it? Do I have to start over? Have I been done in by the icing on the cake?

Going Nuts

2010-10-06T04:13:00.000-07:00

Just got home from the Health Food Store. Yes I do lead an exciting life don't I? Please try not to envy me. Hey, it gets better; My next stop was the public library. I know. Livin' the dream!

Anyway, at the health food store I realized that Thursday has to be my last day on the Raw Detox diet. I began the diet on September 13, so Thursday will be 25 days. It was a great diet and I will definitely revisit it in a couple of months. But for now I need to put it aside, because I am going nuts!

No, seriously. Between the Raw Detox diet and my food allergies, my protein choices are so limited,it just seemed logical to go nuts. It was while on my hunt for almond butter, that I realized: There are just too many nuts in my life. Aside from the usual suspects, that is. You know who you are.

The nuts that concern me for the moment live in my fridge and my pantry and are stashed in my desk drawer at the office. I have almond butter, almond milk,cashew butter, almonds, walnuts and cashews. (That reminds me, I have to pick up some macadamia nuts.)

But, as bad a reputation as nuts have for being fattening, they actually are a good source of protein and a good raw fat. With all the nuts I have eaten in the past 3 weeks, I have still managed to lose six pounds.

Still, as a recovering peanut butter addict, I am concerned. And although, it's been 23 days (Who's counting?),since I had peanut butter, I'm afraid I may still have a problem. I may need an intervention before I get a little squirrely.

The Nose Knows

2010-10-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

I think my nose is trying to tell me something. Yesterday afternoon, it was running so badly, I thought I was coming down with a cold. That and chills sent me to bed with a box of tissues for a couple of hours.

The only thing I can think of was that I was experiencing some sort of detoxing episode because after I awoke, the weirdest thing happened. I was able to breath through my nose for the first time. Ever. It's not completely clear, but it's better than it's ever been.

This could result in some consequences that I had not even considered. Although I have always vehemently denied it, family members have, on occasion accused me of snoring. Could this be a cure? Woo hoo!

Okay, so I realize that that doesn't sound like a big deal. But let me ask you this: Do you live with someone who snores? Or worse, share a bed with someone who snores?

According to Web MD, a stuffy nose is one cause of snoring: Obstructed nasal airways: Partially blocked nasal passages require extra effort to transfer air through them while sleeping. This can pull together or collapse the non-rigid soft and dangling tissue of the throat, resulting in snoring. Some people snore only during allergy seasons or when they have a sinus infection.

My ex-husband's snoring sent me to the couch a couple of nights a week and my mom's snoring is legendary in our family.

When I was moving from New Jersey to Florida a few years ago, a few family members were kind enough to come and help. Among them were my mom and my sister Karen. I offered Karen a comfortable bed in the room where Mom was sleeping. We had all just spent the day packing the moving truck. Karen was actually part of the team that was loading the truck, so she had to have been exhausted.

"No way", Karen said. "Mom snores. I'll sleep downstairs in your office."

A little history: Karen's aversion to snoring goes back to childhood and a 'near-deaf' experience with a snorer. She, my sister Lori and my dad, while on a road trip, spent the night in a small apartment with distant cousins of my mom, Ethel Marie and Leonard. While my dad got the couch, Lori and Karen slept under the dining room table right outside the master bedroom. (Sometimes it really stinks to be a kid, doesn't it?) I'm told Ethel Marie's snoring was so loud that neither of the girls got any sleep. In fact one of them may have ended up sleeping in the bathtub. The next day they were exhausted to the point of tears.

"Come on", I said. "It can't be that bad. Besides, there's no bed in my office."

In fact there was nothing left in my office but carpeting. She didn't care. She opted to sleep on the the floor. Karen was adamant.

Karen was also right. I slept in the same room with mom that night.
I haven't heard a human emote such hideous sounds since Linda Blair was exorcised.

Anyway, I am not sure whether I am cured yet of snoring, but I do know that my nose knows something is better. And after only one week, I'll take it! Again, it doesn't sound like much, but let me ask you one more question: When was that last time you cleared a stuffy nose with your diet?

The Search for Bread

2010-10-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Once in a while I do enjoy bread and before discovering my food allergies, I thought I was making some pretty healthy choices. I always opted for whole wheat over white and most of the time chose sprouted over whole wheat. Now what?

Sprouted breads contain wheat, so they aren't an option. At least not for the next 5 weeks. Some of the wheat-free and gluten-free breads have pineapple juice concentrate in them. Many contain eggs and soy.

I have to admit, it can be confusing when reading ingredients in some of these breads. I mean what could possibly sound healthier (and less tasty) than 'organic sprouted soy and organic sprouted wheat'?

But I guess I just have to stop thinking in terms of health-foods. I am learning that one-size does not fit all and what's healthy for you, may be poison to me and visa versa. Yeah, I know that sounds dramatic. Carrots aren't going to kill me are they? Well maybe not anytime soon.

But if I am lucky enough to know which foods are making me sick and tired and I don't make an effort to avoid them, doesn't that make me culpable? After all, it's only 6 weeks.That's how long the Avoidance Phase of this protocol is. After that comes the Challenge Phase, where I introduce one allergic food back into my diet once every four days. Then I'll know what food causes what symptom. But that's five weeks away.

In the meantime, I continue my search for the right bread. I found a wheat-free white rye. Nope. There is a white rice bread, but been there-done that. I am not a fan. Like most of these types of breads, rice bread is better toasted. But the odor that wafts up from the toaster resembles something like rotten eggs and feet.

Now here's something interesting; Millet bread. What the heck is a millet? I found this explanation online: 'Millet is a collective term for a variety of grasses that produce small, rounded seeds that are harvested for food. These grasses are also called the millets, and there are five varieties in commercial production: browntop, foxtail, (huh?) pearl, proso, and barnyard (what?). Millet originated in Africa over 4,000 years ago and it still forms a crucial staple today. Millet is also widely grown across much of southern Asia and is one of the world's major grain crops.'
Where have I been? I never heard of it.

Ok so I found some at the health food store for $6 a loaf. I know. I figure, if I don't like it, I can always use it as currency. I brought some home and tried it. The consistency is a little weird. Have you ever chewed on a rubber tire? Me neither, but I imagine it would be about the same kind of experience. I popped a couple slices in the toaster and braced myself. Thankfully, no rice-bread type of odor. In fact no odor at all and it is much better toasted. It's actually pretty good.

If you decide to try some, I must warn you though, it is a little dense. If you have back issues, don't try to lift a whole loaf by yourself and unless you wear steel-toed shoes, don't accidentally drop a loaf on your foot. Just sayin.

Detox

2010-09-29T02:57:00.000-07:00

So in my last post, I mentioned that I was in the middle of a raw detox diet. My sister Lori and I have been discussing a raw diet for the past few months. Like me, she is no stranger to dieting and is willing to try anything (within reason) that leads to optimum health and weight loss. Not necessarily in that order.

We do differ in some areas where food is concerned. For one thing; my teenage daughter thinks French Fries are a vegetable, while Lori's two preschool boys, have been on a steady diet of a 'green drink' since they were off the breast. And they like it.The greener the better.

Yeah I know. Bad Mommy. Go for it. Judge me.

Anyway, we have been hesitant about going completely raw because of the potential side effects like rashes and cold sores brought on by detoxing too quickly. Hey,we're not fanatics. We want to be skinny, not scary. Then we found this book called, "The Raw Food Detox Diet" that gently eases you toward going raw based on your former eating habits.

Basically the diet is: Fruit in the morning, raw veggies and nuts in the afternoon and a cooked meal at night. (no beef or pork). There's a lot more involved, but that's it in a nutshell. So far I like the diet. I am not hungry, I feel good and I am losing weight.- Not as much as Lori-the skinny b- who always does great on a diet, but I'm holding my own. In fact,I can actually see myself headed toward an 80/20 lifestyle where food is concerned. (80 Raw-20 Cooked).

But now here's the rub. Since I have discovered that I am allergic to all these foods (oranges,celery,spinach and carrots being among them) it's a bit of a challenge to find the right food to eat. The fact that I have to rotate foods further complicates things. I love my strawberries and bananas, but can only have them once every four days.

Okay, I am through whining. I just have discover more food that I like.

I know I can do this!

Good Food Can Make You Sick

2010-09-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Do you know someone with food allergies? They eat strawberries and break out in hives. Peanuts and their throat closes. These are immediate reactions to food.

Ever hear of delayed food allergies? You may know someone with Celiac disease; an intolerance to Gluten. Symptoms can range from IBS and weight loss to malnutrition. Some people have sensitivities to dairy. In fact the top 5 allergic foods are: wheat, dairy, eggs, corn and soy.

So I got this job with Sage Medical Lab. We test blood serum for delayed food allergies. The chief medical director has over 30 years of experience in this field and with the help of a partner, has developed this test that gets results with 95% accuracy. He's been able to help people recover from a myriad of symptoms like Migraines, IBS, Autism, Arthritis,ADHD, Sinusitis and Dermatitis to name a few. How is this possible?

In a nutshell, here's how it works. You can become sensitive to foods through a genetic tendency or constant exposure to the same foods. With repeated exposure, symptoms gradually begin to show.The body's immune system becomes overwhelmed and immune complexes (which cause inflammation) are formed and begin attacking vulnerabilities in the body. Instead of bacteria or viruses, food proteins are the foreign substances that the body is attempting to defend against. This is the beginning of chronic illness.

I have suffered from stomach problems my entire life and have had every type of invasive procedure imaginable (and some unimaginable) yet nothing has helped. I also wake up every morning with a stuffy nose, experience almost constant congestion and get headaches and mood swings.Hoping that I might finally get some answers, I couldn't wait to get tested!

Careful what you wish for. My results indicated a sensitivity to 35 foods. Seriously?

The protocol is to eliminate all harmful foods from your diet for six weeks, giving the gut time to heal, thus allowing the immune system to calm down and function properly. This is called the avoidance phase. It's also important to rotate the foods I can eat, so that I don't develop new sensitivities.

While some there are some foods on my 'harmful list that I love, like tomatoes, eggs and sweet potatoes, there are others like cabbage and cauliflower that I can definitely live without. But here's the tough part: Among the 35 harmful foods are Wheat, Gluten, Soy, Eggs, Dairy, Tomatoes, Carrots, Oranges and Spinach. Jeeze! What's left to eat? And what little I can eat, I have to rotate. So if I eat apples on Monday, I can't eat apples again until Friday. Get the picture?

Anyway, I'm going for it. For the next six weeks I will be avoiding and rotating. What's the worse that can happen? I'll feel better? I'll be able to breath? I may even lose some weight. (Hold a good thought for me, will you?)

Oh! And did I mention that I'm in the middle of a raw food detox? This could get interesting.