My food allergies consist of wheat & barley, all soy, all fruits and carrots, oats and all nuts. (And I’m lactose intolerant.)

As difficult as it may be to believe, I have a difficult time finding foods or products without these in them. I tried gluten-free, but those have soy in them. Currently I am eating a lot of potatoes, eggs, milk, meat, & most veggies. If you have any suggestions, websites, or recipes, etc. it would be greatly appreciated!
~My normal reactions are swelling, itching, and congestion. My allergist says I will go into anaphylaxis shock (so I have an epi-pen) and I am going to start treatments that will work in 5 years.

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So, with having my first 3 out of 4 children with ADHD, Asperger’s, knowing that at least one of my children is allergic to dairy, plus trying to deal with other serious issues (not to mention having plenty of relatives that are either Autistic or Aspies, I think it’s about time we look into a diet change to help our kids. So…….what are the grains that have gluten? What is your favorite G and D free website? Recipe book? Kid friendly food products? Ideas on going G and D free? Help, please. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Oh, and yes, we’re going to have our kids tested for allergies
The grains are wheat, barley, and ? I can’t think of the other.

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Chocolate allergies may cause asthma symptoms in susceptible people especially when a person is allergic to more than one ingredient in the chocolate. Some of the common ingredients include cocoa, milk, caffeine, gluten, soy lecithin, phenyl-ethylamine, nuts, theo-bromine, and dyes.

Chocolate allergy symptoms may include

• anxiety,
• confusion,
• headaches,
• hives,
• irritability,
• nausea,
• eczema,
• itching,
• watery eyes,
• runny nose,
• sneezing,
• wheezing,
• coughing,
• heartburn,
• difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the airway, and
• anaphylaxis or shock.

A diagnosis can be done through a skin test or a blood test that reveals antibodies in the blood stream. Treatments that can help with the symptoms include antihistamines, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and epinephrine. The treatment largely depends upon the severity of the symptoms or reaction to the allergen. Of course, avoidance will help to prevent the reaction and discomfort.

Antihistamines can help to relieve the itching, digestive distress, watery eyes, sneezing, and the irritability. They can be obtained through a prescription or can be purchased over-the-counter at a drug store. The prescription antihistamines are less likely to cause drowsiness. People who experience asthma symptoms with chocolate allergies will probably need to use bronchodilators and corticosteroids to help with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and inflammation. Epinephrine can be kept at home in an auto-injector so that it can be administered as soon as a person has a reaction. This can be used for any type of allergy and should be used as soon as possible to prevent anaphylaxis or shock.

Allergies seem to run in families and children who have both parents with symptoms seem to be at increased risk of developing them. Some sources believe that one of the main underlying reasons that lead to the development of symptoms have to do with a depressed or weak immune system. Other possible links may include chemicals and preservatives found in most processed foods. The most common foods that cause problems in susceptible individuals are wheat, dairy, shellfish, eggs, and peanuts. Chocolate allergy symptoms are similar to the reaction caused by other food sensitivities. Some of the worse reactions have been linked to peanuts and shellfish. Other possible food allergens may be found in products that contain proteins and yeast or molds. Some of these are soybeans, pickles, avocado, tomato, coffee, beans, cheese, wine, and beer.

People who have food sensitivities should make it a practice to read all product labels. Another good idea is to keep a food diary and record any time there is a reaction. This can help to narrow down the foods that a person is allergic or sensitive to so that he or she can avoid them in the future. For someone who is extremely sensitive doctors often recommend eliminated any foods that are possible culprits and then adding them back into the diet very slowly to find out which ones are offending foods. Someone with chocolate allergies will want to watch out for anything that has any of the ingredients found in chocolate such as cocoa and milk. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst”(John 6:35).

To diagnose a suspected allergen there are a few different things that can help to do this. Skin tests can be done with the suspected substance to see if there is a reaction to the skin. A reaction that indicates positive would be the showing of redness, inflammation, and irritation. A doctor may choose to use blood tests to measure the amount of the antibodies in the blood stream to the suspected substance. Someone with chocolate allergy symptoms who is also suffering with asthma may need a pulmonary function test. This test measures the amount of airflow through a device called a spirometer. After airflow is measured then the patient is given a bronchodilator and airflow is measured again. With the bronchodilator the patient should have improved airflow; if this happens then the test will show positive for asthma. Doctors also use a skin patch test; the patch is soaked with the allergen and then taped to the person’s skin for up to two days. If a rash develops then the test will be positive.

Food allergies in individuals involve a response by a person’s immune system that is usually caused by a protein. When the body perceives a foreign invader then it produces antibodies to defend against that invader. These antibodies attach to the cells and contain chemicals called histamines and leukotrienes. So if the body sees cocoa or some other additive in chocolate as an invader then the chemicals are released and the person starts experiencing chocolate allergy symptoms. This reaction should not be taken lightly because it can lead to shock. Some of the beginning signs that this could be happening are itching in the roof of the mouth, swelling of the eyes, hives, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and swelling of the throat.

There are additives in chocolate that may be the reason for the sensitivity. Much of what is purchased in stores contains milk, nuts, wheat or gluten, soy, and corn. These may be listed on the ingredient list as casein, whey, gluten, soy lecithin, and corn syrup. So individuals who think they have chocolate allergies may really have sensitivities to one or more of the ingredients. A person who has sensitivities to ingredients may not have any symptoms unless a large amount is consumed. For a proper diagnosis and the latest treatment a person should see a physician for an examination and inform the doctor about any symptoms that he or she is experiencing.

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About 20% of the population suffers from pollen allergy, and if you are one of the unfortunate, you should be aware of certain kinds of foods. See the list here.

The pollen season is upon us. For those, who suffer from allergies, this time in the year is tough to get through, but many people with pollen allergy can also react to a number of foods.

If you suffer from pollen allergy, you might also react to certain kinds of food – for instance when you peel potatoes or eat peaches or apricots. Responses may be itching in the mouth, and some say that the itching seems to continue right out of the ears.

The substances which cause allergies, are proteins. The proteins found in pollen are related to those proteins which are in fruit and vegetables, and the immune system may have difficulties separating them from each other. This may lead to a so-called cross-reaction, where pollen allergic persons reacts allergic to something they have never eaten before.

Sneezing and running eyes

Signs of pollen allergy is sneezing, a runny nose and eyes running (hay fever) together with an annoying itching. The nose might also be so congested that it may be difficult to breathe. In some cases, pollen allergy may cause symptoms from the lungs (asthma).

If you are allergic to pollen you might experience allergic symptoms when you eat certain fruits, vegetables, nuts or spices. The body reacts because it can not distinguish between the allergenic substances (the allergens) in pollen and similar substances in food. This is called cross-reactions.

Every other person with allergies to both birch, grass and mogwort pollen experience symptoms when they eat certain nuts, fruits and vegetables. Among those with only have birch pollen allergy, every three experience cross-reactions.

Some pollen allergic persons may experience symptoms year round, if they eat food that cross reacts with pollen. Others will only have symptoms in the pollen season.

If you suffer from birch pollen allergy, you might also experience symptoms from cross-reacting food when it is the season for pollen from alder, elm or hazel. Similarly, people with allergies to alder, elm and hazel respond to the same food as with birch pollen allergy.

It does not help on the symptoms from the pollen allergy it self that you avoid the foods that cross reacts with pollen.

Symptoms

When responding to food, which cross reacts with pollen, the most common symptoms are itching and swelling on the lips and in the mouth and throat. Some experience that the itching continues right out to the ears.

More rare are symptoms such as hives (rash and itching), asthma and stomach and ingestion problems. A very few people develops eczema on their hands when they touch on some of the food that cross reacts with pollen.

In cases where the reactions are severe such as swelling of the throat and neck, and the cause is not known, the doctor will in some cases perform an allergy test and make a provocation with the suspect foods.

If the doctor chooses to make an allergy test for the cross-reacting food, you should be aware of false positive results. For instance, many with grass pollen allergy will receive a positive response for wheat and other cereal products, when examining the blood sample, but they have no symptoms when they eat wheat. There they should not avoid wheat.

Below is a list of foods that might cross react with pollen.

Birch pollen

Food, which might cause allergic reactions when suffering from birch pollen allergy

Fruit: apricot, plum, peach, cherry, kiwi, nectarine, pear, apple

Vegetables: carrot, potato, tomato, pepper, celery

Nuts: hazelnut, peanut, almond, Brazil nut, walnut

Grass pollen

Food, which might cause allergic reactions when suffering from grass pollen allergy

Fruit: orange, melon

Vegetables: tomato, pea

Nuts: Groundnut / peanut

Mugwort / Sagebrush pollen

Food, which might cause allergic reactions when suffering from Mugwort / Sagebrush pollen allergy

Fruit: Melon, sun flower seeds

Vegetables: Pepper, carrot, parsnip, parsley root, celery

Herbs: Camille, Parsley

Spices and herbs

Spices and herbs, which may cause allergic reactions when suffering from pollen allergy

Anis, curry powder, marjoram, basil, coriander, oregano, dill, caraway, paprika, tarragon, meat, black pepper, fennel, wormwood, thyme.

Exotic fruits and vegetables

Some people with pollen allergy might get unexpected symptoms when they eat raw exotic fruits and vegetables, such as on travel. If you normally have strong reactions against food, it is a good idea to start with little bits of fruit and vegetables until you know whether you can tolerate them or not.

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If women during pregnancy eat vegetables and fish, they may reduce the risk for their children to develop asthma and food allergies.

Avoid red meat and eat plenty of vegetables and fish, if you will try to avoid that your child develops asthma or allergy.

This is the recommendation for pregnant women in a new study by researchers at the University of Crete.

In the study, the researchers compared the diet for 468 mothers and their children from pregnancy to the children were six and a half years old.

The conclusion is that children of mothers who have eaten mainly vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish in fewer cases developed allergies or asthma.

This is particularly the case if the mothers during pregnancy ate fish more than three times a week or vegetables more than eight times a week.

The study also concluded, that if the pregnant mother ate red meat more than 3-4 times a week, the risk of developing asthma or allergy increased .

The researchers also found up to that diet plays no significant role in the development of asthma or allergy, after the children have turned six years old.

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Allergy to chocolate or cocoa is very rare. A survey shows that only 1 out of 500 who believe they have chocolate allergy, in fact tested positive to the chocolate.

The most frequent complaints are headache / migraine after ingestion of chocolate. These reactions are probably more intolerance or sensitivity than food allergies.

Chocolate is known to cause headaches, obesity, heartburn and irritability and depression. Most probably these reactions are due to other ingredients of chocolate such as milk, soybean, lecithin, gluten and nuts.

There are 380 known additives in chocolate. They can have pleasant and unpleasant effects.

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What should you avoid?

If you suffer from pollen and latex allergies you might experience allergic symptoms when you eat certain fruits, vegetables, spices and nuts. This is called cross reactions.

Lists of foods
Below is a list of foods that may cross react with pollen or latex. Under the headlines birch pollen, grass pollen and sagebrush pollen and latex, you can see the foods that may cause symptoms.

The lists are not prohibition lists, but can be used as a guide to which foods you should be aware of. It is rare that you get symptoms from all the food that is listed under each main group. You may therefore eat the fruits and vegetables that do not give you the symptoms, even if they are on the list. In addition, you may react to food, that is not on the list.

Birch Pollen
Food, which may trigger allergic reactions by birch pollen allergy

Fruits:
Apricot, Plum, Peach, Cherry, Kiwi, Nectarine, Pear, Apple

Vegetables:
Carrot, Potato, Tomato, Pepper, Celery

Nuts:
Hazel nut, Peanut, Almond, Pistachio, Walnut

Grass Pollen
Food, which can trigger allergic reactions by grass pollen allergy

Fruits:
Orange, Melon

Vegetables:
Tomato, Pea

Nuts:
Peanut

Sagebrush Pollen
Food, which may trigger allergic reactions by sagebrush allergy

Fruit:
Melon, Sun flower seeds

Vegetables:
Pepper fruit, Carrot, Pasternak, Parsley, Celery

Herbs:
Chamomile, Parsley

Spices and herbs
Spices and herbs, which may trigger allergic reactions by pollen allergy

Anis, Curry, Merian, Basil, Coriander, Oregano, Dill, Caraway, Paprika, Tarragon and Black pepper,

Spices and herbs may trigger symptoms, if you are allergic to celery and is allergic to sagebrush pollen or birch pollen. Reactions to the spices and herbs are rare.

Exotic fruits and vegetables
Some people with pollen allergy may experience unexpected symptoms when they eat raw exotic fruits and vegetables, for instance on travels. If you normally have strong reactions to food, it is a good idea to start with small bits of fruit and vegetables until you know whether you can tolerate them or not.

Latex allergy
Food, which may trigger allergic reactions by latex allergy

Avocado, Banana, Figs, Chestnut, Kiwi, Papaya, Potato, Tomato

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What is food allergy?

Food allergy is an allergic reaction, that is a hypersensitivity reaction to something in the food, which we can not tolerate.
Food allergy should not be confused with food intolerance, which is something quite different. In both cases you get symptoms when you eat a certain food in a normal or small quantity, so it can be easily confused.

Food allergy is very rare. Many refrain from eating things that they mistakenly believe they are hypersensitive to without being properly examined.
If you believe that you or your children suffer from food allergy, it is therefore very important to have the right diagnosis made, including a systematic review of diet and the symptoms. This is done best at one’s own doctor or a specialist in allergic diseases.

Why do you get food allergies?

In order to develop food allergies your immune systems must overreact to foreign proteins in the surroundings. The response must be carried out with specific IgE antibody. It is called a Type 1 allergy. Antibodies are the body’s antidote to foreign substances.

When exposed to proteins in foods, your body may develop specific IgE in such large quantities that it triggers an allergic reaction the next time you eat that particular type of food.

As a general rule you can not have an allergic reaction the first time you eat a new type of food. But this is only a qualified truth. Sometimes an allergic reaction is not due to a genuine food allergy, but to the fact that you already are allergic, for example to birch pollen. This phenomenon is called cross allergy.

Examples of food allergens

In principle, you can react allergic to all foods, but the most common allergens are:

• Seafood
• Milk
• Fish
• Soybeans
• Wheat
• Egg
• Nuts
• Fresh fruit
• Vegetables
• Peanuts

Cross reaction allergens

• Birch cross reacts with hazelnut and other nuts, apple, pear, cherry, walnut, almond, plum, kiwi, potato peel, tomato and carrot.
• Grass cross reacts with beans, lentils and green peas and peanuts.

How does food allergy feel?

The allergic reactions are very diverse and can start immediately after eating the food or may start several hours later. Typical symptoms are:

• Swollen lips, face and / or throat
• Tingling in the oral cavity and on the lips
• Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea
• Headache
• Fatigue, irritability
• Hay fever
• Asthma
• Skin eruption, deterioration of child eczema, (atopic dermatitis), or hives
• Very rarely anaphylactic shock, which is a circulatory collapse that requires emergency treatment with epinephrine.

The symptoms may one time be mild, the next time be life-threatening because of Asphyxia or anaphylactic shock.
It is therefore important not to expose yourself for provocations, only because you “will not be a burden”.
If you feel starting shortness of breath, you must immediately under medical treatment. Call 911 if necessary.

What you can do to prevent food allergies?

• Pay attention to the things you are allergic to, and on whether any cross-reactions arise.
• Get advice of a specialist in allergic diseases (an allergist).
• Please note the symptoms and contact your doctor at the slightest doubt.

How does the doctor diagnosed food allergies?

The examination largely depends on how annoying the symptoms are.
Often it is possible to find another causes of the symptoms, such as the inability to digest certain foods (among other coeliac disease and laktose intolerans), non-immunological reactions (eg. histamine in shellfish) and minor food-poisoning. This is seen in about two percent of the population. It may also be a irritated colon or a chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract (ulcerosa colitis and Crohn’s disease) which can give similar symptoms.

If the symptoms are pronounced, and the suspected food allergy is justified, a proper clarification of what caused the disease will usually take place in a specialist in allergic diseases.

Allergy tests with, for example skin prick test or RAST (blood test) can be good to rule out allergies, but unfortunately, they often show reactions, which has no practical significance.

It is important that the allergy tests are made and examined by experts.

The allergist will often take you through the following program:

• Two weeks on a normal balanced diet, with a carefully diary on the diet and the possible reactions.
• If you during those two weeks observe relevant reactions, you should probably go ahead with a two-week period without the suspected food, where you keep a diary as before.
• If the symptoms improve significantly, is the next step a food provocation. To begin with an “open” provocation in which both you and the examiner knows what you are eating. If symptoms appear, you will then be exposed to a number of double-blind placebo-controlled food provocation (DBPCFC), where neither the examiner or you knows what kind of food you are eating

In order to be diagnosed with food allergies, you should in most cases, go through the program outlined above.

Possible deterioration

• Mucous membranes in the mouth and throat may swell so that breathing is troubled.
• Asthma attacks and / or anaphylactic shock may be triggered.
• It is getting increasingly difficult to get a proper nutritionally balanced diet.

Prospects for the future

Food allergy is a rare disease that primarily affects young children. Around three percent of young children are affected. Most grow from their allergy before the age of three years. Only about one percent of the adult population suffer from food allergies. Most of these can live a normal life with some limitations in their diet.

How are food allergies treated?

If, after a thorough investigation a food allergy diagnosis has been made, the main treatment is of course to stop eating the foods in question. The desease can not be cured medically, but it may possible to alleviate the symptoms by different measures. Typically antihistamines are used to alleviate the itching. But it is doubtful whether the anti-histaminerne have a preventive effect.

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Allergies to nuts

Nuts are healthy, but they can also cause allergy reactions.
Does your mouth and throat tickle when you eat nuts?
Do you experience hay fever symptoms or hives of eating the smallest piece of almond?

If so it may be signs of allergies to nuts or an allergic cross-reaction to birch pollen.

Both children and adults can react allergic to nuts. We have no accurate records of how many that suffers from tree nut allergy. Most will be young people and adults with birch pollen allergy, experiencing a so-called “cross-reaction”, because their bodies can not distinguish between the allergenic substances in pollen and nuts.

Allergy-reactions to nuts occurs in the majority, just after they have eaten nuts – some will first experience symptoms after a few hours or longer. It is especially hazelnuts, which may give allergic, but also almonds, Brazil nuts and walnuts.

- If you experience symptoms of allergy to nuts – whether it is a cross-reaction or a nut allergy – you must immediately stop eating the nuts, rinse the mouth and possibly take antihistamines if symptoms are mild. If you experience violent reactions, a should doctor assess the situation, but it should be stressed that the vast majority are experiencing mild symptoms.

Yet the advice is that if you already once have responded towards nuts, you should avoid precisely that kind of nuts entirely.

Allergy tests

If you experience allergic reactions to nuts – and you do not know whether you already have pollen allergy – it’s a good idea to have see your doctor for an allergy test for pollen allergy. This is done through a skin prick test or a blood test.

If the test is positive, further studies are rarely necessary. In that case you are allergic to pollen, and it is quite normal that you also react to nuts.

Is the test is negative, a skin test or blood test specifically for nuts reveals exactly which nuts, you can not tolerate.

- If you respond to one kind of nuts is does not necessarily mean that you also respond to other nuts. When allergic to hazel nuts, however, it is quite common also to respond to other tree nuts – such as walnut.

Raw vs. treated nuts

In everyday life, it may seem like a be an obstacle run to avoid nuts all together, because they can be found in many products – such as breakfast cereals, bread, cakes, confectionery and sweets.

– Some foods may contain very small amounts of nuts, without any information about it on the label. For example the product may have been in contact with nuts during production. Here, the producer may choose to write ‘May contain traces of …’ on the product, but it may still be enough for people with allergies to birch pollen and nuts to experience symptoms.

Nut lovers, that reacts allergic to nuts, do however not have to quit eating nuts all together.

– A lot of people who have allergy symptoms to nuts, reacts only on the raw and unprocessed nuts, but can withstand the nuts, as long as they are baked, fried or boiled.

Nuts, that often gives allergic reactions:

• Hazelnut
• Cashew nut
• Almond
• Brazil nut
• Walnut

Nuts, seeds and grains, which rarely gives allergic reactions:

• Poppy seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chestnuts
• Coconuts
• Pecan nuts
• Pine nuts
• Pistachio nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Sun flower seeds

Be careful

• Breakfast cereals – especially muesli often contain nuts.
• Bread – the nuts may be added (such as walnuts).
• Cold cuts – for example contains the Italian sausage Mortadella pistachios.
• Dinner meals – particularly African, Chinese, Indonesian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese dishes often contain nuts.
• Cookies, sweets, ice, etc. – Remember: Marzipan is made of almonds, nougat is made of hazelnuts, macaroons may contain marzipan / almonds. Many salads are sprinkled with nuts, cheese and ice are often decorated with nuts.

Peanuts – not a nut!

Despite the name, peanuts are not a nut but a legume. Peanuts has actually no allergens in common with nuts.

If you are allergic to peanuts, you do not necessarily have to avoid other nuts, unless you have a clean nut allergy together with your peanut allergy.

If you do have a clean peanut allergy, you may also react to other legumes – such as green peas, soy, beans and lentils.

Severe symptoms

Peanuts appear in breakfast cereals, peanut butter, some exotic dinners, sauces, dressings and cakes, desserts, sweets, snacks and ice. In the declaration on the food, the peanuts typically hides under names such as groundnut oil, peanut butter and peanut oil.

Symptoms of peanut allergy are – like nut allergy – itching in the mouth and throat, hay fever symptoms and hives. In addition, peanut allergy more often gives violent symptoms such as severe asthma attacks and allergic shock.
– With peanut allergy, often only very small quantities are needed to trigger symptoms. That is why it is important to talk with their doctor about what to do if you by a mistake eat peanuts. You might for instance need to always have fast working medicine with you – such as an EpiPen.

Nuts are also healthy

With a small handful (3/4 – 1 oz) of nuts daily, you can prevent heart disease. In fact you reduce your risk of 20-40 per cent compared to those who do not eat nuts.

Although nuts contain lots of ‘healthy fat’, it is still fat. Therefore you should not just add 1 oz. of nuts on top of you daily diet – unless you want to gain weight. Instead you could replace other forms of fat – such as the saturated and hard fat from the butter or margarine – with peanut butter. As a snack, nuts are also good, but choose those without salt or sugar.

If you are allergic to nuts, you do not have to do without the nuts healthy benefits.

Mainly because you probably do not respond to all nuts. Secondary because many only react to raw nuts – not nuts, which are baked, fried or boiled.

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