My Journey with Food Allergies (and Tips)
If you have an allergy or intolerance or cook for someone with one, this post is for you. Personally, I have no allergies or intolerances. In an effort to continue breastfeeding and determine what David is allergic to, I have been on multiple elimination diets- to say it has been difficult is an understatement. Through it all, I have gained incredible empathy for past clients I’ve worked with. My hope is that my personal experience can help others in navigating food allergies or intolerances.
Initially, David was a great nurser and was gaining weight well. Around month 2, we started to notice many GI symptoms and a significant decline in his rate of weight gain. His pediatrician recommended I strictly remove cow’s milk from my diet (no dairy but also no butter or traces of milk protein), which led to no improvement. I then removed milk and soy with the same result. I then added wheat and eggs to the list without success. During each of these trials, I would pump and freeze my milk for a two week period (while David took a special, very expensive formula!) to give the allergens time to leave my system. It was emotionally and physically exhausting. While I was grateful for my education and training, trying to cook specialized meals for myself with a baby was not fun. I started to wean from pumping but it frustrated me that we had yet to determine what was causing the reactions in David. I wanted to start offering him solids but feared a reaction given his history. It was also a struggle to get David to take the hypoallergenic (elemental) formula.
I am incredibly grateful that one of my close friends is an allergist and helped to guide and support me through continued trials. I’m equally as grateful for my husband in supporting me on my continued breastfeeding journey and in my quest for an answer. I decided to go big and eliminated wheat, soy, milk, rice, oats, eggs, cow’s milk, corn, chicken, seafood, sweet potato and nuts. I’m sure you’re wondering what I ate- it was a lot of work and planning but it was manageable for 2 weeks. And, FINALLY- I introduced my milk after eliminating these foods and it worked. David started feeding well, napping for longer than 30 minutes and overall was just a happier little guy. I have since been successfully able to re-introduce all but milk, soy and rice into my diet (David’s doctor wants me to hold off until he is 1 year of age and has potentially outgrown the allergies). He has been loving solids and I have felt much more comfortable introducing them.
From my experience, I wanted to share a few tips/learnings:
1) If you are taking on the challenge of an elimination diet, it is important you work with a credentialed professional. An allergist is important to determine which foods are necessary to eliminate and guide you in their reintroduction. A registered dietitian is needed to ensure you meet your nutritional needs despite being on a restricted diet.
2) Become familiar with the alternate names of the foods you are avoiding so you can quickly read a label. For example, casein and whey are indicators of cow’s milk protein that may be missed. Did you know that milk protein can be found in some processed meats?
3) Focus on what you can eat. Knowing what you have to work with is crucial in creating a sustainable plan. This can also be helpful if you’re eating in others’ households.
4) If you’re eating outside of the home (post-COVID of course) or doing takeout, choose restaurants that have ingredient or allergen lists available. While most higher end establishments do not have these, it can make things much easier to go somewhere where you can look at the menu ahead of time.
Of the many products I have experimented with the past few months, these five standout as the best. Doug has even opted for some of them over their allergen-containing alternative. If you have allergies or intolerances, always read the label to be sure these products meet your unique needs.
Kite Hill Cream Cheese (almond-based)
Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Ice Cream
Karam’s Garlic Sauce (I use as a substitute for creamy sauces/dressings)
So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer
Siete Products (cassava tortillas and chips)
Do you have allergies or intolerances? If you avoid dairy, have you found a cheese alternative that actually tastes good? (Bonus points if it doesn’t contain rice or soy).