Food allergies are common in adults and children, yet are
frequently overlooked as the cause of such symptoms as fatigue,
sore throats, abdominal pain and migraines. There are two types
of food allergies; Fixed and Masked. Fixed food allergies
produce an immediate reaction and typically occur with peanuts,
shellfish and eggs. Masked, or hidden, food allergies are harder
to detect since a person ingests the food so frequently. Because
the reaction is milder, most individuals don't associate a
particular food with an allergic reaction.
SYMPTOMS THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY FOOD ALLERGIES:
General:
Fatigue and food cravings
Infections:
Recurrent colds, sore throats, ear infections, yeast
infections
Ear Nose and Throat:
Chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drip, fluid in the ears
Gastrointestinal:
Abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea
Cardiovascular:
Heart rate/palpitation
Dermatologic:
Acne, eczema, canker sores (aphthous ulcers), hives
Rheumatologic:
Muscle and joint pain
Neurologic:
Migraines and other headaches, anxiety, depression,
short-term memory deficit
Miscellaneous:
Asthma, frequent urination, teeth grinding,
bedwetting, infantile colic
Note: Most of these disorders have more than one cause, but a
food allergy is a relatively common and frequently overlooked
cause.
The purpose of our Elimination Diet Program is to identify hidden
food allergies that may be causing some or many of your child's
symptoms. In a controlled, medically supervised program, common
food allergens are completely removed from the diet for two
weeks. During this period, the individual is prescribed a
responsible, balanced diet restricted to foods such as fruit,
vegetables, chicken, turkey, fish, lean meat and grains. After
the elimination period, the foods are added back, one at a time,
to see if a reaction develops. A direct cause and effect
relationship is a signal to parents and physicians to limit or
eliminate particular foods from the child's diet.
FOODS TO AVOID
Dairy Products:
Milk and foods containing milk, cheese, butter,
yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, whey, casein, ice cream
Wheat:
Refined breads, spaghetti, noodles, pasta, flour, baked
goods, and gravies
Corn:
Including any product with corn oil, vegetable oil, corn
syrup, corn sweetener, dextrose, glucose, corn chips, tortillas,
and popcorn
Eggs:
Whites and yolks, and any product containing eggs
Citrus Fruits:
Orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine and
foods containing citrus
Refined Sugars:
Table sugar and any foods containing sugar:
candy, soda, pies, cake, cookies, etc.
(Other names for sugar include sucrose, glucose, dextrose, corn
syrup, dried fruit, corn sweetener, fructose, and maltose)
Honey, [Maple or Barley Syrup (1-3 tsps. per day); Allowed ( ) Not
allowed ( )]
Food additives:
Artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and
artificial sweeteners
Any Food Ingested More Than 3 Times Per Week
Known Allergens:
Avoid any food you know you or your child are
allergic to, even if it's allowed on this diet.
Read Labels! Hidden allergens are frequently found in packaged
foods. "Flour" usually means wheat, "vegetable oil" may mean
corn oil; casein and whey are dairy products. Make sure your
vitamins are free of wheat, corn, sugar, citrus, yeast, and
artificial colorings. Vary your diet, choosing a wide variety of
foods. Do not rely on just a few foods, as you may become
allergic to foods you eat every day!
FOODS TO EAT
Cereals:
Hot cereals like oatmeal or oat bran. Dry cereals like
puffed rice or puffed millet, Oatio's (wheat free). May use soy
milk that has no corn oil added; also may use almond nut milk.
Most of these foods are available in health food stores.
Grains and Flour Products:
100% rice crackers; any 100% rye or
spelt bread with no wheat; Oriental noodles, such as 100%
buckwheat Soba noodles; soy, rice, potato, buckwheat, and bean
flours; cooked whole grains including oats, millet, barley,
buckwheat groats (kasha), rice, macaroni, spelt (flour and
pasta), brown rice, amaranth, quinoa.
Legumes: (beans):
Includes soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas,
chickpeas, navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, string beans,
and others. Canned beans often contain added sugar or other
potential allergens. Some cooked beans packaged in glass jars,
sold at the health food store, contain no sugar. Read labels.
May also use bean dips without sugar, lemon or additives. Canned
soups include split pea and lentil soup (without additives.)
Vegetables;
Use a wide variety. All vegetables except corn are
permitted.
Proteins:
Poultry and fowl, fresh fish, (such as tuna and salmon,
packed in spring water.) Shrimp and most canned or packaged
shellfish (such as lobster, crab, oysters) may contain sulfites
and should be avoided. Canned tuna, salmon and other canned fish
are o.k. Beef and pork may be eaten unless specified otherwise.
Lamb rarely causes allergic reaction, and may be used even when
other meats are restricted. Also recommended are grain/bean
casseroles (recipes in vegetarian cookbooks).
Nuts and Seeds:
Nuts and seeds, either raw or roasted without
salt or sugar. May also use nut butters from health food stores
or from fresh ground nuts (this includes peanut butter if
allowed, almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, sesame
butter, and sesame tahini.)
Oils and Fats:
Sunflower, safflower, olive, sesame, peanut,
flaxseed (edible linseed), canola and soy oils.
Snacks:
Any food can be eaten as a snack, any time of day. Also
suggested are celery, carrot sticks or other vegetables; fruit in
moderation (no citrus); unsalted fresh nuts and seeds; Barbara's
Granola Bars (from health food stores); wheat-free cookies (check
ingredients.)
Beverages;
Herb teas (no lemon or orange); spring water in glass
bottles or clear plastic; seltzer (salt free); Perrier; pure
fruit juices without sugar or additives (dilute 50:50 with
water); almond nut milk (Nut Quick); soy milk without corn oil
(such as Eden Soy Plain); Cafix, Inka and Roma may be used as
coffee substitutes. Tap water contains chlorine, fluoride and
other potentially allergenic chemicals.
Thickeners:
Rice, oat, millet, barley, soy, kruzu or amaranth
flours; arrowroot, agar.
Spices and Condiments:
Salt in moderation; pepper; herbal spices
without preservatives, citrus or sugar; garlic, ginger, onions;
catsup and mustard from the health food store (without sugar);
wheat-free tamari sauce; Bragg liquid aminos; vitamin C crystals
in water as a substitute for lemon juice.
Miscellaneous:
Sugar-free spaghetti sauce; fruit jellies without
sugar or citrus; soups such as split pea, lentil, turkey
vegetable, etc.
An Elimination Diet is frequently a successful method of testing
for food allergies. There are some food allergies, however,
which are more difficult to detect and require the more
sophisticated testing techniques found in an allergy laboratory.
In addition, a comprehensive study of your child's medical
history is necessary to determine the underlying causes of his or
her recurrent symptoms.
Dr. Layton/Silesky Marketing