Welcome to the Jungle

My Journey begins! It'd be easy to cut out just one thing in your diet right??

I've never been so wrong.

Hunting through supermarket turned out to be a nightmare. In a Jungle of food, what can you eat after you get the devastating news of a food allergy? Sometimes finding a replacement for your favorite foods is impossible.  Nothing really tastes like the original that you're used to. It takes the comfort and the mental relaxation out of eating. The items designed to replace allergen-tainted food is almost always disgusting. So whats the point?

Take a little time to read the back of the food labels for 10 items. Almost everything contains peanuts, gluten, milk, eggs, or soy.   From 2008-2010 (With the help of the small gluten free section at our local co-op and Shaw's) I did pretty well staying away from gluten.  That means no bread, no pasta, no crackers, limited snack items, no cake, brownies, some salad dressings, and tons of processed foods. Those were my main food groups that I just cut out.


Things were looking up. I lost 20 pounds easily. Unfortunately only half of my problems were resolved.
It was time to take a food panel allergy test.  So in January of 2011, I went to an ENT and had my blood drawn to get some answers.

I found out my results today.  Feb 11, 2011.  I don't like it.

Sensitivities: Bay leaf, Crab, Dill, Gluten, Sweet Potatoes, Rye, Safflower, Walnut

Allergies: Cheese of all brands in a deadly manor. Cows Milk, Yogurt, Eggs, Haddock, Oats,  White Potatoes, Peas, Peanuts, Sesame, Wheat, and Yeast.

My Jungle Thickens.  Now it really is impossible.  What made to replace Gluten and Wheat is filled with Potatoes and Oils from Peanuts or Sesame. It's certainly a learning experience.

I did some shopping today. It took me almost a hour in the store just reading labels.   All I could keep thinking was- no butter, no mayo, no pizza, no cheese.

I found a few things.  The flavored almond milk is a lifesaver. I don't like almonds,  but I cant live without my coffee creamer, and because this is flavored it doesn't have that nasty neosporin/bean taste.  This has been an acceptable substitution. 

This Earth Balance "butter" however.... tastes fishy!!!  It's oil, and surprise.. its fortified with omega.  No wonder. This needs improvement.

I would like to offer a mixed review about these crunchy cereal-esque products.  I understand the necessity for flax as a nutritional supplement, however I find that it tastes almost identical to a hay/sawdust mixture. My previous roomate thinks it tastes like those little crispy onions on top of casseroles. Either way not the best.  The Rice flavor however is eatable. Tastes like rice crispies but is twice as expensive. Don't waste the cash.

In the salad dressing section there was a small situation. They all contained my new poisons.  If it wasn't gluten, it was sesame, or eggs. After 6 mins or so of looking and reading all the labels. I found this one  to the right -suitable for my purpose. It has a light taste and its not vomit inducing.  This leads me to                     The other Magical thing, Glutino Pretzels!!!!  They are yummy and they are super friendly to allergies.  I would classify them as better than original pretzels. There're two drawback for me.  They contain traces of sesame and they are made from potato starch.  Now my allergy is to white potato so how does potato starch fall on that chart?  I'll have to email my allergy contact to find out!  I'll be sad if I cant eat those.



PASTASSSSS

For those of you who are replacing pasta in your life. I reccomend the Tinkyada bunny pasta. It's a rice  base product that does a good job. It takes some getting used to for sure. I've heard a few bad things about it.  It doesn't reheat well. It's consistancy can be mushy, and if you over cook the pasta it dissolves. The other option is the Mrs Leepers corn pasta. It mimics real pasta a little better but it also takes some getting used to. It is also more expensive but so are most of the allergy replacement foods. (Update 2014- Quinoa pasta is the best, replacement hands down. It doesn't fall apart, is not mushy, and is loaded with nutrients.)

At this point in the grocery store I am exhausted. I just want to be done... and then I hit it.  The cheese isle.  I am devastated. I love cheese. How will I live without it?  There aren't any substitutes that I have found yet for cheese. I'm still searching though.

This makes me feel like a mixed drink.  Of which I can no longer have... but I did make one final purchase. Woodchuck Cider. It's too sweet. Angry Orchard is much better.

I will finish this drink tonight in my sad pouting denile stage. Tomorrow I'll continue on to see what my options are. Boo.