My daughter’s family recently had allergy testing done and discovered that they have significant problems with eggs, dairy, yeast and a few other things that are easy to avoid. Thank goodness wheat products were not on that list because I think they would all starve to death.
The ironic part of this is that we live in Wisconsin, the Dairy State, and cheese is a staple here. We produce some of the finest, most delicious cheeses in the nation. Life can be so unfair sometimes. The Francis family really loves their cheese, especially my Grandson for whom Pizza is the best meal ever. He’s 11, what can I say?
I’m not surprised to hear about the dairy part. I’m lactose intolerant and if I want to have ice cream or cheese or a glass of milk I must have an immodium chaser with it. Needless to say, I eat very little dairy. Apparently this is a common problem in the Gavin family. At least one of my brothers is also lactose intolerant and I remember hearing about others in the family that are. Lactose intolerance is often associated with Celiac Sprue which I believe at least one of my cousins suffers from.
According to The Center for Food Allergies, it is also associated with ADHD and ADD which my son and gr-son both struggle with. My daughter and her husband have been fighting the schools strong suggestions to medicate my Gr-Son for ADHD for years just as I fought it with my son. We found that alterations in the diet, particularly sticking to natural non-processed foods, eliminating preservatives and food dyes as much as possible is a better solution. I became a follower of Dr Feingold‘s diet in 1975, the year my son was diagnosed with ADHD.
My daughter who did NOT test allergic to all forms of dairy but DID test allergic to yogurt did not have problems with ADHD or ADD. She has found that eliminating eggs from her diet has helped prevent the break-outs of adult acne she has been prone to. Amongst the many symptoms of whatever is going on with me, I was diagnosed in my late 20s with polycystic ovaries and acne vulgaris.
That got me to thinking and googling. According to The Center for Food Allergies these maladies which I present with may be associated with food allergies: Acne, Anxiety, Arthralgia (joint pain), Fibromyalgia, Canker Sores (mouth sores), chronic coughing (OK that might be because I smoke but…) Depression, chronic fatigue, frequent infections, Gallbladder Disease (had mine removed when I was 22 which is really young for that disease), GERD (gastric reflux), Lactose Intolerance, Mental Fogginess (I assume that includes short term memory problems and expressive aphasia), Migraines and other headaches, chronic Nasal Congestion (attributed to the OTHER allergies I have), Nausea and vomiting for seemingly no reason, chronic sinusitis, and last, but not least, the Gavin curse, weight problems. Pretty much everything.
Ugh… I hate seeing all of my symptoms listed in one place. So damn depressing. I’ve decided to go get food allergy testing done ASAP. I have an appointment on the 8th to see my GP to get a referral.
