Angie
03-18-2008, 07:24 PM
The question is, what to do if you're allergic to nuts/seeds/grains.
see note in text about 'raw' increasing allergens.
background:
I started eating raw in early January in anticipation of the seasonal allergy season which for me is March-earlyJune. I had read of people's success with allergies by going raw. my husband and i eat ~98% raw (for for 2 months)
we were thrilled with results we didn't expect...i've always had a problem with white wine...coupla glasses each night is a lot of calories, 3 when i'm stressed, and have a frighteningly hard time quitting. On raw food, i have no interest in wine. go figure. additionally, we are both AMAZED at the fact that we just don't overeat. we eat what we need, and even if it's delicious, we stop easily when done. We are both very athletic, my husband (damn those men) has ~10% body fat at 54 years old (and is a fitness professional and competitive endurance athlete) and I am an annoying 20 lb overwieght but probably carry it well on my 5'10" frame and ride a bike ~185/mi a week.
but i am DERAILLED every year with spring allergies.
Even with feeling great on raw food in Jan/Feb i am now a stuffed up headachy mess by March, so went to see an allergist who is an itegrative medicine guru in Marin County, CA.
turns out in addition to grasses, trees, weeds, etc, I am allergic to LETTUCE, BREWERS YEAST, CASHEWS, ALMONDS, OATS, SESAME SEEDS. the only food they tested that i'm NOT allergic to is sunflower seeds.
I have found as a new raw-food person that i need variety, and i need to get a bit full. I'm sure in time i can live on a date and a zucchini, but right now i need something that feels more substantial.
so i make an almond hummus, or a tahini dressing, or raw oat groats w/ almond milk for breakfast, or soy sauce (namushoya) in many dishes. turns out I'm HIGHLY allergic. I feel that if i cut out nuts/seeds/AND grains, (and although i never ate a ton of meat i am fairly new to being strictly vegan), I will just be toooooo bored and hungry.
this allergist/MD/integrative medicine guy is very open to trying to work with my preference to stay raw, but he says that raw food increases the allergen...in otherwords, if you're allergic to, say, oats, you will be more affected by raw oats. so now i just don't know what to eat. Have any of you had this issue, or do you have any advise re: research/books/websites?
I really want to solve this problem, for us it was alot of work to change our lifestyle to raw. even tho we ate no processed foods, no dairy, no junk, we had alot of "convenience" foods (microwaved bags of green beans and brussel sprouts at Trader Joe's, steamed brown rice and steamed veg/tofu at chinese take out)...Now i have spiralizer, vitamix, dehydrator, sprouting trays, nut milk bags, you have to admit it's an adjustment!! I so want to retain the benefit of what we've gained from raw eating (I've lost ~6 lbs without stress!) but don't know what to do about all this allergy concern.
see note in text about 'raw' increasing allergens.
background:
I started eating raw in early January in anticipation of the seasonal allergy season which for me is March-earlyJune. I had read of people's success with allergies by going raw. my husband and i eat ~98% raw (for for 2 months)
we were thrilled with results we didn't expect...i've always had a problem with white wine...coupla glasses each night is a lot of calories, 3 when i'm stressed, and have a frighteningly hard time quitting. On raw food, i have no interest in wine. go figure. additionally, we are both AMAZED at the fact that we just don't overeat. we eat what we need, and even if it's delicious, we stop easily when done. We are both very athletic, my husband (damn those men) has ~10% body fat at 54 years old (and is a fitness professional and competitive endurance athlete) and I am an annoying 20 lb overwieght but probably carry it well on my 5'10" frame and ride a bike ~185/mi a week.
but i am DERAILLED every year with spring allergies.
Even with feeling great on raw food in Jan/Feb i am now a stuffed up headachy mess by March, so went to see an allergist who is an itegrative medicine guru in Marin County, CA.
turns out in addition to grasses, trees, weeds, etc, I am allergic to LETTUCE, BREWERS YEAST, CASHEWS, ALMONDS, OATS, SESAME SEEDS. the only food they tested that i'm NOT allergic to is sunflower seeds.
I have found as a new raw-food person that i need variety, and i need to get a bit full. I'm sure in time i can live on a date and a zucchini, but right now i need something that feels more substantial.
so i make an almond hummus, or a tahini dressing, or raw oat groats w/ almond milk for breakfast, or soy sauce (namushoya) in many dishes. turns out I'm HIGHLY allergic. I feel that if i cut out nuts/seeds/AND grains, (and although i never ate a ton of meat i am fairly new to being strictly vegan), I will just be toooooo bored and hungry.
this allergist/MD/integrative medicine guy is very open to trying to work with my preference to stay raw, but he says that raw food increases the allergen...in otherwords, if you're allergic to, say, oats, you will be more affected by raw oats. so now i just don't know what to eat. Have any of you had this issue, or do you have any advise re: research/books/websites?
I really want to solve this problem, for us it was alot of work to change our lifestyle to raw. even tho we ate no processed foods, no dairy, no junk, we had alot of "convenience" foods (microwaved bags of green beans and brussel sprouts at Trader Joe's, steamed brown rice and steamed veg/tofu at chinese take out)...Now i have spiralizer, vitamix, dehydrator, sprouting trays, nut milk bags, you have to admit it's an adjustment!! I so want to retain the benefit of what we've gained from raw eating (I've lost ~6 lbs without stress!) but don't know what to do about all this allergy concern.