The theory - Something is making me ill.

WELCOME TO FIDGITS FOODIE FINDINGS

This week has been trial and error with regards to food and its effect on me.

I started wondering about a food intolerance being the cause of my eczema and swollen eyes /face, rather than the initial theory that it was the high pollen count. (Of course it could still be the pollen to blame but I'm looking into all options)

I believe the culprit is either wheat or fatty dairy (or both) ............. It could also be chemical reactions between ingredients.

Lunch yesterday, was steamed rice, ham and egg, with tomatoes.  It was going to be an omelette but I threw the cooked rice into the pan and mixed it up into my version of egg fried rice.  So, that's no wheat or dairy for lunch.

Last night I had pancakes (homemade)....... they don't usually bother me, BUT if I am developing an intolerance* then it could be the flour. I had banana on them, again not usually an issue, and I had a scoop of ice cream...........

I've spent an hour, on and off, in the bathroom this morning.

I can drink skimmed milk by the bucket load and never have an issue......... but when the dairy is high in fat it seems to cause problems.

Cream, ice cream, butter.  Never really had any issues with any of it in the past except if I have an excess of it.  I can have 1 ice-cream and be fine, 2 in the same day and I might suffer, but there's never been a consistent pattern to it.

*5 yrs ago I developed an intolerance to ALL additives in food. Especially MSG. I was eating a terrible diet of ready meals and my body started to reject everything that contained even a hint of an additive and even some fresh foods if they had natural acids or spice (Tomatoes, onions, & peppers were a no go).  

I lived on steamed chicken, rice, lettuce cucumber, pitta breads and philly cheese spread. Everything else set me off. Couldnt even have pectin.  It took me 12 months to cleanse my system to allow me to start eating "normally" but I am still very aware of additives in food and try to avoid ALL MSG as much as I can.

The reactions I had then were dreadful. Violent IBS pain and upset stomach along with Urticaria all over my body.

I was miserable for more than 18 months. It took 6 months to diagnose the cause and a further 12 months to clean my body.

So to the reason for this blog.

I am going to use it as a food journal. For me mainly, but also to share anything I find that might help others. As well as asking for your input, leaving comments with your favourite GF recipes etc. 

From Monday, 21/07/14, (after I have been to the supermarket for supplies) I will be on an elimination diet.  In the meantime there is no more bread in the house and I wont be making anything else with flour in it.

I am going to be sensible about it. Im not rushing to start on one of these insane juice detox diets or anything like that, but I am going to cut out the non-essential foods and see how I get on.

So I will be starting out by eating simple clean foods such as chicken, rice, veg, fruit, (non-citric) and low fat dairy.  I am also going to try milk alternatives to see if I can drink any of them. I tried soya milk in the past and threw it down the sink, but I believe almond milk is rather nice and I know I like goats milk. 

This will mean cutting out ALL bread products (and anything else with wheat flour in it) along with rich dairy products such as butter and ice cream. 

I refuse to eat margarine and as I wont be eating bread then I shouldn't need the butter.

I will be continuing with yoghurt, initially, as a test food.  This will allow me to bulk up my meal smoothies but if I feel the need to cut it out then I will do.

If all this can help with my current health issues, IBS and skin irritations AND I can lose some weight in the process then it has to be worth it.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, hints tips and recipes to try out that are wheat/dairy free so that I can keep my diet varied.