Sitting on an uncomfortable chair in the Chronic Pain Clinic office at our local Community Centre, I waited nervously for my appointment with the dietician and observed the various individuals also coming and going. I thought this is strange, they are all much older, seniors in fact, that are in this place - aren't there younger people who suffer from Chronic Pain too?
This is only one step in my journey that has been a battle to the depths of despair and the long hard climb back to a life that means something, that might have a purpose and the chance to become a happier/healthier person.
For the moment, I will just tell you about my appointment with the gentle, fortyish, blonde-haired woman who may be a savior to me in the coming months. As she ushers me into her tidy office, we sit around a small round table and make eye contact with small nervous smiles. She has reviewed my extensive chart and says with a smile, "Are you ready for this Carla?"
I am. I am ready to make changes in my life. I have to. I am 43, 5’3” at almost 240lbs I am OBESE - there it is, that awful word; and extremely unhealthy and continually battling depression, multiple illnesses and too many medications. Overall, my lifestyle is unhealthy and rather devoid of happiness and success.
How come? What has brought me to this point in my life? It is a long story, thus my first attempt at blogging. I will reveal more as time goes by. But I digress; let’s get back to the story. I reply that I am a little hesitant and concerned, but I am willing to try. What, you wonder, am I here for? My specialist, a wonderful but rather diminutive Indian doctor specializing in chronic pain, geriatric and internal medicine has reviewed my symptoms and suggested that among my problems there may be strong histamine reactions and has recommended an Elimination Diet in addition to my anti-histamine, allergy and asthma medications.
What is an elimination diet?
As per the online information from Lindsay Martins, ND Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, http://www.balancenaturopathic.com/resource/Elimination%20Diet.pdf)
As the name implies, this diet is designed to temporarily avoid certain foods for 2-4 weeks (this is called the elimination phase), followed by a period of systematic re-introduction of certain food groups. This latter phase is called the reintroduction phase and may last for up to 9 weeks. OMG – how am I going to do this?! No cheese for 4 weeks? I am dedicated, remember … I can do this.
What is this diet used for?
The purpose of this dietary protocol is to identify possible food sensitivities. Such sensitivities may range from mild or hardly noticeable reactions to severe generalized allergic responses. Food sensitivities/intolerances contribute to many health concerns and impact our ability to achieve optimum health. Yes, I can relate to this statement.
Is all this REALLY necessary?
According to current research, food sensitivities can cause or contribute to a vast array of problems including:
· fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, food cravings, obesity, recurrent colds and other infections, chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drip, fluid in the ears, Meniere’s syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea,
· abdominal pain, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, angina,
· acne, eczema, psoriasis, canker sores, hives, muscle aches, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and other headaches,
· numbness, asthma, frequent urination, teeth grinding, bedwetting, and infantile colic.
Most of the above disorders have more than one cause, but food sensitivity is relatively common and a frequently overlooked cause. [i]Milk is among the top eight foods that account for 90% of allergic reactions to foods. Lactose is the sugar found in milk.
Often this sort of exercise (the elimination diet) helps one get out of “food ruts”. This plan hopefully encourages you to try new foods. Daily repetition of the same foods is thought to be a major contributor to the development of food sensitivities. Also, a diverse diet is typically healthier because you are more likely to get a comprehensive intake of valuable nutrients.
Wow!! Who knew?I had no idea that these symptoms might be food related. I have changed the font colour to blue for the symptoms I am experiencing – much more than 50% probably closer to 80%.
I have agreed to start the process and the dietician has prepared information on dairy free foods and how to identify processed foods that may contain dairy related items – it’s a long list! Some hidden in the most unusual places – did you know that some BBQ chips have dairy? I didn’t.
DEFINITELY DAIRY INGREDIENTS
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· Acidophilus Milk
· Ammonium Caseinate
· Butter
· Butter Fat
· Butter Oil
· Butter Solids
· Buttermilk
· Buttermilk Powder
· Calcium Caseinate
· Casein
· Caseinate (in general)
· Cheese (All animal-based)
· Condensed Milk
· Cottage Cheese
· Cream
· Curds
· Custard
· Delactosed Whey
· Demineralized Whey
· Dry Milk Powder
· Dry Milk Solids
· Evaporated Milk
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· Ghee (see p109)
· Goat Milk
· Half & Half
· Hydrolyzed Casein
· Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
· Iron Caseinate
· Lactalbumin
· Lactoferrin
· Lactoglobulin
· Lactose
· Lactulose
· Low-Fat Milk
· Magnesium Caseinate
· Malted Milk
· Milk
· Milk Derivative
· Milk Fat
· Milk Powder
· Milk Protein
· Milk Solids
· Natural Butter Flavor
· Nonfat Milk
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· Nougat
· Paneer
· Potassium Caseinate
· Pudding
· Recaldent
· Rennet Casein
· Skim Milk
· Sodium Caseinate
· Sour Cream
· Sour Milk Solids
· Sweetened Condensed Milk
· Sweet Whey
· Whey
· Whey Powder
· Whey Protein Concentrate
· Whey Protein Hydrolysate
· Whipped Cream
· Whipped Topping
· Whole Milk
· Yogurt
· Zinc Caseinate
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That's quite a list isn't it? I had no idea and I usually read food labels. I'm going to have to print this and carry it in my wallet.
According to Dr. Susan Konek, MA, RD, CSP at the Kids Health Organization website, http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/milk_allergy.html#
It's a good idea to get to know the "code words" for milk products when you see them in the ingredients label of a product. Some ingredients and foods that contain milk are the obvious ones like: cheese, yogurt, milk, pudding; but then there are non-dairy creamers, cereals, gum, chicken broth, possibly even soy cheeses, they may say "milk-free," but they could contain milk protein. Again the Dairy Free website was very helpful with the products lists. Try to avoid fried foods or foods with batter on them. Even if the batter doesn't contain milk products, the oil used to fry the foods may have been used to fry something that contains milk.
What I learned: some alternatives for dairy products include:
· For your sweet tooth, soy- or rice-based frozen desserts, sorbets, and puddings are good substitutes for ice cream, as are ice pops.
· For baking, milk substitutes work as well as milk and some come out better – try the Almond or Rice milk – its not that bad!
· Dairy-free margarine works as well as butter in recipes and spreading on your bagel.
The dietician’s advice: People are usually very understanding when it comes to food allergies — nobody wants to risk your health. When eating out, order the simplest foods and ask the waiter detailed questions about menu items. At a friend's house, explain your situation and don't be embarrassed to ask questions if you're staying for a meal.
Having a milk allergy/sensitivity/intolerance doesn't mean you can't still enjoy eating. In fact, some people think that some of the milk substitutes — like vanilla soy milk — taste better than regular cow's milk. As with any specialized diet, you'll probably find avoiding milk gives you the opportunity to explore and discover some great foods that you'd never have found otherwise!
And so armed with some sample menu plans, a few recipes and the internet at my disposal I will begin my dairy free menu on Thursday, October 21, 2010 after a stop at the grocery store to get some new items and a trip to my daughter’s house to drop off the remaining dairy items in my house… no temptations left around. My dietician isn't even focussing on the weight, she just wants me to feel better and maybe it will help me want to exercise, maybe my stomach will digest better, maybe my bowel will absorb more nutrients and as I will definitely be eating more fruits and vegetables I'm hoping the weight will come off too.
Wish me luck or drop me a line if you have ever experienced the “after” phase of this process – I need all the encouragement I can get!!
Carla
[i] http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/canadian-products-not-containing-lactose-or-milk.html
