Susan Carmack wrote:

> Hi Erik,
>
> >   And paleo dieting has in fact helped -- but I'm also
> >still allergic to some foods which are paleo, as well.
>
> What foods are you allergic to, please? symptoms?

    Back in March,it would have been a shorter list just to list the
foods I wasn't allergic to.  Now, after about 10 months of
paleo-dieting, the number of foods I am allergic to has dropped
dramatically.  I am allergic to most non-paleo foods, some severely.
The specific symptoms depend on the amount of allergen I eat, and which,
of course.  There are some foods which are paleo, but I'm still allergic
to them. The most severe is garlic.  In me, this (strangely) causes
panic attacks, a rapid and profound raise in blood pressure, feelings of
doom, palpitations (they clocked my heart going at 210 for several
hours).  All allergerns in me make me feel generally sick as well.
Panic attacks alone could cause some of these symptoms, except that I've
never had a panic attack except within 30 minutes after ingesting
garlic, or onion, or in the next few days afterwards I will suddnely
have a "re-attack".  Now I've been garlic and onion free since March and
can say, no panic attacks or other psychological problems.  Who would
have suspected food?

Tomatoes, potatoes, and cigarettes (now I know these are all the same
family, nightshade) also make me quite sick, with GI distress and other
problems.  The problems were so severe that I don't even eat them to
test them, except potato, which was once severe, and is now mild.
Potatoes aren't paleo anyway.  I will probably re-test everything except
garlic (which was nearly fatal) at my one-year paleo anniversary.  I
have no idea if I'm still allergic to them.  Almonds as well -- they are
out.  Forever probably.

carrots, broccoli, celery, turkey, strawberries, raspberries,
blueberries, filberts, yams,  and macadamia nuts used to be allergens,
each with their own little symptoms.  They no longer are, I can eat them
all "with impunity".  Used to be quite severe.  Stomach cramps, rashes,
the whole works.  Now I eat them whenever and in whatever amount I want
and the worst case scenario is if I pig out on fruit and nuts for a
while, I may gain a pound.  Big deal.  At 155 lbs (thanks to the  paleo
diet -- pre-paleo I used to be 220 lbs) I can afford a pound or two, and
it's easy to lose.  Just stop eating as much fruit and nuts for a week.

Wheat, corn, oats, barley, bread yeast, vinegar (or the yeast in it),
milk, pinto beans, white beans, peanuts (not life-threatening), soy, and
kidney beans I am allergic to, or was, but who cares, they aren't paleo
anyway.  Strangely, I have gained a new allergy, it seems, cherries, but
in only really large amounts.  May not be an allergen, may just be
eating too much cherries (causes vomiting).  Compared to losing at least
10 of them (allergens), I don't really care too much.  I'm not allergic
to cheese, as long as they didn't add milk to it after culturing.  But,
that's not paleo either.  I have played with the idea of not being
totally restrictive on cheese, since I already have lost so much food,
but haven't added it in yet, and may never.  Never have been allergic to
chocolate, carob, eggs, fish, fruit in general (except those I've
listed) and meat in general (except those I've listed).  Believe me, if
given a choice between being allergen free andbeing forced to stick to
the paleo diet for the rest of my life, or being free to eat non-paleo
foods (cheese, buckwheat, chocolate, coffee) which I'm not allergic to,
the choice would be easy -- paleo is less restrictive than my
allergy-free diet.  I'm hoping that paleo dieting will help my allergies
to continue to imrpove -- so far so good.  Any ideas on how to help food
allergies in general are welcome.

I have had a tendency towards allergies all my life, and have had very
mild trouble with food.  They appeared as full allergies after an
intense use of anti-biotics (doctor diagnosed me with ulcers, probably
just mild food allergies) and a trip to Australia.

Erik