Would there be interest in a Food Allergies/Sensitivities DU Group?

[Bossy Monkey]

I think there are a fair number of us. All I have is lactose intolerance and wheat sensitivity and find that it's all I ever want to post about but hold back in the certainty that not a lot of people are going to be interested. I suspect that there are others feeling the same way, and of course most of you probably have a lot more serious allergies than the slight annoyances I suffer with these two sensitivities. So whatchathink? Just think of the wheat-free pizza recipes!:)

[TK421]

1. May I ask what kind of allergies do you have to wheat products?

Physically, what happens to you? The reason I ask is that I suspect I may be allergic to it.

[Bossy Monkey]

3. No allergy, just sensitivity

Basically, mine is just like the lactose intolerance, which is why I didn't notice it. In other words, running to the bathroom in a BF hurry. But some writers claim that wheat sensitivity can cause pretty significant mental and emotional effects. I can only speak for myself and only on a few weeks' experience, but since I quit wheat a whole load of stress, doubt and perpetual nervousness just vanished. We'll see if this continues over the longer run.

I'll add a link to my earlier thread on the subject on edit.

Edit: Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7079569

[LeftyMom]

2. Sure. I have some rather nasty allergies.

I'm pretty good at adapting recipes.

[Bossy Monkey]

6. I'll look forward to recipes

Hell, post 'em here!:)

[Bossy Monkey]

4. Mornin' kick n/t

[Locrian]

5. heck yes

I have wheat sensitivity - so does my son. His is worse than mine, he gets cramps, feels generally crappy mood. Mine is more of a hang over reaction - anxiety, toxicity.

I **thought** I was sensitive to dairy (gas/bloating), turns out its more like a sugar and carb sensitivity.

Probiotics help - my health is too long a story to go into all the details.

[Bossy Monkey]

9. My sympathies-- er, empathies

On the bright(ish) side, wheat sensitivity certainly cures one of eating fast food (though I'm still eating crunchy Taco Bell tacos, so far).

[BlueIris]

7. Oh, hell yes, I'd be interested. But I'm wondering—could it be more inclusive?

An allergy sufferers forum, not exclusive to discussion of just food allergies? I would think those of us with petro-chemical allergies would want a place to vent as well, right alongside those peanut product allergies (you poor bastards).

[Bossy Monkey]

8. Makes sense to me

Not quite sure how to word it such that I'm still included (as I don't have any actual allergies that I know about). Maybe Allergies/Food Sensitivities/Food Intolerances or something like that.

[u4ic]

10. Yes!

:hi:

[Bossy Monkey]

19. Whoops! Didn't realize I hadn't replied to you

Thanks for your reply and :hi: back at ya

[supernova]

11. Yes,

:hi:

Count me in the wheat/milk sensitive group.

I didn't know this but when I started reading about wheat gluten sensitivity, I came across the idea that the two often go together. That is if you think you have the one, definitely explore whether you also have the other. (I was aware I was lactose intolerant since I was a child.)

[Bossy Monkey]

12. I found out the hard way

Kept eating pizza and pasta with the help of Lactaid and was bewildered to find I was still having to run to the bathroom. Quit wheat and it all went away. I didn't become lactose intolerant until my 40s and somehow failed to figure out what the problem was for a year or more. Dunno if the wheat sensitivity started at the same time or is more recent.

[NorthernSpy]

13. what would the group be oriented toward, exactly?

Biopsy-confirmed celiac disease? History of anaphylactic reaction?

Should food sensitivities and food allergies be in the same group? Food sensitivities may be unpleasant, but a true food allergy is actually deadly if your medication doesn't work, or if you can't get to the emergency room fast enough. They're really pretty different kinds of things.

What does everyone think?

[Bossy Monkey]

14. Well I need 10 people with donor stars to say that they're interested

even to apply to have a DU group and in a day and a half only 6 have materialized, so the probability that there would be support for two separate DU groups, one on allergies and one on sensitivities strikes me as remote. More on edit momentarily; gotta check something.

Edit: I was thinking that there might be some non-DU-group category such a forum could be classified under, but no such luck. Doesn't really fit with Issue forums or Culture forums. So it seems like DU groups is it or nothing.

I think that the two (allergies and sensitivities) can fit together. As BlueIris said, greater inclusiveness is good. I should think that it would be pretty easy for people to include in their subject lines which they're talking about in each post. Regardless, if you think not, just say as much and you won't be counted towards the needed 10 DUers with donor stars with an interest. If you are interested, kindly say so and you will be. Thanks for your reply regardless.

[supernova]

15. I think there are all things we can relate to

recipes and substitutes for problem foods, for instance.

[Bossy Monkey]

16. Saturday morning kickaroo n/t

[Bossy Monkey]

17. Well, if this falls short, as it appears it will I hope somebody will try again

in a few weeks with "Allergies, food sensitivities, food intolerances" in the subject line, and phrased more compellingly.

[unsavedtrash]

18. sure

My ex/house mate has celiac disease. I still do the cooking so I would love to swap recipes and stuff.
She is super sensitive so everything has to be checked for wheat/gluten.

[Bossy Monkey]

25. Super. Thanks. Look forward to swapping recipes n/t

[I Have A Dream]

20. I'm interested. I like the idea of it being for allergies/sensitivities in general. n/t

[Bossy Monkey]

26. Excellent. Do you know of many environmental sensitivities?

I only think of food sensitivities, but maybe calling it an Allergies/Sensitivities group would cover everything. It certainly simplifies the wording. Regardless, glad to hear from you and thanks for your reply.

[suzbaby]

21. Are you a celiac?

My mother in law has celiac's disease. It took her years of doctor visits to get a diagnosis. Now that she knows, she has a completely glutton free diet so she has lots of recipes. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_Disease

[Bossy Monkey]

22. Don't think so. Hope not. But since I'm giving up all wheat, it's kind of a moot point

(or at least, if I am, I won't get any worse.:)) Would you be interested in such a group? I at least would love to see your mother-in-law's recipes.

[suzbaby]

23. I could certainly send a few recipes from my mother in law, but

I don't know if such a group would apply to ME per se. I wish you the best of luck with it! :hi:

[LeftyMom]

27. With celiac you'd have to abstain from all gluten sources. Not only wheat, but oats, spelt, etc

And all the obscure sources of trace gluten, like most soy sauces. An allergy or sensitivity to wheat alone, while a real pain to plan a diet around, is much less serious and inconvenient than celiac.

[Bossy Monkey]

31. Then I hope doubly that I'm not celiac

Thanks for the info.

[LeftyMom]

35. If it turns out you are, PM me.

A coworker of mine has 1. celiac and 2. a degree in nutrition. I could totally pick her brain for cookbooks, resources, etc for you.

[Bossy Monkey]

36. Thanks very much. Still hoping I'm not, but if I am, you'll hear from me

and that, I'm afraid, is the last word on this thread. Ah well.

[electron_blue]

24. I'd pop in occasionally

but I check out other allergy boards with more traffic than I think would be generated here. We have an anaphylactic nut allergy in the family. Very stressful at times. No food sensitivities or environmental allergies with us that I'm aware of, so that's of less interest to me, but probably of greater interest to the DU population than true food allergies, I'm guessing.

[Redstone]

28. I'm allergic as hell to shellfish, but what would be the point of a DU group?

Just to say, "hey, I'm allergic to this and / or that?"

Not being snotty, just asking. It's not like food allergies can be cured.

Redstone

[Bossy Monkey]

29. Substitutes and alternatives, mainly. I agree that I can't think of any obvious

substitutes that would help you. My sympathies: my best friend's wife is so allergic to shellfish that she has a reaction if somebody's eating it at the next table.

[NorthernSpy]

30. that particular kind of reaction is actually psychosomatic, btw...

You know, "if someone else in the room is eating (the problem food), I have an allergic reaction".


Even when it occurs in an allergic person, that's not really an allergic reaction. It's a psychosomatic reaction provoked by learned fear of the problem food. The volatile chemicals that give foods their characteristic scents are not the substances that cause anaphylaxis.

On the whole, this response is probably a good thing, because it alerts the person to the presence of their Kryptonite.

[Bossy Monkey]

32. morning kick n/t

[Bossy Monkey]

33. Another kick, but while I'm at it, does anybody know for sure if American restaurant pad thai

uses rice noodles? The internets say so, but those noodles seem awful wheaty to me. (I'd certainly be happy if they're rice, though. Our neighborhood Thai place flew by night, but a new one is opening soon in the same space. Yay for us!)

Edit: spelling

[Bossy Monkey]

34. OK, one for the road. Thanks everybody! Hope someday somebody can get this running nt