How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle with a Food Allergy
“If it seems food allergies are more prevalent than they used to be it could be due to the changing food system and better testing and detection of allergies and intolerances, said registered dietitian Emmy Bawden. People who suspect they have a food allergy should see a specialist, Bawden said, and those who think they have a food sensitivity should not self-diagnose because it could lead to needlessly restricting foods the body can tolerate.” – WISC-TV (5/22/19)
Feeling like you’re the only one without a food “sensitivity, intolerance, or allergy” these ideas? If so, it’s probably for good reason! Both speculation + formal diagnoses of such nature are far more prevalent now than they have ever been in the past. Part of this is a huge win, as modern medicine has improved by leaps and bounds in its ability to detect such tendencies. The other part of this is society over-doing the whole idea, as we do with most other food-related trends. But, why would we want to inflict restrictions on our diet, restrictions that impede our ability to consume vital nutrients, when it’s not necessary? Before you begin limiting your intake of various foods and/or nutrients within certain foods, it is most beneficial to see a specialist to confirm your suspicion of sensitivity/intolerance/allergy to whatever it is you feel inclined to avoid. If they confirm your notion, then you know it is wise to omit such foods from your diet. If they do not, then hallelujah – you have broaden your food options tremendously!
Two of the most common self-inflicted food restrictions are with gluten and dairy. Someone was recently telling me that they don’t eat gluten or dairy (along with a laundry list of other things they avoid…I was waiting to hear the word “food” pop up!) because there is “no nutrition” in them. Because I care about the health of all people, especially by way of proper nutrition, it was so hard for me to keep my cool and not shout YES THERE IS! BOTH ARE GOOD FOR YOU! But, that kind of response is never well received, so I opted for slow, deep breaths instead. 😊 Unfortunately, a lot of information shared on the web by non-credible, biased sources has created this idea in the minds of many. But here’s the low-down on these two power players:
Gluten- Believe it or not, gluten is actually a PROTEIN. (*Pause for dramatic effect.*) It is found naturally occurring in wheat, barley and rye. The primary reason people are apt to lose weight on a gluten-free diet is because they leave behind a lot of the less-nourishing or over-consumed foods that used to crowd their diet, and replace them with more fresh, whole foods. Examples of foods left behind may include: pre-packaged sweet treats (that we should be consuming in moderation anyways, but often do not) and a number of starchy carbohydrates such as pasta, breads, chips, etc. – most of which are very commonly over-consumed. Foods added into the diet to fill these holes may include: fresh fruit (containing natural sugar, rather than the added sugar often found in the aforementioned pre-packaged sweet treats) and more nourishing starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice and oatmeal. Due to inclusion of more nutrient-dense foods, exclusion of less-nourishing foods, and more appropriate portion control it’s no mystery than many lost weight when adhering to a “gluten-free diet”. What I’m trying to say is that the problem is not gluten itself. Rather, the concern lies in the types of gluten-containing foods in which we choose to indulge as well as our over-consumption of many such foods. Let us not overlook the fact that gluten is found in many nutrient-dense foods, such as a wide variety of whole grain products that boast a wonderful micronutrient profile.
Side note: Something that often comes as a surprise is that gluten-free alternatives to traditionally gluten-containing products are often higher in both carbohydrates and sugar that the traditional product. This is due to the fact that a number of un-natural ingredients must be added to compensate for the lack of the naturally-occurring gluten protein. Don’t believe me? Compare labels next time you’re at the grocery store. 😊
Dairy- I’m really not sure when dairy became such a villain. Maybe for a similar reason as to gluten, in the regard that we often over-consume the less healthy dairy products (i.e., processed cheeses, ice cream, etc.) and tend to overlook the more nourishing diary products (i.e, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.). Vital nutrients food in many dairy products include calcium, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin, fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and protein. Unless you have a formal diagnosis that warrants limiting your dairy intake, avoiding dairy altogether can reduce your chances of consuming adequate amounts of such nutrients. Even those with dairy sensitivity need not rule out dairy products altogether. Most individuals with such a diagnosis lack adequate amounts of the enzyme lactase, which is used to diagnose the natural sugar “lactose” found in dairy products. The beauty here is that not all dairy products contain equal amounts of lactose. While one cup of cow’s milk contains 12g lactose, one 40g slice of cheddar cheese contains no lactose at all! One 175g serving of yogurt contains 8g lactose, while one 40g slice of feta cheese contains a mere 0.2g lactose. Catch my drift? It is absolutely worth experimenting to decipher what amount of lactose your body can tolerate without experiencing adverse symptoms. And when I say experimenting, I don’t mean thinking back to a week ago when you ate a dairy product and going off your symptoms from that one experiment. I mean being thorough in keeping a food journal that tracks trends of symptoms after consumption of various dairy products, so that you can conclusively determine what level of lactose is most ideal for YOU!
Though I am a dietitian and can help with navigating the barriers presented by such food restrictions after a credible diagnosis, I cannot make that formal diagnosis myself. Make sure you seek out a reputable professional for this part of the process prior to seeking the assistance of a registered dietitian nutritionist. 😊