IAMA 21 year old guy who is allergic to wheat(not gluten), dairy, eggs, soya, peanuts, walnuts, pecan nuts, tomatoes, potatoes, spicy foods and a few more. AMA

what do you eat?

Meats, fish, rice, healthy vegetables and the like. Avocados are great(as said in another comment). Gluten free(hense wheat free foods have been growing in abundance as well as spelt alternatives as well so its becoming easier slowly but surely. Im not perfect though. I will sometimes have some spaghetti bolognese which is kinda cheeky but I dont seem to suffer too much for it.

you must be the healthiest man alive

Im actually quite skinny but Im strong for my size which makes it all good.

Im allergic to 5 types of common tree pollen, pet dander, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, mold, dust mites, lemons, limes, pineapples, oranges, apples, tomatoes, other acidic fruit. Had 3 anaphylactic episodes. Wasn't allergic to any of this stuff 6-7 years ago. Its awful sometimes.

I know the feeling. You tend to feel restricted alot of the time and its sometimes embarrassing to eat out anywhere with friends. PM me if you ever want to discuss diets, I have quiet a bit of experience in alternative recipes.

Can you eat quinoa? It's a pretty amazing grain and they make quinoa pasta that is actually pretty good...I found it at Whole Foods. I also like quinoa flakes, which cook up like Cream of Wheat but is much beter for you. I've heard you can also use the flakes in baking. Just a thought...good luck to you, I'm sure this must be a difficult thing to deal with in life.

Never heard of it but cheers. I'm always looking for new stuff. :)

Here are some links in case you can't find it in your area (we have to order the flakes online):

general info on quinoa

quinoa flakes on amazon

quinoa pasta

and ps...I don't work for the quinoa folks...I've just seen this stuff really help people fill out their restrictive diets....good luck again! :)

Well thank you for that. I'll look it up after work today. I have found some fine folks called Kelkin and B-Free that provide most of my stuff. Give em a look see if you are allergic to anything. Also I live in Ireland. So its local stuff I look for

What is a food you really crave but can't have?

Milkshakes and waffles. My mouth waters whenever I go near them. Its like being able to bone a hot chick but the catch is she has herpes and you dont got protection.

how old were you when you (or your parents) started discovering these allergies? did you have to learn about each new one the hard way, or did you undergo tests to spare you that unpleasantness?

Well it started when I was about 17. I had exzema that literally blistered my entire body and caused me severe pain both physically and emotionally. It was the first summer I had started working and I went to a specialist doctor to figure it out. With blood tests I realised I was allergic to most stuff but some of it was a self discovery journey. My parents were as supportive as they could be but were clueless as what to do, it took me years to put my diet together. So yeah I did learn the hard way. The suppressive medicines the doctors gave me did only so much. Its alot of looking up blogs and such and experimenting on what you know. Im still not perfect yet but getting there.

how was this before you were 17 it seems a little old for all these allergies to suddenly appear. was there no signs when you were younger?

also, what type of specialist did you see? did you go to an actual Allergist/Immunologist or some kind of naturopath.

Truth is I must have had it before I was 17 but it was only then I went for the blood test. Up till then it was pure scepticism which I am greatly opposed to. You either know or dont know.

I believe you meant "speculation" rather than "skepticism".

Thanks for doing the AMA. As someone who has no food allergies, it's easy to take for granted the simplicity of things like deciding what to eat. It's good to have the eyes forcibly opened every now and then.

stoopid grammar ;) Cheers for the correction Your welcome. Its nice to be able to talk about it as well. Its getting easier to take my situation for granted as time goes by.

Dude I feel your pain. I'm allergic to tree nuts, most fruits and some vegtables. I actually produce histamine for all of them, but only a dangerous amount for nuts.

I always thought it would suck to also have to be allergic to wheat, dairy and eggs.

But did you know that in about 5 years they are going to start allergy treatment that will not get rid of your reactions, but lower your reaction so that if you accidentally eat something it is no longer a problem?

Also isn't the "may contain" or "made in a factory with" total bullshit. I fucking hate companies that do that just to protect their own ass.

Thank you. Like any restriction it has its struggles and ours are no different. If things really bog you down before the five years of that new treatment are up and you got 3 grand to blow look up helminths. But really it would be a godsend to be able to eat all the old stuff again. The smell of baked goods in the morning is psychological torture at time, haha. anyway buddy good luck with your diet. Its never easy but you'll get there eventually. Also find a company called Kelkin. They make great natural stuff free from the "may contain" labels.

Are you allergic to almonds or coconut? Both of those can be purchased as flours and used to make baked goods.

Perhaps a little bit to almonds but I need to do more tests to figure that out. I make alot of my own baked goods these days. Time consuming but worth it. My most recent invention is Naan flat bread :D

So what can you eat? How do you plan meals out, at restaurants or just at someone's house other than your own, since I imagine that has to be incredibly difficult.

It is. Its something you just get used to after a while. Alot of the problem is maintaining my weight as dairy and wheat products seem to make up the bulk of most peoples meals. I eat alot of salads with fish as the oils are great for my skin and general health. Avocados are a lifesaver as well and eating meats really help bulk up most meals. It has taught me to be creative for the most part. So I've learned to cook alot of stuff in the past few years that I can eat. Eating out is exceptionally difficult though. Though most places are supportive of my diets. I often take gluten free wraps with me to work and the local deli can fill er up without incident.

I hope that I am able to get to the point that you are. I get hives, and it just gets worse when I get warm (aka summer time). I have many of the similar allergies that you have. What is one food that you would recommend as the staple food to eat for someone that has similar allergies? (other than avocado) Also: Thanks for doing this AMA, I am glad I wandered across it!

Chicken is in my opinion a gift from the food gods. Its such a flexible food and contains much of the proteins we need to supplement our food needs. I would also say eat lots of various fruits and veggies and seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin make a great snack. Dark chocolate and mint rice cakes are also a great treat. I also add apple juice and water with a bit of cinnamon to my porridge instead of milk. There are so many foods you can find when you search hard enough. PM me for any help you want. Also your welcome. This is not the AMA reddit deserves but it is the one it needs.

Definitely the one that it needs! Interestingly enough, I can have almost all of that - in moderation. I get the added bonus of being allergic to apples and corn too. :) But you are right, Chicken is super awesome!

Funnily enough its not the apples you are allergic to. Its the pollen from a different tree that gets infused with the apples. It sucks I know. Stay strong though my man(or lady). You have the power to beat this

What's your flavour flavour of muffin?

lady flavour...

join us at /r/paleo

Subbed. Will provide some tasty foods in the weeks to come. I specialise in Salads

Do you have to carry an epipen around with you all the time?

I was told to get one but no. I ate walnuts a few weeks ago. I just vomited and took a few anti-histamines. I like to live dangerously

What can you drink ?

Not many alcohols tbh. I found a great tasting gluten free beer called Estrella Daura from spain. I can drink most juices without incident however I strongly avoid sugary juices(anything not pure fruit, nectar and soft drinks) as this heavily aggravates my eczema. However I drink a few pints of water per day because its so good for you. I also love a black cuppa joe though.