Food Allergy Blog - Allergy Support - Allergy Free Recipes

Fructose Intolerance...A misunderstood condition.

Jamie Stern - Friday, August 20, 2010

Happy Friday Everyone! Things have been hopping around here this month - 1st birthday, new products (look for dozens more next week in the store!) and some new updates coming soon to our Facebook page...exciting stuff!

Today, I want to introduce a guest blogger to you, Maggie Devine. Maggie was diagnosed with Dietary Fructose Intolerance recently and decided to start a blog to help others that may go mis-diagnosed. You can follow her progress on her blog, www.fructosefreedom.blogspot.com. Here is Maggie's story:

I ‘liked’ a facebook fan page a few weeks ago called, “My Life Has Changed so Much This Year.” Which is insurmountably true, almost to the point of irony. I was a busy, but happy high school student. In September 2009, my illness began. I could barely go to school, and I became depressed. My teachers and peers wanted to know everything going on with me, but I was too embarrassed to tell them, and they turned on me. I don’t want this to sound whiny or pathetic, but it was hard and it was unfair.
At the core of this change is Fructose Malabsorption/Dietary Fructose Intolerance. It went undiagnosed for so long and weakened my body so that I was vulnerable to infections. I had stomach ulcers. I had pink eye about three or four times. I constantly had a cold or the flu. I couldn’t stay out of the bathroom. I was seriously ill. It took away everything. I couldn’t go to school anymore. I had to enroll in online classes. Again, I don’t want to sound whiny, but it is the truth.
I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. It’s wrong. The reason I went undiagnosed so long was poor care from my first batch of gastroenterologists, which is a whole other story. The short version is that once I was diagnosed with ulcers, anything else was pushed aside as IBS. After my ulcers going away and coming back under the watch of the first doctors, I set out to find help from someone new. When my new doctor saw my records, which included the tests my primary care physician performed prior, including those for lactose intolerance and Celiac disease, he immediately scheduled me for a fructose test.
Five months with the first clinicians and they hadn’t even considered that. How ridiculous is that?
On top of that, now that I’m diagnosed, much of the small amount of research available is contradictory. High-fructose corn syrup seems to just be in everything. There are few books available on the subject, and no real “recipe” books.
This lack of information is frustrating. This new diagnosis just seems to be too new for those suffering to have all the resources they need.
That’s why I started my blog. I want to help those with this disease get the resources and information they deserve, sooner rather than later. Hopefully soon, we’ll have more. Because I don’t want everyone with this to have their lives changed this way.

We want to thank Maggie for giving us more information about this dietary intolerance and we wish her the best in her recovery and future diet changes. Maggie was kind enough to share one of her own recipes as well:

Cranberry Avocado Salsa
1 bag Cranberries, frozen or fresh
2 Avocados
2 Tbsp. Lime juice
1 tsp. cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. olive oil

Combine in food processor or chopper and serve. Enjoy!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and stop by the store to check out our new products next week.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Gluten Intolerance - For the Newly Diagnosed

Jamie Stern - Monday, May 17, 2010

I am a member of many online support groups for people around the country with food restrictions. One of them is Gluten-Free in Florida.
Recently, one of the group's members, Carolanne LeBlanc, posted some great suggestions for those of you that may have been recently diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance or even, Celiac Disease. She graciously agreed to let me share this information with you....

If you're transitioning from eating gluten to a gluten-free/wheat-free life the first thing to do is clean,clean, clean.

Empty all the cabinets and wipe down all surfaces…I like to use those anti-bacterial wipes only because I know it may be quite a while before I ever do anything like that again. I may even sprinkle a little borax into the corners just because I live in Florida and bugs like to share everything. Overhead cabinets, and underneath cabinets,all counter tops…everything should be pulled out and every surface wiped down. Don't forget to clean the fridge and freezer too.It's going to take time…so I suggest you handle one major area a day and don't feel like you have to handle it all at once.

Use the dishwasher…a lot. In fact I have a rule in my home…if it doesn't fit into the dishwasher it goes into the trash. So run as much as possible through the dishwasher before putting it back into the cabinets. Hand wash everything else and rinse, rinse,rinse. As you're putting things away do a quick inspection of anything that might be tough to clean…like those pots and pans…anything with cracks and crevices. Run your fingers over the surfaces…any bumps or lumps are suspect and need to be cleaned off or you may need to consider tossing the items. If you can see any metal through the scratches on on-stick surfaces those will need to be tossed anyway…so don't waste you time cleaning them. Deep non-stick scratches are great hiding places for gluten and every time you use the pan you're poisoning yourself with the exposed metal anyway.

Read the labels of all food items as you're putting them away. If you're feeling ambitious go ahead and give the packages a wipe down with one of those anti-bacterial wipes too. Sort out any suspect items and set them aside to be donated to a food pantry. If you really can't part with a favorite item…then Google it. Go to Google.com and type in the name of the product along with the words "Gluten Free" and then see what comes up. You can make your decision then as to whether you should keep it or give it up. I generally have a rule that if I can't read the ingredients or pronounce the words I don't buy it and don't use it. For me the fewer ingredients the better; I avoid processed foods as much as possible.

Going Gluten-Free can seem so overwhelming and you feel like your losing many of your favorite foods. After 25 years I still look at a good donut and just sigh…ah well. I have many friends who keep a Gluten-Free home, and save their glutenous desires for when they eat out or visit friends :-)

About Carolanne: " I am an un-diagnosed Celiac who has lived Wheat-Free, then Gluten-Free for nearly 25 years. I manage a web-based Support Group called “Gluten-Free in Florida” designed specifically for people living or visiting in the Sunshine State."

Thanks to Carolanne for sharing! We hope it helps you or please feel free to pass this on to a friend or family member that would benefit from her knowledge.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Celiac, Food Allergy or IBS Questions? - "Ask the Doctor" now Open!

Jamie Stern - Monday, April 19, 2010

Who is this you ask?!

This is Dr. Stephen Wangen, founder of IBS Treatment Center and Center for Food Allergies in Seattle.

Dr. Wangen is joining forces with us to help you find answers to your questions on a range of subjects. He will answer your postings regarding Food Allergies, Gluten Intolerances, IBS, Celiac Disease or any digestive disorder you are dealing with today. Our new "Ask the Doctor" section of the website is up this week and ready to collect your questions and comments. For our inaugural first month, we will be collecting your questions through May 15th and then post Dr. Wangen's answers the last week of the month.

Join us in welcoming Dr. Wangen to our group and please feel free to send us your questions...don't forget to check back for the answers too!

Have a great week!

Jamie

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink