food allergies

[Canada3]

Just wondered if anyone else suffers from food allergies post VM. I seem to be especially susceptable to MSG and feel dreadful for a few days. Just wondered if there is an antidote, if you arent sure whether you have ingested some.... suggestions were hayfever meds? Anyone tried anything. I feel like I am becoming a food fuddy-duddy checking every label etc.

[Jonad724]

I do too although more are intolerances rather than allergies. I was told by my neurologist that I may develop allergies and intolerances if I eat food in too high a concentration. When I was working on my brother's smallholding we used to have industrial strength cocoa for mid morning break (cocoa and hot water) but he changed to Green & Blacks organic which is very strong and I soon developed and intolerance to cocoa shortly afterwards. If I eat more than a small amount of chocolate I get a blinding headache although surprisingly I can now eat celery whereas before I was allergic to it, pity I don't actually like celery that much!

My later Father used to suffer from an intolerance to MSG which he developed in his fifties so it may not be linked to the VM as it is quite common apparently.

Who care if you're a food fuddy duddy checking all the labels, you're taking care of yourself and that's what matters

[Canada3]

thanks for that, I guess its not that unusual to have intolerances just a drag and takes an age to shop!.

[daffodil]

Hi, Since I have had ME ( 10 plus yrs) I have had lots of food intolerences and after bacterial meningitis they became very much worse,not only affecting my digestive system( Ill spare your the detail!!) but also went straight to my head.Like Jonad,I would get blinding headaches after eating anything that I was intolerent to.Currently I am gluten,wheat and dairy free,but still suffer the occasional migraine despite preventative medication.I try to avoid msg,artificial additives and too much caffeine or red wine as they are also triggers,but we do have to live and enjoy our food so I do limit rather than avoid.There is a chemical in fizzy drinks and fruit squashes( phynol something thta is also poorly tolerated by anyone prone to food intolerences and especailly migraines.

I am still attending a neurologist formy migraines(again since Meningitis) and MSG is a definite trigger for allergies as it affects the brain.Unfortunately it is in many foods,so the only way is to become a label reader Im afraid.I also remember reading other terms which can be substituted for msg on labels but unfortunately cant recall what they are or where I read it !I think that unless you have a true allergy-immediate reaction affecting breathing,swelling,hives,digestive symtoms straight after ingesting a food,the trick seems to be to cut out if possible and never to overdose.I find eg I can have an occasional slice bread ,say once a week with no ill effects,but every day no.A friend who has dreadful food intolerences avoids known allergens but as her diet is so very limited ,her dietician gives her a rotation diet,where she eg eats rice once a week,potatoes once a week etc.that way it is not building up in an already sensitised system.

Vitamin C is a natural ant histamine,so if you could try taking a high dose vit c afterwards.I once bought a supplement( from Usa) which claimed to reverse effects of food intolerence if youve accidentally eaten foods and was most dissapointed to find it waqs basically a high dose vit c capsule with some added herbs!Any herb that supports the liver eg milkthistle -availbale widely.will help with intolerences and allergies.

A very good wedsite is the migraine trust which gives lists of common food intolerence triggers.

Hope this helps.

[Canada3 in reply to daffodil]

thanks so much for that information. I will get onto the migraine website for sure. I reckon I should count myself lucky that its only MSG and booze!