When I first found out about my allergy to corn, I was quite surprised.
I don't react to corn the way I do to tomato or cinnamon, where I know immediately with just a bit, as my throat becomes scratchy and the hives begin on my tongue and go down my throat and so on. I have continued to have gastritis into my esophagus and stomach lining damage since I discovered my food allergies twenty years ago. Could it relate? It seems possible, as I've had many less episodes with my stomach after beginning this full scale removal of all corn related products. A decrease from like every other day to approximately three a month for the past six months. And in that time, I've discovered I have a tomato-like reaction to coconut, for many corn-free, gluten-free products are made with coconut.
I started out erasing all corn, believing I could add corn-based products in as I went along. I know others who have found they are able to eat xantham gum because it is processed enough and others who are sensitive enough that the soaker pads under grass-fed beef will cause a reaction. Due to a few set backs, discovering additional allergies and therefore finding I had to limit my diet further, I have not been able to dabble in adding many trial foods back in.
It helped to do research. I used the experiences of others who have written their blogs before me. I bought a vegan, a Paleo, and an auto-immune cookbook and adapted recipes from joy of cooking. I donated food to the local food bank, school food drive and gave lots of frozen food and partially used soaps and other products to friends. This first step was good for me in a way because it forced me to stop relying on frozen burritos when I want to work late. I have to pre-plan and actually cook healthy meals!
I made a list of all of the things that produced using corn like dextrose and powdered sugar in my keep app, so it's always with me and did the same with my safe list I accumulated with ideas from others' blogs and items I'm not allergic to. And started reading every label while grocery shopping. I kept a record of everything I ate or used on a three column list, labeled: good, okay, bad, the day after consumption or usage and added the items to my keep app.
I found that recipes were needed and decided I would try to work on my own blog which I've previously used for my education ideas. My family has been extremely helpful and supportive throughout this process, so don't forget to reach out for someone when it gets hard.
I thought I had the corn thing down minus the coconut hiccup, when it turned out that a diet high in nickel could cause hand dermititis which is an ongoing issue for me. And of course, looking at the Mayo clinic example of a high nickel diet, they had used my daily eating pattern. I have eaten a peanut butter sandwich, Apple and diet Coke every lunch since I was in grade school. I've already given up all soda, and now I have to give up my lifeblood: peanut butter. And no more apples if I am going to continue to eat a banana at breakfast!
Many good suggestions for the low nickel diet (nickel-free isn't possible) are off limits to someone with a corn allergy. But, then here we go back to the cupboard again and to the products to donate. Luckily, food banks love canned food. The easiest way to decrease dietary nickel is to avoid canned food.
I've started to eat avocado and cheese on wheat bread- I've found a bread that I don't have to make and grapes or cherries.
And in to top it all off, CHOCOLATE is the one food that contains the most significant amount of nickel, three times more than any other food. Followed by nuts. I've always been a bit corny, I'm a total nutcase, but here began my life without CHOCOLATE!
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