Q. -- My friends and family think I’m a hypochondriac, are they right? Are my symptoms all in my head?

NO! Sounds like you’re one of the millions of Americans with undiagnosed symptoms of food allergies and Candida yeast overgrowth that mimic mental illness -- you’ve been through the regular medical channels, been pronounced “healthy” and you’re still experiencing unpleasant  symptoms. 

Q. -- What are some common symptoms of food allergies?

Everything from body aches, brain fog, mental confusion to CFS, fibromyalsia, interstitial cystitis, digestive disorders, depression, IBS, bowel disturbances, learning disabilities, loss of energy –

Also see my Candida Quiz, many of the symptoms are similar.

Q. -- What are the most common allergic foods?

Milk, wheat, eggs, corn, peanuts, soy, yeast, and refined sugars.

Q. -- Where do I get my calcium if I can't have dairy products?

Osteoporosis and calcium were topics of my Ph.D. research.  See my book Calcium without the Cow.

Q. -- How do I know if I really have food allergies?

Try the Elimination diet -- eliminate all suspect foods for 5 days and see how you feel. (Also known as the “Cave Man” diet ). Eat meat, fish poultry, most beans and peas, nuts and seeds, vegetables and fruit. Avoid milk, grains, and refined sugars.  Symptoms may improve, or even disappear

Q. -- What’s an Elimination Diet? 

You eliminate, or avoid, any food that you may be allergic to.

Q. -- My doctor says there’s no such thing as food allergy. 

Space doesn’t permit me to elaborate on that right now. Whether you say allergy, sensitivity or hyper-sensitivity,  the treatment is the same: Eliminate the suspect food, rotate all other foods, then reintroduce the suspect foods.  See How to Keep a Food and Symptom Diary - Guide Book #2.

Q. -- Where Do I Start?

If you have my Rotation Game, take out the colored Master Chart and cross out the foods you will be avoiding. Don’t have the chart? Then turn to the first page of each colored section in the Allergy Recipe Book and draw a pencil line through the foods you are avoiding. What’s not crossed out is what’s left to eat. What you see is what you get. Use these pages for your shopping list.

Q. -- What Does The Rotation Diet Do? 

Rotation / Elimination eliminates the foods that may be making you sick & tired, creates variety, will reduce or eliminate your current food sensitivities and prevent new allergies from developing.

Q. -- Do I Have To Rotate?

No. HOWEVER, If you are allergic to wheat, and you start eating rice every day, you will most likely become allergic to rice, or any other grain you eat daily..

Repetitive eating is a major cause of food intolerance-eating the same foods day after day after day. That’s why wheat, milk, eggs, corn, soy, peanuts, refined sugars and yeast - foods we eat daily -  are common allergens.  The Rotation Game, Allergy Recipe Book and Calcium without the Cow are excellent examples of rotation diets. 

Q. -- How Do I Rotate?

Eat a food only once every four days. But, you don’t have to think about how to rotate, I’ve done the thinking and planning for you! The recipes and menu ideas in my Game and recipe book are actually PRE-ROTATED, makes planning meals easy and fun.

Q. -- Can I Ever Have Wheat Again?

Giving up your favorite foods is not forever, just until the symptoms subside. You can begin to add back the omitted foods in about three to six months, after the immune system has a chance to rest and rejuvenate. With the alarmingly rapid increase in Immune System Diseases, the stronger we can become, the healthier we’ll be.

Q. -- How do I get muffins instead of hockey pucks?

Working with heavy flours can be tricky, but doable.  See Guide Book #6 - Allergy Free Baking Tips.

Q. -- I'm hypoglycemic.  What do I do about mood swings?

You can control your hormones and your moods with foods.  Eat small, frequent meals, avoid allergens and sugars, read the Blood Sugar Blues.  The Blood Sugar Blues book has meal plans that are gluten, dairy and sugar-free.

Q. -- What About Vitamins? 

Do take vitamin C daily, plus a good hypo allergenic vitamin/mineral capsule and essential fatty acids (EFA's), like those found in flax oil, vegetable oils like olive - black currant - safflower - sunflower - sesame - evening primrose oil and fish oils. Cod liver oil is good for you but it's NOT the same thing.

Q. -- How much Vitamin C? 

Start with a small amount of Buffered C (contains calcium, potassium & magnesium) - 1/8 tsp., 4X a day - in water, between meals - gradually increase the dose, just a little at a time, until you reach bowel tolerance: ‘Til you get a rumbly gut, soft stool or diarrhea, then reduce the dose.

Q. -- Allergies & Candida Yeast - What’s the Connection? 

Candida yeast overgrowth can be a major contributing factor in food allergies, and vice versa.

Q. -- What Do I Do if I Suspect Candida Yeast Problems? Try the simple Cave Man diet plan for 10 days, limit the amount of starchy foods you eat,  and note any changes in your mental and physical functions. See the Candida Quiz.

Q. -- What’s the Cave Man Diet?

Lots and lots of vegetables: Every way except fried. Raw is best, of course, then steamed or stir fried, soups and stews; frozen is okay. Lots of beans and peas, root vegetables; and some protein foods: Such as fish, shellfish, chicken, turkey, rabbit, nuts and seeds. See colored pages for specific foods allowed each day.

Q. -- How Do I test myself for food Allergies?

Avoid the suspect foods, then add them back one at a time, and your body will tell you. When your symptoms have calmed down, usually after five to ten days (sometimes longer), then begin to add foods back into your diet.

What’s the Allergy - Addiction Connection?

Q. -- We can actually become addicted to foods we are allergic to, and if we don't get a `fix', that is, have that specific food daily, we may go through withdrawal symptoms. Feeling worse for the first 3 to 5 days on an elimination diet is normal, but then, little by little the old complaints should start to disappear. 

Q. -- How Harmful is Cheating on the Diet?

Almost all of us slip off the diet occasionally, just get back on it the very next day. Be nice to yourself! Be your own best friend. What's harmful is beating yourself up for indulging and playing 'kick me'. Relax, you’re human - we all go astray occasionally.

Q. -- How Far Can I Go Off the Diet Without Destroying All the Good I've Done?

 I don't know. You'll find out just how far you can go after slipping once or twice; just get back on your diet immediately.

Q. -- Is there a doctor in my area who understands food allergies and Candida?

Check the Resource Pages for doctor referrals or call my office - 206- 542-7130. 

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Dr. Sally Rockwell: Counseling for food allergies, candida yeast, hypoglycemia, hyperactivity, eating disorders, and diabetes.  Books and tapes include allergy free, gluten-free, dairy-free recipes, elimination and rotation diets, and non-dairy calcium. Seattle, Washington.