Going Naked

With the minefield of foods and things to avoid with allergies, histamine intolerance, and mast cell reactions it is important to get a closer look at the foods we eat and make sure we are not omitting them because of the ingredients going in or on them,  In particular condiments, dressings, and sauces.

In one of my appointments a discussion of medications brought about an anecdotal tale of a woman with similar symptoms and dietary restrictions that had been unable to eat even salad.  The implication was that this improved with the medication.  I personally have not found my food challenges to change dramatically with medication, but in terms of the woman unable to eat salad, my gut reaction was - it's the dressing!

I have found the main culprit in most of these instances is the vinegar.  And the soybean oil.  And all the additives and preservatives in dressings.  There are homemade options that can significantly improve tolerance, but to really get down to the cause of reactions, it is always best to first go naked.

Eat that salad without the dressing.  Be sure there aren't any toppings.  Start with just veggies and create your salad with attention to the foods you can eat plain.  It takes some getting used to, but once you find your 'safe', you can start experimenting with toppings and dressings.