We will be starting a new regular segment
here at TeamDK… Cooking For K. As some of you may already know, I have a number
of food allergies. Back in 2009 after a severe bout of food poisoning, I began
to develop issues with a number of foods. My symptoms (bloating, stomach
cramps/pains and severe diarrhea) gradually worsened with time, which resulted
in numerous trips to the doctors.
After all of these years, I have yet to be
diagnosed with any illness or condition, yet the symptoms still persist. For years I endured these problems. The
constant diarrhoea was affecting both my physical and mental health, and as the
years past I began to gain weight and developed many issues with food. I was
often unable to eat anywhere but home and would eat the same ‘safe’ foods over
and over.
This was no way to live, so we decided to
finally get to the bottom of my allergies and cut out the problem foods once
and for all. This was a very lengthy process with much trial and error. This method
involved trying and isolating new and potentially ‘bad’ foods each week, along
with other known ‘safe’ foods. Some of the results were as we suspected, yet
there were a number of surprises along the way. I became increasingly ill
during the testing stages and this was an extremely unpleasant time for us both.
However, it was certainly worth it in the end, as my symptoms have eased
significantly.
This continues to be an ongoing process for
us both, and we continue to try different combinations, recipes and new foods
each and every week.
We have compiled a basic list of items that
I need to avoid –
Breadcrumbs
Biscuits/Crackers/Croutons etc.
Caffeine (Coffee/Fizzy Drinks)
Diary
Milk Substitutes (Almond, Hazelnut, Soya
etc.)
Mushrooms
Oil
Onions
Soya
Spicy Foods
I know, it’s a pretty big list, right?
Because the list is so long, and includes ingredients that are frequently used
in everyday cooking, D decided to developed Cooking For K. He has created new recipes and has
cleverly reworked existing meals that cater to my dietary needs. Each week D
will be sharing his exciting cooking ideas, techniques and recipes here.
If you too have dietary issues, please feel
free to share your stories, advice or send us your questions here. We would love to
here from you.
Posted by K.
