Have you ever felt strange after eating, or broken out at random and wondered why? You may be allergic to certain foods, chemicals or preservatives. I'll share some of my personal journey with you. We'll look into how to narrow down the possibility of an allergy by limiting your intake of certain foods and products and using substitutes.
My Personal Journey
In 2016, after moving to a new place, my world turned upside down. On the first day there, out of nowhere, my skin started to itch, and I started getting hives all over my body. I wasn't feeling well, so I asked my sister to stay over and help. In the morning, I woke up with her next to me horrified, saying we needed to go to the hospital. I didn't realize what she was talking about until I looked in the mirror.
All they could give me at the emergency room was cream and prednisolone. They were unable to explain what caused it, so I left extremely confused. That was when the year-long journey started, of me finding out what I was allergic to. I changed my entire lifestyle focusing on whole foods after that trip. I went through many struggles and tears while learning to accept and adapt to these big changes happening within my body.
Over the months the issue worsened and all I could do was treat the symptoms. I had very little hope. My weight increased by almost 30kg (66lbs) in the first three months. It was difficult to deal with the weight change and the sense that there were no solutions. Nothing fit, I felt sick all the time and my skin would randomly flair up. This made me spiral more, but I knew that I had to find the solutions myself.
And so the research and studying began. I had to narrow down some possibilities before I got tested. It was already so expensive to get one test, let alone multiple. The first thing I did was cut out all meat, eggs, milk, gluten, fast food, alcohol and anything with preservatives in it, which is almost everything! This left me with few options and bland meals, but trust me, it's worth it in the end.
I only used goat milk soap during that time as it was the only soap that didn't make my allergies flair up. I struggled to find a skincare routine I didn't react to, so created my own line of safe products for sensitive and allergy-prone skin. Here are some products I have crafted for my allergy-prone skin that are suitable for sensitive skin as well as people of all ages.
I kept an allergy journal to keep track of what foods and products reacted to, which helped me narrow down some suspects. Eventually, I got tested and found out I'm deathly allergic to
sulphates and sodium benzoates. I've never been allergic to it before but it's suspected to be brought on by my body's reaction to extreme stress.
Going back to my previous lifestyle was not an option, so I created the most beautiful healthy lifestyle I could, definitely a blessing in disguise.
How to identify YOUR allergy
How an allergy can present itself
An allergy can present itself in many different forms. Here are some symptoms to look out for:
Hives, rashes, eczema or acne
Irregular bowel movements from stomach cramps, diarrhoea or constipation
Flu-like symptoms (blocked/runny nose, tight chest)
Swollen face, puffy eyes, tight skin
Tingly/ Swollen lips
Asthma
Diet Change
It's time to eat clean. Most allergies are food-related and it's time to go back to basics to investigate the problem. Start by using all-natural skincare that contains natural ingredients, and no chemicals or preservatives. Sometimes certain chemicals can flair up a problem brought on by something unrelated. Your diet change doesn't have to be forever. Just a few weeks to get a good baseline and get your body back to its natural state. Once you're there, you can slowly introduce foods back.
Diet change guidelines:
Must haves
Fruit
Vegetables
Drink lots of water ( to flush the body)
No No's
All soda drinks
Sugar (can substitute for raw honey)
Alcohol
Meat
Sweets and chocolates
Dairy products
Food and Product Journal
It's important to keep a food and product journal where you record your meals, foods and product reactions.
You need to record all foods and skin products including brand names. If you eat a meal and it causes you bloat to bloat, record it. If you get a pimple/ acne, record it.
All this information will help in putting the pieces of the puzzle together. If a product causes a reaction, pay close attention to the ingredients as well as the chemicals.
Reintroduction
After you have tracked your diet/products it would've revealed some patterns and narrowed down some potential suspects. Now you can slowly integrate products and food back into your routine, once you know it's safe to use.
In more severe cases it's best to see an allergist to confirm a diagnosis or do blood tests to test preservative allergies.
Acclimatizing
Adjusting can be a bit tricky at first for some, especially if your allergy takes away all the things you once loved. You don't always have to get rid of your once dearly loved products/ food, seek out similar options that lack those pesky ingredients. It'll help ease the transition.
If you would like more guidance into your allergies, skincare and helpful ways to create a holistic lifestyle, subscribe to our free membership program where you'll get a monthly newsletter with exciting topics of holistic health, product discounts and much much more. (subscription)
Get your FREE diet tracker here. It'll help you on your journey. Journaling can reveal patterns that you never noticed before.
Written by: Teagan Reddy
Edited by: Shana Smith
Comments