My oldest is vegetarian and loves sushi, so occasionally I will pick him up some at Whole Foods. I got him some this past weekend and wondered to myself if I could eat it too if I omitted the vinegar and sugar (plus, I figured it would be much more economical if I made it myself). So, I bought some sushi rice, dried seaweed, and already had some veggies at home. I figured they would probably taste fairly bland and not quite like real sushi without the vinegar and sugar, but I was willing to compromise taste in order to get some food into my tummy. So, I rolled up some beautiful avocado, cucumber, and carrot rolls using only water to seal it with and ate a couple. Instantly I started feeling light headed, wheezy, and my face and throat started going numb. I quickly took some allergy medicine, used my inhaler, and called the panda. I was supposed to pick up my oldest from school soon and was afraid I might pass out, so he left work early to pick him up and stayed with me until the swelling and wheeziness subsided. Dried seaweed is not on the list my allergist gave me of foods to avoid, nor is it on the more inclusive list that I have printed out and have memorized. I did however find it listed online later after searching. Sulfites are tricky to detect sometimes. They are rarely listed on labels and you just have to be well informed and extra cautious about every little thing you eat. It's exhausting and frustrating.
This past Sunday we visited a new church (more about that later). At the end of the service believers took communion and I could not participate. I have been to Orthodox and Catholic churches where I could not take communion because I wasn't Orthodox or Catholic. It always upset me and is something I still don't understand. I can see not partaking in Communion if you are not a believer, because it is a sacred act of sharing something intimate with Christ and the body of the Church. But, I never got why as a Christian I was not allowed to take Communion. I mean, I know the Church's reason behind it, but it doesn't make sense to me and I don't agree with it. So.. anyway, here I am at a new Church where all believers are welcome to partake in the sacred act of breaking bread.. and I still can't! (Well, I could if I wanted to possibly spend the rest of the evening in the hospital.) Thankfully people just sort of went up a few at a time, not necessarily in any order, so I am hoping nobody noticed that I stayed in my seat.
One of the things I am struggling most with is feeling left out. Whenever I am invited to attend a party or go out with a group of people or am invited to dinner, I have to either eat before I go or bring special food with me. Food has always been a way of interacting and communing with other people and it saddens me that it is difficult for me to partake in community meals, have dinner with friends, or go out of town. It requires so much energy and preparation on my part that it's almost easier for me to just stay home. I know it's not healthy and I need to get out and socialize, but I feel so different from everyone else. Although friends try to accommodate me as much as they can, I think people are confused by this allergy and don't know what types of food to prepare. Every day I struggle to find enough food that I can eat. I have poured over dozens of cookbooks and have found very few recipes that I can make and even still I usually have to omit certain ingredients.
I hope the article below helps bring about a little more understanding of what I'm trying to cope with daily.. thank you for taking the time to read.
Friend or Foe?
That night, Wiest was enjoying dinner with her husband at a favorite restaurant. Halfway through the meal, she developed symptoms typical of a food sensitivity. Only this time, they were accompanied by an increased heart rate, profuse vomiting and difficulty breathing. The restaurant called 911, and paramedics rushed her to the local emergency room. Wiest learned that her meal contained a splash of wine, and sulfites in the wine sparked the anaphylactic reaction. Similar reactions to hidden sulfites have landed her in the ER twice since then. "When we eat out, I make it clear to the waiter that I will have a life-threatening reaction if I eat anything that contains sulfites," she notes. "Most of the time, I need to explain what sulfites are and what foods usually contain them." While the severity of Wiest's reaction may be uncommon, sulfite sensitivity is not. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that up to one in 100 people may be sensitive to the chemicals. Among asthmatics, the ratio shoots to one in 10 and even higher among those who depend on corticosteroids. Surrounded by SulfitesIn addition to their role as preservatives, sulfites are used to bleach food starches, such as corn, potato and sugar beet. Sulfites are also put to work as preventives against rust and scale in boiler water used in making steam that may come into contact with food. Because sulfites inhibit fungal and bacterial growth, they are sprayed on both fresh grapes and those used in winemaking. Sulfites are a normal by-product of winemaking. Sulfites lurk in many popular foods and beverages, under the names of sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite and potassium metabisulfite. Wine, bottled lemon and lime juices, and sulfur-dried fruits have the highest levels of sulfites. The Labeling NightmareAvoiding sulfites can be difficult. "I've learned to carefully read labels," Wiest says. "But it's surprising how poorly many foods are labeled with regard to sulfites." Current labeling laws were enacted in 1985, after sulfites were linked to 15 deaths. The Food and Drug Administration now say manufacturers must identify the presence of sulfites on food labels, but only if concentrations exceed 10 parts per million. Test strips are available to test liquid foods. However, they detect sulfites only in levels greater than 10 parts per million - and many sulfite-sensitive individuals react to much lower levels. Seek Expert Advice Observations as simple as "wine gives me gas" make elimination of the offending item fairly easy. However, eliminating large groups of foods may compromise the nutritional adequacy of an individual's diet. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient should work with a dietician experienced in allergies and sulfite sensitivities to help plan a diet that is adequate, while avoiding foods that increase symptoms. Dietary changes are the best way to treat a sulfite sensitivity. However, there is some scientific evidence that vitamins can help treat or prevent the sensitivity, as well. Very high amounts of vitamin B-12 supplements - 1,500 to 5,000 micrograms or 1 to 5 millegrams per day - reduce the tendency of asthmatics to react to sulfites if taken before ingesting the sulfites. Vitamin B-12 is very safe, with no upper limits established. Due to the low level of risk involved, it may be worth trying prior to restaurant meals - but only with a doctor's approval. Asthma sufferers should always carry an inhaler when dining out. If a reaction to sulfites has occurred before, always carry an antihistamine and self-administering injectable epinephrine.
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| CHECK YOUR PANTRY People who are sensitive to sulfites should be cautious about consuming the following foods and beverages. Although many items listed will rarely contain sulfites (depending on the grower, supplier and food manufacturer), others may contain sulfites at various levels. Imported foods often contain more sulfites than locally grown and processed foods. Remember, labeling of sulfites is required only if the concentration is 10 parts per million or greater. | |||
| Bakery and Grain Products Breads containing dough conditioners Breading batters Cookies Cheese-filled crackers Cornmeal Cornstarch Crackers Frozen dough Gravy mixes Hominy Modified food starch Noodle and rice mixes Pie and pizza crusts Potato chips Tortillas Tortilla chips Waffles Beverages | Fruits and Vegetables Fish and Shellfish | Prepared Foods Protein Products | Sweets and Sugars Beet sugar or corn sweetener (in low concentrations) Gelatin, flavored and unflavored Hard candies Jams and Jellies Pectin Sugar (brown, white, powdered and raw) Miscellaneous Foods and Ingredients |
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