My Food Intolerance Journey: Eczema, Elimination Diets, and Finding Wellness

Embark on a personal journey through food intolerances, chronic eczema, and the quest for a healthier lifestyle.

For the past several months, I’ve been inundated with questions about my experiences with elimination diets, managing chronic eczema, navigating the world of dairy-free and gluten-free recipes, and my overall health journey. I’ve compiled my answers into this comprehensive post to share my insights and experiences.

It’s crucial to remember that this is *my* individual experience. Each person’s path to health is unique and varies greatly. I’m not a medical professional, and I don’t claim to have all the answers. If you have specific concerns about your health, please consult with your healthcare provider. This is simply a sharing of what I have learned and experienced.

Living with Chronic Eczema: A Lifelong Battle

My recent health journey was triggered by an eczema flare-up so severe that my usual remedies were no longer effective. It felt like a turning point.

Eczema has been a constant companion since birth, and it’s likely to remain with me throughout my life. Sometimes, it’s a subtle presence, appearing as small, irritating patches. More often, particularly in the last two decades, it manifests as unsightly, painful, and sometimes debilitating rashes and sores that spread across my body. These severe outbreaks have left dermatologists puzzled, often calling in their interns to observe what they considered an extreme case of atopic dermatitis.

These rashes have left behind scars, which are visible on my legs, especially during the summer months when I opt for shorts. For years, I felt self-conscious about these scars. I would catch strangers staring and overhear whispers between friends as I walked by.

However, I’m determined to overcome this shame. These scars are a part of who I am. They are not contagious, and while they might be visually unappealing to some, others can simply look away.

I, on the other hand, can’t look away. Over the past few years, I’ve consciously confronted my insecurities, forcing myself to look at my scars and to accept myself. This summer, I’m embracing tank tops and shorts. I’ve finally reached a point where I genuinely appreciate what I see because it’s *me*.

Uncovering Food Intolerances Through Blood Tests

Having undergone numerous skin allergy tests throughout my life and consulted with leading dermatologists, using countless prescription creams and ointments, and even trying light therapy, I decided it was time to explore potential internal causes, rather than just external triggers.

In November, I underwent a blood test to identify potential food sensitivities and intolerances. While acknowledging that these tests can sometimes produce false positives, the foods identified in my test aligned remarkably well with my experiences of inflammation and skin problems.

Dairy emerged as the primary culprit, with incredibly high levels of sensitivity to casein, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, whey, and yogurt. These all fell into the “Very High” and “Extremely High” sensitivity zones.

Also flagged in those high zones were bananas, pineapples, and pecans. Eggs also showed elevated sensitivity, but due to my recent vaccinations (which are cultivated in eggs), I was advised that this could be a false positive, as the body might be mistakenly identifying eggs as a threat.

For six weeks, throughout November and December, I eliminated dairy and all other problem foods identified by the blood test, with the exception of eggs. To my surprise, there was no noticeable change. This led to the decision to embark on a full elimination diet starting January 2nd, with the goal of resetting my body and pinpointing the root cause of my ongoing issues.

Navigating the Elimination Diet: A Culinary Challenge

As someone whose livelihood revolves around food, restaurant reviews, and recipe development, the prospect of a comprehensive elimination diet initially caused me some concern. Here’s a breakdown of what I could and couldn’t consume during those seven weeks:

Surprisingly, the time passed quickly, and the experience wasn’t as difficult as I had anticipated.

Alcohol was a tricky area, as wine was essentially off-limits (which explains the scarcity of “Wine Wednesday” posts during that period… but that’s about to change!).

As a food enthusiast, the elimination diet challenged me to expand my culinary creativity and develop new recipes. It was actually quite enjoyable! Eating out presented a few hurdles, but again, it was less challenging than I imagined. Living in Portland, a haven for vegans and restaurants offering a wide range of gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free options and substitutions, definitely simplified the process.

My Go-To Food Resources and Brands

During my elimination diet, I immersed myself in over 30 Paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and allergy-diet cookbooks. I also followed numerous bloggers and cookbook authors on Instagram who specialize in creating these types of recipes.

I also discovered a wealth of new favorite food brands that provide delectable relief for those grappling with food allergies and intolerances. Some standouts include Cappellos Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Pasta, Heidi Ho Nacho Cheese, Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, and Tofutti Non-Dairy Sour Cream.

I’m currently compiling a comprehensive resource page listing all my favorite finds, which I will share in a future blog post and on the Urban Bliss Life Facebook page.

More Testing, More Insights

At the conclusion of my elimination diet, I felt significantly better – stronger and healthier – without grains, sugars, dairy, and gluten. However, my skin continued to act up. I resumed eating and drinking normally, except for the foods that had registered high on my initial blood test.

I’ve since connected with a new Naturopathic doctor and undergone further blood work and medical testing to explore non-food-related causes, such as thyroid imbalances, yeast overgrowth, and vitamin D deficiencies.

Currently, I’m minimizing egg consumption to see if my skin improves without them in my diet. Early signs are promising, so I plan to limit eggs for a while to monitor the continued improvement.

While some have expressed disappointment that the elimination diet didn’t fully resolve my issues, it was far from a failure. I now have a much clearer understanding of how my body reacts to different foods.

While I may not have Celiac disease, my body and mind definitely do not thrive on gluten; it leaves me feeling sluggish and experiencing significant brain fog. Similarly, refined sugar triggers breakouts. Consequently, I’ll aim to be as gluten-free as possible and prioritize non-refined sugar sources like fruit and coconut sugar.

Positive Outcomes and Lasting Changes

Embracing More Vegetables

Greens and other vegetables have become a staple in my breakfast, lunch, and dinner routines. I’ve developed a particular fondness for incorporating vegetables, alongside protein, into my morning meals. This provides me with sustained energy and enhances my productivity throughout the day.

Prioritizing Exercise

Prior to this journey, I couldn’t perform the crow pose pictured above, and I didn’t even enjoy yoga.

Exercise has been instrumental in my weight loss journey – a side benefit I hadn’t initially intended. I had been lacking muscle mass for years, a situation I wanted to change. Incorporating weight training into my exercise routine has made a significant difference.

Since embarking on this food intolerance health journey, something shifted, and I now exercise 3-6 times per week. I’m a fan of T25 and P90X3. These 30-minute videos are perfect for fitting exercise into my busy schedule. I’m honestly surprised at my consistency and incredibly proud of myself, as this is an area I’ve struggled with for a long time.

Creating Healthier Recipes

I’ve relished the challenge of creating flavorful meals that are dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and sugar-free. While I will continue to share “regular” recipes with gluten, grains, and sugar, my recipes will now prioritize dairy-free options. I may never have conceived of the Spaghetti Squash Blinis pictured above had I not been compelled to be more resourceful with vegetables and a grain-free diet.

Increased Awareness in My Children

While my children still indulge in treats like Cheez-Its (apparently, my homemade Cheez-It recipe isn’t quite a match for the store-bought version), my oldest child, in particular, is making healthier food choices. This is a wonderful outcome.

Appreciating Convenience

Abstaining from all processed foods was challenging, even for me. I enjoy cooking and am a strong advocate for whole foods. I dislike the taste of most processed foods, and even my son is beginning to recognize the peculiar chemical aftertaste associated with processed snacks, which is absent in foods made from scratch with all-natural ingredients.

However, preparing every single meal from scratch is incredibly time-consuming and frankly, exhausting. Nobody has time for that! This experience has given me a greater appreciation for companies committed to producing healthier processed foods. I believe there’s a place for processed foods like granola, pre-made gluten-free pasta (I’m not pulling out my pasta maker every time I want pasta!), healthier bread, and kid-friendly snacks.

I’m fortunate to be collaborating with several of my favorite gluten-free and dairy-free brands, and I’m eager to share recipes I’ve developed using their healthier packaged foods in the near future!

Finding Community and Support

I’ve endured my extreme eczema in isolation for most of my life. I now realize that I don’t have to. There are others who have experienced similar or even more severe conditions, and many individuals facing other health challenges stemming from food intolerances who share my determination to take control of their well-being.

I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve received from friends and strangers alike throughout this health journey. I am committed to reciprocating that support to others. I don’t profess to have all the answers, but I value connecting with others on similar paths – their openness and vulnerability inspire and motivate me.

Looking Ahead

That concludes my personal account of navigating food intolerances. I eagerly await the results of my recent medical tests at my upcoming doctor’s appointment in about a month.

Above all, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your readership, for sharing your experiences with me, and for your unwavering support.

Thank you for your patience in reading this lengthy post. DIY projects, delicious gluten-free recipes, and more Las Vegas travel food recommendations are coming soon to the blog!

Wishing you a BLISSful rest of your weekend!