Food Allergies and Doctors

If you've been reading for a while, I've been sharing my journey with my food allergies.  To recap, I have oral allergy syndrome, which means I'm allergic to fruits and vegetables.  I just recently found out I am allergic to coconut, peanuts and some tree nuts.  I am slowly trying to figure out what else.  The allergist I saw gave me such poor advice, I don't plan on seeing him again.  He told me that if I could eat peanut butter and test positive for a peanut allergy that I'm one of the lucky few.  Well, after eliminating peanuts and reintroducing I found out that I do have a reaction to peanuts.  Lucky in what way -- I have allergic reactions.  I'm very allergic to many things, so I really don't know what causes reactions.  Is it the grass, the weeds, perfume, an apple etc?  What I do know is that I sneeze and have a running nose every day.

I was hopeful that a nutritionist would give me some strategies to get more nutrients that I may be lacking from the fresh fruit and vegetables that I can't eat.   I told her my story.  She listened.  She looked at my food diary, which listed only two days of meals.  She then lectured me on not eating "enough" fruits, vegetables, and milk.  She lectured how much I "need" to eat a day.  I argued that I do eat vegetables, but it's not represented very clearly in food diary (she didn't ask what was in a meal loaded with veggies).  I do drink a little milk, and I get calcium and Vitamin D elsewhere.  Anyone else wonder why the big push for Vitamin D all of a sudden?  (I smell a conspiracy).  The only advice she gave me was to take a vitamin with minerals, eat canned fruit and cooked vegetables.  Duh.  Not much help for me.  Eating canned fruit kinda makes me feel sick.  I don't mind it a little.  And it's hard to find fruit without sugar added.   I was hoping for a weekly menu of recipes and food suggestions to get the best nutrition into my body that is limited by eating some of the best food for you.  She told me to keep a food diary to monitor what I eat to see if I am eating "enough" milk and vegetables.  There was no mention of a follow-up.  That's okay.  I wasn't impressed.

You may notice that I put quotes around "need" and "enough."  Well, here's where she contradicted herself.  I know I need to somehow get a little better balance in my diet.  I'm trying.  I think that speaks volumes.    I asked how many calories I am supposed to eat.  She said it should be 2000 calories.  I told her I know I don't eat that much.  She said that's okay because everyone has different metabolism and that number is just a guideline.  Well, then I just wonder if the 1 1/2 cups of veggies a day might not just be enough for me instead of stuffing myself with another 1/2 cup.

My conclusion.  I was a waste of her time.  I'm not overweight -- I've lost 15 pounds recently.  I'm not diabetic, so she couldn't pull out her diabetic curriculum.  I don't have bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, and caffeine.  I really think she just didn't want to help me.  In a way I feel overeducated.  I know too much.  Guess I take that over-education and educate myself.

On a side note.  I saw a doctor yesterday for a terrible sore throat I had.  So bad that I couldn't eat or swallow. I told her I have oral allergy syndrome and had eaten guacamole on Friday. I said that seemed to trigger it, but it had been five days.  I said I'm trying to work with someone with my allergies to figure things out.  She didn't reply.  A couple minutes later, I elaborated and said I just seem to be having reactions with all types of food lately.  She ignored it.  Well, gee thanks for reaching out.  I didn't have strep.  So I have no idea what I had.  I had no other symptoms but a sore throat.

I remain optimistic as our daughter has her annual appointment next week with an allergist.  He's new.  Hope he's ready for us.