Good afternoon!
I am chuggin along in the bakery! Today is another very busy day as I prepare for the launch of the new gluten-free and raw Glo bar tonight at 9pm. It is going to be fun! This bar has been a very long time in the making (I tested over 23 trials!), and I am so excited to share it with you. Because the bars are so time intensive, there will be a limited amount available for pre-order tonight. At 9pm EST I will be linking to the bars from OSG.
Last night I heard back from the race director of the Toronto Women’s Half Marathon + 5k! I was surprised at how quickly she got back to me as well as how serious she took the matter. She said that they will be investigating this with the Toronto Police with whom they work closely on all safety and security issues. She is going to get back to me in the near future. I hope that next year’s race will be improved upon regarding the safety of all female runners! No one should have to feel scared or violated during a race.
After several hours of work this morning, it was 2pm before I knew it and I still hadn’t had lunch yet! I threw together the quickest lunch I could with the ingredients I had on hand.
I took some leftover Navy Beans and mix 2 tablespoons of sweet BBQ sauce for a mock ‘baked bean’ effect.
Then I defrosted about 2 cups of mixed veggies…
And I threw together a super quick dried cherry and sunflower seed spinach salad topped with my better than bottled balsamic vinaigrette. We are all out of veggies so it was all I had, but it was quite fun!
I am currently suffering from food baby syndrome. Beans + high-fibre veggies = :ermm:
I discovered that Navy Beans are probably one of my least favourite beans. They just don’t have the flavour that other beans do like black beans or kidney beans! That is why I have been eating them with BBQ sauce.
The Dairy Question
I am always asked what prompted me to go off dairy and decide to become a vegan. While there are many factors that went into the decision (see here for the latest segment in my road to health), one of the reasons that I experimented without dairy was because I have sensitivity to dairy (this is different from an actual allergy to dairy, which I don’t have).
Ever since I was a baby I could not have dairy. It would upset my stomach so much and I would cry and cry and cry when I had milk. As a child and teenager I suffered from really bad stomach pains whenever I ate dairy- especially ice cream, that one was the worst for me!- I would be doubled over in pain when I ate ice cream. I finally decided to see how I fared without dairy. Lactose free dairy products did not seem to help much. Lo and behold, my stomach problems were greatly reduced when I stopped eating dairy.
My stomach is also sensitive to other things like soy (which is why you don’t see me eating tofu much), beans (although I still eat them because I love them!), and high-fibre foods.
What about you, do you have problems digesting certain foods or certain combinations of food? Any intolerances or allergies? How did you adapt to it?
I do not have any dairy allergies (or other food allergies for that matter), but since I’ve consciously watched my dairy intakes (maybe getting 2-3 servings a week), I’ve noticed how much better I’ve felt. My skin is clear, my digestion has improved, and I rarely suffer from bloating anymore. I just feel more alert and overal healthier. It has definitely been a positive change.
I, too, have a sensitivity to dairy, and it is one of the major contributors for my push toward a vegan diet. Now high-raw and vegan, I have found that many of my stomach issues have subsided. However, I must be careful of onions, tomatoes and black beans. They can be a little rough on my stomach — a sad thing because I love Mexican inspired food. :-P
I have an iron stomach so imagine my surprise when I started getting sharp stomach pains and terrible bloating on a regular basis. Took a little while for me to realize that I’d get them shortly after drinking a green monster. As a vegetarian, I was impressed by this tasty way to sneak iron-rich spinach into my diet. Unfortunately the spinach was the culprit. Since I didn’t eat it much before, I’d never had any issues. When I started having it on a regular basis something must have triggered the sensitivity. Once I eliminated the spinach, all my problems disappeared. I’ve just started throwing some romaine in my smoothies to give it a little nutritional boost since it’s an easy way to get some extra veggies.
I have no problem digesting anything. I limit my dairy, though, and don’t eat meat for ethical reasons only.
Thankfully I do not have any intolerances…except of course the natural effect of eating lots of veggies and beans *heehee, but because I have been vegan for about 5 months now I am sure that if I ate dairy it would have an ill effect…On a different note, my husband has a weird intolerance to milk and milk products, when he consumes them he get extremely hyper (and annoying) especially on soft serve! anyone else experiance this? He still eats cheese and ice cream (drinks soy milk though)
I’m allergic to shellfish! I go through anaphalactic (spelling!) shock when I eat it, which means I don’t go near them, because my throat/lungs will close up (fun stuff!) I have the pleasure of carrying an epi-pen wherever I go:)
My mum, me and all 6 of my siblings are have an intolerance to avocado. All of us LOVE avocado but we each suffer with differing levels of stomach pain and other unpleasantness. My father does not have any sensitivity to avocado. We had an avocado tree in our backyard and my very favorite childhood food memory is waiting for my father to get home from work then we would walk the yard together checking all the fruit trees and the vegetable garden. We always ended at the avocado tree so if one was ripe we would pick it and go inside to make guacamole. Then we would sit on the back lanai and eat fresh, delicious guacamole. It always made me sick but I loved it so much and I especially loved the time with my dad.
So glad they responded to your inquiry and are taking it seriously! That is definitely NOT ok, hope it all works out well :)
I too am sensitive/intolerant to both dairy and soy! After being vegetarian for 15 years and vegan for 4 (excluding this past year), I finally saw a dietitian about my extreme exhaustion, bloating, cramps and gas problems. She had my eliminate soy first and later dairy – and all (seriously, ALL) those issues disappeared within a week. Now I am back on dairy to “test” the theory – and am having those old problems come back :( I guess that proves it!
I also just found out my entire dad’s side of the family is lactose intolerant – go figure! I think I actually gave myself a soy intolerance through overconsumption – I have been consuming tons of soy for years! I don’t have a problem giving up dairy, but I miss tofu and Braggs liquid aminos.
I am a little envious of the people who commented saying they have “iron stomachs and no issues digesting different foods”. I have always had problems with digestion and have seen a huge improvement since becoming vegan 5 months ago. Like you Angela, I still have some problems with high fiber veggies, beans and grains when I eat a lot of them, but I love them all too much to give them up! I can definitely relate to your “food baby” and experience that fairly often.
Another celiac in the house! It’s been two and 1/2 years and I’m STILL adjusting. Pre-diagnosis, I was one of those “eat whatever I want without thinking about it” type of people, and now I have to plan everything! The food restrictions aren’t the bad part; you get used to that. It’s the planning everything that sucks. I’m trying, but I generally don’t enjoy it.
I have a question about the GF globars, which I’d love to try… What measures do you take to prevent cross-contamination?
All the info can be found here: http://globakery.com/Cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=43
I have a wheat intolerance which has been difficult at times. However, loving cooking has certainly helped as I have been able to experiment with so many other grains!
Oh yes, I can’t handle gluten or soy. I do eat dairy but only lactose free. Almond cheese and lactose free cottage cheese are about it. I’ll have to order some of your GF GLO bars! Congrats!!
I got tested recently for food allergies. I have a “mild” allergy to peanuts and wheat. Which is weird because I’ve never had problems eating those foods!
honestly sugar makes me so sick if I have a lot of it. chocolate (tear) makes me sick. Anything other then full cream dairy, too much fruit. But I have been tested heaps and I have learned that it’s really about listening to your body and not eating crap.
Hey! Wow this post just screamed “KERRY”. I am the QUEEN of food intolerances. I literally recently started my own blog so I can vent about it and basically create dishses for those that struggle with similar allergies to me. I have devoted an entire page to my extensive list…dairy, wheat, soy, nuts, tree fruits, carrots, celery, etc….the list seriously goes on!!
This is why I LOVE the blogging world. It forces me to get creative in the kitchen, it has honestly changed my life : )
I self diagnosed that I was lactose intolerant. I had some cheese and crackers one day for lunch a year ago and had such stomach pains I couldn’t stand up. I cut out dairy and my stomach began to feel normal for the first time in 5 or so years, but not quite. So a lady at the local health food store said maybe cut out gluten too. So for 3 or so months I was gluten and dairy free. I felt FABULOUS! One night in March, I had a horrible stomachache that randomly hit and kept me up, and at 2 in the morning went into the ER. I ended up having my gall bladder taken out the next day. They said that dairy can irritate an aggravated gall bladder.
Since then I have tried to eat dairy and gluten and it just doesn’t suit me. I no longer crave cheese, and use this delicious vegan cheese when I want that cheesy taste. I do eat some gluten now, but I avoid it when I can. And now I no longer eat meat. I feel healthier than I ever have!
lol food baby syndrome!! Ohhh, it happens to the best of us ;)
I have a slight lactose intolerance. I can handle it fine with cereal and cheese/yogurt dont affect me but I can’t drink it straight without severe stomach pains. Soy milk does the same thing. There’s only one type of regular milk I can have (Hood Smart Calorie Countdown since it’s ultra-ultra pasterized) and one type of soy milk (8th continent original) that I can handle. All the others make me ill. It’s kind of strange..
Ack, I have SO many digestive problems. Mainly from meat, dairy, processed soy, large amounts of nuts and large amounts of beans. I still eat some (low fat, organic) dairy, a bit of processed soy but not much, and I limit the amount of beans & nuts I eat. But it is HARD! Still, I do it because I feel SO much better when I do! :)
xo
K
Great post – I have some issues with dairy (strangely its not all dairy – just some) cheese in particular, especially if its baked or creamy (ie. fettucine alfredo) is not my friend. I also love spicy food but can’t tolerate it very well. Its really relieving to read all the comments of people with food intolerances, it makes me feel a little more normal.
When I was younger I was allergic to dairy, citrus, and shellfish, but I grew out of them.
I’m still sensitive to dairy though.
Also, if I have too much sugar my mouth is very sore the next day.
Even though I wouldn’t consider myself allergic to certain foods, if I eat really poorly (fried foods, pies, cakes, etc.) for more than 2 days I feel ill.
One of my really good friends has colitis so she’s adjusted her diet similarly to someone with celiac.
I have crohns disease so there are a lot of things my body can not handle – I cannot eat salad and I love salad. I also cannot eat high fiber foods including beans and some vegetables. I also cannot eat certain fruits like apples and pears. I do not have diary for the most part, the same with gluten. It sounds very limiting and sometimes it is but for the most part I have learned to create healthy meals and snacks that taste great and minimize my pain.
I have crohn’s too! I think of myself as food-intolerant most of the time… it’s really hard to find a healthy balance with this disease. The only time I can eat whatever I want is when I’m on steroids!
It’s interesting to read all the people who are sensitive to dairy. I always knew that most Asians were sensitive to dairy. But I just read “Animal Vegetable Miracle” and I didn’t realize that the ability to digest dairy is a result of a genetic mutation. Thus, a majority of people of Northern European Descent can digest it, but Asians, (esp southeast Asians), Latinos, and a variety of other groups cannot digest it. Something like only 30% of Latinos and 5% of Asians.
My good friend is Latina, and she’s always had problems with dairy. Now I know why!
I have so many food sensitivities and intolerance. I can’t eat meat for that reason so I became a vegetarian. I limit my dairy to once a day but I love my eggs so I can’t completely go vegan. But I’m extremely limited in my diet due to my IBS.
I am still trying to figure out what causes my stomach issues! I have given up meat and it helped, but still have issues. I am afraid I might have a problem with dairy (afraid because I LOVE cheese) so I am giving that up for a week and see what happens.
Love your blog!
Hard cheeses are much easier to digest than soft ones. You may find that while you cannot tolerate milk and some cheeses you can tolerate others. Likewise goat and sheep products are also quite easy to digest. I cannot tolerate milk but can tolerate goat milk and cheese and sheep cheese.
Hi, I just wanted to say that I just recently started reading your blog, and it’s been really inspirational to me!
I have a lot of food sensitivities unfortunately, but I learn to live without! I have problems with dairy, meats, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners. I love being vegan though, and I love how I feel now that I have eliminated those foods from my diet.
I have a gluten intolerance, but recently it is getting so much easier to buy gluten free things ! Stores seem to be stocking up and paying more attention to people’s dietary needs.
I love making fake baked beans with BBQ sauce!!
I have a lot of digestive problems, but haven’t been able to narrow it down to one or any specific foods. :(
Jenn
I am severly lalctose intolerant and have been for over 10 years. Lactaid milk and Lactaid pills do not work for me. Additionally, I suffer from IBS, take daily medication for it, and am limited in what I can eat due to my sensitivies.
Though this is my first time posting, I am an avid reader. I am drawn to your blog due in big part to these dietary restrictions that I have. My dietary issues coupled with my anxiety, have actually led me to develop a form of eating disorder…not due to fear of gaining weight, but from fear of getting sick from the food I eat…which I have become so accustomed to over the years. Your openness about your past disordered thinking around food is very refreshing. It is encouraging to hear about how you have used your past thinking to change your eating habits and your whole lifestyle into such a healthy and delicious one! I have always wanted to comment but didn’t know what to say. When I saw your post today, I knew I had to respond! Thank you so much for your encouraging and motivating words. :)
My husband is allergic to dairy, which is different than being lactose intolerant. We have to check EVERYTHING for milk, milkfat, casein, or whey. I am constantly amazed at how often food companies change their ingredients without warning. We’ve found granola bars, butter and cake frosting that he could eat, then the next time we went to buy them the ingredients changed! It can be awfully frustrating.
One of my best friends has this. He drank white wine and ended up having to use his injection pen and a trip to the emergency room. He has to be so careful because it truly is life threatening.
I am definitely sensitive to dairy. My dad, when I was about 11 or 12, decided that our family wasn’t drinking milk anymore, because it isn’t good for us, he said. I was outraged, but I got used to it and since then I feel sick when I drink milk.
I have had stomach cramps and skin issues for a long time now, and only recently did I discover that it probably has something to do with the amount of milk I drink (up to 1 L a day sometimes! :S). I’ve been lucky and found a new love for almond milk which definitely makes my life easier. I’m slowly but surely switching over to a vegetarian eating style to see if that helps also.
One glass of red will quite often help tummy problems:)
I too, have struggled with stomach issues all of my life. I chalked it up to stress & anxiety. But now I’m in a different place. My stress and anxiety is very low, so I figured it had to be some sort of food intolerance.
A few months ago I started a food journal to try to figure out what triggered my stomachaches. I discovered so far, I have issues with onions, beans, cucumbers, and anything that’s high in fiber.
I find that greasy fried foods give me indigestion… then again: I’m not a teenager anymore! lol
I’m glad the race director got back to you about that! I would have been so weirded out by that!
Hi Angela! I’m Kelsey; I’m new to your blog but I am absolutely in love with it! Is that weird? I don’t know, but seriously, it’s so awesome. Everything you make looks incredible. I’ve been experimenting with veganism for these past few months (I eat vegan 98% of the time and only have dairy occasionally. It upsets my stomach.) and your blog always gives me great ideas, so thank you. :)
I can’t wait to read more!
Kelsey
Nice to meet you! :) I am glad you enjoy the blog, thank you.
I’m a bit sensitive to fats – anything greasy really upsets my stomach, and even nuts make me slightly gurgly! That’s the only intolerance I can really think of. Oh, and dairy makes me uncomfortable sometimes :S I think dairy is a problem (of varying degrees) for a lot of people! Is it because of the lactose? I wonder why…
Wei-Wei
I’m lucky not to have any allergies, but now I have to watch my cholesterol levels a bit :S
I have a really annoying wheat intolerance – it doesn’t really affect my stomach too much but it does make my muscles so so SO painful and makes me really tired (I have a thing called Fibromyalgia and wheat makes it a gazillion times worse). I find it really frustrating because wheat is in so many things especially eating out so I have to choose between vegetarian and wheat free or vegan but with wheat… I’d love to go back to full veganess but I end up feeling so miserable and restricted without wheat that I can never manage to go the whole way.
are you sure you don’t have IBS? I found out I do and switching to a Vegan diet has helped tremendously. The hard part is the protein question for vegans (which most point to beans) and they are terribly hard on an IBS stomach… just a thought to maybe look into in the future :)
Yes my doc did mention that I could have IBS. Is there a test for it?
No test unfortunately (except to rule out other nonrelated allergies and diseases). There’s actually much skepticism about IBS, but I find that the more I understand how the ordering of foods, types of nutrients, and quality of whole foods effect my stomach, the better I am able to handle it and keep it under control. (Although I do think that doctors can abuse the diagnosis and overlook other problems– symptoms vary from digestive problems to upset stomach irritation.)
But hey, I can’t really argue with a syndrome which advocates: moderate consumption of food (aka not bingeing– especially for me in overcoming my ED), no fried and overly fatty foods, no fake sugars, etc…. I take it for the best! My body guiding me towards better nutrition and health!
Thank you for the great info! I think there is a lot of skepticism about IBS because part of the claims are that it is psychosomatic and I think a lot of people have a hard time wrapping their head about the mind body connection. Funny that you mentioned fake sugars- those gave me horrible stomach cramps. When I cut them out I was doing much better. High fat foods also do it for me. I think my doc may have been right with his assumption.
I’m intolerant to chemical preservatives, dyes, and artificial sweeteners. Although I cant pinpoint which exact ones, whenever I eat a food product that has been chemically altered my stomach blows up like a balloon – very uncomfortable.
I saw a nutritionist who said that this is becoming more common in the general population. Wether it is a result of a personal threshold for these chemicals or something genetic, she isnt certain, however people seem to be developing these over time. Maybe my college years filled with preservative-filled junk food and crystal lite did me in.
It took a few weeks of adding and subtracting foods from my diet and keeping a food/symptom journal (at the suggestion of a nutritionist) to realize that my body just likes me so much more when I eat real foods (surprise surprise). At first it was a challenge, especially when eating out. I have to be very cautious about sauces and dressings. People also dont understand and they think I’m being a food snob, but, I feel so much better on my new eating plan. If anything my diet is healthier and I’ve forced myself to be more creative in preparing my meals – fruity balsamic vinegars anyone?
Uhh, I am allergic to dairy, soy and gluten and I’m vegetarian!! It’s definitely a challenge!! Nearly impossible to eat out anywhere… oh well. Also, I’m very sensitive to sugar- even from fruits. I eat really healthy at least!!
Wow, I’ve got some catching up to do and deliveries to make! I have been so swamped with work, birthday, etc.
Your food presentation is so amazing to me. I love the pics you take of your foods because it makes them look so good!!!
OMG, do I have an intolerance to dairy and Thank God to Almond Breeze and Temp Hemp products! Lactaid doesn’t even do the trick for me. I still can’t get to the point where I can completely stop eating cheeses and yogurts and every now and then ice cream, however, cheese and yogurt don’t affect me as much as ice cream and whole milk. I become almost deathly ill, stomach cramps and the whole nine yds! I did purchase coconut milk yogurt and soy yogurt on Mon. to see how I do with those and if I like them. Haven’t tried them yet but will soon. Another intolerance or allergy I have are legumes and certain veggies, but I can just overcome that because I love any type of beans except for lima and all veggies as well.
Yes! I have fibromyalgia, vasovagal syncope, possibly epilepsy, terrible migraines & a pretty bad case of Sensory Processing Disorder. I was raised on a very processed, sugar-infused diet without knowing any better. (I actually thought I didn’t like food, because I hadn’t had REAL FOOD! lol) I had a doctor take me off gluten, dairy, red meat, white potatoes/rice, refined sugar & a good many other things…
When I’m very good on my diet… especially if i can afford to go organic for a while, my symptoms are far more manageable & my life is way more normal! It is really important!
That’s why I’m soooooo grateful for blogs like yours that are teaching me how to cook wonderful-tasting nutrient-dense type meals that often don’t include extra ingredients I can’t have! So, thank you!!!!! =)
One HUGE tip that helps me is JUICING. I even have some really healthy foods that seem to cause me trouble… like lentils & quinoa…(I know, sad, right? =/) which I can’t resist because I really do need the protein sometimes… so when I do splurge or if I go on vacation with family & end up on a terrible diet… I try to juice as soon as possible… beet/carrot/apple… Enough juice seems to get the muck out & help me get back to my life again.
I definitely think it is critical to good health to stay on the diet that suits you… As someone who will probably never live a normal life or be independent due to some of these problems… I always hope people take care of their good health & listen to their body’s signals before it’s too late to do much about it!
i actually have a crazy aversion to meat. I was medicated for IBS for soooo long and then I stopped eating meat (for other reasons) and within the month my life long condition was gone. I also am insulin resistant so pasta, potatoes and soy don’t agree with me. Just within the last 6 months or so, after 13 years of feeling great, something’s not feeling right. This led me to your site. my doctor has me doing the ellimination diet. I have already found tree nuts are NOT OK for me to eat. Dairy and seitan seem to be causing some issues. It hasn’t just been my stomach, it’s also been monthly migraines. Hopefully this can all be figured out. It has before! :-) our bodies change as we age I guess.
I am new to being a vegan. I feel like everything I have been eating has made me sooooo gassy and bloated. I’m miserable. I’ve been eating a lot of raw veggies for the health benefits. The other night I made lentil burritos, and last night I made navy bean balls (used as meatballs). I don’t eat gluten because of allergies. I don’t eat dairy for the same reason. If I’m allergic to veggies I’m screwed. Maybe I just need to cook my veggies. I am just tired of being so gassy and bloated. The main reason I chose to go Vegan was for health reasons as well as to help all my stomach issues. This is week two, and I still feel the same. I am going to the bathroom everyday…but I look like I’m 6 months pregnant. Not exactly the look I am going for in a bikini this summer UGH. HELP.