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My skin is not a happy camper lately.
I don’t know what’s up, but I know it’s ticked off. Angry. Inflamed. What’s the problem? That, my friends, is anyone’s guess. When a girl has puffy, itchy eyes and rashes on her face, it’s time to slow down and pay attention. If you’ve ever been the detective for your own strange skin reactions, you know just how daunting this process can be. Everything is questioned.
Not surprisingly, my family doctor suggested an allergy elimination diet and to examine my environment for possible culprits. I’ve switched our detergents, soaps, shampoos, and I’ve retired make-up for the time being. That was the easy part. The elimination diet and food journaling, on the other hand, are proving to be rather difficult as a recipe developer. It’s my worst nightmare actually.
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Of course, skin flare ups could be from a billion things, including stress. I’m a big fan of stress-relieving practices, but I’m not so good at carrying them out in my own life. When life gets crazy and deadlines are looming, I often left my own health slide in the process. I know I’ve said it a million and one times, but I need to work on this.
As I’m leaving my doctor’s office she says, “Above all, DO NOT stress about the rashes. Stress is the absolute worst thing for your skin.”
[Is it just me or do you get more stressed out when someone tells you not to stress? ahh]
She’s so right though. I need to take a chill pill.
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Of course, breakfast is a natural way to start the day on the right foot. I’m a big fan of breakfasts that can be made in advance, such as Green Monsters (just give them a good stir in the morning), raw buckwheat porridge, vegan overnight oats, and this chia pudding. Even though they take just a few minutes to throw together before bed, I’d fallen out of the habit of prepping them. But man oh man, it makes such a difference to wake up to a nutritious breakfast ready to be enjoyed!
The recipe below makes 2 servings so you can share it with a loved one or wrap up the leftovers for your next craving, which if you are like me won’t be far off.
![Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl](https://ohsheglows.com/gs_images/2013/05/IMG_2059-768x768.jpg)
Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl
![](https://ohsheglows.com/wp-content/plugins/osg-recipes/images/ornament_long_artichoke.png)
Yield
Serves 2
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
I like mashed banana in this because it thickens the mixture while adding a lot of volume. If you aren’t a banana fan, you can omit it, but you might need to reduce the milk and I also suggest adding in your own sweetener or other fruit in its place. This porridge is especially creamy when made with Homemade Almond Milk. The thickness of the chia pudding will vary based on the kind of almond milk you use, so you can add more if necessary. If your pudding is too thin for you liking you can add more chia seeds and let it sit for 10 more minutes. Finally, if you aren’t a fan of the tapioca-like texture of chia seed pudding, try blending it until smooth.
Ingredients
Chia mixture
- 4 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 – 1.25 cups almond milk (it’s great made with Homemade Almond Milk)
- 2 small bananas, chopped small
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- two pinches of cinnamon
Toppings
- 2 tbsp raw buckwheat groats, soaked
- 2 tbsp raisins, soaked
- 2 tbsp whole raw almonds, chopped and soaked
- couples pinches of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp hemp seed
Directions
- Mash bananas in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in chia seeds. Whisk in the almond milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Place in fridge overnight to thicken. You can add more almond milk if you want to thin it out in the morning. Or, if it’s too thin, add more chia seeds to thicken it up.
- Add buckwheat groats, raisins, and chopped almonds into another bowl. Cover in water and soak overnight in the fridge or on the counter.
- In the morning, place your desired amount of chia pudding into a bowl. (Note: at this point, you can blend your chia pudding if a smooth texture is desired, but I don’t bother). Drain and rinse the buckwheat/almond/raisin mixture. Sprinkle on top of chia mixture along with a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of hemp seeds. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Nutrition Information
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Have you ever dealt with a strange skin reaction or allergy? What did you do?
Hi Angela,
I have, actually! I used to have a little acne, but it is almost gone now. It started to get less and less when I stopped eating meat and fish and when I switched birth control pills, so who knows… Maybe a combination of both did the trick? At the moment I am ‘suffering’ (really, it is just a little annoying at worst) from feeling itchy. I’m still blaming the cold weather and my lazy attitude towards putting baby oil on my skin often enough, but it made me think. Especially now I’m much more conscious about animal-products and try to eat much less of these, resulting in a lot of new food which may cause all kinds of reactions. I eat chia all the time, which I though would keep me hydrated ;) My skin should be radiant by now! is what I think ;) What are you ommiting from your diet first?
Marielle-
I am dealing with adult acne and have discovered that it is due to a hormonal imbalance in my body, as well as needing certain fats and nutrients. I am reading a book by a certified nutritionist, Ann Louise Gittleman, who explains that her clients respond well consuming oils rich in EPA or GLA in combination with zinc and vitamin A. The title of the book is, Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause.
I am still in the process of healing/building my health up, but I hope this may help. Also look into bioidenticals.
Hello — to Nicole’s point on Vitamin A, I found that drinking fresh carrot juice (or even store bought brands like Odwalla) helps with adult acne. Of course, just be careful not to overdo it with too much Vitamin A!
sorry, the recommended nutrients were relating to skin, hair, and nail issues:)
I just read that chia seeds can make your skin itchy.
I recently had my annual stress test and blood work done. After years of eating anything I wanted @ 48 years old my decadence finally caught up to me. 5’11” 216lbs with cholesterol @ 274. Never had a little gut before like this and finding getting older to be a challenge. BTW did better on the stress test this year compared to last year (up to the 7th level), seems my heart still works. 75 days of exercise and now 4 weeks of diet changes and beginning to feel and see a difference. Skin more elastic, weight down (10lbs.) and all because I am consuming less food. No more eating after 7:30 at night and getting more sleep. I started consuming Chia seeds in a breakfast porridge format (cold or hot). I look forward to the digestive benefits. NOTE: ANYONE CHANGING EATING HABITS PLEASE RESEARCH WHAT YOUR DOING. IF ADDING CHIA SEEDS TO YOUR DIET PLEASE INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE AS WELL. GOOD LUCK
No no not baby oil but coconut oil. It’s amazing and organic, free of any fillers. It’s fantastic and my skin is so soft – like butah. I bought a 2 container thing from Costco for $20 and use it for everything – cooking, baking, my skin, my hair, give a little to my dogs. Game changer. Try it and good luck
The dry winter air is doing a number on my skin/hair/nails too. An allergy on top of that is rough! Hope you figure it out soon!
My fiends and I were just talking about chia seeds. :). Thanks for the great recipe. Sorry to hear about your allergic reactions. I really haven’t had any skin reactions since I was really young. Stress, I do know about. Taking time ( 10 – 15 seconds ) to do some focused breathing and grounding through out the day has helped me. Good luck!!
Goodness.. My friends not my fiends.
LOL! – yeah, wouldn’t want some of my worst ‘fiends’ to read my comment. Might make them think twice about what’s in the chia! Spelling or grammar check anyone? Thanks for my laugh for the day!
I had chronic acne for 20+ years, and it turns out that it was caused by a dairy intolerance (clearly not an issue for you). I had a feeling that dairy was the culprit, but that was confirmed by an elimination diet. The elimination diet was tough, but I really did feel good when I was on it (just bored because I love to cook and try new things!).
For my other skin sensitivities, which are numerous, it’s been a lot of trial and error. And a lot of hydrocortisone (the best way for me to calm a nickel allergy…)
Mandy, I’ve also had acne that would flare up because of diary, even though I didn’t eat all that much of it. Now that I’ve cut diary out (I do still eat meat, not a lot of red though) my complexion is much more clear. I also stopped using facial wash and now just splash my face with water in the morning, wipe dry, and put some witch hazel (can be purchased any supermarket/convience store for a couple bucks) on a cotton ball and wipe my face with that. It is soooo much cheaper and a natural way to clear your face. I encourage anyone to try it!
Hi Mandy,
I think that my skin issues are also caused by dairy. I was curious though, what elimination plan did you follow (if any)?
I am looking to start one, to really pinpoint where my skin issues stem from.
Thanks!
Jamah
You know, food allergies are such a trial and error game, but if it’s something you want to work on, I can share what I know with you. I was seeing a naturopath previously who discussed an elimination diet with me because we believe that I have food intolerances. As I understand it, we can develop food intolerances if we eat the same things day after day. It’s of utmost importance to switch things up regularly – even down to the fats and oils you use. I had chronic acne most of my life. I went vegan and my skin cleared up, but my blood sugar rose from all the grain and fruit consumption. So, now I follow a modified Paleo plan. I was making raw goat’s milk kefir and yogurt for a couple of months, and low and behold, my acne began flaring up again. So for me, I now know that dairy is OUT. That being said, I am coming to the completion of a 21-day detox program conducted by Dr. Deanna Minich of Food and Spirit. This was not a calorie restriction plan, and it was crafted for both omnivores and vegetarians. The foods we eliminated on this plan consisted of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, caffeine, alcohol and refined sugar. Another potential allergen is almonds, so you may want to test for that also. We were permitted to eat almonds, walnuts, and cashews on this plan. Upon the conclusion of the 21-day period, we may re-introduce ONE of these foods at a time (e.g., eggs WITHOUT butter or anything else that was included in the elimination), and we’re to eat it two to three times in the same day. Then we are to stop eating it and wait 48 hours to see if we exhibit any reactions to the food. If no reactions, it is okay to continue eating that food. Examples of reactions would be changes in digestion, skin rashes/break outs, headaches, joint/muscle aches, energy level, sinus congestion, and any other signs by your body that something is not right. Hope this helps. Good luck!
I’m not sure the proper way to comment on these things. I enjoy your recipes so much and had a pretty raw vegan diet. I had rashes on my face, swollen eyes sometimes, chelitis at my lips that were swollen and tingly. I would juice different stuff in my ninja. I couldn’t understand how this would happen to a healthy person. I had a nickel allergy, gold and colbalt. My diet rich in vegatables, nuts was killing me. I’ve backed off, and given up many things I love. But I’m no longer in misery. My body was too over full of metals from plant eating. I can tolerate small portions of almost everything now. But gone are my daily eating box cashews, kale and spinach. Good luck and much love to you!l
Hello Audry, I just happened to see your comment. Most people with nickel allergies have a Scandinavian blood line. My daughter has this. Now I came down with what is called PMR and I am of Scandinavian dissent. I have a feeling that PMR is related to some type of me metal allergy in our body. My question to you is, how did you find out you pinpoint these allergies? Who did you see. You can email me at [email protected] Thank you. Steve
This looks sooo comforting and delicious! Definitely seems like a good remedy to stress…I hope it works for you!
I’ve been having terribly dry skin lately, which is a result of both the winter and a somewhat misguided attempt to cut a ton of fat from my diet (I’ve been doing an 80/10/10 kind of thing). Fortunately, I decided to listen to my poor dry skin and started incorporating more fat back in, which is helping. One of my first “fatty” meals was a chia seed steel-cut oat breakfast! : )
Raechel,
I’ve been hearing a lot about 80/10/10. Would love to hear your experience with it. Is it something you might (or maybe have already) shared on the blog?
Laura xx
Hey Laura! Yep, I talk about it on the blog. Just do a search on the main page and it should come up.
The short version of my opinion is that I think it has a lot of benefits, but it’s really not something I find to be sustainable—at least not in the winter in the mid-west!
Do not omit FAT from your diet. We need at least 30% of our intake of food to be sourced from FAT. As much as 50% is highly recommended to work towards. Remember not all fats are equal. Rather than follow some goofy diet as 80/10/10, do periodic cleanses with vegetable juices, herbal teas and tinctures, etc.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is a great source of saturated and omega-6, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, sesame oil, raw butter(yes, butter), palm oil, cod liver oil, krill oil, etc.
I tried 80/10/10 last summer. For the first 2 weeks I felt amazing. I had tons of energy, my skin completely cleared up, I lost a couple pounds. But then for the next 2 weeks I felt like hell. I had zero energy, my skin dried up and started breaking out, and I started to gain weight. After a full month (2 great weeks, 2 horrible weeks) I went off the diet. All I wanted was protein all the time. I was eating full cans of beans for lunch and dinner. I was even craving eggs, which was really strange since I don’t like eggs at all.
After being on such a restrictive diet my body held on to every little thing I put into it. I ended up gaining 15 pounds and I’ve been struggling to lose it since July.
So I personally do not recommend the diet. I’ve realized that anything so restrictive and so extreme is not good for you. But I also think that every single person is different, so what works for some might not work for others.
Good for you. Fats are important. I am dealing with adult acne and have discovered that it is due to a hormonal imbalance in my body, as well as needing certain fats and nutrients. I am reading a book by a certified nutritionist, Ann Louise Gittleman, who explains that her clients respond well consuming oils rich in EPA or GLA in combination with zinc and vitamin A for skin, hair, and nail issues. The title of the book is, Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause. She has many other books, besides the one mentioned.
I am still in the process of healing/building my health up, but I hope this may help. Also look into bioidenticals, especially for weight issues.
Raechel-
Lowfat & nonfat diets are never a good idea. All that advertising for cutting fat has caused us women alot of misery. Without sufficient quantities of two very special fatty acids, your body cannot manufacture all kinds of important substances, including stress and ovarian hormones. Basically you can suffer serious damage to your health.
If you are having issues with weight, I would recommend having your hormones checked.
A friend recently told me that fat is actually good for you and that years ago a decision was made to say fat was bad, despite a lack of evidence to support it. Here’s something I dug up quickly on the topic:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/behindtheheadlines/news/2014-03-18-saturated-fats-and-heart-disease-link-unproven/
My skin goes through crazy periods. One thing that’s really helped is tea tree oil. It’s great for bug bites, zits, and random irritations. I just dab a bit on the affected areas before bed at night.
Love these chia puddings! It works well with pumpkin, sweet potato, and butternut squash too!
Get your hormones tested:) Look into bioidenticals:)
Yum, this looks like the perfect thing to wake up to. Thanks for the tip on blending it… I think that might be the secret to get myself to enjoy cold breakfasts with chia seeds. Sorry to hear about your skin troubles – feel better!
Ange, I really hope you get the answers soon. A few years ago I discovered a sulphite allergy. My entire mouth became so swollen I could hardly talk. It took awhile to figure out I had bought raisins that weren’t organic. I had a few exposures until I found the culprit. I wish you great luck your detective work. I think relaxation and sleep work wonders when our body is trying to cope.
Take care.
Hi Ange,
I have never had any problems with my skin…until last year around Christmas. There were odd bumps over my arms, legs, and stomach, and I had no idea what it was. My dermatologist was out of hypotheses, as well! I simply took to putting cold compresses on the areas (as they would get hot all of a sudden), and also applied coconut oil which really soothed the area. It’s always hard to say which change/elimination it is that works on having the skin clear up, but the coconut oil felt really nice, took the itch away for me, and it seemed to clear up days later. Again, hard to know if it just needed time, coconut oil, or if my body simply needed to lay back in bed with not too much to do, but it eventually ran its course.
Good luck :)
Hi Tara, It’s funny you mentioned coconut oil! It’s been a lifesaver for me and it’s the only thing I’ve put on my face that doesn’t sting the irritated parts. Yes it feels oily to have on the skin, but it does help so much!
I had some skin issues last year – wasn’t sure if it was eczema or contact dermatitis or what (mainly on my hands). I’ve eliminated sodium lauryl sulfate products (which seems to be everywhere!) – started to use Dr. Bronner’s Magic soap for most things, and found that Egyptian Magic Cream is a good moisturizer. But, oddly enough, the one thing that has seemed to really help is taking a Vitamin C tablet before I eat! I read about this in a Whole Living magazine article. Apparently Vitamin C acts as a good neutralizer for nickle sensitivities (and you see higher nickle content in non-processed diets full of veggies…ironic that sensitivities come from healthy eating, hey?!). I had been trying a lot of things, and as soon as I started taking Vitamin C, my hands cleared up within week! I was flabbergasted, but it really seems to work for me…
SLS was the culprit causing my peri-oral dermatitis. I had tried all kinds of creams from my doctor(s) and finally went online to figure it out. It is in everything that lathers, and then some (estrogen cream?). I also avoided using toothpaste with flouride.
I also used to get a dry itchy patch on my elbow that wouldn’t clear up with any prescription creams. I bought a product called Look, No X E M A! It’s made by Nature’s Acres in North Freedom, WI and it worked like a charm!
I didn’t know about taking vitamin C for nickel allergies. I will give it a try!
I hope your allergy clears up or you can at least pinpoint it soon. That has to be frustrating. When the seasons change, I get this rough patch on my eyelid for a few weeks. Its the weirdest thing and I suppose I should actually, you know, get it checked out. Thanks for the reminder on that.
In the meantime, a big chia breakfast bowl doesn’t sound half bad!
This looks like a great breakfast! I love overnight oats and this seems similar. What’s the reason for soaking the almonds/raisins/groats? Easier digestion I’m guessing. I’ve had some buckwheat groats sitting in my cupboard for months and have yet to use them, this must change soon!
Good luck figuring out what’s going on with your skin. :)
Yes you guessed it. Soaking helps break down the enzyme inhibitors/tannins/phytates to allow for better digestion. I hope to do a post on this soon.
Hi Angela,
Have you tried rubbing coconut oil on your skin? I’ve found that if I rub a small amount on my skin before bed it helps reduce any bumps and redness. Give it a try, if anything it will just moisturize :) (pure aloe vera might help too)
Yes it’s working like a charm :) The only thing that doesn’t burn or itch when I put it on.
I have Celiac Disease and have visited so many forums. I used to get rashes and hives and even sores on my head. Tons of hair loss. Could not figure out what it was. Then I found out that gluten in products..makeup..skincare…hair products could be causing that. I changed everything to gluten free.All disappeared. I have contacted cosmetic companies and skincare companies and many of them are changing their formulations to remove gluten. If you look at their FAQs page it is usually there. Even if you have a slight sensitivity to gluten it may effect you. Hope this helps! I know how frustrating it can be. Love your blog!!! Having Chia Seeds for breakfast right now!!!
i second this. i had scalp problems for years, and could not figure out what is was. until, i happened, just for the heck of it, to go GF 1.5 years ago. guess what, no more problems with my scalp & i just feel so much better overall. i was not diagnosed with a problem with gluten, but i know from how i feel that it was causing many problems for me. i’m sure if you are food journaling, you & your doctor will get to the bottom of it. good luck!
Just to help further. There is a place called Redpaw.net. I was in Loblaws one day and a lady I met raved about this place. They do allergy testing. My husband and I went and they tell you everything you are allergic too. It is absolutely amazing. The only thing she recommended to my husband was to take Oil of Oregano. 6 years later he is still preaching about this place.
They have a location in downtown Toronto and one in Mississauga. If everything else fails you might want to contact them. Take a look at their website.
http://redpaw.net/. Good Luck!
Angela I am so sorry to hear about your skin! I have hives for 5 MONTHS several years ago and I still have not figured out the cause. The doctor’s tested food allergies too but they said it was likely due to stress. I too have a hard time slowing down an taking care of myself when I get stressed out :(
Magically one day the hives stopped coming as frequently and then they were gone. I hope you find an answer soon!
I have chronic idiopathic urticaria as well, it crops up every other year or so and lasts from summer to winter. It’s a joy :(
I also got the Giant Hives that came out of nowhere for 6 months and was on cortisone for 6 mo. then they took me off it and I got pregnant a month later and they went away. They thought I would get them back after the birth but they mysteriously disappeared and never came back. They sent me for all kinds of tests including the allergy tests that gave me a long list of things I was allergic to but never bothered me at all. They tested for food allergies and said I wasn’t allergic to any foods. The allergy doctor was completely puzzled and never found out why I got them. The only difference now is I can get poison ivy which I never got before. No hives for over 40 years. Strange!!!
Hi Angela,
I went through the same thing about 9 months ago with a severe eczema outbreak (first one ever) on my eyes and face. I did an elimination diet and it turned out to be gluten and dairy that i was allergic to. Haven’t had a problem since cutting out grains and dairy. Best of luck to you.
Ah, I have dealt with the inflamed skin reactions thing in the past for sure. I was lucky in being able to trace it to something pretty specific. Any refined soy product (soy milk, anything with soy protein isolate) makes my skin freak out, so no more soy lattes for this one. In the meantime, this product from Toronto based Pure + Simple (an awesome natural and ayurvedic-minded skin care line) was a life saver for me. It was like instant-calm for my face:
http://www.pureandsimple.ca/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1531&category_id=555&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=27
And chia! So high-vibe skin friendly with all that omega 3 and hydration action. This breakfast sounds so tasty, Angela.
I’m dealing with a skin flare up right now. I have a rash in some areas, and in some I do not. This same thing happened when I was stressed (surprise) when I was looking for a job 5 years ago. At the same time, I was eating oatmeal every day for breakfast, and then got an allergy test done and that was the sort-of conclusion. My husband just went gluten free, so I had been eating oats. I stopped eating them but I’m still itchy. He just started school so I could be stressed from that… I’m not really sure either! I ate your overnight oats for the longest time too at one point and wasn’t itchy. I’m thinking stress is the culprit.
Best of luck, and this looks delicious!
I had to cut out wheat, dairy, nightshades and soy for another health related issue and as a result my skin cleared up. I used to get this nasty, rashy, blistery mess around my mouth and nose which was always brought on by stress but now that I’ve changed my diet, I can be stressed without the rash popping up : ) Just need to work on the stress mgt. now!
I also cut out grains, dairy, soy, and legumes and have had the BEST skin of my life :) I also get breakouts when I have too much sugar from fruit/dark chocolate. Good luck on clearing it up!
Hi Angela!
I know that the last thing you want is probably more advice, but….
I had a ton of skin conditions before I got my blood tested for food sensitivities. I had eczema, psoriasis, some occasional acne, dryness everywhere! I knew that it had something to do with food allergies because I ate really clean and only used natural products, etc. etc. A simple blood test (which is a lot faster than an elimination diet, albeit sort of expensive) gave me my results.
After finding out about my sensitivities (which make up a long list of common and not-so-common allergens) both my digestion and my skin are almost completely normal. It took about 2 months to heal, and I do notice that if I do have a bit of non-friendly food here or there I start to get a bit of dryness, but now I feel like I can control it!
Hope you figure things out soon. I know how frustrating it can be.
Hi Jessica, I appreciate you sharing your experience! Is this blood test the same thing as a allergy scratch test? I’ve heard there are a couple different allergy tests but I’m confused what the difference is. I’ve had the scratch test done a few years ago and nothing came up.
Hi Angela – nope, it’s not a scratch test. It was actually prescribed by my naturopath. They send you to a lab to get some blood drawn. The blood is then analyzed for immune responses when different food proteins ( I had a panel of 150 most common foods, and there are Vegan panels available too) are introduced to it. Although it is not recognized as infallible, I had great success with eliminating the foods that produced the most significant responses: wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, some nuts and legumes. I had some real weird ones too, like pineapple! Who would’ve thought.
They suggest that you usually eliminate the foods in the “red zone” for at least 6 months, and then slowly reintroduce one at a time to see if they produce responses for you. When I did reintroduce a bit of soy or dairy, they definitely provoked significant responses in terms of digestion and skin irritation, all reactions that are connected to auto-immune activity.
Anyways, just some “food” for thought. Again, the tests are not proven to be extremely accurate (although in my case, I think it did a great job and other people have had similar successes), but for me it was worth it because then I could really concentrate on the “red zone” foods to eliminate and reintroduce.
Oh, Angela, I feel your pain, so so much. It’s been a lifetime of suffering for me, but this last couple of years has been the worst (or maybe I’m just done putting up with it!), which is what started me on this new, more extensive journey find out why and to stop it. I started with wheat, and have been wheat/gluten free for a couple of years. It didn’t help much with my eczema, but it did help with my gut. Turns out it’s NOT normal to be gassy all the time. Who knew?
I moved on to getting rid of detergents. The only detergent I use now is in my dishwasher. I haven’t made that switch yet. I do think that has helped a lot. But my greatest improvement has been when I gave up dairy. The last 6 weeks or so has been a lot better.
I’m SUPER interested in what Jessica has posted about. Gosh, wouldn’t it be awesome to just not eat certain things and have clear skin???
Thank you Jessica, I will definitely look into it!. As I said, the scratch testing came back negative for me a few years ago, so it would be nice to try something else out. I’m so glad it was helpful for you!
I had the blood allergy testing done too. It was pretty amazing what came back. I then went to see a Holistic Allergist in Oakville, as there was no way that I was going to be able to eliminate some of the things that were bothering me (e.g., all natural sugars). Turns out there were way more when the allergist did her testings on my. She uses BIE (Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination) to treat the allergy and get rid of it forever ever! I am a new woman thanks to her!
http://naturalallergysolutions.com/
It sounds like I have just recently had the same type of testing as Jessica. It was called ELISA testing, which is a way to test delayed allergic reaction to foods. In my case 154 foods were tested and 15 showed up. I eliminate these foods for 3 months and have started eating on a 4 day rotation. (This is a challenge being I am single.) Then after three months I can start adding in the eliminated foods one at a time and see what happens. Some of the foods I have to elimnate include ones I was eating almost daily like almonds, various legumes, and vanilla. I had already eliminated Gluten and Dairy, but gluten still showed up. Anyway, this may be a good direction to go to at least get an idea if there are foods causing your skin issues. These types of testing can also be done for environmental things you cold be sensitive to like pollens and molds. I wish you the best!!
Hi Angela,
I think the test that Jessica is talking about is called the ‘Mediator Release Test (MRT). I’m just finishing up my certification to be able to run this test for clients, what she is describing sounds very similar. It’s a really good test, and does test for 150 foods and chemicals.
Laura
Hi Angela
I second Jessicas on te allergy blood test. I have done it for me and my son and we found out about other allergies we were not aware of. For example, Inknew that I could not eat gluten, and that was positive, but one of the biggest ofender for me was buckwheat, and I had no idea. My son had the same, and some plus dairy (which we knew since he was very young), plus other things too.
It is an easy test, but expensive, however I felt it was worth it.
Ana
Hi Angela,
If you are going to have allergy testing, I would suggest you have blood tests. Scratch tests can be helpful but can also show that you are allergic to several foods simply because you eat them regularly. Blood tests are better for determining true food allergies.
I have also suffered from mysterious allergies. It can be very hard and intensely frustrating. The best thing I ever did was go gluten free and start alkalizing every morning by starting my day with citrus before any other food entered my body for several hours after. Doing this not only dramatically improved my health, hair and skin, but also helped eliminate a pre-cancerous condition in a very short time. Good luck!
I had Carroll Food Intolerance Testing (is a blood test) done through a naturopath and found out I’m dairy, soy and sugar intolerant (including foods that contain it). The test cost around 70.00. Maybe there is something similiar in ON you can look into. I’m on an elimination diet right now and she says my skin issues on my face, red patches around mouth and nose, should begin to clear after 2 weeks or so. Good luck to you!