Losing Body Heat...

[JayCS]

Never thought to mention it, some time ago an 80yo neighbour said she had a "cold allergy". Hadn't heard of it before, but found out it's called "cold(-induced) urticaria" in English, and causes hives due to a histamine reaction (so in that it's related to my MCAS).

 

[Auriel]

Wow, I'm a tiny bit more educated than I was a minute ago

 

[Rainbow]

Never thought to mention it, some time ago an 80yo neighbour said she had a "cold allergy". Hadn't heard of it before, but found out it's called "cold(-induced) urticaria" in English, and causes hives due to a histamine reaction (so in that it's related to my MCAS).

I've got MCAS too, meaning as you will well know already, no processed food, no additives, no preservatives & no sugary or salty food either as that exacerbates my Pulsatile Tinnitus & after eliminating all that there's not much left I can eat, so maybe on the plus side, I've lost a lot of weight but having said that, I look a lot older, as people do when they quickly lose weight, so may be not a plus side after all.

 

[Auriel]

I didn't even realise diet could affect tinnitus! (interesting to know rainbow) I'm sad your diet is no fun for you anymore, are you feeling better after the changes? (and weight loss)

 

[sunkacola]

I've got MCAS too, meaning as you will well know already, no processed food, no additives, no preservatives & no sugary or salty food either as that exacerbates my Pulsatile Tinnitus & after eliminating all that there's not much left I can eat, so maybe on the plus side, I've lost a lot of weight but having said that, I look a lot older, as people do when they quickly lose weight, so may be not a plus side after all.

Sometimes it feels as if we just can't win, huh?
My sympathies to you. I wonder if you could find (simple!) recipes for foods that would be ok for you to eat, but would still taste good, if you searched on the internet for them. Just a thought...you've probably already done that.

 

[Rainbow]

I didn't even realise diet could affect tinnitus! (interesting to know rainbow) I'm sad your diet is no fun for you anymore, are you feeling better after the changes? (and weight loss)

I can't rule out that connecting it to diet isn't psychological but others have made the connection too.
Nah, don't feel better, I loved my Fast Food etc, well, to be fair, I just loved food & am missing that enjoyment
& like anyone who's lost a lot of weight relatively quickly, it's very ageing wrinkle-wise etc & my clothes are hanging off me which is not a good look.

 

[Rainbow]

Sometimes it feels as if we just can't win, huh?
My sympathies to you. I wonder if you could find (simple!) recipes for foods that would be ok for you to eat, but would still taste good, if you searched on the internet for them. Just a thought...you've probably already done that.

Yep you nailed it, we just can't win!
I hate cooking, always have, since I had to do it for family for decades.
Hence living on the likes of Takeways etc, so not having to cook was a welcome luxury break for me

 

[sunkacola]

I don't like to cook, either, although (many) years ago gourmet cooking was a hobby of mine. Things change.

If I could eat take-out food every day, I would, but I live much too far from town. Since I can't do that, I have a limited sort of diet, and if it takes me more than 15 minutes to put something cooked in front of myself it's too complicated for me to do it. Fortunately, there are a few very simple easy things that are still fresh foods, plenty nutritious and balanced, that I can make in a very short amount of time if I just keep the items in stock in my house. And about once a week I make a big pan of something like stir fry and then I can eat that for the next several days without having to do anything but heat it up. That's what works for me. I hope you find what works best for you.

 

[JamieMarc]

I love my slow cooker. Every week, I make at least one recipe in the slow cooker, portion it out into four to five servings, and freeze them. Not only does it allow me to only include the foods I am able to eat, it also cuts out many preservatives and additives, and it is simple to do. Anytime there is something in the recipe that I cannot eat, I can always find an acceptable substitute and use that. Another terrific benefit for me is that cooking for myself saves me so much money! This is a huge deal since grocery prices have risen in the last year so much, and I am on a fixed income. Whenever I find a meal that I particularly like, I save that recipe or mark it with a star. Those that I don't like, I tear out the page or remove it from my recipe list. For variety, I always like to have at least two types of dishes in the freezer, as well as an assortment of frozen vegetables.

 

[JayCS]

I've got MCAS too, meaning as you will well know already, no processed food, no additives, no preservatives & no sugary or salty food either as that exacerbates my Pulsatile Tinnitus & after eliminating all that there's not much left I can eat, so maybe on the plus side, I've lost a lot of weight but having said that, I look a lot older, as people do when they quickly lose weight, so may be not a plus side after all.

More than just unprocessed etc. for me MCAS likely life long has meant not tolerating 100s of foods (and meds).
Now with the jabs triggering the MCAS, histamine has become an additional problem (causing nauseous sinus headaches).
So I'm at around 50 foods/drinks, but always re-testing, rotating, keeping low, using the enzyme DAO to reduce the histamine.
(Like baked beans 50-100g with none of the above, and am taking a good part of the tomato sauce out - which begs the point).
Pleased to be able to tolerate walnuts again after 2 years, cos so healthy and an interesting taste.
Luckily I tolerate and love foods that I just have to bite into, certain raw veggies & apples, nuts, dry fruit, green beans in a jar.
Unluckily I've all but lost my appetite for steamed cabbage however prepared, like with apples. Chopping up for 10' isn't the problem, if I'd still like it.
My only "recipes" mean hardly doing anything, esp. not cooking, don't tolerate warm, but don't like it much either, e.g. putting the green beans in a bowl with yogurt, or a new one: lamb's lettuce/rapunzel salad with yogurt or roasted pumpkin seed oil and apple vinegar, plus Provençal herbs.

I sometimes like the smell of others' food, so often ask for a sniff, but wouldn't at all like to eat it, and hate the taste if I do try.

Had to "unvegan" with goat/sheep jogurts & specks of cheese and and 1 egg to keep my appetite from dropping too low.

Today I've lost 10% since autumn 2022. My GP said under 10% is not considered a medical problem nowadays...

I can imagine reducing to more normal weight may mean less fatigue and less pain.
My wife doesn't like me getting skinnier, and I hardly manage to cream my face to counteract wrinkles.

 

[Rainbow]

Thank you all for sharing.

It is of some comfort to know that I'm very much not alone in this particular challenge of MCAS & P.T. triggering food Intolerances,
thus, very restricted food options.

Having said that, being a natural-born rebel, every so often, well quite often when I think about it, I say "To hell with it"
& purposely indulge in some form of, what feels to me as, 'normalcy', as I am planning to do today with an eat-out Sunday Dinner with all the trimmings.
A meal that is more than a custom in these parts (Yorkshire, England) but a tradition going back into the mists of time,
& totally accepting the very likely scenario of a very bad night tonight, a sort of trade-off with the Devil if you like.

It's so empowering to do that & it's not just about the temporary bliss of enjoying every mouthful, though that's wonderful in itself
but also very much about doing it whilst out in the company of 'normal' (?) people & being able to part of a social gathering.

So, even bearing in mind that I'll be risking a 5 day Migraine & that it's Russian Roulette with the bullet chamber loaded against me, even so, such rebellious acts are so beneficial for me personally in so many ways, including as I said, the feeling of empowerment as I've reclaimed some of my autonomy & in doing that, contributed to my mental-health well being.

However, not so much tonight & thereafter but hey, ho - Rebel Yell!

 

[Rainbow]

JayCS:

I totally relate as I've had continuous Sinusitis with accompanying Migraines since Covid,
which as you well know already, means avoiding most food options
& no form of prescribed or over-the-counter medication, including Nose Sprays etc
has ever helped one iota.

Tomatoes are my Nemesis, having gone from a lifetime of eating them more or less daily,
I now struggle to cope with any form of them & they seem to be in everything, as does salt & sugar.
Having said that, I tried literally a Teaspoon of Baked Beans recently whilst eating a meal, plus drank a lot of water after
& apart from increased sound-level of P.T. got away with it.

Interestingly, what I have noted is that more & more people are developing food/ingredients/preservative/additives/chemical Intolerances, which may. or may not, be linked to Covid, other viral infections or an over-polluted planet, perhaps particularly as regards the soil & water tables but I do hope there is research work being done on exactly why this is happening, as it seems to be becoming much more common & there has to be a reason for it.

 

[Rainbow]

Oh forgot to mention -

just to add to the list of ongoing challenges...

am also Photosensitive ie cannot bear bright light/s eg the merest glimpse of modern car headlights can cause a Migraine
so I try to avoid being on the road travelling in a car after twilight/dark.

Plus, am Hypersensitive to environment & sound, especially repetitive sounds
& even the shrieks of young children can be a form of tortuous sensation, akin to being stabbed.

I describe it as feeling like I have no skin on at all so am open to all that discomforts &/or damages me.

In short, am finding being me on a daily basis is fast becoming beyond challenging
but even so, I still try to soldier on, as am sure many of you are trying to do in the same way
& knowing of what you speak - sincerely, my heart goes out to you all.

 

[JayCS]

& no form of prescribed or over-the-counter medication, including Nose Sprays etc has ever helped one iota.

My last & best insight was that even my antihistamine was causing this "histamine reaction", illogically. (Made me think: I just looked up the excipients: nothing in it I'd react to, like the excipients of my CVD meds.) So I now use only GABA to increase serotonin to decrease histamine, and as said, DAO.

Tomatoes are my Nemesis, having gone from a lifetime of eating them more or less daily,

Yeah, difficult one that, after loads of sleuthing I found it severely irritates my colon for days, 24 hours after eating.

Interestingly, what I have noted is that more & more people are developing food/ingredients/preservative/additives/chemical Intolerances,
which may. or may not, be linked to Covid, other viral infections or an over-polluted planet, perhaps particularly as regards the soil & water tables but I do hope there is research work being done on exactly why this is happening, as it seems to be becoming much more common & there has to be a reason for it.

Well research is on to it, and studies up to now have found out that some can be caused by over-protection (avoiding peanuts too early) and too little vitamin D (not outside enough), but also too much in babies (supplementation by pregnant women).
I can well imagine modern over-hygienic lifestyle contributing as well as eating unhealthy and chemicals.
But my 100-fold intolerances were pretty full blown in the 70s and 80s, just I only found that out in the 90s. And I've never had one single allergy.... (not at all overcleanly, and living healthily since the 80s, up till fully organic since the 2010s).