Food Allergies and Weight Loss - Shape Magazine

About a year ago, I decided enough was enough. I had a tiny rash on my right thumb for years and it itched like crazy?I couldn?t take it anymore. My doctor recommended an anti-itch cream, but I didn?t want to fight the symptoms, I wanted it to disappear?for good.

I took it upon myself to start researching possible sources. After scouring many books, articles, and websites, I made the decision to start eliminating foods.

It seemed like when I drank beer on the weekends my little rash intensified, so brewsky was the first thing to go. After a few days of passing on the suds, my rash got a little better but it didn?t go away.

Next I took out wheat (bascially all bread), and after two days my rash completely disappeared! I couldn?t believe it. I found sweet relief from simply skipping wheat. Did this mean I was allergic to wheat?

During my first meeting with my registered dietitian, Lauren, she asked about food allergies. I told her the story above and mentioned that I thought I had been allergic to eggs years ago, but now I eat them every day.

Lauren said pinpointing allergies is important during weight loss because foods can actually prevent our bodies from losing weight. Since I was showing signs of possible allergies, Lauren said taking a food sensitivity panel would offer insight.

RELATED: You don't need a doc to diagnose everything. Use these five DIY health tests that could save your life.

I learned that some food allergies can cause inflammation, the growth of unhealthy bacteria, and even weight gain.?

My test results came back and I was stunned: I had 28 food sensitivities. The most severe were eggs, pineapple, and yeast (my rash was triggered by yeast, not wheat after all!). Next came cow?s milk and banana, and on the mild side of the spectrum were soy, yogurt, chicken, peanuts, cashews, garlic, and, most surprisingly, green beans and peas.

Immediately I stopped eating or drinking anything with yeast. I eliminated all baked goods, pretzels, and bagels and replaced them with whole foods like meat and veggies and snacked on celery and cream cheese or pork rinds (they?re high in protein).

I also replaced my daily eggs (which I was not thrilled about since I ate them every day) with a few strips of bacon and avocado or my leftovers from dinner. A few days after making these changes, I noticed my stomach wasn?t bloated?at all. While the scale only moved down a smidge, I felt like I had dropped five pounds overnight.

RELATED: Bloated? Suffering from indigestion? Try one of these seven foods that ease an upset stomach.

I?m doing my best to eliminate the other foods on my list, although Lauren says that I can rotate the mild sensitivities every four days.

At this point, I ?feel? thinner from these little changes and I?m thrilled to finally know what was triggering that annoying little rash. Sometimes it?s the little changes that lead to a better quality of life.?

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-diary/are-food-allergies-making-you-fat

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