Food Sensitivites

[sar1437]

Hello, I am reaching out to you for help! I want to adopt the plant-based lifestyle for myself and my 14-year-old son, however, we both have severe reactions to certain foods. We currently eat meat/seafood, fruits, and vegetables. We cannot eat any grains, legumes, or nightshade vegetables. My son also has life-threatening allergies to nuts. Please help me find a way to begin this new way of eating without getting sick. The last time we tried eating a tiny amount of beans (literally a couple beans), we both ended up with high fevers and vomiting, and remained ill for over a month. Does anyone have any advice on how to adopt this way of eating? Thank you!

[Lyndzie]

You can totally follow this way of eating, even with your food restrictions. For starches, center your meals around hard squashes and sweet potatoes, with the fruits and veg you enjoy on the side. There are many types of winter squash, such as acorn, delicata, spaghetti, kabocha, butternut, etc, and many types of sweet potatoes, too, so that the meals don’t get too monotonous.

If you can tolerate the pseudo-grains, like buckwheat and quinoa, those would be nice additions, but definitely not required. Also, some people don’t do well with beans but can tolerate lentils.

I’ve heard of people switching to this diet and eventually being able to add in foods that had previously caused them problems. Hopefully by moving away from animals and oils you’ll be able to heal and increase your food selection.

[sar1437]

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I really appreciate your time.

[Vegankit]

I would start with the Elimination Diet. Normally I wouldn't advise anyone to start this way of eating with such a limited diet - but given your food sensitivities it might be a safer choice. I've put 2 links below to the information.

https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2002nl ... 00diet.htm
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2014nl ... ncases.htm

As Lyndzie mentioned, you might find that you can eat some foods that currently you can't. I myself can't eat rice which is one of the suggested starches so be open to switching around the starches till you find what works and build on that. I have to avoid gluten, but I can eat quinoa and gluten free oatmeal and other non-gluten grain (except rice).

[sar1437]

Okay, that's very helpful. I will look into that. Thank you!