Help needed - conquering my food phobia

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

Ive decided to take the plunge and really get to grips with my Sitiophobia and get back to how I was before everything went t*ts up. So this is possibly going to be a long post and sounds quite pathetic in places but bear with me please!

Basically I use to eat really healthily, and loved my food etc but now I basically stick to everything the same, all the same ingredients, and the food shop is the same basic boring stuff all the time. I dont use spices:eek: , or herbs:eek: , or oils:eek: , or seasonings!:eek: everything is plain bar gravy and chicken stock.

I have a really hard time eating everything different. It causes a great deal of distress not only to me but people who are with me as I tend to panic and have been known to pass out through a panic attack before because of it.

Basically it was triggered when I was 16 - I ate something, had a reaction to it and my lips swelled (what it was I have no idea), it has happened twice since then. (yes twice in almost 8 years and Im a wreck with food because of it) and it was a horrible experience - i was never hospitalised or anything but it freaked me enough to put me off food basically - hence doing so much OSing now i think so i know whats in my food.

Anyway I have a very understanding mother in law who keeps any food i eat at hers basic (ie nothing fancy) and last week she actually got me to eat a 'farmers market own beefburger'. (oh god how sad do i sound). I havent eaten one in nearly 8 years and my god it was lovely and hey no side effects from eating it. Then on Wednesday she gave me rice (plain white rice) and again no problems. ok i only had a spoonful but to me its a big thing and I enjoyed it.

It took me almsot 3 months to pluck up the courage to eat one of twinks hobnobs because of the golden syrup in them and now i consider them a dietary stable! :doh:

So I was wondering - what other things would people recommend me trying next??? I tend to avoid nuts and cherries (these are the two things ingredients that triggered the reactions last time) but I want ideas of things I can try/make that wont be too daunting that I could start to use in cooking more. My poor son and bf basically eat what I eat so they have a rather restrictive diet and I want to try and make a sort of checklist of things for me to try, so i can start to use them more in cooking - does that make any sense? I've already got garlic on my list of 'to try' items but need a few more ideas please.

(have just gone back and read my thread back - oh how sad i sound)

kitschy

Doesn't sound weird at all, Sammy! I'm a little similar - I have a problem with a lot of foods but I'm getting there slowly. Until a few months ago I hadn't eaten any seafood for 20+ years and have never eaten indian food. I can't be in a room with an open banana and eggs frighten the life out of me! I'm getting there slowly, albeit to the amusement of my friends, and a spoonful at a time is fab.

My best friend puts a little of something in my food and then tells me afterwards!

ifonlyitwaseasier

you don't sound in the least bit sad, and i'm sure we can find some things for you to try on here :grouphug:

how about starting with something simple, some soup and add some herbs

maybe carrot and coriander? just dry fry off some onion, add as much chopped carrot as you like and cover with chicken stock. i cook it til the carrot is soft then add some chopped fresh coriander and blitz it up.

taste lovely and i hope you'll like it

luby-lou

I don't think you're sad! Well done admitting it to everyone here - I bet that's a big step for you.

I know my dad has a reaction to black grapes and in turn pink champagne too as its made from them - he gets itchy all over and his face swells up.

Perhaps you could try adding in one of the no-no's you mentioned like oils, herbs, seasonings as they less likely to cause a reaction to you. I know red fruits can set some people off, things like strawberries, tomatoes, etc. so stick to the basics first then you could get more adventurous!

It might help to set yourself a target - maybe 1 new food every week (or 2 weeks if every week sounds too much). Make sure you have a reward for youself if you successfully try something new to help motivate you.

Good Luck!!!

mrsk

I think you are really brave to be trying, OP. How about buying a pot of a fresh herb and just smelling it for a bit? Parsley? or whatever smells best to you in the shop. Then, when you feel brave, rubbing a leaf between your fingers? Then sprinkling a bit over food?

moo2moo

You don't sound sad at all. Everyone deals with food allergies differently. It takes a lot of courage to try something new on the off chance that it may cause a reaction. I have the reverse problem. My DD has a dairy intollerance but eats ice cream every chance she gets even though it gives her explosive diahorrea and stomach cramps and makes her bottom burn and her tummy feel like its on fire. The dairy free ice cream simply doesn't taste as good apparently.

If your M-I-L is as supportive as she sounds why not ask her to freeze (or save) a teeny tiny portion of everything she makes for you. That way you won't get more than a mouthful of any one thing. You'll quickly learn what does and doesn't trigger a reaction.

This will sound totally weird but why not try a few jars of baby food. They are designed for babies so avoid all the common allergens, come in small portions and are a great way to introduce new foods without having to cook. One a week of those won't break the bank either as the majority are 50p. I can wholly recommend Apple Crumble as a start point and the chocolate pudding is lovely ooh and the butternut squash. There are some mouthwatering options out there from the very bland Rice Pudding to cottage pies, risottos and banoffee pudding. Does anyone else spot the puddingy theme emerging here?

sammy_kaye18

Thanks all firslty for being so understanding and secondly making me feel less of a freak

I like the sound o f the carrot and corriander soup so im planning to nip to tesco now so i may pick up some fresh corriander (if i can find the stuff - i dont even know what it smells like - is it the big flat leaves?) thanks isfonly

mrs k - i think thats a good idea - liek i said im off and hopign to get some corriander today so it may be a whil ebefor ei pluck u0p the courage to eat it (i have a recipe to use it in now) so i think seeing it, smellign, touching will help me get over it and make it slightly easier so i will do that too

luby loo - im hoping that one food a week will be ok. Ive got fresh orange juice for this week (something so simple) so Im hoping to try that later (it end to try in the evenings when boyfriend s home in case i do have a reaction).

kitschy - well done on trying new things too. Do you have problems with textures or just freaked by foods like me?

moo2moo - how do you know all these baby foods are nice? :rolleyes: lol did read your thread and choclate jumped out at me - got me thinking that i havent had a hot chocolate in years eithe rso im wondering if i should make this a 'to try' thing to. Mmmm.........cadburys hot choclate - then when im really good and try whipped cream again i could have that too!

(forgot to add i am a trifle feind but have only had the birds dream topping - is that really cream??? or processed rubbish??)

Sarahsaver

If thi8ngs triggered a reaction then you dont need to eat them to see if they will again.
i did this with my DS when he was little. i spread peanut butter on his hand after he used to go blotchy and spit out anything with nuts. Aged about 3 i think he was , i spread a bit of peanut butter on his hand and he was ok so i then knew he would probably be ok to eat it, BUT if you have a proper allergy get it checked out by a professional;)

Thing about this is you are taking great steps and doing whats best not only for yourself but also your child

Toonie

I have recently developed severe reactions to certain fruits (my lips and tongue swell up and its difficult to breathe) so I know where you are coming from. I think the best thing you can do is cook something you'd normally make, but perhaps add a little something extra to it, such as a few herbs, or maybe a little spice.

You could start with things like making your own biscuits or cakes and adding a little mixed spice. A few weeks ago I made a normal sponge recipe (weighed two eggs, same quantities of flour, sugar and butter) and then added a teaspoon of mixed spice. I then made some icing with the juice from an orange. I managed to get one small slice of cake before it was eaten by everyone else.

ifonlyitwaseasier

have a lookk at the picture here

http://uktv.co.uk/food/ingredient/aID/505327/

the leaves smell lovely and even if you just have them on the windowsill to look at for a while its a step forward so be proud of yourself for that

pmorrisjones

Have you an aversion to injections? If not then ask your doctor if you can have a special pen-like tube that, should you have a bad reaction, you can just put against your skin and push plunger. It has an anti - histamine type thing in it. You can then try foods without fear as this pen will stop problems in their tracks. People have them for bee stings, so its quite normal and as it looks pen - like you can keep it in your bag without embarrassment (don't try to write shopping list with it though). You are being very brave, not sad at all. We all are frightened of something, yours has a rational basis. Mine, heights, hasn't. 2 steps up a very small step ladder and I'm a wreck. Good luck.