Food allergies can be very dangerous. Later, in my 30s, I began experiencing the same food allergy symptoms. They were so distinct that I knew immediately it was a food allergy. After a trip to the allergist and several skin tests (known allergens, up to several hundred, are loaded on to tiny needles and your arms are pricked with these, then the doctors wait about 15 minutes to see if your skin reacts to any of the substances), the doctor was unable to find the source of my discomfort. Long story short, I had to keep a food journal of every ingredient in everything I ate to isolate the offending substance.

I learned that I am allergic to “monocalcium phosphate,” a “natural” anti-caking agent present in hundreds of foods. I also learned that I am “dose-sensitive,” which means that my body can tolerate some amount of this substance over a given period of time. What is that amount? Impossible to tell. So now I am careful about what I eat, and carry anti-allergy medicine, in case I feel an attack coming on. Thank goodness I don’t have a serious allergy, like to nuts. Those folks have to carry an Epi-pen (epinephrine) because attacks can be fatal. Other dangerous allergies include shellfish, bee stings, penicillin, and other medicines. In general, pay attention to your body, and when it reacts in an unusual way, get medical attention immediately. Better to be safe than sorry!

Well the chances are no and in fact, only 1% of adults have true food allergies. The discomfort or sickness that we commonly experience is food intolerance. Intolerance is different from food allergy symptoms because it can be either internally or externally provoked (such as food poisoning or lactose intolerance).

Intolerances to food are bothersome but non-life threatening. It is important, however, to know if you have a food allergy because although preliminary symptoms may be mild, the outcome of an untreated allergic reaction can be fatal.

The most common allergy foods to cause allergic reactions are eggs, milk, wheat, sugar and yeast. So what are the symptoms? Because of the complex nature of the digestion and physical differences between people, food allergy symptoms can vary.

However, the first reaction usually occurs in the mouth or throat in the form of itching or difficulty breathing. More severe facial reactions can be swelling of the lips and face. As the food is digested and travels deeper into the digestive tract, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can occur. This is the stage at which food allergies and intolerance are often confused.

As digestion continues, the allergen reaches the bloodstream, and eventually the skin, causing hives to break out on the surface. When the lungs are reached, the allergen can even cause constricting of the airways, such as asthma. If experiencing an allergic reaction for the first time, it is important to seek medical care immediately and to recount what you have consumed.

Although allergic reactions typically occur within an hour of consumption, it has been found that a reaction may occur within a week. Of course, once an allergy has been identified, it is imperative to stay away from food containing it (it may be a group of foods). Hopefully, your allergen won’t be something delicious like chocolate.

I’m afraid it is not so simple at all especially when food allergies can be a life or death matter. A person with a food allergy must weave his way through a tangled maze of labels. Trying to avoid allergy foods is complicated by manufacturers using multiple ingredients and hidden ingredients along with poor food labeling. Until recently labels were extremely difficult if not impossible to decipher. Recently manufacturers have been required to list common allergens on their labels. So that makes it simple right?

No, this is not entirely foolproof. Each time a person who has a food allergy tries a new food they are gambling that the food will not trigger an allergy. A person with a food allergy typically starts with no safe foods and starts accumulating a list of foods that they have discovered are safe.

Crustaceans include crabs, lobster, crayfish, and shrimp. Crustacean allergy is different from a fish allergy. Someone might be allergic to one but not to the other. A problem is cross contamination. You might order one thing that is prepared in the same area as something different that you are allergic to.

Eggs and milk are ingredients in many baked goods. Gluten products are extremely difficult to avoid. Recently there are gluten free products advertised but they are still difficult to find and can be more expensive than a product with gluten.

Peanuts used to be the staple food in peanut butter and jelly packed lunches and airplane snacks. Now with food allergies it is difficult to bring peanuts anywhere with you. Tree nuts are often processed in facilities that process peanuts. Soybeans or their derivatives are used as a meat substitute in many vegetarian products.

Pasta: Whole wheat spaghetti, penne, lasagna sheets and macaroni

Flavors: herbs, spices and seasonings; whole garlic, garlic paste, tomato paste, chili paste, bottled ginger, low-sodium Worcestershire sauce, soy sauces and bottled marinades

Dried Fruits: Cranberries, cherries, blueberries and raisin

Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pecans; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flax seeds

Oils: Olive oil, canola oil, nonstick cooking spray, safflower oil, flavored oils

Stocks: Low-fat, low-sodium canned soups and soup mixes; low-sodium, fat-free broths, bouillon cubes and stock concentrates

Breads and Cereals: Whole grain breads, rolls and bagels; whole wheat flour; whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, bran flakes or low-fat granola.

This is a basic list but gives you an idea of what low fat foods to stock in a low fat kitchen to prepare flavorful, nutritious meals. Make sure to include nuts, seeds, oils and fatty fish in your diets in moderation as the fat from these sources is heart healthy. Don’t forget to include fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet. Pastas and breads are commonly low in fat but it is important to check the labels to for its nutritional content..

Pay special attention to exactly how much you are eating so portion size is important. The secret to eating low fat foods is the preparation. You can accomplish this by using non-stick cookware and using spices to perk up the flavor of your food rather than using high calorie seasonings. Use olive oil for cooking as it adds flavor and is healthier.

Another healthy option is eating stir fry vegetables cooked in a little olive oil and vegetable broth to add flavor. When making gravy you can use broth with flour and thicken it with milk.

One of the easiest most convenient and funnest ways to incorporate a low fat diet plan into your schedule involves shopping at your local farmers markets. Farmers markets are sprouting up all over the country offering consumers the freshest produce available, usually the fruits and vegetables come from farms within 100 miles of the market location.

Farmers markets are great sources of fresh local produce that can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways and it’s perfect for those trying to follow a low fat diet plan. For example pick up some fresh fruit such as strawberries in the late spring and early summer, peaches and plums in the early summer, and apples and pears in the late summer for healthy low fat snacks. Salad greens, fresh summer tomatoes, and cucumbers make an excellent salad, perfect for a low fat appetizer.

All fruits and vegetables, aside from avocado’s and coconut, are naturally low in fat. Additionally, many farmers markets have vendors selling fresh home made bread (just make sure it’s whole wheat for a high fiber low fat option), local eggs (which often contain higher omega-3 concentrations than store bought eggs), and local cheese (often available in low and reduced fat varieties). Not only will you be helping your body by eating fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers market, but you will also be helping support your local farmers. It is a win win situation for everyone! Now go ahead and start your low fat diet plan today, do not put it off so you can finally lose the weight and keep it off.

You get a bag of chips and place it on your lap with every intention to just eat a few chips. You are half way finished when your bag before you realize what you’ve just done. You feel terrible and ready to give up on your diet because you think you just don’t have what it takes. An easy way to solve the problem of unhealthy snacking is to either schedule more, smaller meals throughout the day or eat healthier, more filling, low fat snacks.

Most companies make snacks in such a way that they will make the most money possible. Is it in their best interest to make a snack that will cause people to continue eating and wanting more snacks or one that will satisfy people’s hunger? The obvious choice is the one that keeps consumers wanting more and more snacks. If the consumer is still craving more snacks then the company is going to sell more food and make more money. Consumers must opt for the low fat snack approach. It is more healthy and cheaper. Instead of constantly challenging your will power, you only need to challenge it once a week for about an hour: at the grocery store. Go to the store and don’t buy chips or candy or any other unhealthy snacks. Avoid most anything packaged and especially avoid the “snack” aisle of your grocery store.

Look for the low fat snacks. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat cheese, and other low-fat dairy products. Fruits and vegetables are an obvious choice for health because of the fiber and high antioxidant levels; berries and broccoli are two very healthy low fat snacks. Whole grains such as wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, and wheat bagels are great healthy snacks because they are also high in fiber and will fill you up much better than non whole wheat products.

The high protein low carb diet works on two basic principles that are often overlooked. First is meal distribution. Meal distribution refers to the number of meals you eat per day and at what time in the day these meals are consumed. Meal distribution is extremely important as the high protein low carb diet works by increasing your natural rate of metabolism, which is why this diet will keep the weight off even after it is stopped.

I typically follow a 6 meal distribution. The cycle begins at 8:00 am and another meal is eaten every two and a half hours afterwards with the last meal at 8:30 pm. Never eat within two hours of going to bed, this will slow down your metabolism at night and greatly hinder your ability to lose weight and put on muscle.

The second most important aspect of a high protein low carb diet is meal scaling. Meal scaling refers to the amount of carbohydrates consumed at different times. The two types of meal scaling are day based and schedule based. Schedule based meal scaling should revolve around a repeating schedule. My schedule consists of a 3 day routine repeating over a five week time period. The first day of the routine is when you consume the most carbohydrates, I adhere to 150g on this day. The next day each decrease your carbohydrate intake by 1/3 of the number of carbohydrates consumed on the first day. Therefore, a typical schedule consists of; 1st day: 150g carbs, 2nd day: 100g carbs, 3rd day: 50g carbs. This cycle should be repeated until the desired weight is reached or for a predetermined amount of time. I typically focus on a five week routine.

Day based meal scaling refers to the number of carbs ingested during each of the six meals during the day. This is done by dividing the number of grams of carbs alotted for that day by fifteen. This number is your base portion. The first meal of the day should be 4x the base portion, the second and third should be 3x the base portion, the fourth and fifth should be 2x the base portion, and the last meal should be 1x the base portion. By adhering to scaling, the metabolism is trained to metabolize higher in the morning, producing energy and releasing fat reservoirs later in the day. This will maximize your fat loss. As for the protein intake.

I usually follow a portion of 1.5g of protein for every pound of your desired weight. For instance, if your target weight is 160 pounds, every day you would consume 240g of protein. In addition to the high protein low carb restrictions of this diet, it is also recommended to drink 2 gallons of water a day. This trains your body not to retain water, giving your body a more “cut” look. In addition, by not consuming salts, this effect is even more increased.

The final key to this type of diet is for quick losses. By avoiding fruits and dairy products, fat loss is achieved quicker. This is because these types of products contain simple sugars and fats that are easily converted to fat cells in your body. Instead, complex sugars, such as those found in rice and potatoes should be consumed instead. This diet is not for the uncommitted, but will definitely increase you ability to reach your target weight and body fat percentage if you follow it stringently.

For snacks, we have plenty of cashews, almonds, pistachio’s and walnuts within reason. One has to be careful not to eat too much of these, as they are packed with calories and can easily pack on the pounds ds if too much are eaten.

To stay on track with our high protein diets and break up the boredom of the same foods all the time, I purchased 2 different books with low carb recipes, which I use almost daily. George Stella’s “Living Low Carb” is my personal favorite. I have tried nearly every recipe from the “mock” potato salad made with cauliflower, to Renee’s Roasted Cinnamon Candied Nuts. We do eat fruit in our diet, but within moderation. My husband may have 1/2 a bananna for a snack, and I may eat a few pieces of watermelon or grapes as a midday snack.

The high protein diet seems to keep us full for most of the day. Therefore we are less likely to grab that bag of chips or candy bar because of hunger pangs. I have read various articles that warn of clogged arteries due to high consumption of fats associated with the high protein diet. However, we both excersize daily and are very careful not to consume too much of anything. We may have 3-4 pieces of bacon with breakfast, but certainly don’t eat 10 pieces of bacon in one meal.

I think with any successful diet it is important to enjoy the foods we eat so we can stay psycologically satisfied, and stick to it. It also helps to have a routine of 3 meals a day, with healthy snacks, as well as an easy to follow excersize routine. Eating high protien low carb has worked for us, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime!

In order to make testing results accurate, scientists eliminate variables. So, in these tests, foods are eaten alone on an empty stomach, and the resulting blood sugar and insulin levels are measured. Why is that significant? In real diet situations, carbohydrate foods are almost never eaten alone and the composition of a mixed meal drastically alters the glycemic response to foods. Specifically, fat and fiber slow the rate of gastric emptying, spreading the carbohydrate load over a longer time and blunting the measured peak insulin response. So, while the data gathered from these tests is certainly interesting in an academic sense, it doesn’t provide enough information alone to plan a diet. What additional information do we need to consider about the glycemic index diet?

A compelling argument can be made for choosing foods that are considered low “GI” since, on a low calorie diet, there may not be room for sufficient fat to appreciably slow the glycemic response to foods that rate high on a glycemic index. In those situations one would be wise to choose the whole grains and non-starchy vegetables often recommended on a low glycemic index diet.

Of course, the issue of appetite control is not insignificant on any diet, and people who are insulin resistant and/or overweight often respond poorly to a low fat, high carbohydrate diet because of rapid swings in blood sugar. In these cases, lowering the amount of carbohydrate in the diet, the glycemic load, can help with food control when you’re on the glycemic index diet.

Protein does also contribute slightly to glycemic load, as a small percentage of all protein digested is transformed into glucose and does invoke an insulin response, but most studies show that protein is the most effective macronutrient at supressing appetite; therefore, reducing protein on any low calorie diet is likely to result in less appetite supression.

Therefore, combining a moderately high level of protein with whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and a moderate amount of fat will be the best bet for anyone who is overweight and/or insulin resistant in that sufficient protein and fat will be consumed to stabilize blood sugar and reduce appetite while still allowing the dieter to enjoy foods from all three macronutrient groups.

Low glycemic foods will have a slower digestion rate, and cause less of a spike in blood pressure. They will allow the dieter to feel fuller for a longer period of time, and inevitably, the dieter will eat less food.

Most carbohydrates with low glycemic levels are healthier, contain high levels of nutrients, and high fiber levels. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables have the lowest glycemic amounts, although some foods, widely known for being unhealthy, also have low glycemic amounts. Such low glycemic foods are the basis of the glycemic diet.

For example, some candies and chips, have lower amounts than some fruits and vegetables. This has created a controversy with the low glycemic diet. The dieter should use common sense when determining the correct foods to eat.

Another reason for uncertainty, is the fact that glycemic levels vary depending on the ripeness of a product; to the way it is cooked. The addition of fat and or protein can lower glycemic levels as well. Many dieters and experts have reported success using the low glycemic diet. The best results occur in diabetics who need help controlling their insulin and glycemic levels.

This diet can be used to replace traditional low carb diets or low calorie diets that do not usually work for dieters. When one uses his/her common sense to choose healthy foods, this diet  works out better than trying to lower his/her carbohydrates and caloric intake. If one starts doing the low glycemic diet, or sometimes called the low glycemic index diet, it will lower their blood sugar levels and reduce their risk of heart disease.