Food Allergies: Eggs, Yeast, and Walnuts

[JumpyTheFrog]

DS2 was diagnosed with dust mite and mold allergies last summer. We took him somewhere else for more thorough testing last week, and his list of environment allergens is now longer, including Kentucky bluegrass and English plantain. (We may have a lot of this because our yard is mostly weeds.)

His skin prick test also showed reactions to eggs, walnuts, and sarrcharomyces yeast. Walnuts should be easy enough to avoid. Does anyone have experience with avoiding yeast? I know many prepared foods use yeast extract, so they are out. I assume that "spices" can also mean yeast extract. What else should I be looking for?

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by JumpyTheFrog

[Junie]

Has he had reactions to these foods before?  What did the allergist recommend doing?

When some of my kids had very minor reactions, we were told to let them keep eating the food in moderation so that they would not develop a more serious allergy.  Very minor are key words, here, though.  For severe reactions elimination is necessary.

*Note: I'm not a doctor.  I'm just sharing our experience

 

[JumpyTheFrog]

We haven't had a follow-up with the doctor yet. The papers we were given said to use the food list to guide an elimination diet and then try each food one at a time. He often starts coughing about 20-30 minutes after eating, so food does affect him. He also tends to do a lot of throat clearing around the same time, although taking digestive enzymes has reduced that by 90%. (In the spring I suspected silent reflux and had him take Pepcid AC in addition to his allergy meds. It seemed to help. However, the digestive enzymes seem to work just as well.) He uses an inhaler for exercise, but still has some shortness of breath fairly regularly. A few times a month he'll have some shortness of breath after eating.

[Jean in Newcastle]

As far as what he can eat, he can eat a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, meat etc.  He's going to be mostly impacted when it comes to baked goods.  When I was egg-free, I was able to use an "egg replacer" in baking - if I remember correctly, that included pureed prunes.  I've also used applesauce.  There are yeast free bread recipes out there - soda bread is the first one that comes to mind.  Let me just say that the Ener-G Yeast free rice loaf (available in some grocery stores and health food stores) is the grossest nastiest thing on the planet! 

You are correct about hidden ingredients.  The best (if you can swing it) is to cook more whole-foods, from scratch meals.