How the allergen free journey began (-Eric-)

It all began after numerous trips to the ER in 2008. At first, the doctors told me I just had indigestion. Really? Like I don't know the difference between that and what I was experiencing. I would never wish that pain on any of my worst enemies. So, after seeing a GI, they finally found out what was wrong after numerous test and procedures. My allergies for certain foods were off the charts. No wonder I was having such gut wrenching pain. The food I was eating was LITERALLY killing me slowly. I was told to steer clear of those foods/items so I wouldn't do any further damage to my digestive tract. Those foods are: wheat, gluten, all dairy/dairy based, beef, and eggs.

Sounds easy enough right? Given all the different things we can eat. WRONG! At first, the hardest thing for me to give up was dairy. I had my cereal every morning, cook with it, etc. You get the idea. Up until recently, I had not found any "milk" that tasted ok to me. Either too sweet or just plain nasty. So, with that said, I cheated on my diet. I did what the doctor said for the first few months. Then I couldn't take it anymore. I had to have bread and milk. I limited my intake to start, but then let it get out of control after awhile.

Flash forward to May 2012. My health has declined once again. No thanks to me for not doing what I was told to. The extensive damage has now affected my mental state of mind. I have now been diagnosed with panic attack disorder and severe anxiety. Was eating that food worth it? In retrospect, not really. As of then, I have now followed a strictly allergen free diet. Sure, it can be troublesome at times, but I now realize the error of my ways. It has been hard finding good alternatives to things, but we are learning and it gets easier each day. So that is why we are doing this blog. For those out there like myself, or with even worse conditions. I know how frustrating it can be at times to find a good recipe, me especially since I am particular about taste. I love to cook. It may not always look pretty, but can taste good. Same goes the other way, it may look delicious, but taste like crap.