June 30, 2022
Whenever I ate an onion, no matter what kind, I would end up with a headache. Sometimes my stomach would cramp as well. There were even times when just being around the strong smell of onion would give me a headache.
I never understood this until my tomato allergy was resolved.
As part of the N.A.E.T. allergy treatment you cannot have any direct and preferably no indirect contact with the triggering substance for 24 hours after the treatment. The doctor told me to avoid tomatoes, potatoes and onions.
Since this experience I have also been able to eat anything onion and enjoy it.
I never seemed to have any problems with potatoes. This could be due to the fact that I always felt ill to one degree or another and so did not notice anything unusual. It could also be that I really did not have any reaction. However, as I am writing this I am remembering that my stomach almost always had some kind of mild discomfort after eating. Again, it was such a normal part of my life that I did not think anything of it.
I grew up in a farming community. Potatoes were a main crop in the area. They were definitely a staple in our house. So, it is good that I could eat them. Because food allergies were not a "thing" when I was growing up I most likely would have just been perceived as an overly picky eater.
I was quite skinny throughout my youth and many people did frequently accuse me of being a picky eater. Because of my experiences I have never forced my children to eat something. I have encouraged them to have at least one "no thank you" bite of healthy food. I had discovered that our bodies are really good at knowing. If we listen to what our bodies are telling us then our lives generally go better. (Of course, this does not apply to addictions.). I never forced my children to take treats. There were times when well-meaning people forced treats on them. I allowed and sometimes even encouraged them to later throw away what they knew was not good for them. This always came with a discussion about food choices and our health.