Anyone for Coffee? (no boys allowed)

[Annamariah]

Hello everyone, I'm back! (Though no one probably even realised I was missing for several months... well, anyway )

Before my doctor told me I'm allergic to wheat, rye, oat and barley, I used to have oatmeal (usually with raisins) or a few slices of bread for breakfast. I really miss oatmeal and Finnish rye bread (100 % rye flour, it's dark and hard, something you really have to chew). I'm hoping I'll be able to eat them again eventually, I don't want to live the rest of my life without all my favourite foods.



Is anyone else suffering from pollen allergy? This spring hasn't been half as bad as last year, but it's still giving me a hard time.

[kiki1982]

I used to have a variety of things: muesli and yoghurt, bread and jam, knäckbröd and jam or anything sweet, frappè, cold chocolate etc

Now I have sometimes nothing, sometimes bread and jam, and coffee (Polish style).

Coffee is always on the menue though.

[qimissung]

@Annamariah, welcome back! I'm sorry to hear that you have a food allergy. I think it would be terribly difficult not to eat a food I loved. I adore oatmeal with raisins. What do you eat for breakfast now?

@Kiki, what brought about the change in your eating habits? Bread and jam is an excellent breakfast, especially a really good bread. I think I might hear the sound of music while eating that.

@Kasie, I'm sorry. At least you had some consolation. Could you treat yourselves to a massage?

[Annamariah]

@Annamariah, welcome back! I'm sorry to hear that you have a food allergy. I think it would be terribly difficult not to eat a food I loved. I adore oatmeal with raisins. What do you eat for breakfast now?

Usually either fried eggs or some gluten-free cereal (which is three times as expensive as the regular kind...). I'm allergic to pretty much all fruit and vegetables as well, so my options are few. I used to eat rice porridge too, but I got so sick and tired of it that I haven't had any for a while. It's Christmas food, anyway Some days I don't have actual breakfast but eat an early lunch instead.

The biggest problem of this diet is that because of having so many allergies I'm sick and tired with most of the things I can eat, yet I'm constantly hungry. I also don't want to go to strange places or travel, because finding something I can eat is pretty difficult. And grain-free special products are hideously expensive, yet most of them taste rather bad!

[qimissung]

Your allergic to most fruits and vegetables, too!!!! That seems a bit unfair, doesn't it?

When I think of it, my own diet is fairly limited, but it's by choice. I'm looking to expand it this summer by familiarizing myself with an understanding of places to buy and simple recipes. They have to be simple. I don't really like cooking, and I find complicated recipes confusing.

Maybe we can contribute some ideas or recipes for you that will broaden your choices a little.

[kiki1982]

From when I was a child to the time I left home at 19, I had to eat something in the morning because it was policy at home . Then I left home and I still had breakfast out of habit, until I figured that bread was a bit stupid to buy for myself as it got bad earlier than I could eat it and my husbnad took breakfast on the way to work. Then I figured I wasn't exactly hubgry in the morning but just ate because... so I decided that I would eat when hubgry. Sometimes I am hungry, sometimes not, so I eat what I want when I want. Even if that is at 11 o'clock and it is spaghetti from the day before, cold... Actually I am not that strange because for centuries, people have lived like that.

We make our own bread in our bread machine too. Sooo nice.

[Scheherazade]

For years I did not have breakfast because I was always in a hurry leaving the house but now I try to have something even though only a cereal bar... And I think I feel better for it.

No more mid-morning hunger attacks or big lunches.

[Annamariah]

Yeah, qimissung, being allergic to pretty much everything seems unfair. Since I haven't been able to eat most fruit and vegetables for over 15 years now, I've gotten used to it. It's the grain-free thing that's driving me nuts, because it means no bread, no porridge, no pasta, no pizza, no cookies... Except for the grain-free special ones that are hideously expensive and don't taste half as good as regular ones :P

At least I'd rather skip lunch than breakfast. I don't feel good if I don't eat something in the morning (though especially now that it's hard to find anything to eat, that happens every now and then, yet I always regret it later).

Kiki, I felt like that about bread too at first when I moved out and started living alone, but then I realised that I could always put most of the bread in the freezer and only leave as much as I would eat in a couple of days. After eating all those I'd take some more out of the freezer before going to bed so it would be unfrozed in the morning

[TurquoiseSunset]

Kiki, I felt like that about bread too at first when I moved out and started living alone, but then I realised that I could always put most of the bread in the freezer and only leave as much as I would eat in a couple of days. After eating all those I'd take some more out of the freezer before going to bed so it would be unfrozed in the morning

I also freeze bread, as well as muffins and hot cross buns. When I feel like having a muffin I just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

[kasie]

Gimmisung - thanks for your sympathy!! Yes, we consoled ourselves with blueberry pancakes in M&S's cafe (with a particularly dishy waiter - we never behave when we're together..) and a browse round the ladies' wear dept. My friend bought me a special 'going out for the evening' top which is nice because whenever I wear it I think of her and remember our disastrous day with a smile. It had started with us having hysterics because she was having her driveway re-laid and the heavy overnight rain had flooded it and we couldn't get out of the house: she could, because she had wellies but I couldn't until the workmen arrived and laid a series of stepping stones through the flood water and chivalrously led me by the hand to the road which was dry, all the water having drained down the drive. I bought wellies later in the day - flowery ones because I was feeling really frivolous and light-headed with laughing by that time. And yes, I've had massages, one while I was in China, from a tiny lady who looked as if she might fly away if you blew on her but who had fingers of steel - I felt sooo good after her ministrations! And I have a good friend who is a masseuse (and accupuncturist - that's - hmm- an interesting treatment, and it works, too) and she has given me both lower body massages which do my poor old hips and knees a power of good and upper body massages which help my shoulders and leave me wonderfully clear-headed. Think I might book myself a session with her - just thinking about it makes me feel the need!

Annamariah - I'm more than a little puzzled about your diet - if you can't eat fruit, veg or cereals, what do you eat?? Dairy and meat? No wonder you are bored by food!

[Annamariah]

Annamariah - I'm more than a little puzzled about your diet - if you can't eat fruit, veg or cereals, what do you eat?? Dairy and meat? No wonder you are bored by food!

Well, yeah I can eat dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, rice and corn. I can eat boiled potatoes too, but I can't even touch them when they're raw, because I'll get awful blisters on my hands if I do.

[faithosaurus]

Well, yeah I can eat dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, rice and corn. I can eat boiled potatoes too, but I can't even touch them when they're raw, because I'll get awful blisters on my hands if I do.

Oh man. That must be hard!

[Tournesol]

Annamariah, I really feel it for you!

Since I got pregnant [I'm now at 15weeks] I haven't been able to eat much, if any, meat. Dairy and eggs are alright, but highly seasoned foods are off the list. Most times I just have a microwave potato.

But fruits are my one craving - now I feel extremely blessed to be able to eat fruits.

Most days I have absolutely no appetite whatsoever to eat, and I feel so upset, plus with the acid reflux - I never want to eat, but then I know I must for the sake of the baby.

And knowing that you can't eat all these things jsut makes me sad.

I hope and pray that you find a reprieve from your allergies.

[Shalot]

And I have a good friend who is a masseuse (and accupuncturist - that's - hmm- an interesting treatment, and it works, too) and she has given me both lower body massages which do my poor old hips and knees a power of good and upper body massages which help my shoulders and leave me wonderfully clear-headed. Think I might book myself a session with her - just thinking about it makes me feel the need!

I want to go to an accupunturist...I'm curious. And if it works, well that's a bonus. So you said it was interesting...does it hurt or sting or anything?

[Tournesol]

I had acupuncture done once...on my ears of all places!

And let me tell you, if you suffer from tension ehadaches or migraines, it does wonders for it.

What I realised afterwards is that if you have a headache, or neck pain, you can always massage your ears, ear lobes, and the bones behind your ears, and this relieves the tension and pain. [and take it from me - a woman who wears the scarf and who gets earaches all the time - the ear massage works! You can do it yourself, or better yet, get someone to do it for you]

My husband had had a terrible knee injury, with which he could not kneel down. He got acupuncture done, and he was able to use his knee well after that. That was last October, and up to now he is able to kneel to pray.

Also, depending on the problem area, it will take a couple sessions of the acupuncture.