Vegan/Vegetarian diet and allergies

[Daxx]

I can almost guarantee that I will get bad hayfever when I'm faithfully vegetarian or vegan, but being omnivorous for a bit (still not a lot of meat) seems to keep it at bay. I'd understand if my unscientific approach has some of you rolling your eyes, but I'm so sure this is what happens—I just haven't worked out why.

To be clear - I'm not say the vegan diet is the cause, but that something I'm doing (or not doing) when I try it gives me these problems. I wonder if it's any of the following:

-is there something in meat that I'm not getting?
-more carbs in the diet?
-more soya in the diet?

That said, my diet has always been carb heavy, and there's always been some soya in my diet. I'm at a stage where I'd like to go properly vegan (over the years I've mostly been a 'bad veggie'), but I'm worried if this is what happens, then what other problems am I storing up?

Any suggestions?

 

[Lou]

I'm not rolling my eyes.
Also I think you are on the right track.
I think you May be able to figure it out on your own.
However, I wonder if the time, discomfort and possible futility makes this a worthwhile endeavor. It might just be better to see an allergy doctor - lay out your concerns - get a few tests - and get some recommendations.

its that slight intolerance that puts your immune system on alert so that hay fever becomes worse.

It could be that some vitamin that helps support your immune system is a little more deficient when you go vegan - and that is what exaggerates the problem. do you take any vitamins?

It seems like almost every time a newbie shows up with an issue I always recommend CronOmeter to them. Regardless of your problem, getting started in Cronometer is a good idea. Chronometer can track your nutrients and micronutrients. You will also need to track pollen counts and how you feel each day. and then hope to be able to spot any correlations or causations.

Then there are other variables that may need to be taken into account: hours spent outside, hours of sleep, etc.

 

[Daxx]

Thanks for the reply Lou.

Is allergy testing reliable? I had the impression it was quackery. I'll look into it if someone can recommend a UK based one.

Other than fortified foods I don't take any supplements (I know about B12).

I don't really use health apps, but you've convinced me - I've signed up for Cronometer and I'll give it a go. Starting tomorrow, today's err not been great. I'm going to ease into this and not go crazy on the soy.

 

[silva]

I can almost guarantee that I will get bad hayfever when I'm faithfully vegetarian or vegan, but being omnivorous for a bit (still not a lot of meat) seems to keep it at bay. I'd understand if my unscientific approach has some of you rolling your eyes, but I'm so sure this is what happens—I just haven't worked out why.

To be clear - I'm not say the vegan diet is the cause, but that something I'm doing (or not doing) when I try it gives me these problems. I wonder if it's any of the following:

-is there something in meat that I'm not getting?
-more carbs in the diet?
-more soya in the diet?

That said, my diet has always been carb heavy, and there's always been some soya in my diet. I'm at a stage where I'd like to go properly vegan (over the years I've mostly been a 'bad veggie'), but I'm worried if this is what happens, then what other problems am I storing up?

Any suggestions?

First you need to cut out the variables so you're sure you're not sneaking any foods or products in your diet that you don't have when you're eating omni! Sometimes it's things you wouldn't think of- teas, natural cleaning products, herbs....I even knew a woman who would start a veg diet every spring to lose weight and complain it gave her allergies! Uh, might be---spring?

I don't anything about animal products that would reduce allergies-particularly the seasonal type, but many things like hibiscus tea, or anything made from herbs or flowers could trigger allergies.
But then too, are you taking the season into account? Anytime we change diet our bodies get a bit 'weakened" because they're not getting what they're used to. How long have you stuck with plant based before?

 

[Daxx]

Hi @silva. Yes cutting out the variables is very tricky. I've only tried veganism (without cheating at all) for several months at the longest, though my hayfever was at its worst after several years of 100% faithful vegetarianism. Regardless of whether meat is included or not, my diet has always been mainly grains and pulses, so the difference is probably something fairly small.

I hope I'm taking season into account, but you've made me wonder. For example, here I am in May, transitioning to vegan! I'm still don't think that's it though. I've not had any hayfever at all for a few years now, of bad, to very bad vegetarianism. I suppose the thing to do is properly try again, say 6 months, and keep an eye on what's different, and if it starts up again.

I do get more adventurous when vegan, so new ingredients is something to look out for. You'll only get proper tea in my house though, none of this hibiscus nonsense. Tsk

 

[Lou]

Thanks for the reply Lou.

Is allergy testing reliable? I had the impression it was quackery. I'll look into it if someone can recommend a UK based one.

Other than fortified foods I don't take any supplements (I know about B12).

I don't really use health apps, but you've convinced me - I've signed up for Cronometer and I'll give it a go. Starting tomorrow, today's err not been great. I'm going to ease into this and not go crazy on the soy.

I hadn't heard anything about alergy testing being unreliable. perhaps the home kits they sell are
I was thinking of the tests administered by allergy doctors. (alergy doctors have a fancier name but I can't recall it.) Not sure what the rules are in the UK for getting tested so maybe a home test might be a good idea. You may have to do some research. I have added an article below.

in the doctors office they have this thingie that inserts a little bit of a substance under your skin. I think this is very commonly used to diagnose food allergies. knowing what kind of pollen you are allergic to has limited value. I think they can test for a dozen or more allergies at once. the thingie is put on your back.

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I don't think it would be a bad idea to start CronOmeter right away. actually I kind of like to see how the results look on bad days too. Think of it as a base line.

Once you start CronOmeter and get some results you might be surprised and find out you do need to supplement.

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OH! I just realized something that may be helpful. Omega 3 is considered an antiinflamatory. And its not common in most vegan diets. I myself supplement it two different ways. Once you start with cronOmeter you should be able to monitor your omega levels.

Omega 3 supplementation is sort of complicated. We have a few threads on the subject here. I think the consensus is to get ALA naturally from food that are high in ALA. and to take a supplement that contains the other forms of Omega 3. I am posting a link to thread on the subject.

---
let me know if you have any CronOmeter questions. Plus I am almost out of my Omega 3 supplement so I will have to review my previous research and I will update the Omega 3 thread when I do.



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Choosing Wisely was an 11-year campaign launched by the ABIM Foundation, aimed at promoting conversations between clinicians and patients about unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. In addition to detailing the initiative's history, the site offers various resources and research...

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Omega 3 supplements

Darn! I didn't include those in my chart Let me know if you do, it would be interesting to see the comparison. Not inexpensive. Emma JC

www.veganforum.org

 

[silva]

Omega 3's are quite common in plant foods-nuts, seeds, beans, sea vegetables, plant oils.
Humans have to convert the omega fatty acids to their bio available state, which is DHA, which is why I take algae oil supplements.

There truly is nothing in animal products that prevent allergies, so they're either not realizing things added to their diet, or perhaps environmental differences.
Just quitting dairy has relieved many people of allergies

 

[Daxx]

Thanks again for the replies all. I've been using Cronometer for 10 days now and it's been very interesting. It's forced me to confront some things I already knew, but thanks to this thread and the app, I've learnt about the importance of getting fats right. I knew omega 3 was important, but I didn't know about the nuances of ALA, DHA & EPA, and that a misbalance of omega 6 can lead to inflammation.

I'll be using flax more often, and I've got some chia seeds in (despite being repelled by the 'superfood' image and all the frogspawn puddings on influencers' instagrams :–)). I've bought Vivo life's O3 (got some D3 too).

In the past, peanuts and sunflower seeds/oil dominated my diet—a PBJ sarnie would be a regular snack. I really hope that keeping O3 and O6 in the green works out (if diet has anything to do with it that is). Actually just keeping everything in the green would be a good idea! I won't find out until next spring though - wish me luck!

I actually wonder if I should throw my sunflower oil and peanut butter stash out...

 

[Lou]

I actually wonder if I should throw my sunflower oil and peanut butter stash out...

I would go and keep them. sunflower oil isn't that bad and I think peanut butter is Good. You do need some fat in your diet.

 

[Daxx]

I would go and keep them. sunflower oil isn't that bad and I think peanut butter is Good. You do need some fat in your diet.

I will keep them. I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but I will be using a greater variety of oils, and a bit less of them in general.

..and more fruit and veg - I can't believe how bad my vitamin C was!

 

[Lou]

Vitamin C can be a little tricky.

I think the default in Cronometer is 90 mg. but many health professionals consider that a minimum and recommend 2 to 5 times more than that.

eating five or more servings of fruits and veggies probably gets you to the mRDA. so for most of us vegans we don't pay too much attention to it. but I know (via chronometer) that somedays I don't hit 100mg. Also keep in mind that Vitamin C is easily destroyed by cooking. OJ from concentrate might only have half as much fresh OJ.

I am a big proponent of taking a multi just as cheap insurance. DEVA tiny tablets will cost you about 5¢ a day and has 100% of the RDA of vitamin C. Other multis will contain anywhere from 100% to 250%.

20 Foods That Are High in Vitamin C

Vitamin C is vital for many important processes in your body, and citrus fruits aren't the only way to get enough of it. Here are 20 foods that are high in vitamin C.

www.healthline.com

 

[Blues]

I agree with Lou get a medically supervised allergy test

 

[Daxx]

Well, it's been more than a year since my OP, and more than 1 year (apart from 1 tin of cockles in a moment of doubt) vegan. I'm very pleased to say that I don't have hayfever!

I think the root of the problem previously (to recap - I always got terrible hayfever/histamine reaction when plant based but not at all when omni) was from eating large amounts of soya, red lentils and chickpeas. When veggie, my staple foods used to be lentil dahl, chickpeas, soya, Linda McCartney bangers (contains *loads* of soya isolate), dried soya mince and soya milk. I'm pleased to say that I can still have these foods (and I do because I love them!), just much less. I'm getting by okay on a more varied diet of other grains and pulses and there are a lot of good pea protein products out there now.

It looks like I have a mild intolerance to certain pulses, which I can easily work around. I resisted testing, as people suggested here, as I knew it was subtle, and I didn't want to risk a misleading test result. Maybe testing is better than I realise, but from what I see available I don't know what to trust. I do know that if I binge on the foods mentioned, I get tingly eyes and slight restriction in my nasal passages after.

So, I'm enjoying food more than ever, I'm in decent condition and able to fuel a lot of physical work and my eyes even have a slightly weaker prescription since going vegan. The only gripe is that I can't eat tofu, Linda's and TVP in the huge quantities that I used to!