Stelter provides insight on food allergies
Imagine eating a few slices of your favorite pizza. After
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To avoid headaches and irritability caused by sugar, Capital Electric member Chanda Stelter uses Splenda in her homemade tea recipe instead of sugar. |
your body starts processing the ingredients, the headaches begin — and quickly turn into nausea and diarrhea. For Chanda Stelter, it wasn’t the pepperoni or extra cheese that caused the illness; it was the sugar and the wheat that drove her body nuts.
“I can tolerate a couple pieces of whole wheat pizza, but it’s not natural. And it’s not as satiable,” she claims.
Chanda, a Capital Electric member from north Bismarck, has an excessive amount of Candida Albicans which cause her body to become unbalanced. According to www.holistichelp.net, Candida Albicans is the yeast that resides in the human body. When something upsets the balance of bacteria in the body, the yeast overpowers healthy microorganisms and emits more than 70 different toxins. Once the body experiences a yeast imbalance, a systematic breakdown begins.
Chanda shares her story with North Dakota LIVING in an effort to raise awareness for Food Allergy Awareness Week, which is May 10-16. While she has never been officially diagnosed, she suffers from the same symptoms as her two sisters; one of whom was tested and diagnosed with food allergies.
Adapt your diet
After years of consulting doctors, getting prescriptions and treating symptoms, Chanda decided to do some research.
“I was frustrated because I didn’t want another prescription,” she remembers.
Chanda changed doctors and met a specialist who tested her for diabetes. When she learned she had excessive yeast in her body and was at risk for Type 2 diabetes, Chanda purged carbohydrates out of her diet. She also started a food journal and learned to identify ingredients that triggered her debilitating symptoms.
“I learned sugar and flour are my biggest enemies because they feed the yeast,” she remembers.
Around the time Chanda was doctoring, she learned one of her sisters was diagnosed with food allergies. They all got together and compared notes.
“We are Scandinavian so we grew up eating rich, starchy foods,” she says. “We have since changed our cooking as a family. Now we read labels and adapt our recipes. Gravies aren’t flour anymore, they are corn starch.”
After she changed her diet, Chanda says it took awhile to purge the toxins from her body. Gradually she started feeling better. Now, she says she rarely gets migraines and her energy level has increased.
An additional bonus from changing her diet has been decreased premenstrual symptoms.
“I still get cramping, irritability and back pain, but it’s not intolerable. It’s not mind-consuming anymore,” she reflects.
Be your best advocate
If you experience frequent and consistent symptoms including headaches, nausea, confusion and attention deficit, the culprit might be a food allergy. Chanda advises you to listen to your body and follow your intuition.
“You know your body best, so be your best advocate. First, read and educate yourself. Then, keep a food journal and document changes. See a specialist for further testing,” she suggests.
“And once you’ve been diagnosed, adapt. The Internet is a great resource to learn how to adapt recipes.”