Our Food Allergy Experience
Wellness Roots recently became an affiliate of The Wellness Way and firmly believe in their motto,
"We don't guess, we test."
Naturally, we wanted the full experience of what testing can do, and how it will drastically improve our lives. So we began our adventure with a comprehensive questionnaire that led us to our first test, an allergy test, taken by blood draw. Who wouldn't want to know EXACTLY what foods they are allergic to? It can be scary to think about, but also extremely empowering! This was our first step to getting answers, and taking charge of our health.
Three of us took the first test together, a blood test for food allergies. We made an appointment at a local urgent care, brought in our test kits, and the rest was done for us. It was a very quick and easy process. While we waited for our samples to spin, we talked about what food allergies we might have, and grew more excited to find out what they were. We only waited a few days, and the results are in. Now what?
Dr. Katy Eisele, Wellness Roots Center
Hello everyone! Recently, Wellness Roots Center became an affiliate of a global health care movement called The Wellness Way. We have been very busy in the office getting all of our paperwork and lab accounts connected and ready for our new services we will be offering to our patients. As many of you know, our philosophy at Wellness Roots is based on the chiropractic principle that the body is designed to heal itself, as long as there is no interference to the body. Interference to the body has been identified as the 3 T’s of Chiropractic; Traumas, Toxins and Thoughts. My practice model at the office has always been to address these T’s with adjustments and nutrition response testing. But now as a Wellness Way practice we will be incorporating the Wellness Way approach and recommending specific lab diagnostic tests based on each individual's history and exam findings. One of the most common toxins that is causing interference to your body is food allergies! So I am now a proud owner of a food allergy card and you can take a look at what 8 foods Dr. Katy cannot eat anymore.
Now food elimination is not a new concept for me, I’ve been working on eliminating foods to improve my health for over 8+ years. But creating new habits is always a challenge. We are mostly creatures of habit and emotion when it comes to food. One of my first thoughts was “I don’t even like or eat tomatoes, that’s not a problem”. But then later that day I realized what I do love is taco sauce, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce and salsa! And guess what's for dinner that evening, taco salads! So this is how I ditched my taco sauce: I mixed my chili pepper paste together with my cauliflower hummus and stirred that into my salad. And it was pretty tasty!
As our days have slowed down and we are sheltering in our homes, it is important to focus on our self care. I’m grounding myself with my favorite pandora station Deva Premal and going on nature walks around the farm with my daughter, Brynlee. Spending more time in the kitchen with my new Pinterest recipes that I will share as I perfect them, or at least deem them yummy! And most importantly reminding myself that this situation is far too catastrophic to stress about, so I am letting all those emotions go as they come through me and praying for those who’ve been negatively impacted by this time. I hope that this blog helps you feel less alone and a little inspired to do something for your well being today. Stay well, Dr. Katy.
Dr. Sarah Smirnova, Wellness Roots Center
Leaky Gut, 29 Food Allergies, and a Pandemic
Getting my food allergies tested was semi nerve wrecking, I was expecting my results to show I’m allergic to everything! I know that in the past year or so I have not been eating like I should have been. I have adopted the bad habit of eating my toddler's leftovers of Annie’s bunny crackers or toast with peanut butter. I am a lucky mom where she will munch down on her broccoli and zucchini but always leave behind some of the yummy Annie’s crackers or whole wheat noodles. I had convinced myself that it wasn’t that bad for me because they were organic and whole wheat and also I didn’t want to be wasteful! I should have known better!
Now my body has shown up with 29 food allergies, including eggs, tomatoes, and even black pepper! Thankfully I know this is not permanent. It is just indicating that I have a leaky gut. Leaky gut syndrome is a digestive condition that affects the lining of the intestines. In leaky gut syndrome, gaps in the intestinal walls allow bacteria and other toxins to pass into the blood which cause inflammation and food allergies. Basically I have to buckle down and clean up my diet in order to heal my body. The good news is I now know what I need to avoid in order to get my body into a healing state.
Buying ingredients to avoid my allergies has been … challenging to say the least. If you have been to a grocery store recently you can understand why. I got quite a few stares and cautious looks as I keep reading labels and putting bottles back because the last ingredient in almost everything is black pepper or lemon! I finally found a salad dressing and called it a day. Who knew picking out a salad dressing could be so stressful, but I am determined! Inflammation is involved in all disease processes, which is why it is so important to address any environmental factors that might be causing it!
So while we are currently under so much stress make sure that you take some time to feed your body right, get a good night's sleep, and take time to get up and move your body around. It’s easy to develop bad habits, like myself, but it is so important to focus on healthy daily habits to reduce stress and inflammation! Be well, Dr. Sarah
Kelli Mitchell, Wellness Roots Center
Front Desk, Stress Reduction
Getting an allergy test was very exciting for me. I was nervous about what changes I would need to make, but thrilled at knowing the exact foods that cause a negative reaction in my body. The biggest stress for me was thinking, "how will I incorporate these new changes, and make it work for my children as well?" As a single mom of a three and four year old, we need to make all of our meals count, and we need to do it together!
Luckily, creativity is my specialty! My children have always been good eaters, and because it's the three of us, they haven't had much of a choice. They do get picky of course, and to be honest, most days they are unpredictable. Today my son may love strawberries while his sister loves tomatoes, and tomorrow, it is a good chance they will change their minds, and shed a few tears while I dish out their food. This is where getting creative comes into play. My meals tend to look like a smorgasbord of sorts. We always have good proteins out, lots of fresh veggies, nuts and seeds and plenty of fruit. This system helps me well while meal prepping. I've got a roast going, and a squash in the crockpot. I'll shred them up later tonight, divide and store. Then bring on the veggies! As soon as I get home from the store, I quickly wash, dry and chop. Sure, there may be a few meltdowns from the kids in the background, but like any good mom, I power through. Once my prep is done, I have a good few days of food at the ready. This style of cooking and eating works for us because it gives me more time, which is essential, and it gives my kids the freedom of choosing what they want to eat. Since everything I'm putting out is nutritious and hearty, they feel empowered by creating their own "bowls".
My food allergies were surprising the lowest out of our office bunch. The biggest crusher was eggs, because I eat them almost every day. I've swapped out eggs in the morning for chia, and I'm not stressed about that because I have little to no bloating since making the swap. In my book, that is a major win!
Going to the store right now can be very challenging and scary. We can't all stay on a perfect routine, that is just not realistic. My biggest advice is to take this time to get creative with what you have! Not every meal needs to be a perfect pinterest meal. Sure, that sounds amazing, but it isn't doable all the time. Find something good, and roll with it. Focus on flavor and simplicity.
Extra time with your kids can seem a bit daunting at this time. We aren't used to being in close quarters 24/7. My advice is to make sure you are getting plenty of exercise and taking out a few minutes in the morning, afternoon and night to have some quiet, controlled breathing. Center yourself, so you have more joy and energy for your family. As a single mom, quiet time is few and far between, I get it, trust me! It is possible though! Wait for that moment when your kids are finally playing together for five minutes, get up extra early (it is worth it for your sanity) and prepare for your day while it's still quiet. Maybe stay up a bit later, turn off the TV and put your phone down, just to do some stretching and listen to music. Stay well, Kelli
If you would like more information on getting a food allergy test, please visit our website or call the office today to get started. Our doctors are doing phone and computer consultations as well to answer any of your questions! (734) 369-9990
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