# Food Families (for Allergies)



## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

I found an interesting link since I am still looking into possible food allergies with Lincoln. It lists foods by the botanical group they belong to - for example, Asparagus, Chives, Garlic, Leek, Onion, Sasparsparilla are all in the Lily family. So, if your dog is allergic to Onions, s/he may also be allergic to Asparagus.

For some foods, it seems obvious that they would be in the same family, but for others, it is not so obvious.

Here's the link:

http://www.foodallergygourmet.com/Food Allergy/Food Families.htm


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Hi Jane,
Is Lincloln still suffering from food allergies? I hope you are able to pinpoint the cause soon. Wishing him all the best.

I love your new signature picture. 

Best,
Poornima


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Jane, thanks for the link- for me not my boys. I just got allergy tests back for myself -- out of about 100 foods tested- there were 5 I was NOT allergic too. 

coffee, flounder, swordfish, shrimp and basil. 

There were about 10 more foods that had low allergies. But the rest were all very responsive. Not sure what I am going to do yet-- a diet of coffee, flounder and basil sure doesn't appeal to me. 

luckily, I don't get an anaphalactic reaction. I just feel crappy all the time- sometimes I get rashes but I pretty much know what to stay away from for those. 

Now about Lincoln. Are you still on rabbit and sweet potato? I know it is expensive, but it may be worth your while to have him allergy tested! you could start with just the foods panel (for jasper that cost $175- he was allergic to nothing- LOL) re-adding a food at a time will take so long- and can be confusing. Even though I hate my test results it at least gives me a map.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

That's a helpful site! Thanks for posting it. I am always so afraid to try anything I haven't eaten in awhile, lol..I wish there was a better way to manage/control food allergies. They stiiink.

I hope Lincoln is feeling better too!

Gucci seems to be allergic to seafood, I've fed it to her twice and both times..uke: But I'm allergic to it too (sadly, I love it!) we'll suffer together. lol

Kara


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm sorry for all of you dealing with allergies in either (or both) you and your dog.

My children are highly allergic to tree nuts and have to carry epi-pens. I took my DD to Chicago last year and although a restaurant told us there were no nuts in a dish, there were, very finely ground up. She only took a nibble and we ended up having to make an emergency trip to the ER. It was very scary, as she could have died!

My DD is also allergic to many foods like apple, raspberries, cantaloupe...the list could go on and on. Anyway, our allergist told us that there is a link between many foods and trees. Without getting up and looking at the list I can't remember the associations but I do know in the Spring when trees are blooming she is miserable!

Thanks for the list! It's so interesting how many foods (and trees!) are linked. I hope all of you find some relief and help soon!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

That's interesting Jan, I have some of the same allergies as your daughter to tree fruits/nuts. I've found its hard to trust restaraunts! I've left a few restaraunts and headed to the ER. Blackberries are probably my worst allergy, and canteloupes..uke: 

The oddest thing is, as I get older...I am becoming allergic to more things that I was able to eat when I was a kid. It's baffling! On any given day, my immune system can just decide that something is now 'dangerous'. The Christmas tree is driving my NUTS this year and its only been here a few days. I may throw it on the curb. lol

Kara


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Kara, we gave up and have been using an artificial tree for years. They really do look better than they did in the past. Although it's not as much fun heading to the basement or attic for the tree as it is to your cool tree farm 

Sorry, this is OT, but I have an AI disease too. Have you read any of the books dealing with dietary control of AI diseases?


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

About a year ago, I decided to eat a green leaf jelly candy. Well, that's when I found out I was allergic to spearmint. I never was before, but now I have to check labels on everything. I can't use toothpaste that has spearmint flavoring. I can't even smell spearmint anymore. I'm also allergic to coconut.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I have alot of foods that give me migraines, with chocolate topping the charts. Twice I've had severe reactions (anaphylaxis) when under alot of stress and having eaten alot of fish over 2-3 days-mostly salmon. I never went to the hospital and tried to play it down and quietly struggle through the severe asthma, hives, and diarreah. I've since been tested for allergies to fish and came up negative but the doc gave me a script to pick up an Epi-pen to carry to be on the safe side. It took awhile before I would try fish again and didn't react, but I sure am careful not to have it too often. I've had similar problems with reacting to more foods as I've gotton older. 

Jane I sure hope Lincoln is doing better now. Is he still on a carefully controlled diet? Have you found any answers yet?


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

I'm glad that the link has been useful for humans too, Missy and Kara! :biggrin1: But I am sorry to hear that you are troubled by allergies. And Missy, I just cannot think of way to combine those 5 foods you can eat into anything appetizing. Ewwww!

It is weird, but my latest hypothesis (keeping in mind my previous ones have all been WRONG....) is that Lincoln may be allergic to things in the Morning Glory family. Scout has been dragging in dried seed pods, leaves and stems of our Morning Glory plants (they are blowing onto the patio) and I found both dogs munching on them. Lincoln has a new skin eruption right now - just a couple of scabs I'm keeping an eye on.  The last time he had a bad outbreak was with sweet potato (but it was also a day after the ivermectin shot). Morning Glory and sweet potatoes are in the same botanical family.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

irnfit said:


> About a year ago, I decided to eat a green leaf jelly candy. Well, that's when I found out I was allergic to spearmint. I never was before, but now I have to check labels on everything. I can't use toothpaste that has spearmint flavoring. I can't even smell spearmint anymore. I'm also allergic to coconut.


Michele, these are the other things that are in the same family as spearmint and coconut from that link. Have you ever had any problems with them? Just curious.

Mint: Basil, Horehound, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Savoury, Spearmint, Thyme.

Palm: Coconut, Date, Palm Cabbage, Sago.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Jane,
I am so sorry you are still searching for the cause of the allergy. This has been going on for a long time and must be very heartbreaking for you to see Lincoln that way. My guys were scratching for 1 week and it was enough for me and them. I hope you find out the exact cause soon.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Jane said:


> It is weird, but my latest hypothesis (keeping in mind my previous ones have all been WRONG....) is that Lincoln may be allergic to things in the Morning Glory family. Scout has been dragging in dried seed pods, leaves and stems of our Morning Glory plants (they are blowing onto the patio) and I found both dogs munching on them. Lincoln has a new skin eruption right now - just a couple of scabs I'm keeping an eye on.  The last time he had a bad outbreak was with sweet potato (but it was also a day after the ivermectin shot). Morning Glory and sweet potatoes are in the same botanical family.


That would make sense to me. Morning glory IS listed as toxic to dogs! I never knew it was related to the sweet potato. Check out this link for toxic plants http://www.cybercanine.com/toxicplants.htm


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Jane, as far as I know, everything else is OK.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

ok also found this,

"It could be, Trish. Morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is a member of the Convolvulaceae family, and this plant (especially the seeds) contains hallucinogenic alkaloids similar to lysergic acid, or LSD. If enough of this plant material is ingested, significant and potentially even life-threatening central nervous system effects are possible. Because of this, it is a good idea to keep this plant material out of your pug's reach." from here http://www.aspca.org/aspcablog/2006/08/ask-apcc-are-morning-glories-dangerous.html

hmmmm, do you think they are trying to get high?


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

this is so interesting. Jane, I am sorry Lincoln has another erruption. I hope the morning glory family is your answer. That would be pretty easy to avoid. 

I pretty much look at the list and said I really don't think there is anything I can do. And with my luck if I ate nothing but flounder and basil I would become allergic to those too. (that is what happened with rice which had replaced most of my grains) I think I will just feel crappy from time to time. I will avoid nuts and coconut because I know they give me a rash.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Jane, thanks for posting that link, it's interesting to see what is in each food family. I just wanted to add that even if food are not in the same family, you might be allergic to a protein that is available in more than one food family.

I am allergic to bananas, avocados, and latex and all three have a shared protein group that is believed to cause the allergy. It doesn't mean that if you're allergic to latex that you will be allergic to bananas, but it's been found that if you're allergic to two of them, you will most likely be allergic to the third.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

This is very interesting. I have always been lucky with food but since I have moved to California where Mangos are super cheap- I found out I have skin allergies to them. I ate 3 of them and I got nasty blisters all over my lips! I happen to love them and have had them twice again but I try not to let any touch my skin!

Amanda


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Thanks, Linda. I am actually not as distressed this time around, just because I was worried before that Lincoln would have to live his life in a cone. If he continues to itch, he'll probably go on Prednisone again, which I think is still better than the cone. So far, it doesn't seem to be getting worse, so we're just watching and waiting. I hope it will just disappear on its own.

Christy, thanks for the info! And that's all I need....Havanese on a drug high! Can you even imagine? What would a RLH on drugs even look like???

Lina, I would have never guessed there was ANY connection between avacados, bananas and latex!!! Egads!

Missy, I am really sorry to hear how extensive your food allergies are. Do they recommend allergy shots or any kinds of meds that can help? Or just avoiding the foods all together? Have you tried other kinds of unusual grains (amaranth, etc.)? You mentioned doing the allergy testing on dogs...do they shave their hair off to do a prick kind of test? Or is it a blood test? I am really reluctant to go that route at this point, just because I have heard the test is not always accurate or conclusive.....it's a lot of money to spend for a so-so test. But, I may be eating my words and doing it eventually....


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Hi Jane, it is a blood test. The shave a tiny bit I believe on the leg. I think there are a lot of factor- and they can't have been on prednisone for 30 -60 days- so maybe consider it before you put him back on. It is not always conclusive- but you can drive your self crazy trying to figure it out on your own. PS. I love your new signature photo. You are so beautiful with your baby boy!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Thanks for the info, Missy! I should have listened to you earlier about the Pred too!  :frusty:

Lincoln was very small when that sig pic was taken - I think it may have been the first week we had him home. By "very small", I mean for *him*....he was still 5 pounds! :biggrin1:


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