198 Diet Wise
products – which just happen to be the two commonest and most severe
bandits foods. So eating them steadily and repeatedly in whole grain bread,
quiches, pastas, pizzas, nut cutlets, cheeses – as vegetarians love to do, is just
inviting trouble. Even soya is well into the top ten allergens and so tofu and
TVP (textured vegetable protein, meat substitute) are also likely to quickly
become a problem.
Many who are committed vegetarians for humanitarian reasons eat
egg since here the animal does not need to be killed; but once again this is
a risky food to those with a tendency towards allergy. Those willing to eat
fish have a rather better chance: at least they may ingest plenty of protein
without the likelihood of problems, though there are those who cannot
tolerate it, as with any food.
Strict vegans have their own difficulties, particularly in respect to
animal-based vitamins (B12, for example), but less trouble with allergy
per se. Grains are the main hazard. Moreover, it is worth pointing out that
pulses (peas and beans) contain many toxins, especially if not boiled well,
as explained on page 55. It would be wrong to assume they are ‘safe’ foods
without subjecting them to the screening of this plan, especially if you tend
to consume a large quantity.
There are two broad approaches I suggest to vegetarians suspected
of having food allergies. The first is to follow the diet more or less as
given and allow themselves to eat meat, at least during the test period. For
most of those who are not inclined to vegetarianism solely on religious or
humane grounds this poses an acceptable temporary measure. There is an
advantage in this approach, namely that eating foods not normally eaten,
even if commonplace to the rest of us, is rather like switching to exotic
foods. The chance of an allergic reaction to allowed foods becomes even
further reduced: certainly, if one did occur, it would be noticed at once. This
approach enables the patient to avoid more of the regularly eaten foods
without starving.
The second alternative is to use a fast or half-fast approach. It is
drastic but will give correct answers if carried out and interpreted correctly.
The half-fast would consist of one vegetable and one fruit, instead of meat;
otherwise, all the information given in Chapter 14 on fasting applies in full.
If you really can’t face even a half-fast, follow the elimination diet with
allowed food that you feel like eating. But it is very important to maintain
variety: don’t eat several foods over and over again, or you may make
yourself ill due to those foods.
My experience with vegetarians is that they tend to be keen on
diet alternatives anyway and adapt to new ideas rather easily. The reason
vegetarians can quote statistics showing they are, in the main, healthier than