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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 27, 2004 The Kitchen Coach Ideas for curing food allergies Rebecca Wood Having a food sensitivity or allergy doesn't have to mean a life-long restriction from it. Rather, by identifying and resolving the problem, you might enjoy these foods again. Here are the most common food sensitivities and methods to work with them. Lactose intolerance is typically a functional reaction. After early childhood, three-fourths of the world's population stops producing the lactase enzyme. Thereafter, they cannot digest the lactose carbohydrate found in human or cow milk. However, most lactose intolerant individuals can digest goat milk and lactase-enhanced dairy products. And some can tolerate fermented dairy products as well as raw milk products. Wheat's protein (gluten) is harder to digest than its starch. If your digestive system is challenged for any reason - from stress to an unhealthy die t- and the wheat gluten isn't fully absorbed, it becomes an irritant. In time, this triggers symptoms - maybe a stuffy nose or slight bloating. When addressed early the cure may be as simple as amending your diet and lifestyle to enhance your digestion. If not corrected and if you continue eating wheat, the insult continues and symptoms become exaggerated and increase. If not checked, it may progress to severe and even life-threatening auto-immune allergic reaction to gluten. Other common allergy foods include nuts, eggs, chocolate, rice, corn, soy and fish. Sometimes taking specific vitamins and minerals to support digestion of the problematic component of the food will resolve the problem. For example, a negative reaction to eggs often indicates an inability to absorb fats, and less often, protein. Identify the specific problem and then take appropriate digestive aids. Sometimes allergic reactions are due to inflammation. When pepper and spicy foods are problematic, favor anti-inflammatory foods and supplements such as cabbage juice and aloe vera. If the inflammation is exacerbated then an ulcer may result, potentially increasing food sensitivities and allergies. A reaction to MSG, artificial sweeteners, sulfites or other chemicals is your body telling you to avoid toxic substances. Be grateful for this information and abstain from toxins. By enhancing your digestion and taking good care of your overall health, hopefully your body's own recuperative powers will repair any damage. If you address food sensitivities early on, then correcting imbalances may be relatively simple. To help identify the cause of the imbalance and to determine a course of treatment, find and work with a health care practitioner who successfully treats people with food sensitivities. Overnight Millet and Buckwheat Waffles Soak whole millet overnight, then season it, blend it, and pour it into a waffle iron. Couldn't be easier. Soaking whole grain (rather than using flour) makes the grain more digestible and its nutrients more bioavailable. Best of all, the flavor blossoms to yield a most satisfying waffle. Makes four 5-inch diameter waffles. 1 cup millet 1 cup buckwheat 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup sunflower seeds Place the millet and buckwheat in 1 1/2 cups water in a medium bowl, loosely cover and let stand on the counter overnight (or at least 3 hours). Drain, rinse and place the soaked grains in a blender. Add 1 cup fresh water, the butter, honey, salt and cinnamon. Process into a thick batter. Pour the batter onto a hot waffle iron, sprinkle the top with sunflower seeds, close and bake according to the manufacturer's directions. Serve hot with your favorite toppings. Note: Substitute whole oats for either the millet or the buckwheat for an oat flavor. Do not add fruit to this waffle as fruit makes it too heavy, acidic and hard to digest. Local resident Rebecca Wood is a personal chef, food coach and author. Her book, The Splendid Grain, won both the James Beard and the Julia Child Cookbook Awards. She may be reached, or her articles and recipes may be accessed, at www.rwood.com DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams