Twigs and Berries

My food allergies started late-elementary with fresh apples and fresh carrots.  Over the next year or so they rapidly increased to include most fresh fruits and veggies, but as long as it was processed somehow (like frozen completely then thawed) I could eat it.

As I continued moving through life I would steal a bite or two of an allergen (just till it started itching) so I felt like I was getting some nutrition.  That stopped abruptly Fall 1998 when my throat felt thick after a bite of a paper-thin slice of a Red Delicious apple.

My food allergies increase after each pregnancy.  The current list includes:

• fresh fruits, veggies and greens  (I can eat baby spinach, romaine hearts, oranges, oftentimes small quantities of grapes, oftentimes bananas, sometimes small quantities of cantaloupe)
• nuts, nut milks, and nut butters (thus far I have not reacted to nut oils)
• lima beans in any form
• potatoes  (I seem to be able to still eat french fries...maybe)
• shrimp (my latest casualty.  *pout*  I assume it also means crab which breaks my heart *sob*)
• soy, including edamame (though small quantities of soy lecithin in other items doesn't produce an immediate reaction, neither does small quantities of soy sauce)
• hominy
• chickpeas 
• tahini
• sesame
• coconut

The nurseling doesn't tolerate when I eat dairy.

We think oats and chocolate are also an issue for the nurseling.

I have hay fever reactions when handling raw potatoes (scrubbing, peeling, cutting), including hives on my hands.  I am developing hay fever reactions when handling raw carrots and celery.

In addition to the food, there's also seasonal allergies and critter allergies.

The intriguing news?  I recently found a site (will have to link later) that suggests a birch pollen allergy may be the root to my fruit/veggie issues.  I don't have the time to research further at this time, but it makes some sense me.