Reasons for avoiding nightshades? -- follow-up question to previous post

[ratatosk]

I suspect there are more reasons why people avoid nightshades than just allergies and arthritis. I don't know what they are. Are there other categories we should take into account? All I really know about are actual allergic reactions (e.g. hives, shock, asthma -- things either itchy or frightening).

Comments

[nex0s]

Well, I avoid nightshades because I am intolerant of them, which is different than having an allergy.

An allergy is, as you know, a histimine reaction. You get hives, your throat closes up, etc.

I have an intolerance. Which means that I can eat nightshade and I won't have a histimine reaction - however, I will have awful stomach cramps, terrible diharrhea, and may vomit. The episode, if I eat enough of them, will look similar to food poisoning. If I only eat a little, I will get nauseated to extremely nauseated

[ratatosk]

Is the mechanism of the intolerance something at all well-understood?

(For the record, I absolutely believe that you get sick when you eat nightshades.)

[nex0s]

From what I understand, no, it isn't. It's only been the past 10 or so years that doctors started believing people when they said certain foods made them sick. The first food I became intolerant of was cumin - I had doctors tell me that I must simply be a bulimic in denial because I was female & college aged. On my own I figured out that it was cumin.

15 years later, I added nightshades to the list, as well as dairy.

I think dairy intolerance is pretty much the only one that's well known/understood, and it's fairly simple - a lack of an enzyme. The others? Not so much.

N.

[nex0s]

Oh, thanks for believing me :) I usually tell people "allergy" because they ReSPECT an allergy. I've had people try and slip me things I was intolerant of (cumin in particular) because they "decided" I meant that I disliked said thing. Ending a dinner party in a bathroom is no fun :(

N.

[kyteroo]

Then there is me... an anomaly to everyone. ROFL
Nightshade family (except Cayenne; Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper; Chili Powder (mild); Potato; Tomato);

I'm not allergic, only intolerant. Jalopenos, however, do cause strep throat symptoms that antibiotics, for some reason, solves. I have no idea! I just avoid them now. Its the Mustard Family (especially radish) and Cinnamon that causes severe allergic reactions. Because every time I eat an intolerant food, my symptoms get worse, I treat almost all of my intolerances as full blown allergies, in that I avoid them as if I'd go into shock if I cheat. Onion and Dairy is the exception to this (onion only if blood sugar is low and no choice).

My complete list of things to avoid can be found here:
http://www.allergicvegetarian.com/recipe/kyt/kytc.html

[kyteroo]

I should say that I AM GF.

Also, Litchie Nut causes my throat to swell up. A very tiny amount of Banana causes severe constipation (even if I was having chronic diarrhea previously).

[No, I do not have EE to my knowledge (a rare disorder that has one of its unfortunate symptoms as too many foods you can't eat.) Acid Reflux meds do work for me which doesn't work for EE/EGID people. ]