An Unordinary List of Things I Cannot Eat

I get asked frequently about things I can and cannot eat with my food intolerance.  Sulfites are a tricky food, especially in the US.  The FDA doesn't exactly regulate sulfites and how they are listed in ingredients so many manufacturers get away with saying something is "preservative free" but in reality it is anything but.

The obvious thing I have to stay away from is anything that has the word "sulfites" listed in the ingredients.  These are usually my red flags, especially if it actually says on the label, "contains sulfites."

Here is my running list.  I have found I pretty much react to anything on some sort of level.  Sometimes it's my hands swelling.  Sometimes my hands and feet just get itchy.  Other times my intestines swell and I bloat and gain weight.  Extreme cases normally mean I have insomnia and shooting pains up and down my arms.  Almost always I end up with some sort of stomach issue because of it.

My Sulfite No-No's
Wine and Beer
Colored liquor
Soda (except for plain carbonated water)
Soy
Malted anything (which is found in most breads and flours)
Canned foods
Jarred foods
Cured Meats (especially all pork products)
Grapes
Shrimp
Lobster
Corn anything (this is on the newer scale - I know I cannot have corn syrup and corn starch but I am almost finding I cannot have polenta and corn chips FML)
Pre-made stuff (like frozen meals, pre-made biscuits or pizza dough)
Eggs (if I have 1 once a week I seem to be okay)
Kale
Broccoli
Asparagus
Chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels (unless homemade)
Caregeenan (which is found in heavy cream, almond milk, and protein powder)
Pre-packaged meat (the pads they put underneath the meat helps keep it fresh and is soaked in sulfites)
Bottled juices
Onion and garlic
Bottled lemon or lime juice
Molasses
Salad Dressing
Ketchup/Mustard/Condiments
Pre-shredded cheeses
Deli Meat
Chocolate
Cortisol steroids
Ice Cream

I am sure there is more but this is what I can think off of the top of my head.  Obviously, there is a learning curve.  There have been plenty of times that I have made the mistake and eaten something I shouldn't have or I throw caution to the wind and eat something I know I will react to and then feel horrible later.  The good news is that I have become so in-tune with my body that I can almost immediately detect when symptoms begin.  To try to alleviate the symptoms, I take epsom salt baths, I drink hot water, I work out to try to push my body into revving my metabolism, and I eat clean.  This isn't so much a lifestyle change as it's more like, well I have no choice.  My intolerance can continue to get worse if I don't actively avoid sulfited foods and it won't ever go away (nothing annoys me more than when someone tells me I'll probably 'outgrow' this problem.  Yeah, no I have tried and it's just getting worse).   So this is where I am today.  And about 9 times out of 10, I am okay with it.  I do have those moments where I envy people who can eat fast food or pizza or ice cream and not worry but then I am reminded that I can handle this intolerance like the best of them and I'm better for it.  Plus, I rather know what is going on and watch what I eat than not know and be as confused as I was a few years ago.