Its really annoying. I am allergic to quite alot of processed foods and never really found out what caused it. I get huge hives all over me and my eyes, lips and ears swell up. It got so bad once I looked like a giraffe with red splotches all over. When I did Atkins I had huge allergic reactions then but thought it was down to the chemicals being released in the weight loss or the actual diet itself rather than the things I was eating. This new allergy came on in my thirties and its been over 5 years but refusing to use steriods and just using antihistamines and trying not to scratch.
I know my trigger foods, tomato (hence the baked beans), ketchup, strawberries, wine, stock cubes (I have to have boullion), anything brightly coloured and pork. All this kind of points to a sulphite allergy but its so difficult to say for sure. If I do use tomatos in receipes I know I just can't have alot and not to have anything else that might set me off like strawberries for dessert.
Once you have one of these allergies you start to notice other people with hives and ask them. I met a lady on holiday and she was allergic to sun and seawater! Another was pine tree pollen. It can be so much worse than mine!! Some people are allergic to salt! Can you imagine.
I was hesistant to try SW as I didnt want to set of the allergy. Best thing is I am finding it easy to follow SW and avoiding all the hidden syn processed food means I've not been using the anitihistamines and losing weight too!