Fasting with food allergies/intolerances!

Shieldmaiden4Christ said:

I realized that today was a fast day, and I haven't really discussed my food sensitivities with my priest yet -- and I guess it's something I probably should have discussed by now. My food allergies are why I pretty much stick to dairy protein shakes on a daily basis, but since today is a fast, I had peanut butter on gluten free bread instead. I don't even know if that is well ... appropriate.

Food sensitivities:

• Gluten
• Various nuts: walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts

Does anyone know what priests recommend for fasts with sensitivities like that?
Does anyone know of any good non-dairy protein shake recipes?

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That answer will be very personal - you probably know better than him what you can eat and what you can't. The spirit of the fast is the real goal - there is no reason why everyone can't increase their prayers and acts of charity on fast days completely independant of food.

Shieldmaiden4Christ said:

I realized that today was a fast day, and I haven't really discussed my food sensitivities with my priest yet -- and I guess it's something I probably should have discussed by now. My food allergies are why I pretty much stick to dairy protein shakes on a daily basis, but since today is a fast, I had peanut butter on gluten free bread instead. I don't even know if that is well ... appropriate.

Food sensitivities:

• Gluten
• Various nuts: walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts

Does anyone know what priests recommend for fasts with sensitivities like that?
Does anyone know of any good non-dairy protein shake recipes?

Click to expand...

I'm not too familiar with protein shakes, so I'll leave that to someone else.

Generally if a person has certain dietary restrictions the priest will work around them. For example, if a woman is pregnant she is not to fast, but she can still do things like not eat dessert or not have an elaborate steak dinner, keeping it simple on fast days without denying herself the animal protein that she needs. I have no doubt that your priest will work with you. And since you have not been received into the church yet, he may not even insist that you fast at all (although I don't know that), or else he may give you a very light fasting guideline just to see how you do. But either way, I wouldn't be too concerned - he won't make you eat food that will harm you, nor will he make you skip the foods that you medically need. And at the end of the day, even if you fail miserably at fasting, it's just food, and all food is is just... stuff.

Im diabetic so its very hard to do the 40 day fasts since those become carb heavy. One of my seminary classmates had celiac disease and since he was on a permanent fast, there wasnt much he could cut out. Best suggestion is to talk to your priest and look for dietary-friendly recipes that are also fast-friendly.

I am on a permanent fast also since I have multiple food allergies + pre-diabetes.

A high carb diet will not work. Since I react to milk, eggs, almost all meats and fish, bean-legume, nut, squash and melon families, bananas, papaya, mangos, berries, peach, plum, apricots, and nectarines, there is little I can eat.

The priest told me to eat what I can in order to survive, but I try not to eat foods that scandalize people when I am eating with parishioners during the fast. I will go outside and eat a small piece of cheese or a serving of yogurt in private if I feel weak. However, usually there is some generous soul who will put out a plate of cheese and olives for those of us who cannot observe the full fast. I have noticed that many Orthodox Christians will head for that plate and it will quickly vanish, so I am not the only one.

p.s. Even though olive oil is normally avoided during the fast, olives are okay and provide a great source of energy while fasting.

I wouldn'y worry about it, it's more something to bring up when you meet him next. he could definitely give you some solid advice.

Have a chat with your priest. It's possible to eat gluten free and fast, but I can imagine that it's difficult. My sister is coeliac and I know things that are vegan and gluten free, but I'd imagine I'd get very tired eating those all the time. You're going to need a lot of beans and what nuts you can eat. Tahini is also awesome as long as you can eat sesame.

I don't keep a strict fast either for health reasons, but I try not to eat in a way that scandalises anyone, and I do as was suggested above and skip desserts that aren't vegan and try not to eat rich food.

Fasting is not mandatory in the Orthodox church...it is a tool. Kristos is correct.