On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 07:59:14 +1000, arachne wrote:

> the allergist says he also can't have anything made from a seed, which may
> rule out too many of the spices.

Anything made from a seed??? Your son is allergic to plant
products??? Can't your doctor be more specific?

> but i wanted to the proportions of a
> typical curry powder so i could see what i could do.

Here's what you can do: Get a new allergist.

Food allergy - the common culprits
http://www.betterhealthchannel.com

About 90 per cent of allergies are caused by nuts, eggs, milk or soy.
Peanut allergy is one of the most common allergies in older children.
Other foods that cause allergies include (in order from the most
common):

* Egg
* Peanut
* Milk
* Other nuts
* Sesame
* Fish
* Grains such as rye, wheat, oats
* Soy
* Molluscs, such as oysters, mussels, clam, squid and octopus
* Crustaceans, such as lobster, prawn, crab, shrimp
* Fruit, berries, tomato, cucumber, white potato or mustard.

Food intolerance - the common culprits
The foods that tend to cause intolerance reactions in sensitive people
include:

* Dairy products, including milk, cheese and yoghurt
* Chocolate
* Egg, particularly egg white
* Flavour enhancers such as MSG (monosodium glutamate)
* Food additives
* Strawberries, citrus fruits and tomatoes
* Wine, particularly red wine.

Reactions may not always occur, as they are usually related to the
amount of food consumed. A small amount may not cause any reaction.

Tracking down the allergen
In most cases, symptoms appear within a few minutes of eating the
particular food, which makes pinpointing the allergen an easy task.
However, if the cause is unknown, diagnostic tests may be needed such
as:

* Keeping a food and symptoms diary to check for patterns.
* Cutting out all suspect foods for two weeks, then reintroducing them one at a time to test for reactions (except in cases of anaphylaxis).
* Skin prick tests using food extracts.
* Blood tests.

Avoiding the food
The easiest way to treat a food allergy or intolerance is to eliminate
it from the diet. Sometimes, the body can tolerate the food if it is
avoided for a time, then reintroduced in small doses. Before you
eliminate foods from your diet, seek advice from a doctor or
dietitian.


HTH!
Good Luck,