I Think I’Ve Been “Corned”

[FruitEnthusiast]

I think there has been hidden corn in my diet from something I new nothing about: Plastic made from corn!

 

I’ve been sensitive to corn for decades, I’ve avoided it entirely since my gluten problems started. For the last week or two I’ve been itchy from a newly developed fragrance intolerance. I’ve been getting all new fragrance free products, but not feeling better really. I kept thinking that I still almost felt like I was feeling itchy from the inside out. Even my eyes were burning off and on.

 

Then I just learned on this site (thanks Bartfull ) about corn being used to make plastic to avoid the harmful BPA problem, including in the lining inside canned food!!! I didn’t even know cans were lined with plastic!

 

I usually eat non-processed whole foods and I was starting to feel a lot better lately. Until the last couple weeks when I added something new to my diet: Wild Planet canned tuna, the healthiest, lowest mercury tuna in a can. I think it corned me!!!  I was eating some canned fruit too.

 

I’ve been having trouble sleeping, which usually doesn’t happen. I feel terrible. I’m really overwhelmed from a lack of sleep and I’m starting to lose it. No more canned anything. I need to research my bottled water now, especially since most of my drinking water comes in liter-sized clear plastic from Trader Joe's. The cloudy water containers are supposed to be better (thanks again to Bartfull for the info ).

 

This gluten thing along with all the other food reactions has turned out to be a very complicated, ongoing, twisty-turvy bugger! I don’t know what I would do without this site. I hope this info helps others too.

[bartfull]

FruitE, have you checked your medications and supplements? Almost all pills and capsules contain corn starch. As I told you, corn starch doesn't have the protein that other corn byproducts do, but it might not hurt to check.

 

Another biggie is "citric acid" and "ascorbic acid". You would THINK these came from citrus fruits, but alas, they can get them from corn and usually do because it is cheaper. The last time I got corned it was from some vitamin C capsules. The guy at the health food store researched them for me and the best info he could get from the company didn't mention the corn. I tried them and it was the worst reaction I have ever had to ANYTHING! I honestly thought I was going to die.

 

Anyway, that means you should avoid bagged, ready-to-eat salads or carrots in the grocery store. Most are washed in a citrus (corn) wash. My grocer even sells bottles of the stuff and yes, the ingredients label says "citric acid from corn". Restaurant salads MIGHT be washed in this stuff too.

 

If you have any corn questions at all, please feel free to PM me. My celiac is just a mild inconvenience compared to my corn intolerance, but I have learned how to avoid it most of the time.

[FruitEnthusiast]

Thanks Bartfull! I have many things made of plastic around here too that I'm wondering about, like plastic baggies for example. I probably will have questions for you as soon as my head stops spinning.

 

I developed my corn problem when I worked in Kansas City for three years and that was twenty years ago! I actually had to move back to the CA coast away from the corn crops it made me so sick, and it's been a problem for me ever since. To me corn is just nasty stuff that's way too cheap and easy to use for everything, so not likely to go away...unfortunately.

 

But like you say about your guitar, I can still make my artwork, and that's all that matters!

[catmaus6]

I was diagnosed gluten intolerant. I stopped eating gluten and started feeling better. Quickly I replaced my flour and started buying gluten-free products. Pasts and cereal. I was having burning in my belly and was horribly bloated. I went to a nutrition store and was told to try pancreatic enzymes which seemed to help. Then I had a bowl of honey nut chex. Bam horrible pain. Lasted for a week. I couldn't eat. The doctors were no help. No positive test. Lipase and amalyses negative. Couldn't sleep and no bathroom activities. So I started writing down what I was eating and how I felt. Every time I eat bread (gluten-free) I got sick and bloated. gluten-free stir fry sauce I got sick. Everything had corn in it. I cut put the corn 2 days ago.... Omg the bloat is going away. The burning stopped. I can go to the bathroom. What else do I have to cut out? And why don't doctors know about this corn/ gluten issue. I'm working this out on my own. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

[FruitEnthusiast]

Hi catmaus6,

 

Welcome to the site There is a lot of support here.

 

The foods that give each of us trouble are as individual as we are. Not everyone is sensitive to corn, but it's good that you found some relief by cutting it out. One important thing to know is that not all foods labeled "gluten free" are created equal. Some brands can be trusted but others are not authentic. Also grains in general can be a problem for many of us when newly diagnosed.

 

The best suggestion I can give you at this point is to check out the information on this site under the "Celiac Disease - Coping with" heading. Look at the "Newbie info 101" posting. There is very helpful info there. Take some time to read that info then if you have more questions, you can start a new topic with questions you may have, so that more members can see your questions and respond.

 

It's confusing at first, learning all the new information, but you'll get the hang of it!