[gf_soph]

I have been gluten free a year, and despite significant improvements I am still not that well. Because of this I am currently doing a chemical elimination diet (under supervision of a dietician), based on the RPA elimination diet, so only eating foods low in amines, glutamate and salicylates.

Due to other suspected food issues at this stage I am not eating any dairy, soy, legumes, onions, garlic, or gassy foods like cabbage or beans. I have had to give up being a vegetarian over this time as there is no way I can go for months without legumes, soy or dairy. I am only eating fish and chicken, as red meat is just too much to deal with as a life-long vegetarian.

At this stage I’m finding it extremely hard. I am committed to doing the diet as I strongly suspect food chemical sensitivity, but I have no idea how I can last this way for a couple of months when I’m struggling after 12 days. The additional complication is that I have early signs of insulin resistance, so I can’t afford not to eat proper meals.

Help! Has anyone else gone through this, and any tips for surviving it? It’s a long shot, but any vegetarians out there who might be able to give me suggestions on how to get used to meat? Anyone had big improvements on low-chemical diet?

In search of motivation
Sophie

[ang1e0251]

I think it would help to clarify exactly what you are struggling with. You mentioned getting used to eating meat. OK, but what else? Are you hungry? Are you looking for more variety in your foods? Can you not find foods on your list in your area? What is it that you see a lack in that you're missing?

[AliB]

Hi Sophie.

I am diabetic myself and can sympathise. Currently I am eating very low carb to keep my blood glucose levels low and it works well. I have been doing it long enough to have got used to it now. I eat low-carb, medium protein and higher fat.

I wonder if the fact that several of the foods you have issues with are generally anti-fungals might be a clue. Sulphurous vegetables like onion and garlic are antifungal especially when raw, as is cabbage (which can be fermented on its own without any additions to make cabbage rejuvelac - it is a rich source of probiotic bacteria). I think that other foods, particularly those high in carbohydrate like beans and soy and natural sugars like dairy can act as food for gut bugs and as they digest them they can give of gases.

Although I have known I had Candida for many years and have gradually been able to get it under control, it is only recently I have realised that a lot of my problems have been and still are down to SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). Normally there aren't that many bacteria living in the small intestine but when yeasts like candida get the opportunity to migrate, they will take it. Although antibiotics have seemingly been good, they do undermine the gut flora and allow yeasts to proliferate - which is why many people end up with thrush after taking a course. If the good bacteria that would naturally control them have been destroyed then there is nothing in their way and they can have a field day!

I find that if I take things like raw garlic, oregano oil & probiotics I get bloated. I suspect that may well be due to die-off of the beasties.

The oregano oil does seem to be having the best effect along with coconut oil that I take every day. Both are potent antifungals. I too have had issues with salicylates, tannins and other substances but again I suspect that those reactions are strongly likely to be due to the bugs, as possibly is the gluten intolerance and the inability to process sugars and carbs too.

Eating a low-carb diet is good because not only does it keep the blood sugar more stable but it also reduces the carb-fest for the bugs.

I too found that gluten-free on its own did not solve all my health issues, so after a couple of months I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). That removed grains, sugar, starches, and all dairy except 24-hour yogurt and has helped to rebuild my digestion. Whilst I am still following the diet mostly, I have tailored it more towards a Candida Diet (I like the one that Bee Wilder suggests in her 'Healing by Bee' website - well worth working through) as I am determined to beat these little beggars.

Gas and bloating has to be down to bacterial activity. Whilst they should be in the colon to mop up any stray undigested carbs and effect other processes, its when they are further up in the intestine that they really become a problem. Apparently Candida can give out 79 different toxins depending on where it is and what it is feeding on, but the worst is Ethanol which can cause mayhem in the body.

If you are ok with fish and poultry then you don't have to eat meat if you don't want to. Fish and poultry are perfectly good sources of protein. Eggs too are good - I eat at least two eggs a day without any problems - although I couldn't eat them at all for a while after my digestion collapsed. I do and will continue to make sure that all the food I eat is of the highest nutritional value as possible. I eat little if anything commercially made and generally make everything myself.

I have to say that taking the coconut oil had the best effect on my digestion - after a week or two I was able to eat a greater selection of foods without problems - meat particularly was a problem for me up to then, I just couldn't digest it properly at all, but it is heaps better now. I don't eat a lot of meat because I prefer not to, but at least I can now if I choose to.

It is early days with the oregano oil, but I have read many positive things about it so I am hoping that it will be successful in helping me in my 'battle of the beasties'!

I don't know if any of this will help you, but I hope there is something in there that will.

Ali.

[RollingAlong]

I have not done this, but I have read up on it. I did a reduced glutamate diet for migraines a few years ago that was fairly effective. In the end, gluten was what really needed to go!

Recently I was very close to starting the Failsafe diet when my chemical sensitivity was really bothering me. before I could start, I saw an improvement. At the time, I had made 3 changes - more vitamin D, probiotics and a change in my thyroid medication. It seems reasonable to me that each of those variables deserves some of the credit. Anyway, I have put off trying the diet for now, but here's where I got some great info and there seems to be a fair amount of support.

Yahoo groups - search for the words "failsafe diet." The Plant Poisons and Rotten Stuff website also may be of interest. There are definitely people out there who have seen big improvements. In general, you will find people talking about their kids, but sometimes the parents go along on the diet and get some very pleasant surprises!

Hopefully, your insulin issues will improve once you determine your sensitivities and complete the healing process.

I'm not sure I understand exactly what it is about red meat that bothers you. It might help to start with bone broths rather than a serving of meat. I've heard many a vegetarian say that bacon is the only thing they miss, but I don't think that's allowed on your diet. There's a new book out, by a 20 year+ vegan, Lierre Keith's Vegetarian Myth. That may be of interest. Good luck to you on your dietary adventure!

[gf_soph]

Hi again
sorry for not replying earlier, but I had a horror weekend.

ang1e0251 - I realise that I wasn't at all clear in my message...damn brain fog! I am struggling mostly with eating meat at all (by that I mean the chicken and fish), as I have never eaten meat the idea of eating red meat just grosses me out, I really don’t think I can do it, and particularly not trying to introduce it within the ED without other flavours to help. Before starting the elimination diet I only had a week or so to try eating fish and chicken, I had butter chicken and I was ok with that. Eating chicken pretty much plain is really confronting, I don't like the taste and I find it hard to eat. That was the main problem, so I was really looking for ways to get over that a bit, to see if anyone else had gone through something similar.

AliB - thanks so much for such an informative reply. I definitely have the SCD/ candida issues on my list of areas to work through, I think that will be my next direction if this elimination diet doesn't help. I suppose I am hoping that I can pinpoint my current problems to a small group of foods instead of having to go full SCD, but I will do it if I need to. The foods that I am sensitive to have been pretty consistent, so it is definitely food for thought.

RollingAlong - I do primarily suspect glutamate, and I have had a definite reduction in headaches since starting the diet, so I hope that is part of the picture for me.

Thanks for your replies, but I have to change direction anyway- it has become clear that I am developing an allergy to chicken. I had noticed tingling lips after eating chicken (which I don't experience with anything else, and not the fish), so the other night I bought a little high quality organic chicken in case it was chemicals in regular meat. I had a meat-eating friend cook it to perfection, then I ate a little. My lips started tingling almost immediately, then for the first time my throat started feeling tight and my eyes ichy. Obviously I stopped eating it, but several hours later I had a very nasty BM due to it. So I am off chicken anyway! I can't face eating beef, lamb or veal which are the only other options, so my dietician recommended going back to soy. It's a shame really as I was hoping to keep chicken in my diet to make it easier to eat out.

Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to vent

Sophie

[ang1e0251]

Can you have quinoa? It has protein and might supplement your diet. Are you off eggs as well? Eggs are a big part of my diet and great for protein. What do you think?

[gf_soph]

I do eat quinoa, though not as much as I should. I will definitely grab the packet out of the cupboard and get back in to it. My dietician has advised me to give up eggs and soy for the moment based on my food diary and symptoms after eating them. I think I will be able to have some egg, but based on horrible brain fog after 3 serves of tofu I'm not sure about the soy. She has suggested that I may have a problem with fructose, so for a while I will be no excess fructose, low lactose, egg free and soy free - it's like someone doesn't want me to be a vegetarian!

Thanks for your suggestions - I now have to ditch all the pears, eggs and chicken and try something completely different! I'll get there in the end

Sophie

[Janessa]

hi

I think I am going through something similar to you, I have been a vegetarian for 15 years and gluten-free for about 2 and half years. I continued to have problems and have to be off corn, soy, peanuts, bananas, kiwi, onion, squash, raspberries, dairy, legumes, quinoa, sweet potato, spinach, and some more random ones and have to rotate the foods that are left every 4 days.

I get so hungry sometimes and feel I have nothing to eat, I have thought about eating meat but the thought of it is so gross to me I don't think I could do it

Some things I don't know if you want to try but I can tolerate some soy if it is sprouted or fermented, same thing with rice which I have some mild problems with. You can look up sprouting grains or soaking grains, it does make them easier to digest.

Chia seed is supposed to be a good food too, I put them in smoothies and add them to muffins (they can work as an egg replacer in muffins too)

[ang1e0251]

Can you eat coconut and nuts? These are good sources of good fats that are necesary to maintain muscle like your heart muscle. They will also help with hunger problems. Coconut milk can be added to all kinds of foods especially where you may have used regular milk. Coconut oil can be used in cooking or just added to foods like vegies. It's very filling and easy on the digestion.