Wheat Allery And Pineapple Juice

[Mury]

I have recently been diagnosed with wheat allergy and have been having a very difficult time being completely wheat/gluten free. I recently heard that if you eat anything with wheat/gluten in it to drink pineapple juice which has some enzyme that will break down the wheat without any side effects? Anyone heard about this? or is it just rumor?

Also any fast food ideas... I work lots of hours and eat out alot.

[Canadian Karen]

Hi! Welcome to the board!

I think that sounds definitely like a myth. If pineapple juice fended off the effects of gluten, I would be the first running out tomorrow morning buying up shares in a juice company!!! There was also a myth going around about a year ago about certain crueller at Tim Horton's up here in Canada being gluten free. Total fabrication, the company was floored when they found out what was going around.....

As for fast food, well, the only thing I pick up when I am on the fly is MacDonald's french fries. I am sure others will chime in with other suggestions, but that's what I feel comfortable with......

Again, welcome and hope to see you posting around here!

Karen

[Nantzie]

Do you have a wheat allergy or celiac? They're two different processes, so I'd have two different answers for your question. Also, how were you diagnosed -- western medicine (M.D.), alternative medicine, or self-diagnosis. There are a lot of people on this board who fall into each of those categories, so it's all good.

I'm self-diagnosed, but jumping through the western medical hoops just to see if there's anything else that might be going on. When I've got all that done, I'm going to my alternative medical doctor to see what he can do to help me. At this point, I'm not sure if I've got celiac, a wheat allergy or just don't get along with gluten for some mysterious, non-specific reason. I just know I feel horrible when I eat it. Good enough for me.

But, we've been talking on another thread about how nice it would be to have something that would make us feel better if we accidentally got glutened. I think pineapple juice is safe, easy and inexpensive thing to try. My opinion of alternative / natural medicine is that if it won't hurt, give it a shot.

If you have celiac or aren't sure if you do or not though, lack of symptoms (if pineapple juice happens to work for symptom control) DOES NOT mean lack of damage. I would say that if you have celiac, using something so that you don't feel your symptoms could be an extremely dangerous thing to do. Part of the reason a lot of us know something has gluten in it is that the symptoms are so bad with the smallest amounts of gluten.

[Nantzie]

Okay, got curious and started looking stuff up.

I found some very interesting information --

This quote --

"Research suggests that bromelain may aid in protein digestion and

modulate the immune response within the body (3,7)."

Is from this article -- Open Original Shared Link

On the right side it should so the points where the search function found the word bromelain (pineapple).

Standard Process is a supplements company, but this article's references (3, 7), point to two sources for that statement -

3. Castell J.V., Friedrich G., Kuhn C.S., and G.E. Poppe (1997) Intestinal absorption of

undegraded proteins in men: presence of bromelain in plasma after oral intake. Am. J. Physiol.

273:G139-G146.

7. Hale L.P. (2004) Proteolytic activity and immunogenicity of oral bromelain within the

gastrointestinal tract of mice. Int. Immunopharmacol. 4:255-264.

Of these two sources, it's the second one (7) that is the most interesting. It's investigating the possibility that bromelain may be helpful for people with irritable bowel disease.

I found a link to the article (and a picture of Dr. Hale) on the Duke University site. Open Original Shared Link

Link to the PubMed abstract is -- Open Original Shared Link

The last sentence on that PubMed abstract is "They provide further support for the hypothesis that oral bromelain may potentially modify inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract via local proteolytic activity within the colonic microenvironment."

..................

So, I would think that this might be something that, even though it just mentions the colon and not the small intestine, MAY be something that could help with the inflammation/irritation that happens in the small intestine after being glutened.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm definitely going to buy some pineapple juice and just see if it helps the next time I'm glutened. I don't think it would "cure" someone, or make it so someone with celiac could eat gluten, but it might help with symptoms for accidental ingestion.

Nancy

[minigimp]

Even after going gluten free, I discovered that pineapple was the only food I could digest.

My doctor later diagnosed severe pancreatic insufficiency. Basically gliadins and caseins have trashed my digestive system. I have the dq7 type which often confuses food proteins for viruses. I dont know if this can be called coeliacs but I've had symptoms of it and never grew properly and now have sjogrens and LS which is basically caused by casein intolerance. I am pretty angry that doctors and specialists dismissed my pancreatitis as IBS. Gluten caused the attacks which were dramatically worse around my peroids. It was mistaken for giardia and appendicitis. I'm now on pancreatic enzymes but you can forget about them lessening reactions to gluten or milk proteins. It probably helps with recovery though. Bromelain does help digest protein but it takes a microscopic amount of circulating peptide to cause a reaction. Strangely enough, acidophilus (dairy free) helped curb my symptoms when they were milder a few years a go.

Okay, got curious and started looking stuff up.

I found some very interesting information --

This quote --

"Research suggests that bromelain may aid in protein digestion and

modulate the immune response within the body (3,7)."

Is from this article -- Open Original Shared Link

On the right side it should so the points where the search function found the word bromelain (pineapple).

Standard Process is a supplements company, but this article's references (3, 7), point to two sources for that statement -

3. Castell J.V., Friedrich G., Kuhn C.S., and G.E. Poppe (1997) Intestinal absorption of

undegraded proteins in men: presence of bromelain in plasma after oral intake. Am. J. Physiol.

273:G139-G146.

7. Hale L.P. (2004) Proteolytic activity and immunogenicity of oral bromelain within the

gastrointestinal tract of mice. Int. Immunopharmacol. 4:255-264.

Of these two sources, it's the second one (7) that is the most interesting. It's investigating the possibility that bromelain may be helpful for people with irritable bowel disease.

I found a link to the article (and a picture of Dr. Hale) on the Duke University site. Open Original Shared Link

Link to the PubMed abstract is -- Open Original Shared Link

The last sentence on that PubMed abstract is "They provide further support for the hypothesis that oral bromelain may potentially modify inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract via local proteolytic activity within the colonic microenvironment."

..................

So, I would think that this might be something that, even though it just mentions the colon and not the small intestine, MAY be something that could help with the inflammation/irritation that happens in the small intestine after being glutened.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm definitely going to buy some pineapple juice and just see if it helps the next time I'm glutened. I don't think it would "cure" someone, or make it so someone with celiac could eat gluten, but it might help with symptoms for accidental ingestion.

Nancy

[jenvan]

yes, bromelain, derived from pineapple, is a common digestive enzyme used as a supplement for those with gi issues. however, it is not going to break down gluten and protect you or do damage control for an immune reaction. imo, it would only end up helping with inflammation etc. by promoting good digestion.

[Mury]

Thanks for all your comments! Actually I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I had no digestive problems except I was extremely anemic Hgb of 8, suffered from panic attacks and shortness of breath and had these irritating itchy spots on my face, I tried everything to stop the itching and of course nothing helped after SEVERAL Dr. appts. I was referred to an Oncologist who called me at home one day and said "I've been studying your chart and I think I found out what your problem is". Well the fact that any Dr. would take the time to "study" peaked my interest. So he sent me for blood work and diagnosed me. He also wanted me to have a colonoscopy but since I had no problems I refused that. Since I have cut out the good tasting stuff, I feel much better but when I have slipped and ate something with wheat in it. I can feel it right away. The "constricted airway" panic attacks, itchy bumps etc return. Obviously I still have LOTS to learn so I will be around here often! Thanks again!