Nothing I Can Eat …. Help

[Ginger38]

I recently did a food sensitivity test and the results were crazy bad … I had severe or moderate reactions to most everything I’m used to eating. Trying to live gluten-free is hard enough. I’m very overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start now. I honestly don’t know if I can give up all the foods it suggests eliminating. My digestive enzyme levels were ok but I have no good gut bacteria at all. How serious do I need to take these results? And what the heck do I eat?? Help!! 

[Blue-Sky]

I don't think those food sensitivity tests have much if any value actually. I think you are referring to an IGG or IGA antibody tests? Some websites promote these types of tests but I don't think doctors do generally. I know for example that IGA antibodies can stick to bacteria in the gut, as well as an extremely broad range of food products. Olive oil for example can result in more bacteria getting coated in IGA antibodies.  It doesn't mean these bacteria are bad or cause inflammation, that is just the immune system doing its job.

[fergusminto]

I have the same problem but have learned to live with it. What are your symptoms if you do eat something that was flagged up? Mine are headaches starting 2:30 in the morning and refusing to go away with pills. My food sensitive results have proven to be quite accurate with most flagged up bringing on headaches incl eggs, any dairy, soya, alcohol and any preservatives incl sulphites. Also aromas esp washing powders. It really boils down to what happens if you do eat something that has been flagged up.

[Rogol72]

I wouldn't take what those test results say as gospel, more so as an indicator. I think you would be better served by keeping a food diary throughout the day to see how you react to certain foods. You can't exclude everything, so maybe just excluding foods that register a severe reaction or the heavy hitters that are common in most Coeliacs. If your vitamin and mineral levels are not optimum or you have a subclinical deficiency in one or more, I think that can affect how you react to food intolerances. Any stress on the body will deplete minerals quickly, especially Magnesium. I go through magnesium very quickly when my body is stressed. Since I've cranked up my magnesium supplementation, things have improved dramatically. 

I also intend on ensuring my trace minerals are optimum based on what I learned about minerals here ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2z9YXo-gnE

[fergusminto]

48 minutes ago, Rogol72 said:

I wouldn't take what those test results say as gospel, more so as an indicator. I think you would be better served by keeping a food diary throughout the day to see how you react to certain foods. You can't exclude everything, so maybe just excluding foods that register a severe reaction or the heavy hitters that are common in most Coeliacs. If your vitamin and mineral levels are not optimum or you have a subclinical deficiency in one or more, I think that can affect how you react to food intolerances. Any stress on the body will deplete minerals quickly, especially Magnesium. I go through magnesium very quickly when my body is stressed. Since I've cranked up my magnesium supplementation, things have improved dramatically. 

I also intend on ensuring my trace minerals are optimum based on what I learned about minerals here ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2z9YXo-gnE

Exactly, don’t take these results as Gospel - only time will tell. Maybe I was lucky in that all the highly-rated problem foods gave me problems and still do. My food diary is in my head as my diet is very restricted but do keep one as isolating a particular problem food can be very time consuming. Very best of luck and welcome to the “club”.

[Ginger38]

11 hours ago, Blue-Sky said:

I don't think those food sensitivity tests have much if any value actually. I think you are referring to an IGG or IGA antibody tests? Some websites promote these types of tests but I don't think doctors do generally. I know for example that IGA antibodies can stick to bacteria in the gut, as well as an extremely broad range of food products. Olive oil for example can result in more bacteria getting coated in IGA antibodies.  It doesn't mean these bacteria are bad or cause inflammation, that is just the immune system doing its job.

No I have already had antibody testing this was a food sensitivity test 

[Ginger38]

8 hours ago, fergusminto said:

I have the same problem but have learned to live with it. What are your symptoms if you do eat something that was flagged up? Mine are headaches starting 2:30 in the morning and refusing to go away with pills. My food sensitive results have proven to be quite accurate with most flagged up bringing on headaches incl eggs, any dairy, soya, alcohol and any preservatives incl sulphites. Also aromas esp washing powders. It really boils down to what happens if you do eat something that has been flagged up.

Thank you, I guess I should have mentioned that my intestines are not healed yet either, not sure if that matters, but my issues are like GI issues when I eat some of the foods that were flagged Ike bloating, gas, Pain, reflux and diarrhea 

[Ginger38]

6 hours ago, Rogol72 said:

I wouldn't take what those test results say as gospel, more so as an indicator. I think you would be better served by keeping a food diary throughout the day to see how you react to certain foods. You can't exclude everything, so maybe just excluding foods that register a severe reaction or the heavy hitters that are common in most Coeliacs. If your vitamin and mineral levels are not optimum or you have a subclinical deficiency in one or more, I think that can affect how you react to food intolerances. Any stress on the body will deplete minerals quickly, especially Magnesium. I go through magnesium very quickly when my body is stressed. Since I've cranked up my magnesium supplementation, things have improved dramatically. 

I also intend on ensuring my trace minerals are optimum based on what I learned about minerals here ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2z9YXo-gnE

Thank you this is very helpful. I will start with a food diary. I don’t notice any issues with dairy but all of them were flagged which I thought was weird. I guess I should have mentioned my intestines are not healed yet either. You mentioned heavy hitters for coeliacs - what would Those be? 

5 hours ago, fergusminto said:

Exactly, don’t take these results as Gospel - only time will tell. Maybe I was lucky in that all the highly-rated problem foods gave me problems and still do. My food diary is in my head as my diet is very restricted but do keep one as isolating a particular problem food can be very time consuming. Very best of luck and welcome to the “club”.

Thank you!

[Rogol72]

14 hours ago, Ginger38 said:

Thank you this is very helpful. I will start with a food diary. I don’t notice any issues with dairy but all of them were flagged which I thought was weird. I guess I should have mentioned my intestines are not healed yet either. You mentioned heavy hitters for coeliacs - what would Those be? 

Thank you!

I think Dairy and Soy are the main ones. Some Coeliacs can't tolerate certified gluten free Oats. Corn and eggs can also be problematic. 

[knitty kitty]

@Ginger38,

Look into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.  Mast cells are part of the immune system that goes haywire in Celiac Disease.  Mast cells multiply out of control and react to more and more things in Celiac Disease.  Mast Cells release histamine which is inflammatory.  

Your mast cells are releasing histamine in response to any stimulation.  That is why your food sensitivity test showed you had many sensitivities to food. 

Go on a low histamine diet.  Foods can contain lots of histamine naturally, but some contain more than others and some cause histamine to be released.  

High histamine foods include processed foods, leftovers, wine, alcohol, chocolate, strawberries, fermented foods , cheese, dairy, and seafood.  

Thiamine Vitamin B1 deficiency causes mast cells to release histamine too easily.  Give mast cells more Thiamine and they will be able to hold their wad and not react to everything.

Here's some interesting reading...

Increased mast cell degranulation within thalamus in early pre-lesion stages of an experimental model of Wernicke's encephalopathy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10411347/

And...

Coeliac Disease and Mast Cells

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678566/#!po=40.1515

And...

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8533683/

[fergusminto]

2 hours ago, knitty kitty said:

@Ginger38,

Look into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.  Mast cells are part of the immune system that goes haywire in Celiac Disease.  Mast cells multiply out of control and react to more and more things in Celiac Disease.  Mast Cells release histamine which is inflammatory.  

Your mast cells are releasing histamine in response to any stimulation.  That is why your food sensitivity test showed you had many sensitivities to food. 

Go on a low histamine diet.  Foods can contain lots of histamine naturally, but some contain more than others and some cause histamine to be released.  

High histamine foods include processed foods, leftovers, wine, alcohol, chocolate, strawberries, fermented foods , cheese, dairy, and seafood.  

Thiamine Vitamin B1 deficiency causes mast cells to release histamine too easily.  Give mast cells more Thiamine and they will be able to hold their wad and not react to everything.

Here's some interesting reading...

Increased mast cell degranulation within thalamus in early pre-lesion stages of an experimental model of Wernicke's encephalopathy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10411347/

And...

Coeliac Disease and Mast Cells

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678566/#!po=40.1515

And...

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8533683/

Thanks for this, amazed by how many of the “avoid” foods I have an intolerance with. I will approach my doctor again and try and educate him/her about histamine problems - but as I have had these problems for over 15 years and had numerous physicians in that time, I am not holding my breath for a flash of inspiration. Many are just not interested.

[knitty kitty]

3 minutes ago, fergusminto said:

Thanks for this, amazed by how many of the “avoid” foods I have an intolerance with. I will approach my doctor again and try and educate him/her about histamine problems - but as I have had these problems for over 15 years and had numerous physicians in that time, I am not holding my breath for a flash of inspiration. Many are just not interested.

Yes, I'm very familiar with physicians' attitudes when they are baffled. 

You may do better getting a referral to a nutritionist or dietician who is familiar with Celiac Disease.  That's like a needle in a haystack, though.  

Or educate yourself here at the forum.  Experience is the best teacher.

Keep us posted on your progress!