Any Success Adding Foods?

[Arpita]

Anybody with celiac and other food intolerances (such as rice, beans, citrus, nuts and most new grains - like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, and any food that typically produces gas, & most vitamins) ever been able to add back in foods? Please tell me of success stories where you can actually eat more, where food intolerances get better over time.

[tom]

I'm very curious about this also.

I only became 'well' in June and mostly feel so good I don't even want to TRY adding foods back. The more tests I do, the more often I'll feel crappy when the food 'fails'.

BUT . . . . . I did try a little corn. The last time I tried any, just a bite of a corn tortilla chip, I was dizzy in seconds. That was at least 9 mos ago.

A couple wks ago, I tried again and WASN'T dizzy! I even ate ~10 whole chips w/ no immed reaction. So it certainly changed for the better. What I DON'T know is whether having a slightly down day a couple days later was related.

I'm not in a hurry to try more corn, or more of the other foods whose intolerance should go away, but I've bkmrkd this thread and wil report in as I do.

I'd really like to hear from others in this position. Much of what I've read on 'leaky-gut-induced' intolerances says they go away.

[jerseyangel]

I started the gluten-free diet on June 2, 2005. I felt better quite quickly, but a lot of my old GI symptoms began to return about 5 months later. I suspected additional food intolerance because I was ultra careful in avoiding gluten in my foods and personal care products. I had completely replaced my pots and pans, toaster, collander, etc, etc. didn't eat out, etc, etc.

I finally sought help from an allergist/immunologist. (My GI at the time refused to even discuss the possibility of food intolerance with me, saying I only needed to avoid gluten ) After a full battery of skin testing, I was found negative to everything tested (food wise--though highly positive to cats and dust mites)). He suggested an elimination diet--he felt it would be more accurate than blood testing for intolerances.

We found I was intolerant to soy, legumes, coconut, tapioca, eggs, rice, and corn. I was already dairy free by choice, so we didn't challenge that.

I completely avoided those foods for at least 6 months. I ate no grains at all--just meats, veggies, fruit, spring water, olive oil, almonds and dark chocolate

After 6-7 months, I tried some rice and was fine with it. That was all I added until recently--I can now eat corn in the form of homemade, popped in light olive oil popcorn and fresh corn off the cob. Corn previously had always gone right through me, along with a considerable amount of cramping.

Right now, with the addition of the rice and corn (and egg in recipes)--I'm content to leave well enough alone with the other foods. I have just recently found myself sensitive to potatoes which is interesting because they were always my "go-to" food when I was sick or reacting. The potatoes don't cause GI distress as much as joint aches and stiffness.

After 2 years and 3 months, I think I finally have a handle on this thing I'm feeling so much better than I have in a very long time. By very long, I mean at least 20 years.

[Rachel--24]

I cant eat most foods...I've only been eating about 5 different foods for about a year now with no luck adding in new foods. I might do okay eating something in small amounts but if I keep it in my diet I'll notice problems.

I have candida and parasites contributing to the leaky gut situation. Just started treatment for mercury toxicity so we'll see how I do with the food intolerances in the upcoming weeks/months.

I'm told these intolerances should all go away as I progress with treatment.

I will post back here when I notice any changes.

P.S.

I dont have Celiac.... I've been on the gluten-free diet over 2 years now.

[oceangirl]

Hi,

I have been a year and a half gluten, soy, dairy, corn, legume and nightshade free. I have CAREFULLY and painstakingly slowly added back potatoes (in the form of UTZ chips) and tomatoes and seem to be having success as long as I go SLOW and easy. I have also put almonds back slowly to much success. I react to many foods (I guess some of us should really just live on air, eh?) I've kept a detailed food log for a year and a half that helps me pinpoint trouble and sometime leaves everything a mystery. But for the most part, I highly recommend a food log with how you felt that day to help sort out problems. There IS hope, I think, but you must go slowly and only ONE food at a time.

Good luck,

lisa

[Arpita]

Hi,

I have been a year and a half gluten, soy, dairy, corn, legume and nightshade free. I have CAREFULLY and painstakingly slowly added back potatoes (in the form of UTZ chips) and tomatoes and seem to be having success as long as I go SLOW and easy. I have also put almonds back slowly to much success. I react to many foods (I guess some of us should really just live on air, eh?) I've kept a detailed food log for a year and a half that helps me pinpoint trouble and sometime leaves everything a mystery. But for the most part, I highly recommend a food log with how you felt that day to help sort out problems. There IS hope, I think, but you must go slowly and only ONE food at a time.

Good luck,

lisa

Thanks. I kept a food log for my daughter for over a year, and almost that long for myself. That is how I ended up eliminating so many foods for myself (this happened sequentially after the initial gluten free, shortly thereafter dairy free that started in Jan 05). I am grateful that so many of my symptoms have gone away. It's nice to hear the hope that someday foods can be added in, and that it doesn't have to be the never ending elimination story that is common. I was thrilled in the last week to be able to take probiotics for the first time. Supplements, other than cod liver oil, have always been a huge problem for me (even before celiac). I love your "just live on air" comment....I can relate.

[jewi0008]

Thanks. I kept a food log for my daughter for over a year, and almost that long for myself. That is how I ended up eliminating so many foods for myself (this happened sequentially after the initial gluten free, shortly thereafter dairy free that started in Jan 05). I am grateful that so many of my symptoms have gone away. It's nice to hear the hope that someday foods can be added in, and that it doesn't have to be the never ending elimination story that is common. I was thrilled in the last week to be able to take probiotics for the first time. Supplements, other than cod liver oil, have always been a huge problem for me (even before celiac). I love your "just live on air" comment....I can relate.

I have a question for everyone about your Food Logs. How do you track everything? Do you write the times you eat the foods/times for symptoms? Or what about ongoing symptoms that don't go away, ect.? Currently, I just write down what I eat and at the end of the day I write what all of my symptoms were. Is there a better way?

[Arpita]

I have a question for everyone about your Food Logs. How do you track everything? Do you write the times you eat the foods/times for symptoms? Or what about ongoing symptoms that don't go away, ect.? Currently, I just write down what I eat and at the end of the day I write what all of my symptoms were. Is there a better way?

When we did logs, this is what I did. I write breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between (but not exact times). I write all the symptoms I had that day. I don't look at it and figure it out each day. After a couple of months, I return to it and look for patterns of symptoms. Sometimes they show up the next day or even 3 days later for some people. Yes, I write down all symptoms. It's really important to look for patterns, because you can have a food and not obviously react EVERY single time (in the same way that you can take tylenol for a headache and it doesn't eliminate the headache EVERY single time). you can also have symptoms due to stress or other problems. If you get over-detailed, then you can see the forest for the trees. Another more obvious way is with elimination - compare a several month period eating a particular food(s) with a month period not eating that food. If this is for yourself, write, write, write - but don't examine it until later (less stress too). My experience is that if it is for a young child, it is easier to figure out. But as children get older they can cheat, the pressure outside the home is so strong. It is not fun to be eliminating foods based on a log and then find out it was gluten outside the home instead of something else.