Tolerating Corn?

[tuxedocat]

Does anyone here have an issue tolerating corn?

I may not even have a clinical issue with corn but for some reason "things don't feel quite right" (it's a very vague thing) if I've been eating a lot of it. I don't feel quite right basing my diet on corn based products... just a vague thing of feeling "off", as opposed to the dramatic effects of being glutened. And now that I'm gluten-free I end up eat a lot more corn than before. For one, my poo smells like burnt popcorn when I've been eating polenta, corn tortillas and corn cereal a lot.

I seem to be fine with my "gluten-free lifestyle" consisting of keeping a rice cooker full of cooked rice at all times, but I do get tired of rice...

[codetalker]

I have a problem with corn but it is part of a bigger issue with a specific reaction. As of about 2 yrs ago, something in the right side of my neck swells up if I eat corn, soy, legumes, nuts, dairy, eggs, potatoes, chicken, cinnamon and most oils. Until several months ago, there was no apparent connection between any of these. Then, I stumbled over the fact that they all contain lectin and, if you believe the blood type diet, they are all on the avoid list for my blood type. Haven't completely decided about the diet but the web site has helped me identify things like cinnamon which cause only a slight reaction. Don't have a clue why this suddenly became a problem.

In general, some people do better avoiding all grains. Maybe you're one of them.

[jewi0008]

I have a problem with corn but it is part of a bigger issue with a specific reaction. As of about 2 yrs ago, something in the right side of my neck swells up if I eat corn, soy, legumes, nuts, dairy, eggs, potatoes, chicken, cinnamon and most oils. Until several months ago, there was no apparent connection between any of these. Then, I stumbled over the fact that they all contain lectin and, if you believe the blood type diet, they are all on the avoid list for my blood type. Haven't completely decided about the diet but the web site has helped me identify things like cinnamon which cause only a slight reaction. Don't have a clue why this suddenly became a problem.

In general, some people do better avoiding all grains. Maybe you're one of them.

Do you also get a dry mouth at all? How can you find out your blood type?

[codetalker]

Do you also get a dry mouth at all? How can you find out your blood type?

The question about the dry mouth has me wondering. When this happens, I also have difficulty swallowing. That always seemed strange because the thing in my neck that swells up is outside my throat. I'll have to pay more attention next time. Maybe I have difficulty swallowing because my throat is dryer than normal.

In regard to the other question, the web site referred to is Open Original Shared Link

There is a link to another page where testing kits can be ordered. Please note that I am not endorsing this site. It's just that I stumbled over it and there is a marked correspondance between what it advocates and what I am experiencing. At this time, I have not decided if this is valid or just coincidence. You need to use your own judgement.

I already knew my blood type because I gave blood once and got a card back from the blood bank. It noted my blood type.

The site divides each blood type into two groups: secretors and non-secretors. Based on what I read, I am assuming I would probably be the latter, since they supposedly are the ones that have things like celiac disease. Depending on what I finally decide about this, I might pop for the test kit to determine that status.

There have been occasional posts about this diet. There are posters who are much more knowledgable than me. A search should find their comments.

Thanks.

[JNBunnie1]

I already knew my blood type because I gave blood once and got a card back from the blood bank. It noted my blood type.

Nice trick! And you get to do something useful at the same time, I need to know my blood type but I'm cheap, I think I'll go do that.......

[nmw]

Corn became one of my problem foods at the same time dairy (casien) and soy did, more than a year after going gluten-free. I chalk it up to leaky gut and proteins passing through my gut into my body and wreaking havoc.

[codetalker]

Corn became one of my problem foods at the same time dairy (casien) and soy did, more than a year after going gluten-free. I chalk it up to leaky gut and proteins passing through my gut into my body and wreaking havoc.

I've considered the same thing to explain my additional intolerances, which like yours all started at the same time. The thing that bothers me is that I've been gluten-free for 10 years. If I have leaky gut now, then my gut must not be healing.

I recently saw a post that suggested the opposite. Untreated celiac disease can cause malabsorption and nutrients aren't absorbed properly. The poster suggested that once a person's gut healed, then things might be absorbed that were not being absorbed previously. These new nutrients might result in intolerances. If that is possible, then it's possible that, if my gut was normal all my life, I might have had these intolerances all along.

Of course, that means being screwed either way. If I still have leaky gut, then intolerances can be expected. Conversely, if my gut heals and starts absorbing things that weren't being absorbed previously, then intolerances can be expected. A person just can't win.

[debmidge]

How do you avoid corn? and what do you substitute for corn?

[emcmaster]

How do you avoid corn? and what do you substitute for corn?

Corn is very hard to avoid. Nearly all packaged gluten-free products use corn, especially xanthan gum which is usually from corn.

The rule of thumb is to make all baked goods and cook everything mostly from scratch. I seem to be ok with some corn derivatives, but less now that I've been corn free for a while - which sucks.

Tortilla chips and mexican food in general are my absolute favorites, so giving up tortilla chips was/is really hard. I'm from Texas and tortilla chips are part of daily life... just not mine anymore. I did find some brown rice crackers that make a decent tortilla chip substitute when eating queso, salsa, and guacamole, though. Just not as good as the real thing!

Kinnikinnick bread is (mostly) corn-free - I don't have problems with it. And Daisy sour cream, Daisy cottage cheese, Horizon organic cottage cheese, Horizon organic cream cheese, Dannon plain yogurt and plain Fage greek yogurt are products I use near-daily.

Corn-free is MUCH harder, IMO, than being gluten-free... but at least CC isn't a worry.

[nmw]

I've considered the same thing to explain my additional intolerances, which like yours all started at the same time. The thing that bothers me is that I've been gluten-free for 10 years. If I have leaky gut now, then my gut must not be healing.

I recently saw a post that suggested the opposite. Untreated celiac disease can cause malabsorption and nutrients aren't absorbed properly. The poster suggested that once a person's gut healed, then things might be absorbed that were not being absorbed previously. These new nutrients might result in intolerances. If that is possible, then it's possible that, if my gut was normal all my life, I might have had these intolerances all along.

Of course, that means being screwed either way. If I still have leaky gut, then intolerances can be expected. Conversely, if my gut heals and starts absorbing things that weren't being absorbed previously, then intolerances can be expected. A person just can't win.

Wow CT - 10 years? Way to go.

Oh yes it's all a big conundrum. I recently had an EGD that showed blunted villi along with inflamed stomach lining. Since I haven't had my follow-up appt. yet, I don't know what the damage is from (foods? infection?). Probably the corn, soy and dairy I cut out just recently. It's unlikely I'm getting hidden gluten as I don't recognize any gluten symptoms currently. I'm trying to cut out yeast and rice as well per IgG results, and I'm finding that cutting out all of these foods makes being gluten-free seem very simple by comparison. At this point I do feel liked I screwed no matter what I eat. Back to the original question, it seems that corn is in more (prepared) foods than wheat and dairy combined, and harder to avoid unless you cut out all prepared foods. The lists I've seen of corn used in all of its different forms is daunting! I figure I'm still getting some in small amounts here and there until I get a handle on all of these additional not-allowed foods. As far as replacements I've used rice tortillas, flax or hemp tortillas, amaranth cereal.

[gfpaperdoll]

In my other life before I was gluten free, I had a problem with corn - just could not eat it, plus a problem with a LOT of other foods. Now I can eat corn with no problems, except I cannot eat canned corn for some odd reason. I do great with fresh corn on the cob & discovered this before I was gluten-free, that when corn came into season that I could eat it. BUT I only did that on a weekend & I ate nothing else for most of the day except for the fresh corn.

I totally go by the book "eat right for your blood type". I found it very close to what I already knew that I could not eat. Of course I just cross out the dairy foods & the gluten ones. There are a couple of things listed for me that I know that I cannot eat - so i just also crossed those off. I am MUCH more energetic & happier since I cut out all beans except for pinto beans for me. Which were my favorites anyway... On beans for the ones that you are allowed to have you need to cook them on top of the stove after soaking overnight. The heat from the cooking this way destroys some of the lectins. cooking in a crockpot, does not because the heat does not get high enough.

that said I do not eat replacement gluten free things, rarely will I bake something & now one of the preferred flours for me is corn flour & corn meal. I use WHITE corn tortillas with no problems. If you have not tried the white ones I suggest that you try those. I heard that in Mexico that they have cleared a huge aguave plantation and planted white corn...

I also recommend the book "Super Foods" not a gluten-free book, but just ignore those parts. this book is a good primer for nutrition & I tweaked my diet some from this & noticed a difference. For one thing I have cut out corn syrup from my diet. Not because it was corn but because I believe that stuff is very bad for our bodies. & it is in everything, ketchup, I now make my own ketchup, I buy jam with no added sugar or make my own, hunt for a tomato product with no added corn syrup. I think that if you will get rid of products that have corn syrup in them that you will notice a huge difference.

I also switched from peanut butter to almond butter after reading the Paleo diet book & finding out the PB a legume contributes to leaky gut, I know I have a problem with that, because the skinnier I get the better I feel & I have known this for about 40 years now. I am soon to be 61 & healthier than ever... I also recommend that you check into the Paleo diet. It is the healthiest I believe. I mostly eat Paleo on a regular basis, with my cheats being the white corn tortillas, pinto beans rarely, cornbread rarely, made with corn flour, cornmeal, & coconut milk..

I have noticed a huge change with the few changes that I have made & also started eating more meat... other people have made several comments to me that I am looking good...

[VioletBlue]

I have a problem with corn. Things like whole corn kernals or popcorn or cornstarch pass through my body in record time, under fifteen minutes from first ingestion. This was how I can to realize that powdered sugar contains conrstarch I seem to be able to tolerate things like organic corn flour in small amounts, but not ground corn. For awhile I was able to eat rice chips that had small amounts of corn in them in place or corn tortillas, but now that I'm allergic to sunflower, and hence sunflower oil, there isn't a chip out there I can eat. There's pretty much no point to Mexican food at all. I miss that dearly.

Pamela's pancake baking mix does not contain corn, but relies on rice and tapioca flour and potato starch. It makes good muffins and cookies as well as pancakes. The recipes are on the bag.

Violet