Food Dyes And Fake Sugars

[Lizz7711]

My 8 year old started having her classic "food reaction" behavior tonight (clearly different than regular behavior--repetetive phrases, "hate", extreme argumentativeness, whiny etc) and i figured out after asking her questions that she had had some "sugar free" jello at her babysitters. She knows the dyes affect her, and she didn't really understand that sugar free means chemical sugar that makes her crazy. I'm hoping as she has this happen and we make the connections that she'll start to really take ownership and say no to things she knows will affect her. She also has the behavioral reacction to gluten.

Does anyone know why this happens? Her entero lab results did not show malabsorption as a problem, but i'm thinking she must have a leaky gut to have this kind of brain reaction to the foods and additives. It's so frustrating because she'll make progress, but then every time she has a bad reaction like this, it lasts for days. And she's not supposed to have soy or eggs either, in addition to casein and gluten, but it is just impossible to completely get rid of everything. I do not have time to cook fresh food every day and i do minimize soy and eggs as much as possible, and we don't allow any gluten or casein (except she's about to finally stop milk chocolate). I also suspect she's reacting to corn. Help! I'm wondering if I should be giving her enzymes, and what else I should give her to help her heal faster.

Anyone else have similar experiences, and how long till the gut heals enough to not be reacting so strongly to everything??

thanks for any input!

Liz (also gluten and casein free after positive entero lab and blood tests)

[Mom23boys]

You may want to hop over to Feingold.org to read about all the artificials and their problems. Your child is definitely not alone in the issues with dyes and fake sugars. We have found we are more tolerant of "real" foods once we eliminated the artificials.

[mmcdaniels]

I think they bother my son a good deal. We are eliminating all fruit snacks and Froot by the Foot. All are brands that are supposed to be gluten free but I think it's the dyes that cause some odd stools.

Marsha

[Cinnamon]

Oh boy, we really had this problem too with my son. Food colorings made him crazy hyper, and nutrasweet was terrible for him, too. Dairy and soy were also bad. Take away gluten as well and that doesn't leave many kid-friendly foods to choose from! I got some enzymes that are supposed to help break down gluten and casein, and also has something to break down the phenols in food colorings. I think it helps but I still tried to steer clear of all the allergens. I think as time goes by it's definitely getting better. I've started adding in some cheese, and he seems to tolerate that okay now. The other day I let him have some chocolate milk with an enzyme, and he was okay with that. I'm afraid to ever let him have a lot of food colorings though, since the last time he had some brightly colored candy he was so hyper he was literally leaping from one piece of furniture to the next while laughing hysterically, and this is a strapping 11-year-old. I had never seen him so out of control. He was screaming and laughing like a maniac, and I think if anyone outside our family had witnessed it, he'd have been taken out of here in a strait-jacket. When it was over, he said it was like being caught up in a tornado, and there's nothing you can do to stop it but wait for it to be over.

I think you are right about it being a leaky gut problem. I've been giving Slippery Elm capsules once in a while to see if that helps coat the gut, and I think it might be helping, I'm not sure. I think the best thing to do is to try to steer clear of the problem foods, give enzymes when you can't, and wait for healing to take place. Maybe someone has some other suggestions.

[okgrace]

Does anyone use maplesyrup (real) or honey as a sweetener? I have heard this is easier to digest, but I don't remember where. I tried to post this question a week ago, but it never pinned. I must of done something wrong. I would be very interested in your answers. My dd has a suprisingly fast bm everytime she has sugar or even worse something with sugar and food coloring. Food coloring has been pretty easy for us to cut out, becuase I never let her have it anyway. She' still young enough it's easy to control. But sugars are much more difficult and people love to give kids sugar.

Thanks for your help,

Kristan

[gdobson]

I've been able to pinpoint my son's reaction to dyes to Red Dye #40. It breaks out his face and gives him like a "mini" gluten attack. I say mini because it last only a couple days as compared to a couple weeks. We stay away from red dye completely. I've read that a lot of children react to red dye. I'm hoping he outgrows this one...so is he.

Gina

[Rachel--24]

Does anyone know why this happens?

I have problems with the dyes, artificial sweeteners and pretty much all phenols. This is something that was triggered 5 years ago...prior to that I had no problems metabolising these chemicals.

If phenols are involved its usually an enzyme deficiency that prevents these chemicals from being broken down and excreted. Instead they circulate throughout the body causing symptoms.

The pathway involved is the PST (phenol sulfer-transferase). If the PST enzyme is weak the body has difficulty detoxing these phenolic food chemicals.

I follow the Feingold Diet and I take NO-Fenol enzymes to help break down phenols.

For alot of kids epsom salt baths help to reduce the symptoms. It can help the body to detox excess phenols.

[Lizz7711]

I have problems with the dyes, artificial sweeteners and pretty much all phenols. This is something that was triggered 5 years ago...prior to that I had no problems metabolising these chemicals.

If phenols are involved its usually an enzyme deficiency that prevents these chemicals from being broken down and excreted. Instead they circulate throughout the body causing symptoms.

The pathway involved is the PST (phenol sulfer-transferase). If the PST enzyme is weak the body has difficulty detoxing these phenolic food chemicals.

I follow the Feingold Diet and I take NO-Fenol enzymes to help break down phenols.

For alot of kids epsom salt baths help to reduce the symptoms. It can help the body to detox excess phenols.

Thanks for everyone's comments...it's good to know others have had similar experiences and have some hope for the future! I'll look more into the phenols issue. I'm familiar with Feingold's stuff, but i'm trying to really get a handle on the original underlying cause and try to heal that rather than just avoiding certain foods (of course we have to do that too!). Does anyone know a good book on the leaky gut syndrome? Seems to me that healing the leaky gut should be first priority. Thing is, my daughter's doctor doesn't even know i've done entero lab tests and gone Gluten-free Casein-free...and my daughte'rs on Medicaid so i don't think i'll find a good holistic doctor that takes medicaid to run all the alternative tests! I'm wondering about her adrenal/thyroid function as well as candida and leaky gut.

I guess one of my main questions is this: if a person has a leaky gut, would they automatically test positive for malabsorption on a stool test (i.e. be entero lab)? WE both tested negative, but yet i'm sure we both have the leaky gut problem based on how many food sensitivities we have, her reactions to MSG/additives/dyes, my multiple chemical sensitivity, etc. I'm really wanting her to heal to lower risk of autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes etc.

thanks again,

Liz

[Lizz7711]

I've been able to pinpoint my son's reaction to dyes to Red Dye #40. It breaks out his face and gives him like a "mini" gluten attack. I say mini because it last only a couple days as compared to a couple weeks. We stay away from red dye completely. I've read that a lot of children react to red dye. I'm hoping he outgrows this one...so is he.

Gina

Yes my daughter reacts most strongly to red dye #40 and yellow #5, besides MSG. I've found some organic dye-free gummy worms and candies at whole foods which helps a bit...but it is still just so hard to avoid exposure at friensd's houses etc. My duaghter doesn't have a physical reaction to the dyes though...just emotional/behavioral...although last night in the middle of the night she did have a leg ache so I guess that was her physical reaction perhaps.

Hope your son does grow out of it, and my daughter too! Even though i'd still not let her have much of it.

Liz

[Lizz7711]

Does anyone use maplesyrup (real) or honey as a sweetener? I have heard this is easier to digest, but I don't remember where. I tried to post this question a week ago, but it never pinned. I must of done something wrong. I would be very interested in your answers. My dd has a suprisingly fast bm everytime she has sugar or even worse something with sugar and food coloring. Food coloring has been pretty easy for us to cut out, becuase I never let her have it anyway. She' still young enough it's easy to control. But sugars are much more difficult and people love to give kids sugar.

Thanks for your help,

Kristan

We do use alot of pure maple syrup and raw honey (BTW raw honey also works great on cuts to heal and is antibacterial). But, I know given we probably are dealing with candida issues, we should cut it all out, and I know I will eventually at least for me...not sure how i'm gonna get my sugar addict daughter to totally cut out sugar..she's already cut out soooooo much with being Gluten-free Casein-free, and supposed to be soy and egg free too! It's hard on an 8 year old!

Liz

[Lizz7711]

I think you are right about it being a leaky gut problem. I've been giving Slippery Elm capsules once in a while to see if that helps coat the gut, and I think it might be helping, I'm not sure. I think the best thing to do is to try to steer clear of the problem foods, give enzymes when you can't, and wait for healing to take place. Maybe someone has some other suggestions.

Thanks for the info, I need to really research this leaky gut issue and get her on a program for healing. I have probiotics and multivitamins for her...but am inconsistent giving them to her. Do you know of a good place to get kids' vitamins and supplements (Gluten-free Casein-free)?

Liz

[Rachel--24]

I guess one of my main questions is this: if a person has a leaky gut, would they automatically test positive for malabsorption on a stool test (i.e. be entero lab)?

This isnt a test for diagnosing leaky gut syndrome so I dont think a negative result would rule out leaky gut. There is a specific test that is used in diagnosing LGS.

The standard test for leaky gut syndrome is the mannitol and lactulose test. Both are water soluble molecules that the body can't use. Mannitol is easily absorbed by people with healthy intestinal linings. Lactulose is a larger molecule and is only slightly absorbed. A person drinks a solution contain both mannitol and lactulose. Urine is collected for six hours and the amount present in urine reflects how much was absorbed by the body. A healthy test shows high levels of mannitol and low levels of lactulose. If high levels of both molecules are found, it indicates a leaky gut condition. If low levels of both molecules are found, it indicatioes general malabsorption of all nutrients

Like you I am more interested in treating the underlying issues rather than avoiding so many foods for life. I also have multiple chemical sensitivity.

In order to heal the leaky gut its important to find out the cause(s). There are many things that can cause or contribute to leaky gut. Certain issues can prevent healing from taking place.

[Lizz7711]

This isnt a test for diagnosing leaky gut syndrome so I dont think a negative result would rule out leaky gut. There is a specific test that is used in diagnosing LGS.

Like you I am more interested in treating the underlying issues rather than avoiding so many foods for life. I also have multiple chemical sensitivity.

In order to heal the leaky gut its important to find out the cause(s). There are many things that can cause or contribute to leaky gut. Certain issues can prevent healing from taking place.

Thanks, I think i'll see if my doctor can order that test for me...for my daughter i'll probably just try to treat her assuming she has it. Do you have any recommendations for healing...priorities etc?

Liz

[RiceGuy]

For those who want a natural, safe sweetener, I'd recommend Stevia, in the pure powdered form. I've found Stevita brand's Simply-Stevia product to be the best. Be careful of the cheaper ones, as they use fillers and other things (not to mention they come from China).

[gabby]

Just a quick note on Stevia....it comes from a plant that is related to the ragweed family. If you react negatively to ragweed, then you might also react negatively to stevia.

Just thought I'd pass that along....

If you have no problems (or just insignificant problems) with ragweed, then stevia is a great sweetener!

Hope that helps,

[hapy4dolphins]

HI, My daughter and I react to the "Fake" sugar as well. We get MAJOR diareah and very emotional and MOODY and angry . For me, my head basically takes over and I have very little control, now that's really a basket case. My brother also has this. It's no fun.

Nicole

[Mom23boys]

Just a quick note on Stevia....it comes from a plant that is related to the ragweed family. If you react negatively to ragweed, then you might also react negatively to stevia.

Just thought I'd pass that along....

If you have no problems (or just insignificant problems) with ragweed, then stevia is a great sweetener!

Hope that helps,

Oddly enough I'm highly allergic to ragweed yet stevia settles my sinus headaches, congestion...hair of the dog???