Other Food Intolerances

[Youdah]

I'm very new to this. Less than 2 weeks without gluten. I kept a food diary to see if food intolerance was causing my fibromyalgia symptoms. As soon as I noticed a relationship to breads and pasta, I discovered on the internet about gluten. For several days, I felt daily improvement in pain, fatigue, and other fibro symptoms. Then it all went south. I started to think I must have been mistaken about the gluten...all in my head, because a gluten free diet wasn't helping me anymore.

THEN I read more of the posts on this website.

I realized that I was having a real problem with white rice. Not only did I feel worse, but my blood sugar skyrocketed, disproportionate to the amount of rice that I ate. So, no more white rice for awhile.

I carefully looked up every ingredient on everything I was eating to make sure there wasn't any hidden gluten. That's a maybe, or maybe not thing, since things like "caramel coloring" are ambiguous.

Still having symptoms, so yesterday, I avoided all milk products. And, today I'm feeling better again (except the diarrhea that is coming from who-knows-where?) I'm still watching to find out if soy and/or corn is causing any problems.

I'm also a diabetic. So, it seems my list of things I can't eat is getting fairly long: gluten, dairy, carbohydrates. I'm having trouble getting enough calories, so my weight is taking a tumble, too. (that isn't all bad, but I doubt that it's good to lose 10 pounds in two weeks!)

I started this thread to try to get, all in one place, the other things that people are having problems with. Additional things to watch out for?

Is it all down to just fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables?

So far, for me, it is:

gluten

white rice

milk or milk products (including cheese)

This is getting ridiculous!

[emcmaster]

If it is Celiac, you haven't been gluten-free long enough to do some major healing. Once you heal, you might notice you can have milk/dairy again.

[Lisa]

I agree with Elizabeth. It can take up to several month of diligence on the gluten free diet to see improvement for some.

Initially, if you have intestinal damage, any food will be an issue. And until your villi are on the road to recovery, it's hard to tell a "glutening" from a damaged intestinal track. It all blends in.

I would continue to be as totally gluten as possible (with the exception of dairy) and eliminate gluten as an issue before you tackle other food issues.

[CCM]

I find that remembering to rotate foods seems to help too. I don't have any medical factoids or studies to back this up, but I think that when your gut has undergone such damage, it is easy for what is at first a "safe" food to become a "trigger" food. I have been gluten and dairy free for just over a year now, but I had this problem with potatoes and other nightshade foods for a while. It seems to have resolved itself now, but I try to remember not to overwhelm my body with too much of "the same"...and to keep on my vit/min/probiotic plan.

[YoloGx]

I have been at this for some time and have noticed major improvements. However I still had some nagging problems I chalked up to candida overgrowth. Now I am discovering that by going off all grains I not only have no fungal/eczema like problems, but also sleep considerable better. So yes, it appears it is wise to especially initially to go on a more cave man diet. But even later on it may be necessary too, especially during times of stress. For me too I am avoiding fruit except for lemons which I make into lemonaide sweetened with stevia...

[Jestgar]

Is it all down to just fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables?

This is pretty much what I eat. Occasional potato chips. Occasional cheese (I have no dairy problems, but don't really care for it) and eggs.

[RollingAlong]

Some of that 10 pounds could be bloat or inflammation. The question is - how do you feel?

> Is it all down to just fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables?

That can be a great way to control your blood sugar and also a great way to heal up quickly. You will also save some cash, because the gluten-free goodies can be a bit spendy.

If you are planning to eat that way and avoid the gluten-free goodies, you might want to check out the Bernstein Diabetes Forum in addition to this forum. There are some totally gluten-free folks there and some dairy free also, but the main focus is on diabetes. Lots of good recipes!

[katerinoula18]

I agree also!

I have been gluten-free for only one week and everything I eat makes my small bowel bloat and my tummy swells no matter what I eat. Of course not as much as when I get glutened, but I'm sure it's normal, considering its probably super irritated down there.

I will be patient for another good 3 months to see if Im on the road of recovery.

And Ive also realised that potatos, rice, corn, and sulfites (my balsamic vinegar has) are very hard on my track right now. Ive decided to stick to fruits, veggies, eggs, peanut butter and hummus for the beginning.

[YoloGx]

I agree also!

I have been gluten-free for only one week and everything I eat makes my small bowel bloat and my tummy swells no matter what I eat. Of course not as much as when I get glutened, but I'm sure it's normal, considering its probably super irritated down there.

I will be patient for another good 3 months to see if Im on the road of recovery.

And Ive also realised that potatos, rice, corn, and sulfites (my balsamic vinegar has) are very hard on my track right now. Ive decided to stick to fruits, veggies, eggs, peanut butter and hummus for the beginning.

For myself I have problems both with hummus and peanut butter as well as eggs and most fruit. Apart from all that, I suggest as I have elsewhere that you take marshmallow root and/or slippery elm caps to help soothe and heal your intestines...

Meanwhile I am doing so much better on the basic paleolithic diet. I can sleep etc.! Yay!! And yes my tummy is flat at last too. If it goes up after I eat something I know that is something I should avoid.

Bea

[Welda Johnson]

Hi,

I hope you're feeling better! I've been glutten-free and milk & dairy free for many years, and feel so much better. I also never eat egg whites, yeast, casein, whey, maltodextrin, modified food starch or msg, since when I do, I always end up having an asthma attack, which is one of the symptoms that plague me when I eat any of the items listed above. I agree with Yolo that stress plays a tremendous part in our health, and I, too, sleep soundly now, something I really treasure. Sometimes meat, fruits & vegetables are all I can tolerate, and at other times I have to discontinue the meats. That is somewhat of a mystery to me, as to why I have trouble with meat, poultry or fish, but I have learned to listen to my body and just go along with whatever it is telling me. I now feel great, and I hope that you will soon experience this good health too. Best wishes, Welda

[katerinoula18]

For myself I have problems both with hummus and peanut butter as well as eggs and most fruit. Apart from all that, I suggest as I have elsewhere that you take marshmallow root and/or slippery elm caps to help soothe and heal your intestines...

Meanwhile I am doing so much better on the basic paleolithic diet. I can sleep etc.! Yay!! And yes my tummy is flat at last too. If it goes up after I eat something I know that is something I should avoid.

Bea

hahaha! you are SO right! the more I eat peanut butter, the more I believe I can't tolerate peanuts either. I stopped eating peanut butter today for a try...and magically symptoms diminished by 50%. hmmm thanks for the info. ill check on the hummus also! I know Im fine with eggs:) thanks so much again.

[FarmCat]

If peanut butter and hummus both bother you--consider eliminating all legumes. The very first food intolerance I discovered I had was soy, and with a little more experimentation it turned out that it was the whole legume family. Being gluten and legume free is a nuisance; bean flour is used as a wheat substitute in so many gluten-free goodies!

[YoloGx]

Glad you found the suggestion to avoid peanut butter helpful! Peanuts actually are a common allergen. I can eat the peanut butter maybe once a month or so...No more. I find it addictive plus potently not good for me. Twists my intestines and alters my brain chemistry.

I too avoid beans for the most part. Maybe have some lentils once a month--which is for me OK. Much more seems not. Could probably handle it twice a month--ie.e., once every two weeks but haven't experimented with it of late. I think it stimulates candida, though it might be an allergy or sensitivity. The worst for me with the hummus though is the sesame seeds in it--which make up the tahini!! Sesame seeds give me headaches!

In addition I seem to be allergic to all nuts, even when they have been soaked in water. I actually get welts from eating them to any great extent and before that again my brain chemistry alters and intestines get uncomfortable. Maybe can have almonds once in a blue moon. I can eat sunflower seeds however with abandon, so its not the roughage.

Wish I could handle eating the various ground up alternative flours, and can to a certain extent. However given how sensitive I am I am much better off avoiding grains of all kinds for now altogether, whether whole or ground . Perhaps in time this will change. Am hoping so. They seem to puff up my abdomen plus give me some eczema. I am now saving them for special occasions. I still need to avoid sugar like the plague however...

To counteract the hunger from lack of grains and fruit I eat more root vegetables and squash. Plus more vegetables and meat. Am eating basically therefore the old paleo diet minus fruit--except for fresh lemon juice which I have quite frequently in water with stevia. Its kind of radical, however it is relatively cheap, available anywhere there are food markets to buy produce and meat and very healthy.

I also use Bragg's apple cider vinegar both in water as well as a condiment. Seems to help with digestion quite a lot, especially minerals.

Lately my friend/roomie and I (who by the way has the same condition) have been making quite a few crock pot soups. However, since I can only stand eating the same soup over and over again x many times, I try to mix it up by also baking chicken or occasionally salmon, sometimes make a stir fry with chicken or pork, bake winter squash, boil some sliced summer squash or yam, make salads or steam veggies etc.

I then have plain non fat yogurt with some stevia for a treat. My roomie is allergic to the yogurt but can have plain kefir.

Like I say, this is a bit radical. However it works and is very healthy I believe for most anyone. I have noticed that many of the people here on the boards who have had continued difficulties despite going off gluten and all kinds of other things find going this way is very helpful and alleviates their suffering to a high extent.

And yes, I/we also avoid the nightshade family: tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. These too often seem to be part of the things one is often allergic too if one has a very sensitive case of celiac.

Bea

[RollingAlong]

Bea,

If it isn't too personal a question, could you elaborate on the "brain chemistry alteration"? Or if you have sone this elsewhere, could you point me to it?

Just BTW, I don't happen to find your dietary changes radical, but I think the Paleo diet is a reasonable choice and plenty of people eat that because they want to, not because their digestive systems threaten to revolt if they don't.

best wishes

[YoloGx]

Bea,

If it isn't too personal a question, could you elaborate on the "brain chemistry alteration"? Or if you have sone this elsewhere, could you point me to it?

Just BTW, I don't happen to find your dietary changes radical, but I think the Paleo diet is a reasonable choice and plenty of people eat that because they want to, not because their digestive systems threaten to revolt if they don't.

best wishes

Ah well--when I was a child and young adult on ocasion I used to see people who werent' there and hear voices. I didn't freak fortunately nevertheless it was a little strange. Taking B complex starting in my early twenties really helped plus going off most of the wheat family by the time I was thirty really helped my health overall plus made the most of the more troubling mental effects go away.

However I still continued to struggle, not realizing I had to go off all trace glutens. I did do the cave man diet years ago and actually mostly ate that way for years. But still would have the occasional Monster Cookie or whatever and ate barley sometimes and used tinctures on occasion etc.

I continued thus to have brain fog, depression, twitching legs and sleepless nights. I was unable often to remember the names of things or people and had instead to describe them. I was anxious and unable to focus so was constantly messy. I learned early on to compensate for the fact I had such confusion and poor short term memory. I was always checking up on myself and developed a sense o f humor about it. I learned to rely on habits and checking. My ability to do simple math and mechanical repairs suffered.

Even now if I eat the wrong thing my brain chemistry noticeable changes. I can feel it and experience it as a lack of clarity and general confusion and often depression as well as muscle aches and often migraines. . Now without the offending materials, even the traces of that have gone away. When they reappear I know I have eaten something wrong for my system.

For the last three years I also started taking co-enzyme B complex. It works a lot better than the plain B's since it goes directly into the blood stream; I seem to need it no doubt since it is so hard for my body to make or metabolize. It has helped immensely, helping to heal my degraded nervous system and previously challenged heart and many of the brain difficulties. However it hasn't been enough in itself. Going off all the trace glutens this last year and almost a half has been essential plus now going back to the cave man diet is getting rid of chronic tiredness, swelling and eczema.

Bea

[RollingAlong]

Thank you.

thanks also for the b-vitamin info.

[SalmonNationWoman]

First off, it can take up to 3 YEARS to fully heal once you eliminate all gluten. You're not going to magically heal overnight or in a few weeks. It take 5 years for you cancer risk to reach that of the "normal" population.

Realisitically, not all your aches and pains may disappear. It's a myth that humans are able to live completely pain-free. Pain is our body's way of telling us to pay attention to overuse, overeating, sleep deprivation, stress levels, etc.

Since you're Diabetic, you should be on chromium supplementation. I recommend 1,000 mcg/day to my patients and take that dose level myself, recommended by my PCP. Chromium is a co-factor to insulin crossing the cell membrane and taking the glucose with it into the cell to be used as fuel. A deficiency of chromium leads to insulin resistance and Diabetes.

So before someone screams for literature links, buy yourself good physiology, biochemistry and nutrition texts or learn to use your search engine functions. The best way to learn and retain the info is resarch it yourself. Don't wait for someone to spoonfeed.

[Lisa]

Since you're Diabetic, you should be on chromium supplementation. I recommend 1,000 mg/day to my patients and take that dose level myself, recommended by my PCP. Chromium is a co-factor to insulin crossing the cell membrane and taking the glucose with it into the cell to be used as fuel. A deficiency of chromium leads to insulin resistance and Diabetes.

Open Original Shared Link

Although trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) is required in trace amounts for sugar and lipid metabolism in humans and its deficiency may cause a disease called chromium deficiency, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a toxin and a carcinogen, so that abandoned chromium production sites need environmental cleanup.

My interest in chromium is based on a family member working in a plant that produces chromium based products. Health concerns from working there are very real. Chromium can be dangerous. Is 1,000mcg considered "trace amount" and thus safe to recommend?

[Jestgar]

So before someone screams for literature links, buy yourself good physiology, biochemistry and nutrition texts or learn to use your search engine functions. The best way to learn and retain the info is resarch it yourself. Don't wait for someone to spoonfeed.

And please don't follow health advice from nameless people on the internet unless you've either taken the time to research and verify it yourself, or can discuss it with your physician.