Stress And Food Intolerances?

[India]

Hi all,

So far, the new year hasn't been a good one. My symptoms haven't been too bad lately but since the weekend, I've been feeling wretched. I have to avoid a lot of foods but I've only eaten safe foods and I think my favourite gluten-free sausages are the problem. Can stress set off new food intolerances or am I crazy? Stress has been the trigger for both of my major health problems but I need to be well to take care of other people. There are various things that mean life is somewhat stressful most of the time but even with recent events, I thought I was coping ok. The only other thing I've done differently lately is start taking l-glutamine supplements but I've been taking them for three weeks or so now.

Grateful for any advice, as I know many people here have coped so well with so much.

[ravenwoodglass]

For me stress really doesn't make any difference. If this started after adding the supplements you may want to stop them for a couple weeks and see if it helps. There may be something in them that your body doesn't want, either the supplement or the fillers.

[jenngolightly]

Hi all,

So far, the new year hasn't been a good one. My symptoms haven't been too bad lately but since the weekend, I've been feeling wretched. I have to avoid a lot of foods but I've only eaten safe foods and I think my favourite gluten-free sausages are the problem. Can stress set off new food intolerances or am I crazy? Stress has been the trigger for both of my major health problems but I need to be well to take care of other people. There are various things that mean life is somewhat stressful most of the time but even with recent events, I thought I was coping ok. The only other thing I've done differently lately is start taking l-glutamine supplements but I've been taking them for three weeks or so now.

Grateful for any advice, as I know many people here have coped so well with so much.

Sausages have a lot of ingredients that could trigger icky feelings - sugar, corn syrup, soy, corn... You'll have to check your ingredients to see what the sausage has in it and what could have set off your problems. Many people develop problems with corn or soy after going gluten free. I MISS SAUSAGE!

[julandjo]

Hi all,

So far, the new year hasn't been a good one. My symptoms haven't been too bad lately but since the weekend, I've been feeling wretched. I have to avoid a lot of foods but I've only eaten safe foods and I think my favourite gluten-free sausages are the problem. Can stress set off new food intolerances or am I crazy? Stress has been the trigger for both of my major health problems but I need to be well to take care of other people. There are various things that mean life is somewhat stressful most of the time but even with recent events, I thought I was coping ok. The only other thing I've done differently lately is start taking l-glutamine supplements but I've been taking them for three weeks or so now.

Grateful for any advice, as I know many people here have coped so well with so much.

Sausage has given me trouble too, even when all the ingredients seemed safe. I learned that autolyzed and/or hydrolyzed yeast extract are both fancy names for MSG, so check for those. It was my sausage troubles that helped me realize I can't tolerate *any* lemon, paprika, honey, or maple syrup... The only brand of sausages I can tolerate is Applegate Farms chicken breakfast sausage. They're the bomb.

[India]

I just ate a spinach salad and started feeling rough, so I'm beginning to think spinach is the problem I had spinach with the sausage both times and assumed it was still safe. It's the last green leafy veg I could eat so I'm not happy to think it may be another food I can't eat.

I saw my doctor today, as it happens, and mentioned that I feel best if I eat chocolate, plain potato chips (specific brands) and coke rather than real food. His response that I should keep doing that if that seems to work and it helps me get enough calories. How about that for helpful medical advice? :/

[mushroom]

I find that there is a big difference between raw and cooked spinach. Raw will get me every time

[Financialman]

I also loved sausage but it stopped loving me. It wasn't the sausage that was making me sick...it was the MSG in ALL beef sausage that I looked at. I stopped eating beef sausage and now only eat turkey sausage and problem solved. For whatever reason, no one in the the grocery store meat department could explain, they only put MSG in beef sausage. If you can get homemade sausage you may be ok if you know what the ingredients are. I hope your problem is as simple as this. Good luck!

[jenngolightly]

I also loved sausage but it stopped loving me. It wasn't the sausage that was making me sick...it was the MSG in ALL beef sausage that I looked at. I stopped eating beef sausage and now only eat turkey sausage and problem solved. For whatever reason, no one in the the grocery store meat department could explain, they only put MSG in beef sausage. If you can get homemade sausage you may be ok if you know what the ingredients are. I hope your problem is as simple as this. Good luck!

Homemade sausage! I never thought of that. I've been singing the blues since I gave up sausage. Do you have a recipe?

[India]

There was no MSG in the sausages - they're about the only only ones I can eat. I really think the problem was spinach, which I've had both cooked and raw in the last few days. Does anyone else have experience of intense stress setting off extra intolerances, please? :/

[cahill]

Does anyone else have experience of intense stress setting off extra intolerances, please? :/

Sorry, No i havent experienced intense stress setting off an intolerance,,, I have many intolerance/leaky gut issues but i feel mine are because of misdiagnosis / nondiagnosis for about 40 years

[India]

Ugh, poor you :/ I think I've had coeliac disease for a few years but not that long. I can't get anyone medical to show any interest in intolerances - how about you? I'm having various investigations at the moment but no-one ever asks about how what I eat affects my symptoms. I'm not sure if I have a leaky gut or what... Things have been fairly stable for a few months so I'm really peeved that things are flaring up again. I tried an elimination diet last summer and had to abandon it because I started feeling really weak and unwell. I don't want to go there again!

[CarolinaKip]

I just ate a spinach salad and started feeling rough, so I'm beginning to think spinach is the problem I had spinach with the sausage both times and assumed it was still safe. It's the last green leafy veg I could eat so I'm not happy to think it may be another food I can't eat.

I saw my doctor today, as it happens, and mentioned that I feel best if I eat chocolate, plain potato chips (specific brands) and coke rather than real food. His response that I should keep doing that if that seems to work and it helps me get enough calories. How about that for helpful medical advice? :/

I cannot do spinach either. When I added it to my diet and had a major reaction, I started looking at the low oxalate diet. Might be worth a look into.

[cahill]

Ugh, poor you :/ I think I've had coeliac disease for a few years but not that long. I can't get anyone medical to show any interest in intolerances - how about you? I'm having various investigations at the moment but no-one ever asks about how what I eat affects my symptoms. I'm not sure if I have a leaky gut or what... Things have been fairly stable for a few months so I'm really peeved that things are flaring up again. I tried an elimination diet last summer and had to abandon it because I started feeling really weak and unwell. I don't want to go there again!

I have been very careful to eat enough calories since starting the elimination diet.I was grain free before starting it and added rice back in to my diet just to make sure I was eating enough.

After going gluten free things went well for quite awhile then I started having issues with other intolerances. The medical community has been less than helpful.

I hope you are able to pinpoint what is causing your flair ups soon.

take care and much health

[cassP]

There was no MSG in the sausages - they're about the only only ones I can eat. I really think the problem was spinach, which I've had both cooked and raw in the last few days. Does anyone else have experience of intense stress setting off extra intolerances, please? :/

i think it's always possible- and maybe more so with allergies. i read that if you become overstressed, your body may become temporarily flooded with histamines- which im assuming could make you hyper allergic. also, ive had on & off reactions when it comes to raw vegetables- and im wondering if maybe we're reacting to some kind of pesticide or chemical? i know when they "triple wash" those salad greens- i think they just "rinse" it with chlorine or some other type of unnatural cleaner. ?? idk- im usually completely ok with spinach- and i had a little "D" this morning so idk.???

[eatmeat4good]

Spinach is high in salicylates.

If you are intolerant of salicylates you will get anxiety symptoms and feelings of emotional distress.

Many fruits and vegetables have salicylates some are very high.

Spinach is one.

I think you can google and get a list of salicylate content in foods.

You might have to do an elimination diet and see if this is your problem.

There is a book called The Healthier I Ate, The Sicker I Got that deals with this very issue.

[India]

Oh boy. I'm interested in the salicylates suggestion but I just don't know how much else I can cut out. I keep trying to cut things out but I get so run down. I daren't try an elimination diet again - when I did this last year, I was an absolute physical wreck and my periods stopped. I've been doing ok for a few months without gluten, corn, soy and FODMAPs but everything's a mess again.

I'm constantly hungry and struggle to maintain my weight as it's so difficult to find enough things to eat. I'm away from home most of the time as I live and work in a large city and travel by public transport a lot and, as I have problems with my neck, back and arms, I'm limited with what I can carry around. I used to love food but right now, I'd give up food forever if some trouble-free alternative could be found

[SoyBoy]

What is your l-glutamine made from? Is it soy free?

You may also want to look into the use of glutamine for those of us who have a sensitivity to MSG.

[India]

I avoid soy scrupulously so that should be ok. I also avoid MSG but haven't looked into that aspect of glutamine, so I'll check that out - thanks