Where Are These Food Sensitivities Coming From?

[jeanne-]

I have been dx'ed with non celiac gluten sensitivity and hashi's. The familly and I have all been gluten free since Sept. 2010. Since then, my youngest son and I seem to be developing food sensitivities that we have never had before. Foods such as almonds, pistachios, soy, are causing gingivitis, D, and mucous in the stools for me. My GI dr. has said that I may also have IBS as well. I still don't know what is causing the gingivitis in my son. It seems to get worse when he eats a lot of grains. We eat rice, but I thought rice was supposed to be the grain people are least allergic too. My son is only 4 yo. and loves his toast, cereal, and crackers. He is a picky eater and I am afraid he is not eating enough even though I offer him plenty of fresh fruits, veggies and meats each day. My son's allergy list includes: dairy, beef, oats, wheat, oranges, corn, peanut, soy, pork and banana.

Why are we having more GI problems now that we are gluten-free?

[Louisa54]

Any food can be reactive, including rice. Food sensitivities like everything else are highly individualized, and can occur for a wide range of reasons. The best test for sensitivities is MRT-LEAP, better than 90% accuracy for non-allergic, immune mediated food intolerances. Mucous in stool? Sure sign of inflammatory response. Intolerance of grains can also be lectins, gluten-associated cross reactive foods, numerous other things. The LEAP diet helps begin to sort all this out, heal the gut, and restore some tolerance to gluten-free foods. May need to add on the Cyrex Labs new gluten sens panel (for cross-reactivities) but if you start with a personalized elimination diet like LEAP it will go a long way. Also look into vitamin D for the gingivitis, be sure he's not deficient.

Andrea

I have been dx'ed with non celiac gluten sensitivity and hashi's. The familly and I have all been gluten free since Sept. 2010. Since then, my youngest son and I seem to be developing food sensitivities that we have never had before. Foods such as almonds, pistachios, soy, are causing gingivitis, D, and mucous in the stools for me. My GI dr. has said that I may also have IBS as well. I still don't know what is causing the gingivitis in my son. It seems to get worse when he eats a lot of grains. We eat rice, but I thought rice was supposed to be the grain people are least allergic too. My son is only 4 yo. and loves his toast, cereal, and crackers. He is a picky eater and I am afraid he is not eating enough even though I offer him plenty of fresh fruits, veggies and meats each day. My son's allergy list includes: dairy, beef, oats, wheat, oranges, corn, peanut, soy, pork and banana.

Why are we having more GI problems now that we are gluten-free?

[dilettantesteph]

It is possible that it is gluten cc and not food sensitivities. The foods you mentioned are ones I have found to be cc'ed. For nuts, I buy in the shell, shell and wash and then I can eat them. With grains, I buy whole, sort (to remove gluten grains), wash and then eat and I'm fine. You might try some washing to see if that reduces the reaction. You could try nuts in the shell and see if that helps. Then it might be cc and not sensitivity. Lundberg rice is less contaminated than some others. You could see if you react less to that.

[Evangeline]

The Gluten Free Society says that about 45% of gluten-sensitive individuals are sensitive to *gluten* (found in all grains), not necessarily the gliadin in wheat, barley and rye. There are also 2 studies that have shown that corn gluten does just as much damage on the intestines of celiacs as wheat gluten. Corn is 55% gluten by weight, while rice is 5% gluten. You might need to eliminate all traces of corn and rice for 2 months and then see if you have a reaction when re-adding them to your diet. I didn't have ANY reaction to corn until I removed it from my diet and then when I re-added it, I had the biggest gluten reaction ever. Corn is in everything, from citric acid, ascorbic acid to vitamins and supplements. If you decide to try avoiding all grains, Google "Corn allergy list" for a complete listing of contaminants. Best of luck .

Here is the video describing the corn studies: Open Original Shared Link

Here are a few testimonials from people who said that the traditional gluten-free diet didn't work - they needed a completely gluten-free diet:

Open Original Shared Link

[Jestgar]

The Gluten Free Society

This site is full of inaccuracies and appears to be designed to sell things. I would take any information from there with a grain of salt.

[Evangeline]

This site is full of inaccuracies and appears to be designed to sell things. I would take any information from there with a grain of salt.

The only reason I started paying attention to the grain-free diet advocated by the Gluten Free Society was because I do have a gluten-like reaction to corn and I do feel better off rice, as do many Celiacs. When I include those two grains in my diet, my body continues to create new sensitivities as if I am on gluten. Also, my hair falls out on corn. I also think it is interesting that 5 years after adhering to a strict gluten-free diet, researchers find that Celiacs still have intestinal damage as if they are still on gluten. Yes, I agree, the Gluten Free Society is trying to make $$$, but the concept of the grain-free diet itself is intriguing.

I searched the internet for anyone who had tried the grain-free diet and I found several pages of note.

One blog is written by someone who was able to get their Crone's Disease under control following Elaine Gottschall's diet (no grains, no starchy foods):

Open Original Shared Link

And the second is the most interesting and is written by a Celiac who also took blood tests to measure IgG levels while trying the diet. He says:

"My IGG level dropped from the 70's initially [after beginning a gluten-free diet], but never got any lower than 33. My doctor suggested in 2005 that if the IGG level was still in the 30's after a couple years on the diet, it probably would not improve, and I most likely had some permanent damage from the disease that kept it still high. So I stopped testing at that point, deciding it was not worth the cost to track my progress. Out of curiosity, I decided to retest these antibodies again [after a grain-free diet] and to my amazement, my IGG level was at a 2, the lowest it has been since diagnosis and within normal range which is 0-19. This was exciting news.

Also, his absorption levels increased:

"Ferritin previously at 26 was now 73 (normal 10-291)

Vitamin B12 previously at 320 was now 451 (normal 211-911)

Vitamin D previously at 33.1 was now 39.2 (normal 4.8-52.8)"

His blog: Open Original Shared Link

Then the third is a Celiac veterinary who learned that the Irish Setter carries Celiac Disease and that many other animals may be gluten sensitive as well. The vet then began putting his animal patients on a gluten-free, grain-free diet (corn is absolutely prohibited) and discovered it stops seizures and many other pet-related health problems:

Open Original Shared Link

[jeanne-]

Any food can be reactive, including rice. Food sensitivities like everything else are highly individualized, and can occur for a wide range of reasons. The best test for sensitivities is MRT-LEAP, better than 90% accuracy for non-allergic, immune mediated food intolerances. Mucous in stool? Sure sign of inflammatory response. Intolerance of grains can also be lectins, gluten-associated cross reactive foods, numerous other things. The LEAP diet helps begin to sort all this out, heal the gut, and restore some tolerance to gluten-free foods. May need to add on the Cyrex Labs new gluten sens panel (for cross-reactivities) but if you start with a personalized elimination diet like LEAP it will go a long way. Also look into vitamin D for the gingivitis, be sure he's not deficient.

Andrea

Louisa54,

What you made sense. I am considering the Cyrex panels #2 and #4. The testing for the LEAP diet sounds very similar. Found out today that my tuna contains soy in it. No wonder it has been bothering me.

May I ask how does Vit D effect gingivitis? You've peaked by curiousity.

[jeanne-]

It is possible that it is gluten cc and not food sensitivities. The foods you mentioned are ones I have found to be cc'ed. For nuts, I buy in the shell, shell and wash and then I can eat them. With grains, I buy whole, sort (to remove gluten grains), wash and then eat and I'm fine. You might try some washing to see if that reduces the reaction. You could try nuts in the shell and see if that helps. Then it might be cc and not sensitivity. Lundberg rice is less contaminated than some others. You could see if you react less to that.

You made a good point about the nuts and grains. I had forgotten about washing them. They could be contaminated from so many sources.

My son has most of his rice intake with gluten-free breakfast cereals and gluten-free breads and cereal. I just assumed they would be safe. I'd like us to go grain free, but I'm not sure what to do about quick breakfasts for the kids. Many of them are allergic to eggs as well. Thank you for your input.

[jeanne-]

The Gluten Free Society says that about 45% of gluten-sensitive individuals are sensitive to *gluten* (found in all grains), not necessarily the gliadin in wheat, barley and rye. There are also 2 studies that have shown that corn gluten does just as much damage on the intestines of celiacs as wheat gluten. Corn is 55% gluten by weight, while rice is 5% gluten. You might need to eliminate all traces of corn and rice for 2 months and then see if you have a reaction when re-adding them to your diet. I didn't have ANY reaction to corn until I removed it from my diet and then when I re-added it, I had the biggest gluten reaction ever. Corn is in everything, from citric acid, ascorbic acid to vitamins and supplements. If you decide to try avoiding all grains, Google "Corn allergy list" for a complete listing of contaminants. Best of luck .

Here is the video describing the corn studies: Open Original Shared Link

Here are a few testimonials from people who said that the traditional gluten-free diet didn't work - they needed a completely gluten-free diet:

Open Original Shared Link

Wow, since my son and I are allergic to corn, your idea sounds so right on. Thank you for the added sites. It's hard to know where to start the research sometimes. You will keep me busy for a while. This info strengthens my resolve to go grain free. Thank you so much.

Jestgar,

Thank you on your opinion on the Gluten Free Society. I will keep in mind as I research the topic. It's always good to know who to trust.

[Evangeline]

My son has most of his rice intake with gluten-free breakfast cereals and gluten-free breads and cereal. I just assumed they would be safe. I'd like us to go grain free, but I'm not sure what to do about quick breakfasts for the kids. Many of them are allergic to eggs as well. Thank you for your input.

Are you buying eggs eggs from hens that were fed corn, soy and/or gluten? I have two friends who are corn intolerant (and Celiac) and who have a corn-reaction when they eat the eggs from hens fed corn. To eat eggs, they must raise and feed the hens a grain-free diet. I also know that several Celiac friends cannot eat meat that comes from animals fed gluten. So perhaps your children are reacting to the corn/soy/gluten, not the egg itself. The only way to test this theory is if you find a 100% grass-fed hen.

[jeanne-]

The only way to test this theory is if you find a 100% grass-fed hen.

Looks like we have to change our chicken feed as well. I do prefer that my hens free range.

[domesticactivist]

When you say allergic, are you talking about IgG or IgE allergies? My son tested IgG positive to all sorts of things. In fact, all his favorites at the time of the test. I've since learned that a damaged gut can cause whatever you are eating to create a reaction. Healing the gut may eliminate the IgG reactions. He also has IgE allergy to corn - this one is a histamine reaction and as I understand it, not due to the same processes in the body.

We all became more sensitive (both to cross contamination, and to other foods) after going gluten-free. I think it has something to do with your body not being overwhelmed with the gluten any more, but also still being damaged. I increasingly believe that all grains are problematic in general for most people.

We ended up deciding to try the GAPS Diet which eliminates all grains and works to restore gut health by slowly introducing foods that are high in nutrition and good bacteria. Looking at the diet I thought my kids (especially my daughter) would NEVER eat that stuff - lots of soups, lots of fat, lots of animal products (she was a vegetarian for 7 years)... but less than a week in they both lost their pickiness. I've posted a lot about this all so you can look at my profile for more if you want.

[Evangeline]

How long has your family been on the GAPS diet and did they notice any improvement in sensitivities to other foods? Also, when they eliminated grains, does that include only taking corn-free and rice-free vitamins/supplements? Such as corn-free vitamin C?

[domesticactivist]

We've been on GAPS for about 3 months, and we are just now ending the Intro diet (6 stages). We have not tried to introduce foods from the list of intolerances, yet.

When we went gluten-free I started being very sensitive to all grains. I'd never noticed a problem with them before. Starting GAPS changed all that.

The lists of foods we do eat so far (all organic, pastured, etc) are:

Home made stock (beef, duck, chicken, etc)

Fully cooked vegetables other than nightshades (allowed but risky for us) and starchy vegetables like potatoes (not allowed due to sugar)

Juiced vegetables

Stewed and roasted meats and fish

Raw vegetables (eat with something fatty)

Crispied nuts and nut butters

Ghee

Olive oil

Coconut butter

Free range, organic eggs (our own)

Homemade sauerkraut

Homemade yogurt

Homemeade beet kvass

Homemade water kefir

Homemade dairy kefir

Avacados

Coconut

Fruit in moderation

Honey in moderation

Ginger

We just started trying a bit of cheese. So far we've had a few set backs but slowing down the new foods introduced has got us back on track. (We started the diet from just the soup and progressed through 6 stages.) If you want more details I have a GAPS resources entry on my blog which is in my profile. I've also got a big description of all the symptoms we had and what has changed for us.

We also take fermented cod liver oil and trace mineral drops. We also are starting pro-biotics in powder form. These have been an obvious help.

We strictly avoid all grains, and cross contamination. We do not get grains in any of the supplements we take. We are especially vigilant about gluten and corn.

Edit to add, we also avoid SOY very carefully and the other foods on the GAPS forbidden list.

[domesticactivist]

Actually, I haven't posted ALL the symptoms. Forgot about canker sores (I just got one after a weekend at camp where I had to handle a bunch of gluteny food for others). Our son used to get those all the time and hasn't since we went on GAPS. I wonder what else I've left out? Sometime I'm going to have to get systematic about the documentation!

[jeanne-]

When you say allergic, are you talking about IgG or IgE allergies? My son tested IgG positive to all sorts of things.

We tested pos to IgG of many foods. Each person in the family has a list of 4-25 allergen foods.

When I spoke to Dr. O'Bryan last weekend (radio talk show) he said that we have gut permeablity problem. He suggested taking colostrum, but how can we if we are allergic to dairy?

I still don't understand why these sensitivities are popping up now. I used to drink soy milk every day. Now I can't handle the small amounts of soy in my tuna salad. Nuts were never a problem for me, could eat tons of them without problems. I have more GI problems now that I am gluten-free. I felt healthier then. There will be health benefits later on down the road, but for now I am tired of the fussy tummy.

I will look into your diet. Thank you for your permission to view your profile.

[domesticactivist]

We tested pos to IgG of many foods. Each person in the family has a list of 4-25 allergen foods.

When I spoke to Dr. O'Bryan last weekend (radio talk show) he said that we have gut permeablity problem. He suggested taking colostrum, but how can we if we are allergic to dairy?

I don't know about whether colostrum heals the gut but I don't see how it could hurt if it is from a human source. The GAPS Diet that we are doing is totally aimed at restoring gut health. Search the liberated kitchen gaps resources for my links to books on the subject.

As for the dairy, it depends on the reason you don't tolerate it. This diet is aimed at restoring gut health, so you may heal enough to be able to have it. Also, changing the forms in which you try dairy could make a difference. Reading the book will give more details about it, but I'll try a quick synopsis.

Lactose: Lactose is the sugar found in milk. It is a disacharide sugar, which needs processing to be digested. Celiac guts have damaged villi, and villi are where the lactase necessary to digest lactose is made. If you have damaged villi, lactose will be a problem!

Cultured and fermented foods: In cultured and fermented foods, bacteria and/or yeasts do the work of digesting the sugars for you. Yogurt that is adequately cultured does not have lactose in it. Same deal with milk kefir. This makes them safe to eat for people with an inability to digest lactose. Much of the casein gets processed by the fermenting microbes as well. This process is generally not complete in the yogurt or kefir you would get in the store. Also, the pasturized milk used only has the introduced cultures, not the good natural stuff you get when you do it at home with raw milk. We use raw, organic milk for our yogurt and kefir, and are careful not to heat it too high before culturing it. We'll be putting blogs up with step by step instructions soon.

Casein: Casein is the protein found in milk. Like grains, it is one of the bigger proteins and is prone to turning into an opiate form (casomorphins) and getting through the gut and into the body and wrecking havoc like gluteomorphins do. When people have true allergies (IgE) to milk it is due to this protein. The proteins in goat milk and human milk are different, so they can be tolerated by some people who are allergic to cow milk.

Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter. Butter is already naturally low in lactose, because the lactose stays in the liquid that comes off in the churning process. When you make ghee, you remove the casein protein from the butter. This changes the butter so that it can be used to cook with at high temperatures, and changes it so that if you have problems with casein, the ghee is safe to eat. Ghee is fine to buy in the store, but we prefer to make our own from organic unsalted butter. All you do is put a bunch of butter in a heavy saucepan, heat it for about a half hour so that it bubbles and foams (but doesn't scorch), then skim off all the foam. Then you set up a funnel with a filter or cheesecloth and pour it into a jar. It can be stored on the counter.

All this said, I'm not suggesting you go nuts on the dairy if it's been giving you problems! The diet we are on does not start out with dairy, and Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, (the author of the GAPS book) says to do a sensitivity test before introducing new foods - you take a bit of the food and place it inside your wrist at night and look at it for any reaction in the morning. Reaction=not ready for that food. She also says IgG reactions are due to gut permeability. Healed gut = no more/fewer IgG problems.

[cassP]

Are you buying eggs eggs from hens that were fed corn, soy and/or gluten? I have two friends who are corn intolerant (and Celiac) and who have a corn-reaction when they eat the eggs from hens fed corn. To eat eggs, they must raise and feed the hens a grain-free diet. I also know that several Celiac friends cannot eat meat that comes from animals fed gluten. So perhaps your children are reacting to the corn/soy/gluten, not the egg itself. The only way to test this theory is if you find a 100% grass-fed hen.

hey- 1st off- i totally like that Dr. J guy- seems like a real nice guy...

and- how in the world are we to get eggs that are not from chickens fed grains & soy & corn??? it's impossible ya??? so annoyed with that- im SO ANNOYED with EVERYTHING having corn & soy in it- and probably GMO to boot

[Jestgar]

and- how in the world are we to get eggs that are not from chickens fed grains & soy & corn??? it's impossible ya???

Get them from a local farmer's market.

[Evangeline]

I stopped eating eggs, but you MIGHT be able to find a local farm or farmers market.

[domesticactivist]

Or raise your own. We live in a city that allows it, and have lots of chickens

[jeanne-]

Or raise your own. We live in a city that allows it, and have lots of chickens

we are in the proccess of hatching out more chickens. Can't wait to have a decent sized flock again. Can't believe that their feed would make a difference. It seems like the hens bodies should metabolize the feed and make and make it safe to eat the eggs. Shows how toxic the corn and soy have become.

[cassP]

Get them from a local farmer's market.

thanku!

[Louisa54]

Had this study in my files: Vitamin D may reduce susceptibility to gingival inflammation through its antiinflammatory effects - Open Original Shared Link - with some many people deficient it's worth looking at.

~Louisa54

Louisa54,

What you made sense. I am considering the Cyrex panels #2 and #4. The testing for the LEAP diet sounds very similar. Found out today that my tuna contains soy in it. No wonder it has been bothering me.

May I ask how does Vit D effect gingivitis? You've peaked by curiousity.

[Evangeline]

UPDATE:

I stopped eating ALL TRACES of rice and corn and grains 20 days ago.

I can now eat:

Avocados (without getting diarrhea)

Hemp seeds

Spinach

The reaction to these foods is 80% better. These are the only 3 foods I have tested (I'm too afraid to try others, LOL, because my reaction used to be so severe). Each day I notice a little more improvement. Also, I have always lost about 100 hairs when showering. Now I'm losing 6.

So there has been a HUGE improvement. I have read it can take up to 2 months to be able eat the harmless foods again once eliminating grains.