Multiple Food Intolerances? Get Support, Encouragement, Ideas & Links Here

[mykidsmom]

KN, don't worry about using butter for the moment unless you see it causes her to wet.  If you've removed all dairy and she wets with butter then I would pull it.  As your DD feels herself not feeling icky anymore or wetting anymore, she isn't going to WANT the dairy.  That will be where much of your change will come.  But, you are the momma, so you can lovingly remind her when she eats it it makes her wet her pants and you don't want her to have to get embarrassed, etc. etc. etc.  You cannot give in even on special occasions. 

Lactase breaks down lactose, but in your case it won't help.  When it comes to b-days and stuff, make that the times you buy coconut milk ice cream for her.  The special occasions.  She will not feel left out if you do.  Don't let the other kids have it at this point and she will know this is just for her. 

Also, instead of rice milk, I highly recommend Coconut Milk.  SoBe now sells it in 1/2 gallons in the cold section of most health food stores and some grocery stores (our Fred Meyers/Krogers has it).  This would be a much better option then rice because it is full of good fats and her little body needs them.  It's $4 a half gallon but remember, she's the only one using it right now and it won't be much since she's so little. 

I buy a 1/2 gallon for all five of us and it lasts a week or more.  But we don't eat cereal as meals so that probably helps.  I use it in baking and the occasional cereal snack. 

Ummm, baby allergic to milk?   

patti

[JenB]

I wouldn't mind getting some support from some moms how are or have children with allergies. I just found out a week ago that my breastfed son is allergic to cows milk.
He is 9 months old now and I'm having to read all labels of food items to make sure there is no milk ingredients in them. I've eliminated almost all dairy from my diet, the only dairy I eat is anything hidden, not displayed or if the ingredient is middle to the last ingredient in the food. But I avoid this as much as I can. I try to introduce a little dairy in my diet to see how it affects him. The Nurse Practitioner I go see says about 1% of dairy goes to him, is this true? I found if I put a creamer in my coffee then when I breastfeed him he gets a rash on his mouth.
My son has eczema too. I think it's because of his allergy. Does anyone have any suggestions for recipes with no dairy in them? or maybe a way to make my own baby cookies or crackers?

Thanks!

[kittyninja]

I found this website and it has many recipes without milk.  Also no wheat or eggs.  http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/teethingbiscuits.htm
I’m where you are. Even kicked dairy with my newest baby but have since started back in and see how she is reacting. Going to kick back in gear with the no dairy with me too…umm after this weekend.  My baby is 10 months old. KN

[boysmama]

I had to be dairy free for awhile, way back when we didn't freeze goat milk, cheese, butter, etc. We were also grain/seed free at the time. I built our menus around salads, soups, meat and veggie meals with eggs and fruit for breakfast.

I've had much better success starting babies on eggs, veggies cooked in broth and berries, even broth in bottles. If you want something like a teething biscuit I'd suggest dehydrating a good sourdough bread.

[R Guyer]

Kidsmom, you said DS is now only taking probiotics quercetin and enzymes, but when he was still taking the Candibactin how far (in time) away from the probios did he take it (ie dosing schedule) because I know that they tend to interfere w/each other.

Also, good advice with the meats. I would like to add though buying GF meats is no more expensive than conventional meats if you buy direct from the farmer and the same goes for organic produce. Many small farmers produce organically but don't get certified. Many of these farmers use far fewer treatments than "certified organic" produce in the grocery. Many OMRI approved pesticides and fungicides are as bad or worse than synthetic sprays and could induce a reaction which is due to the chemicals and not the food (of course the reaction itself could trigger the body to become allergic to the food that was the carrier).

[mykidsmom]

The candibactin and probiotics were taken at separate meals.  I would do probiotics at breakfast, candibactin at lunch and dinner and probiotics before bed.  It is a crazy schedule and really they need the candibactin 3x's a day.  But I couldn't always fit that in with the probiotics.  Unfortunately, we are heading back to this schedule for the time being.

patti

[spiritgrl32]

CAUTION!!!!  THERE IS NO MIRACLE CURE FOR FOOD ALLERGIES! The talk of repairing the gut only reduces the inflamation process, which makes an acute reaction less severe but it is no means of leaving the epi-pen and other allergy meds at home.  Doing so is playing a game of Russian Roulette.

~Someone who has adult onset multiple-food allergies and is in the healthcare industry who has frequent discussions with physicians on this topic.

I personally know someone who has been taking probiotics and other supplements for  many years and only avoidance is what keeps her safe.

[mykidsmom]

Not to dispute you - and this isn't a "miracle cure" -  but my son's 40+ food allergies and his VERY damaged gut were healed using homeopathy.  Within 2 weeks of starting his treatment he was eating foods he had been mildly allergic too.  Within 4 months he was eating his 3/4 food allergens.  And by 7 months he was eating anything he wanted with no issues.  His gut has healed so much that we've change his homeopathic remedy to a different one because the first one he was on was basically for healing the gut. 

We did years of diets, etc. The only thing avoidance gave us was no reactions.  It did nothing to heal the gut.  NOTHING. 

Food allergies (child or adult) CAN be healed by healing the gut.  Diet can work, but it takes years and diligence.  I will be forever grateful for homeopathy. 

[LifeIsChange]

Hello,

I'm new here, and I thought I'd jump right in and introduce myself in this thread, since the main reason I found this forum is to learn about and discuss multiple food intolerances, rotation diets, and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

I had the Alcat test done in January, and of the 150 foods I was tested for, I reacted to 66. My doctor told me I have Leaky Gut Syndrome and I am on a powder supplement to heal the gut while doing the rotation diet. I had a bit of confusion for a while, trying to understand how long I should wait before testing and rotating foods back into my diet because there seemed to be some inconsistency in what I had read. So far, I have been eating only the foods I was tested for and did not react to, for not quite ten weeks. I've made a lot of errors, like not realizing that some of my supplements contained soy, and so I haven't been able to go for a decent length of time without either having a reaction or being in the "still healing" phase after a reaction. I want to have a stretch of at least two weeks, preferably three, with no reactions or symptoms, before I attempt to test other foods.

It's been frustrating and hard because my diet is so extremely restrictive, and while most days I'm able to stay somewhat positive, I do have times when I really struggle and want to stop the diet. I keep myself going with the knowledge that I don't want to feel so awful all the time for the rest of my life.

Is anyone else doing a rotation diet for food intolerances? Has anyone else had Alcat testing done? Is anyone else trying to heal Leaky Gut Syndrome? I'd like to compare notes.

Thanks!

[DHW]

One of the missing pieces of the puzzle for chronic conditions appears to be oxalates (toxins found in many plant foods and produced by the body in large amounts in some cases).  Oxalates are attracted to areas of inflammation, and also cause inflammation.  Leaky Gut is an inflammatory process, so oxalates can strongly inhibit healing because of its inflammatory properties.  In addition, most health professionals are completely in the dark about the extent of havoc wreaked on a person's biochemistry by oxalates, so it is unlikely that you will be given any guidance on lowering oxalate stores in your body. 

You would do yourself a favor by joining the yahoo group for low oxalate and asking for insight from the listmembers who have tons of experience with restricted diets. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Trying_Low_Oxalates/  Many of these folks finally started healing when they began the protocols for low oxalate.

I hope you find some help soon!  Hang in there.

[LifeIsChange]

Thank you, DHW. Wow. I hadn't heard of oxalates before, but I checked out the site link from the yahoo group and did some other reading about them, also. While it's kind of overwhelming to me right  now, it makes a lot of sense, and as you said, it does seem to be a missing piece of the puzzle. In the  two or three days before your reply, I'd been eating nuts, spinach, and potatoes, and I was in a lot of pain.  At least now, I have some idea of what made it so much worse, and how I might be able to prevent it in the future.

Thanks again!

[DHW]

Nuts, spinach, and potatoes - ouch!  Those are all high oxalate, even in small servings.  (Stick with the food files on the low oxalate site.  They are the most-up-to-date and consistent food lists available.)

I am so glad you have done some reading on the oxalate site.  Please, please, please remember to go slowly with any changes (diet and supplements) and to add supplements at a very, very low dose initially.  Oxalates compromise biochemistry so much that it takes at least several days for a person to begin to actually utilize nutrients successfully once they are introduced.  It is pretty typical to get a poor response if the changes are made too quickly, and you do not need to go into oxidative stress due to heavy excretion of oxalates.

[LifeIsChange]

Ooh, that's good to know - thank you. I bought some calcium today that doesn't have any Vitamin D in it, to take with meals. So far I have only taken one capsule (the label recommends 4 capsules per day, and I figured one with each meal and maybe one at bedtime, to space it out). Otherwise, my only supplements are now a multi vitamin and a powder I've been taking for a couple months for the leaky gut. I used to take other vitamins/supplements, but gradually went off of most of them because either they contained soy, or milk, or something else I reacted to in the Alcat testing.

Yeah, it turns out that most of the foods I didn't react to on Alcat are high oxalate foods, so this will be tricky, but I want to feel better badly enough to muddle through it. I want to do it right, though, and I don't want to bring myself oxidative stress. I'm not even sure exactly what that is, yet, but I can imagine it isn't comfortable. lol.

I joined the yahoo group also, and I am beginning to read the info posted there. I have so much to learn!

[DHW]

I know it can be overwhelming, just remember that healing will come as toxicity is removed.  After a few months you should be able to add foods back in for much greater variety.  It is not unusual for chronic conditions to require very restrictive diets, but lo-ox is different in that lowering oxalate stores seems to reduce other food sensitivities.  Hi-ox foods are not a good idea, though, even after long-term restriction unless you KNOW you have sufficient colonies of oxalobacter formigenes (the primary defense against dietary oxalates).  There is no way to test for that, and no way to supplement it either (yet).

[LifeIsChange]

I've read a little bit about oxalobacter formigenes, I think. With no way to test for them or supplement them yet, is it safe to say that taking probiotocs and a prebiotic fiber supplement would help to establish sufficient good intestinal flora in general, and therefore would probably also help with oxalobacter formigenes?

Does there seem to be a typical length of time for the "honeymoon" stage? (I'm still working on reading all the info that is posted on the yahoo group; please excuse the question if it is clearly answered there, as I'm sure I'll come across it soon.) I am having out of state company in two weeks, and I don't want to be feeling awful during their visit. I may be easing into this diet even more slowly than most people might, with the hope that I can postpone any negative reactions until after my company has been here.

[DHW]

Probiotics: VSL3 (grown on milk) has been shown to help degrade oxalates.  Others may be helpful in other ways, but it is always important to support the good bacteria in the gut.  Just choose a formulation that agrees with you.  Fermented veggies and cultured drinks are great for supporting a healthy gut even if they do not degrade oxalates. 

Honeymoon: It is very individual.  If you feel great - that's the honeymoon and an indication that you are on the right track.  If you then start feeling awful, the honeymoon is over and you are probably dumping oxalates.  That's when you increase magnesium and other minerals and add in the arginine for pain and taurine for mood.  There are others, too, that are mentioned on the low ox site.  DO NOT add B6 and biotin unless you want to risk increased dumping.  Remember, low and slow.  Dumping is hard on the body and can create oxidative stress - that's bad, although excreting oxalates is good in the long run.  Anti-oxidants (not vit C) will help prevent and/or lessen oxidative stress.  If the dumping gets too bad, eat something med to high ox to slow down the process.  Not very hi ox like spinach or almonds, though.

Take it slowly and don't add everything at once.  You need to see how you are responding to each new thing.  And keep posting and reading on the low ox site - it is a great place for encouragement.

[CinCapri]

Hello everyone~ I am an old member that has not been here in soooo long so I guess that would make me a new member    I love coming back and reading all the fabulous ideas and sharing of information! Thank you HB for starting this thread. You are wonderful.

Our entire family deals with gluten/dairy issues in one form or another. Some seem more affected by gluten/dairy than others and I see the reactions in their eyes and behavior. Our youngest dtr, who is now 18 months old, is the most bothered by gluten/dairy. She has been completely gluten/dairy free since I started figuring this all out, while still nursing her. She started out from day one crying, not sleeping, extremely fussy, pooping after each nursing ---EVERY time! Since I am gluten/dairy intolerant I guessed she might be too.

I have been tested but she has not. She is so little and she would have to eat dairy/gluten to be tested, which would make her life awful. Plus she is doing great eating gluten/dairy free.

I am learning more and more how to cook GOOD tasting gluten free foods/snack and desserts. It was sooo hard in the beginning but gets easier and easier the more recipes I try. I am currently going through the recipes in Shoshanna Pearl Easling's new book 'Making Babies' and am having much success with them.

Thank you to everyone for sharing. It really is helpful to read everyone's experiences.

~Cinnamon

[herrman420]

I have been dealing with food intolerances for the past three years.  I was suddenly unable to tolerate almost everything.  I could only eat cauliflower, brocolli, asparagus, and olive oil.  That was it!  I had a lot of misearable symptoms anytime I would even try the smallest of things.  This included bowel issues, bloating, headaches, eczema, acne, extreme exhaustion, and more.  I lost 20 lbs on my already small frame and so had even more issues.  I was MISERABLE!  I started to see a naturopathic doctor at one point because my normal doctors couldn't figure out anything.  She was able to help me more than anything.  I gained my weight back and started to be able to eat fish, rice, gluten free oats, and coconut milk.  To this day I still struggle but I do feel quite a bit better.  I take lots of probiotics, a multi-vitamin, vitamin b, fish oil, hcl supplements, calcium, digestive enzymes, and vitamin d.  I think the probiotics are what have helped me the most.  I would say my condition is related to stress.  Every time a very stressful event happens in my life my situation gets worse.  I've had probably 3 majorly stressful events and after each one I become very intolerant to food again.  I was able to eat quite a few new foods for about 3 months(tomatoes, spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, celery, cashew butter, mushrooms, gluten free oats, coconut milk, rice, quinoa, asparagus, olive oil, eggs, salsa, and occasionally a treat like an apple).  As soon I had a really stressful event happen I was no longer able to eat most of those foods anymore.  I just don't understand why.  The probiotics seems to be what are making it so I'm able to tolerate most foods, but they don't help much either.  I've been taking l-glutamine too ,which is suppose to help the gut heal, for the last year to no avail.  I guess it wouldn't be so bad if my skin didn't look so bad.  I have terrible acne which only comes from eating foods I'm intolerant to, but I'm just so sensitive and hungry that it's hard for me to stick to such a strict diet.  A typical day is rice for breakfast and supper, a veggie I can tolerate with olive oil or cashew butter and eggs.  Yea not many people can stick to that for 3 years straight.  I was so happy when my diet improved and my skin improved too, but now that I can't eat as much I look terrible.  I try so hard to be positve, but it is really hard.  I hate my job, I hate how I look, and I feel stuck.  Sometimes I just want to end things, but I love my family so much that I can't.  I'm trying to find what I want to do with my life that won't affect my food situation.  Man is it ever hard. I just wish someone could help me...I've never read any other forum where someone has as many food intolerances as I do.  I just don't know what to do I don't have the money to get help from a doctor either.

[ladyhen]

"I just don't know what to do I don't have the money to get help from a doctor either."

Sounds as though this has reached a point where you really need to do something.  If you've not had any improvement after three years, then something more or something different is needed. 

I, too, once felt as you do.  I couldn't manage my life and was desperate for an answer to my health issues.   I went to many doctors of many persuasions before identifying and successfully treating my own chronic health problems. 
I finally found a doctor with the right answers and have been under his care off and on for over 25 years.  He is an MD that specialized in allergy treatment until he became introduced to classical homeopathy.  He studied to be certified as a Homeopath.  A good homeopathic physician can identify and treat very effectively and quickly.
That first time that I went to this homeopathic Dr., I was feeling MUCH better within about 3 weeks.  I was so grateful.  A good friend of mine had been trying to find answers to her young child's eczema for several yrs and this Dr. identified and cured her in one visit.  I have recommended this Dr. to many friends.  Several friends of ours, missionaries in foreign countries, have traveled to the US to see him and been so happy that they did.  To my knowledge, most of his clients are very happy with him.  I have encountered many, many people who found Homeopathic Drs after trying many others and finally were diagnosed and successfully treated.  They have such a different approach.
It isn't cheap; but it isn't completely outrageous, either.  Usually homeopathic physicians are not covered by insurance.  But I have never regretted what we had to do in order to afford the care and treatment.  Once I was well, it didn't matter to me that I had to work a while to pay back what we had borrowed to pay for seeing Dr.

Hope that you find the answers you need.

[Mommyof4]

Sorry if this is an old post but am going to reply anyway. Yes, Bobs is a g/f facility HOWEVER we cannot tolerate Arrowroot. We use tapioca starch. HTH
L

I am getting ready to place my Azure order and was considering getting some Arrowroot powder. It says specifically that "this product is not gluten free", now I would assume that has to do with manufacturing,.... anybody else have thoughts?  Gluten only showed up as like a 1 on my Elisa test and Wheat showed up at a 2 I think...... I hadn't had a gluten in about 2 yrs before the test. I do have some minor physical reactions to it though (constipation and a over-all icky feeling).  Should I be concerned the arrowroot?   TIA!