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Food Intolerances

soupdragon69

ele mental leprechaun
Hi Guys,

I came across this whilst researching this evening. See what you think...


First-time Link Between Food Intolerance And Illness
Main Category: Nutrition / Diet News
Article Date: 12 Jul 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Researchers from University College London have found compelling evidence for the first time to link food intolerances and serious illness.

A six-month programme has shown potential links with foodstuffs and Crohn's Disease, and ulcerative colitis.

The discovery could prompt an entire rethink in the medical profession across a range of conditions, from irritable bowel syndrome to migraine. To date, patient reports of intolerances have largely been seen as 'in the mind', and discounted.

At UCL, researchers worked with three specific groups of patients one with Crohn's Disease (28 patients), a second with ulcerative colitis (25), and a control group with a benign coincidental thyroid lump (24).

Each was asked in advance which of 113 foods they felt gave them a bad reaction, and specifically whether that reaction was a gut reaction or non-gut one.

Then, over the six months, each had their blood tested for individual intolerances of the 113 foodstuffs through Yorktest Laboratories, measuring levels of IgG antibodies.

In the control group, most people were found to have few intolerances; in the disease groups there was a much higher frequency.

Specific findings included:

-- Those with Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis were typically found to be intolerant to three or more foodstuffs.

-- Ulcerative colitis subjects most commonly reported sensitivity to peanut (29 per cent of UC subjects versus 13 per cent of control), cashew (25 per cent versus 13 per cent), lentils and broccoli (19/4), hazelnut and brazil nuts (19/13), chilli (19/8). These subjects most commonly reported sensitivity to chilli (44/8), wheat (40/8), milk (36/8), kidney and haricot beans (both 24/0), coffee and onions (20/4) and oranges (20/0).

Dr. Anton Emmanuel from UCL said: "The results were compelling. If there had been no link, one would have expected the results to be 50/50 - i.e. random chance association between (i) patients with objective measure of food sensitivity and (ii) subjective report of food sensitivity.

"For years, GPs - indeed most of the medical community - have perceived food intolerances as being largely in the mind, and this is probably the first research project to demonstrate that they could well be wrong. Indeed this points to what could be a direct link between food intolerance and patient symptoms."

The researchers are planning further experiments to investigate whether IgG antibodies can predict foods that provoke disease on a double blind placebo controlled food challenge - and conversely, whether specific food avoidances based on antibody results might be worthwhile.
 
Real interesting study.

I know for a fact I am now intolerant to coffee and onions. The onions have always given me trouble. I will have to pay attention to the various nuts as I eat quite a few of them. Maybe I shouldn't.

Thank you.

D Bergy
 
Thank you for confirming what I already believed. I am intolerant to wheat (gluten), chicken, potato's, refined sugar. When I have spoken to GI's. Oncologists, GP's - it would take too long to investigate it. It would not be scientific enough. We would need to do a before and after test (I already have that is how I found out I had an issue). If the primary variable from day to day is my diet and my disease changes day to day then to me it make sense to look at the diet. I am glad the scientists are proving what the patients have been saying for 20 years. Sorry if I am being strong on the subject. I really do appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Funny that I went to University College London.
 

soupdragon69

ele mental leprechaun
Hi Cog,

Glad to be of help!

I just found the article interesting... I am VERY fortunate that my GP AND my GI both feel very strongly about food intolerances.

I went gluten and dairy free on my own dec 05-march06 and my asthma, skin and gut vastly improved. Both professionals thought I was Coeliac when I finally requested GI referral via my GP.

My GI told me earlier this year he thought the problem would be finding what I COULD eat and after doing elemental for several months I am now finally on a food reintroduction diet. I know I have a prob with tomatoes, onions, apples, milk, gluten but they thought that being on remicade would help resolve some of these.

What I have found is I have tried dairy twice now and I itch within 4-6hrs and skin breaks out overnight, asthma plays up too so think we will leave it alone! The same happens with wheat or gluten based foods so same applies. Onions and tomatoes I seem to be able to tolerate in small amounts now. Havent tried apples yet...

Because there was so much hype now a days I originally didnt tell anyone I was going gluten and dairy free last year because I didnt want them thinking I was jumping on the "bandwagon". Both professionals agreed with me on that one too but having seen the results first hand my GP votes very strongly for my avoidance of these foods. He actually was almost begging me to go gluten and dairy free last autumn before I saw the GI because my asthma was so bad and because I wouldnt, because I wanted a "clean slate" to start with my GI my GP whacked my steroids to 60mg a day and I still struggled at the time! My guts were indescribable too and I went through 6 wks of absolute h**l before the first GI app. Think that says it all.

Hope you are doing ok at the mo.
 
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Very interesting

I basically learned from trial and error and my gut feelings, not to eat most of the foods mentioned above.... No nuts, legumes, coffee, oranges, brocolli etc....

But for dairy and gluten, when I'm feeling well I seem to tolerate yoghurt, a little cheese and some bread fairly well, but when I'm flaring I cannot handle them.....
 
Before I was on the SCD I had no clue what caused my problems. And in truth it seemed they were just slowly getting worse. Now that I'm on the SCD it has become real clear when I eat something and it causes me cramping and nausea for 2 days.

Its nice to think that it maybe something specific you eat that causes the problem, and if you get rid of it no more problems. I know I eat chicken or eggs nearly everyday. I drink regular tea with honey and plenty of mild cheddar cheese. Though as soon as I eat a vegetable or a fruit or when I tried some almond meal, it just about kills me.

The SCD book says that these things are just hard to digest and you have to wait for your system to heal before you can eat them. Hopefully if this news report is right I can somehow get pizza in my diet, I ain't going to make it much farther without it.
 

Kev

Senior Member
One GI told me that food played no role in IBD... then qualified it to say 'during a non flare' period... whatever that means. A dietician said it was all food related, that I'd have to stay on a restricted diet for the rest of my life.. A nutrition counselor who is a specialist in IBD said that diet was critically important during flares, but lessens as one enters remission... i.e. sticking strictly to a diet is crucial while disease is active, but that occasional lapses while dormant isn't critical, but may lead to elevated risk of the remission ending. My personal experience makes the whole diet question murky. For example, before my disease came to a head, before I (or my doctors) suspected that I might have it.. I couldn't tolerate whole milk... powdered skim milk was fine, could drink as much as I wanted, but 3.5% milk gave me the big 'D' in no short order. I presumed I was lactose intolerant, but I have since heard (but not confirmed) there is more lactose in skim milk Vs whole.
I also had an issue with onions... sort of. Onion powder, onion salt gave me the worst heartburn EVER... cooked onions (typically fried or deep fried onion rings) gave me less heartburn, but still enuff to reach for the pepto. However, I could eat all of the raw onions I wanted... As for spicy foods, the spicier the better (both in taste AND in their effects on my body).. Like, mildly spicy foods gave me issues, but if I made the food extremely spicy, I was just fine with it... no bad after effects

I have never been able to figure out why my body reacted in this particular way prior to my IBD raising it's ugly head... I certainly do miss my favourite (or should it be flavourite?) foods, and I've stuck to my diet pretty faithfully (like, 99.99999%), I had incentive (trying to save the balance of my colon).. And I've learned to make substitutions... decaf teas & coffees, low fat or fat free products, low fibre bread, lactose free products... pizza made with pita bread, fat free sauce, soy mozzarela and vegetarian pepperoni... OR french fries (chips to my UK counterparts) made from fresh potatoes that I nuke (microwave), then cut up and convection broil till crispy... It's not exactly the same, but it's a close enuff reasonable fascimile for me to live with for the balance of my life with IBD, or until someone comes up with a cure. My diet regimen is tuff to swallow (pun intended, but it's also the truth), but I know I can live with it. The other diets I've seen appear too restricted, too tuff, even for me. Even IF I tried them, pretty sure this old fart couldn't stick with them

But that's just me... and I think I'm as complicated as my disease, and my diet..
 
Yep lets all keep our fingers crossed for a cure. The scd diet is a real pain the the rear. I am afraid of anything with any fiber in, and I am afraid I have a stricture. Maybe the diet will clear up the inflammation and I can eat some fiber though. Really would be nice to have some chocolate milk occasionally.
 

Kev

Senior Member
I'll try to be brief for a change. My IBD nutritionist, despite my being on a low fibre diet, advised me to eat 3 - 4 baby digestive cookies a day. apparently they contain a form of fibre that infants GI tracts can easily handle. anyway, aside from some initial embarrassment, I got into the habit. then, my preferred brand dissappeared from the store shelves, apparently its being dropped. So I got out of the habit. This week I found a package, apparently old stock (they're a bit stale), and added it back into my diet. (WARNING! Gross talk follows). Within days, subtle deterioration that I had seen in my BM's, which I thought was my IBD flare, went away! Seems that to have a solid, healthy looking BM, you need some fibre.
Course, my diet does state 'low fibre', not fibre free extreme that I took it to mean
 
J

Jvstin

Guest
when it comes to milk, I used to be able to drink all I want. in fact, it used to calm my tummy when I would have kronie pains. now I believe I've became lactose intolerant. but since I can't put down the Corn Pops or Fruit Loops, I've found organic lactose free milk. it's made by Organic Valley and I can only find it at Publix grocery stores. it taste just like regular milk.
 

soupdragon69

ele mental leprechaun
Might give that a go if I can find a UK version of it Jvstin. Really miss the taste of "proper" milk and am stuck with soya and rice (and prefer ordinary stuff for rice krispies) - although I will say I prefer rice milk with porridge now!
 
Besides the obvious intolerances, i think Corn is a culprit as well. (I can have corn, but almost everytime I have it i feel worse, not to the omg im dying stage, but somethings not right).
 

Kev

Senior Member
You are a braver man than I. I don't know of anyone who can really digest corn kernals. Don't get me wrong, I would dearly love to add some corn to my diet, but to me I consider it the equiv. of driving over broken glass with very thin rubber tires. :-(
 
G

Gypsy

Guest
I don't know if any of you all have ever heard of it but there is a wonderful little book called "Eat Right for your Blood Type", the author I believe is Dr. D'Adamo.


I'm an "A" and when I have maintained the diet in the past it has helped me. I do modify it and eliminate the ruffage foods like nuts and what not.
 
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I read the book "Eat Right for Your Blood Type", and as I'm an O it seems the diet is very similar to SCD or a high protein low carb diet. But I haven't been able to maintain any of these diets (without starch, I lose weight fast and am always hungry....)

But I don't know if there is any scientific evidence on the above i.e. eating as per your blood type......

It would be interesting to know if people who get Crohn's belong to one blood type more than any.... Maybe I should post that in the poll...
 
I just posted a poll for this (the blood type). So join all, and let us see if there is a connection !!!!
 
J

Jvstin

Guest
I recently found out that spinach doesn't want to be friends anymore. we were fine, even over the summer, but now I guess he thought I was talking behind his back or something and now our bond is over. it's all good, he smelled bad anyway.
but spinach now tears me up and gives me trapped gas galore. new thing out of no where. totally sucks.
 
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