Jean,
You're probably right. Most of us tend to blame pesticides anytime that we can't find anything else wrong, but that doesn't mean that they are the problem.
No, I havn't seen any detective hat in a long while, but I think that Mrs. Columbo has been known to dress up with one, now and then, when she gets out her old weathered trench coat, her magnifying glass, complete with a cigar and a beagle, and starts snooping around, as she puts it. LOL.
Love,
Wayne
I'm Apparently Having a Reaction to Cane Sugar
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Cane Sugar Reaction
When I had food allergy testing done I reacted to cane sugar with a (+1) out of a possible 4 with 1 being the lowest. However, I never seem to notice a reaction if I eat it. Should I not eat it anyways even if I feel fine? Or do I need to remove it?
Thanks,
Leanne
Thanks,
Leanne
Hi Leanne,
The reaction we typically have to carbs (sugar) is not due to the production of antibodies, but rather it's due to a deficiency of the enzymes needed to digest them. When the small intestine is inflamed, it becomes unable to produce enough of various types of enzymes to supply our needs. Often we can digest small amounts of the affected carbs OK, but if we overdo it, we are unable to completely digest them, and when they reach the colon they are fermented by bacteria, causing gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
This type of reaction causes discomfort, and interferes with digestion, but since no antibodies are produced, it's only a short-term effect. IOW, this type of reaction does not result in additional T-cell infiltration into the mucosa of our intestines, so it does not have any long-term inflammatory effect.
As our gut heals, the production of those enzymes slowly resumes, and we are able to digest more of the affected foods.
Tex
The reaction we typically have to carbs (sugar) is not due to the production of antibodies, but rather it's due to a deficiency of the enzymes needed to digest them. When the small intestine is inflamed, it becomes unable to produce enough of various types of enzymes to supply our needs. Often we can digest small amounts of the affected carbs OK, but if we overdo it, we are unable to completely digest them, and when they reach the colon they are fermented by bacteria, causing gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
This type of reaction causes discomfort, and interferes with digestion, but since no antibodies are produced, it's only a short-term effect. IOW, this type of reaction does not result in additional T-cell infiltration into the mucosa of our intestines, so it does not have any long-term inflammatory effect.
As our gut heals, the production of those enzymes slowly resumes, and we are able to digest more of the affected foods.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
So the reactions to my food allergy testing were not actually inflammatory antibodies? Just a lack of enzymes for those particular foods? Or is that only for cane sugar?
I think I'm a little confused and need clarification. Also, I have increased healthy fats in my diet and have been using more almond flour. I did not react to almonds in the test. But I've been having more frequent stools and even some D. What helps with fat malabsorption?
Thanks,
Leanne
I think I'm a little confused and need clarification. Also, I have increased healthy fats in my diet and have been using more almond flour. I did not react to almonds in the test. But I've been having more frequent stools and even some D. What helps with fat malabsorption?
Thanks,
Leanne
Hi Leanne,
In general, only proteins can cause the human immune system to produce antibodies. All other reactions are due to either enzyme deficiencies or because the food irritates the gut (this only occurs when the intestines are already inflamed).
There is 1 single exception to this rule, and that is a naturally-occuring sugar found in meat, known as sugar galactose-a-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). This sugar is found in beef, lamb, pork, and other mammalian meats (except primates), and it can cause an IgE type reaction, resulting in anaphylaxis. The allergy, known as mammalian meat allergy, is apparently triggered by a tick bite. In the U. S., the tick species most likely to be responsible is Amblyomma americanum, but in Europe and Scandinavian countries there may be other tick species causing the sensitization. Anyone who has this allergy cannot eat mammalian meat without having a serious anaphylactic reaction approximately 3–6 hours later. Fortunately, this allergy is still somewhat rare, but it was only discovered a few years ago. Here is a little information about it:
Allergy to Red Meat Linked to Tick Bites
But other than that rare exception, all allergies and antibody-based reactions to food, are triggered by proteins.
Most of us have a fat malabsorption problem early on, but as our gut heals, we slowly become able to absorb more fat in our diet.
The most reliable tests for food sensitivities (including almonds) are the stool tests offered by EnteroLab. Most blood tests for food sensitivities miss too many foods that are problems, and they also tend to show a lot of false positive results for foods that are not actually problems.
That said, it could be the fiber in almond flour that is causing your digestive system to be irritated. Many of us have to seriously limit fiber in our diet when we are recovering. Most nuts also contain a significant amount of fat, if I recall correctly. I couldn't tolerate almonds or any other nuts for years, but I have finally healed enough that I can now tolerate almonds, as long as I don't overdo the amount.
Tex
In general, only proteins can cause the human immune system to produce antibodies. All other reactions are due to either enzyme deficiencies or because the food irritates the gut (this only occurs when the intestines are already inflamed).
There is 1 single exception to this rule, and that is a naturally-occuring sugar found in meat, known as sugar galactose-a-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). This sugar is found in beef, lamb, pork, and other mammalian meats (except primates), and it can cause an IgE type reaction, resulting in anaphylaxis. The allergy, known as mammalian meat allergy, is apparently triggered by a tick bite. In the U. S., the tick species most likely to be responsible is Amblyomma americanum, but in Europe and Scandinavian countries there may be other tick species causing the sensitization. Anyone who has this allergy cannot eat mammalian meat without having a serious anaphylactic reaction approximately 3–6 hours later. Fortunately, this allergy is still somewhat rare, but it was only discovered a few years ago. Here is a little information about it:
Allergy to Red Meat Linked to Tick Bites
But other than that rare exception, all allergies and antibody-based reactions to food, are triggered by proteins.
Most of us have a fat malabsorption problem early on, but as our gut heals, we slowly become able to absorb more fat in our diet.
The most reliable tests for food sensitivities (including almonds) are the stool tests offered by EnteroLab. Most blood tests for food sensitivities miss too many foods that are problems, and they also tend to show a lot of false positive results for foods that are not actually problems.
That said, it could be the fiber in almond flour that is causing your digestive system to be irritated. Many of us have to seriously limit fiber in our diet when we are recovering. Most nuts also contain a significant amount of fat, if I recall correctly. I couldn't tolerate almonds or any other nuts for years, but I have finally healed enough that I can now tolerate almonds, as long as I don't overdo the amount.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi Tex,
Very interesting, thanks for the clarification. I had a blood test done for food sensitivities and as you mentioned I believe there are a lot of false positives. I have tried a few of the foods on my list and have not noticed any reaction to them. I have been incorporating them into my diet occasionally to test this out. My biggest fear was that even though I was not feeling any symptoms, that I was creating inflammation without knowledge of it. Is that possible?
Leanne
Very interesting, thanks for the clarification. I had a blood test done for food sensitivities and as you mentioned I believe there are a lot of false positives. I have tried a few of the foods on my list and have not noticed any reaction to them. I have been incorporating them into my diet occasionally to test this out. My biggest fear was that even though I was not feeling any symptoms, that I was creating inflammation without knowledge of it. Is that possible?
Leanne
Yes, it's certainly possible. Many celiacs are known to have asymptomatic celiac sprue (IOW, they have the disease, but they show no clinical symptoms). But when that is happening there are usually other clues. For example, I was having minor osteoarthritis symptoms (but no GI symptoms). A couple of EnteroLab tests showed that I was producing antibodies to gluten and casein. I was intentionally eating casein, but I didn't realize that my diet was cross-contaminated with gluten. After I tracked down the source of the gluten cross-contamination problem, and cut all dairy products back out of my diet again, the osteoarthritis symptoms went away, and they have stayed away.Leanne wrote:My biggest fear was that even though I was not feeling any symptoms, that I was creating inflammation without knowledge of it. Is that possible?
But personally, I wouldn't rely on a blood test for that purpose, because of their rather poor reliability. I make my diet decisions based on stool tests at EnteroLab (and verified by my own diet results), because the antibodies are produced in the intestines, so the intestines (and stool) are by far the best places to find antibodies to foods.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
At this point, I will need to wait some time before pursuing Enterolab. I wish I had known this 6 months ago; I would have had stool tested instead of blood. So for now then do I just avoid everything on my list? Or only the foods that I feel symptomatic to? It is unsettling to me that I could possibly be causing inflammation without realizing it and then have a flare up later on. I am a bit paranoid about that! Lol.
Leanne
Leanne
OK, I have to admit that I'm lost and confused. Of course this is a 10-year-old thread, but I'm trying to figure out how this correlates with something that I posted.Linda wrote:Tex,
Citrus is high histamine too.
I squirt lemon into water without a sweetener for a change from just water. I also crush mint leaves in my water.
My husband makes maple nuts that he eats for dessert. Just maple syrup & nuts!
Am I just dense today?
I'm probably just overlooking something obvious.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Leanne,
If you are symptom-free, then you probably don't have anything to be concerned about. Food sensitivities that are truly symptom-free, are almost never a problem. And if you want to try to reintroduce some foods into your diet (or if you're having symptoms), then as Linda suggested, a little diet detective work should allow you to determine whether a food is safe (or allow you to track down an existing problem).
Tex
If you are symptom-free, then you probably don't have anything to be concerned about. Food sensitivities that are truly symptom-free, are almost never a problem. And if you want to try to reintroduce some foods into your diet (or if you're having symptoms), then as Linda suggested, a little diet detective work should allow you to determine whether a food is safe (or allow you to track down an existing problem).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
