I'm in the same boat at Tex....I have taken a combo of 15mg Zinc/ 1mg Copper capsule for a while now.....I used to just take a tablet of 25-50 zinc at one time apparently it absorbed ok. I think if you find a reputable company you like the zinc ought to be just fine in the Mg's you are looking for.
Yes, Kudos on the results you are getting....methylation is a crazy thing but it is real! I hope more doctors pay attention to those in need.
Histamine, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Copper — Gabes is Right On
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi everyone,
Several years ago during an updated colonoscopy, my diagnosis was "no sign of LC", which essentially means that I healed it with diet alone. However, I received a new diagnosis of Mastocytic Enterocolitis. So since then, I have attempted to eat low histamine, along with all the other restrictions.
My latest endeavors of "not eating out" and "no grains" (reactive on my new Enterolab test), resulted in better formed stool. During my 9 years of experimenting with "diet alone" I was able to live a somewhat normal life. I became a yoga teacher, and was able to hike, ski, etc. However, things were never quite right, as my stool was too soft, too frequent and sometimes too urgent.
Fast forward to lately, a new thing popped up, namely accidents on my way to the toilet. This really upset me, and I started to ponder trying the Budesonide I ordered from All Day Chemist a year ago (sitting in storage). Well, the first day of taking one pill (3 mg) I went from soft, urgent, to Norman. I was flabbergasted and have continued with one a day ever since. It is now over a month with one norman every morning. I'm almost afraid to post this, as I have had so many successes along the way that helped, but eventually petered out. As advised here, I will continue with this dosage until constipation sets in.
Regarding the discussion here, I want to issue a caution. When I started to take Vit C a while back (the pure powder) my A1C brought me up into the range of a diabetes 2 diagnosis. When I dropped the Vit C, it went back to normal range. Needless to say, that was it for me and Vit C.
The other thing I thought to mention is that Avocados do not seem to bother me, and I have been eating them all along.
I have ordered a second batch of 90, 3 mg, budesonide from All Day Chemist, as the way I feel now is simply exhilirating. I'm reminded of Gloria who I believe finally threw in the towel and decided to stay on Budesonide indefinitely. I would obviously prefer to taper off at some point, but feel OK with staying on it.
Any comments on my decision will be welcome.
Wishing radiant health to all of you.
Love,
Kari
Several years ago during an updated colonoscopy, my diagnosis was "no sign of LC", which essentially means that I healed it with diet alone. However, I received a new diagnosis of Mastocytic Enterocolitis. So since then, I have attempted to eat low histamine, along with all the other restrictions.
My latest endeavors of "not eating out" and "no grains" (reactive on my new Enterolab test), resulted in better formed stool. During my 9 years of experimenting with "diet alone" I was able to live a somewhat normal life. I became a yoga teacher, and was able to hike, ski, etc. However, things were never quite right, as my stool was too soft, too frequent and sometimes too urgent.
Fast forward to lately, a new thing popped up, namely accidents on my way to the toilet. This really upset me, and I started to ponder trying the Budesonide I ordered from All Day Chemist a year ago (sitting in storage). Well, the first day of taking one pill (3 mg) I went from soft, urgent, to Norman. I was flabbergasted and have continued with one a day ever since. It is now over a month with one norman every morning. I'm almost afraid to post this, as I have had so many successes along the way that helped, but eventually petered out. As advised here, I will continue with this dosage until constipation sets in.
Regarding the discussion here, I want to issue a caution. When I started to take Vit C a while back (the pure powder) my A1C brought me up into the range of a diabetes 2 diagnosis. When I dropped the Vit C, it went back to normal range. Needless to say, that was it for me and Vit C.
The other thing I thought to mention is that Avocados do not seem to bother me, and I have been eating them all along.
I have ordered a second batch of 90, 3 mg, budesonide from All Day Chemist, as the way I feel now is simply exhilirating. I'm reminded of Gloria who I believe finally threw in the towel and decided to stay on Budesonide indefinitely. I would obviously prefer to taper off at some point, but feel OK with staying on it.
Any comments on my decision will be welcome.
Wishing radiant health to all of you.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari wrote:When I started to take Vit C a while back (the pure powder) my A1C brought me up into the range of a diabetes 2 diagnosis. When I dropped the Vit C, it went back to normal range. Needless to say, that was it for me and Vit C.
Thanks for the headsup. As far as I know, my A1C has never been checked, but it kinda looks like I'll be dropping vitamin C.
Regarding your adventures with budesonide, I have to agree with the song, "If if feels good, do it."
Love,
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.
Kari- thank you for the update and for the tip about Vit C. Your post sent me to my latest A1C labs but thankfully it’s in the optimal range. Congrats on fine-tuning and your success. I think your decision was a good one and that you’ll know if there comes a point to try something else.
I suppose we’ll always be fine tuning. My bag of tricks is getting bigger and I am feeling much better in several ways.
Tex and Erica- thanks for your response. I’m supplementing with zinc for only 3 months, then we’ll check my levels and copper ratio again. It didn’t sound super low, but was not optimal. I’m less concerned about that. My Omega 3s were very low and if I want to reduce my CRP levels more I’ll need to increase them. I’m much more concerned about getting this inflammation down as far as possible.
Take care- Happy Holidays!
Carol
I suppose we’ll always be fine tuning. My bag of tricks is getting bigger and I am feeling much better in several ways.
Tex and Erica- thanks for your response. I’m supplementing with zinc for only 3 months, then we’ll check my levels and copper ratio again. It didn’t sound super low, but was not optimal. I’m less concerned about that. My Omega 3s were very low and if I want to reduce my CRP levels more I’ll need to increase them. I’m much more concerned about getting this inflammation down as far as possible.
Take care- Happy Holidays!
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Tex - Yes it feels good - very good :). It is the first time in the 9+ years I have been at this that I am totally relaxed about potential GI issues. It has now been 5 weeks since I started 3 mg a day of Budesonide, and there are no signs of colitis !!! What is so amazing about it, is that I responded immediately on day 1 to the low dose. I'm thinking that it is due to all the healing that has taken place. I'm also, of course, continuing to eat a very careful diet and plan to do so indefinitely. As Jean says, no food is worth getting sick over.
I'm very curious to know what it is about Budesonide that seems to take care of my histamine issues. As you know, my LC is long gone, but histamine problems from my ME diagnosis have been lingering. However, as long as this med works, I'm on board. I had discussed taking Budesonide with my Neurologist after finishing the course of Prednisone (well over a year ago), and he agreed it would be a good idea. Since I'm also dealing with systemic inflammation due to Vasculitis, perhaps the little extra steroid that goes into my system from Budesonide is helpful??? Just thinking here :).
Carol - Thank you for your note. With your diligence and willingness to keep exploring, I'm sure you will reach a point where everything will feel more settled. I agree with your statement of "continuing to fine tune". Living without the fear of relapse is worth fighting for.
Love,
Kari
I'm very curious to know what it is about Budesonide that seems to take care of my histamine issues. As you know, my LC is long gone, but histamine problems from my ME diagnosis have been lingering. However, as long as this med works, I'm on board. I had discussed taking Budesonide with my Neurologist after finishing the course of Prednisone (well over a year ago), and he agreed it would be a good idea. Since I'm also dealing with systemic inflammation due to Vasculitis, perhaps the little extra steroid that goes into my system from Budesonide is helpful??? Just thinking here :).
Carol - Thank you for your note. With your diligence and willingness to keep exploring, I'm sure you will reach a point where everything will feel more settled. I agree with your statement of "continuing to fine tune". Living without the fear of relapse is worth fighting for.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari,
Most doctors say that basically they don't know why corticosteroids work, but according to the published research I've read, it suppresses mast cell populations, thereby reducing mast cell activity. This should explain why it helps with histamine issues. Budesonide also increases cortisol levels in the body, and cortisol regulates bile acid uptake (recycling) in the terminal ileum. Therefore, if you had any bile acid malabsorption, budesonide helps to resolve that problem. And lastly, since research shows that up to about 18 % of budesonide is activated before it reaches the colon, that amount is available to go into circulation in the bloodstream to help resolve systemic inflammation. Altogether, these actions have the potential to help considerably to lower inflammation, as you have found.
If you want links to the research I mentioned, I can look those up and post them. I believe they're listed in at least one of my books on MC.
Love,
Tex
Most doctors say that basically they don't know why corticosteroids work, but according to the published research I've read, it suppresses mast cell populations, thereby reducing mast cell activity. This should explain why it helps with histamine issues. Budesonide also increases cortisol levels in the body, and cortisol regulates bile acid uptake (recycling) in the terminal ileum. Therefore, if you had any bile acid malabsorption, budesonide helps to resolve that problem. And lastly, since research shows that up to about 18 % of budesonide is activated before it reaches the colon, that amount is available to go into circulation in the bloodstream to help resolve systemic inflammation. Altogether, these actions have the potential to help considerably to lower inflammation, as you have found.
If you want links to the research I mentioned, I can look those up and post them. I believe they're listed in at least one of my books on MC.
Love,
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.
Tex,
Thank you for your explanation and quick response. It all makes perfect sense in terms of what's happening with me.
If you don't mind digging up the links you mentioned, I would be very interested in reading those reports.
As usual, thank you sooo much for being here. Your knowledge is exceptional.
Love,
Kari
Thank you for your explanation and quick response. It all makes perfect sense in terms of what's happening with me.
If you don't mind digging up the links you mentioned, I would be very interested in reading those reports.
As usual, thank you sooo much for being here. Your knowledge is exceptional.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
OK, these are quotes of my explanations of why this is true from Understanding Microscopic Colitis:
49. Goldsmith, P., McGarity, B., Walls, A., F., Church, M., K., Millward-Sadler, G. H., & Robertson, D. A. (1990). Corticosteroid treatment reduces mast cell numbers in inflammatory bowel disease. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 35(11), 1409–1413. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1977567
50. Hidalgo, A. A., Deeb, K. K., Pike, J. W., Johnson, C. S., & Trump, D. L. (2011). Dexamethasone enhances 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 effects by increasing vitamin D receptor transcription. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286, 36,228–36,237. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3196110/
51. Persky , W. (2014). Vitamin D and Autoimmune Disease. Bartlett, TX: Persky Farms
196. Rose, A. J., Berriel Díaz, M., Reimann, A., Klement, J., Walcher, T., Krones-Herzig, A., . . . Herzig, S. (2011). Molecular control of systemic bile acid homeostasis by the liver glucocorticoid receptor. Cell Metabolism, 14(1), 123–130. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21723510
The fact that about 18 % (average) of budesonide may become systemic is general knowledge, but here is one of the earlier references that notes a range from 9 to 21 % for various patients. This is from Microscopic Colitis:
10. Edsbäcker, S, & Andersson, T. (2004). Pharmacokinetics of budesonide (Entocort EC) capsules for Crohn's disease. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 43(12), 803–821. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15355126#
I hope I haven't overlooked anything here.
Love,
Tex
And here are the references from that quote:Why are corticosteroid medications so effective at helping to reduce the inflammation and thereby helping to control the symptoms of IBDs?
The correct answer to that question can provide some clues needed to help design an optimum treatment program. When physicians prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication such as a corticosteroid to treat MC or some other IBD, they do so because they understand that the drug will help to suppress inflammation.
If the prescription fails to bring relief to the patient however, the reason for the failure will usually be unknown because the mechanism by which corticosteroids suppress inflammation does not appear to be widely understood by most medical professionals. But a search of the medical literature shows that the way in which corticosteroids provide relief from inflammation was discovered and published over 25 years ago (Goldsmith et al., 1990).49 Based on that research it can be concluded that corticosteroids suppress inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease by reducing mast cell numbers.
Later research by Hidalgo et al. (2011) showed that glucocorticoids increase the expression of vitamin D receptors (VDRs), suggesting that vitamin D may actually be responsible for the suppression of inflammation.50 Corticosteroids (which includes the glucocorticoids of course) may indirectly suppress inflammation by exploiting the inflammation suppression attributes of the active form of vitamin D (by increasing the expression of VDRs).
And as we shall discover in chapter 6, on pages 171–173, cortisol controls bile acid reabsorption (Rose et al., 2011). Therefore corticosteroids almost surely help to reduce diarrhea by improving bile acid reabsorption. So from this insight we might conclude that
1. Corticosteroids suppress mast cell numbers.
2. Maintaining a sufficient vitamin D level is important for controlling inflammation.
3. Corticosteroids may help to reduce diarrhea by improving bile acid reabsorption.
The reason why reducing mast cell numbers helps to control inflammation should be apparent in view of the fact that increasing mast cell populations tend to promote increased mast cell activity. This results in an increase in the number of mast cell degranulations that result in the inappropriate release of histamine and other proinflammatory agents. If a more detailed explanation of the complete process whereby the active form of vitamin D is capable of controlling mast cell numbers and activity level, and how corticosteroids work by exploiting the ability of vitamin D to control mast cell populations and activity, please see pages 55–69 of the book Vitamin D and Autoimmune Disease (Persky, 2014).51
49. Goldsmith, P., McGarity, B., Walls, A., F., Church, M., K., Millward-Sadler, G. H., & Robertson, D. A. (1990). Corticosteroid treatment reduces mast cell numbers in inflammatory bowel disease. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 35(11), 1409–1413. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1977567
50. Hidalgo, A. A., Deeb, K. K., Pike, J. W., Johnson, C. S., & Trump, D. L. (2011). Dexamethasone enhances 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 effects by increasing vitamin D receptor transcription. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286, 36,228–36,237. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3196110/
51. Persky , W. (2014). Vitamin D and Autoimmune Disease. Bartlett, TX: Persky Farms
And here is the reference from that quote:Recycling of bile acids appears to be controlled by cortisol.
Experimenting with specially-altered mice (mice that had no glucocorticoid receptors in their livers), Rose et al. (2011) found that compared with normal mice, they lost weight on the same diet because their ability to digest fat was compromised.196 They weren't able to normally recycle bile acids and they developed gallstones.
An adequate supply of bile is stored in the gallbladder. When the body becomes hungry, it releases cortisol (which is a glucocorticoid). Cortisol is a hormone and it attaches to the glucocorticoid receptors in the liver and the liver responds by producing bile and storing it in the gallbladder, in anticipation of the next meal. When the meal is actually eaten, bile is released through the common bile duct into the small intestine to emulsify the fat in the food. Additionally, lipase from the pancreas is added to the bile in the common bile duct to further digest the fat in the small intestine.
Normally, the body recycles about 90–95 % of the bile that's released into the small intestine. It's reabsorbed in the terminal ileum (the last section of the small intestine). If it's not reabsorbed, and too much of it passes into the colon, it may cause diarrhea. This is the essence of bile acid malabsorption.
But in addition, if bile acids are not adequately reabsorbed, the liver may soon be unable to maintain a normal level of bile in the gallbladder because without the recycling, it simply cannot produce enough bile. And the body's ability to digest fat will be limited, leading to weight loss. Thus the researchers were able to prove that cortisol controls the recycling of bile acids.
Rose et al. (2011) also discovered that this effect apparently also applies to humans. Cortisol is normally produced by the adrenal glands. When people have a rare disorder called Addison's disease, their immune system attacks their adrenal glands and their ability to produce normal amounts of cortisol is disrupted. The researchers found that when they examined blood samples of Addison's disease patients taken before and after eating, bile acid recycling was also compromised, similar to the mice that had no glucocorticoid receptors in their livers. So apparently cortisol also controls bile acid recycling in humans.
This appears to have interesting implications for MC patients.
This suggests that MC patients who tend to lose weight during a flare may be short of cortisol. And too much undigested fat in the colon can cause diarrhea. This also might suggest that such individuals may not be able to properly recycle bile acids and may therefore possibly be more likely to respond to cholestyramine treatment than those who do not usually lose weight during an MC flare. There is no published medical research to confirm this, therefore, this is strictly a speculative observation. It may have merit, but there is no medical proof.
The discovery that cortisol controls bile acid recycling would surely have implications for patients taking a corticosteroid to treat MC.
Products such as budesonide (Entocort or Uceris) obviously must be capable of boosting bile acid absorption, since budesonide is an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid with potent glucocorticoid activity. So perhaps it is this capability of improving bile acid absorption that is responsible for stopping the diarrhea in only one or two days in certain cases. Perhaps this explains why some patients who take budesonide are more likely to gain weight as a side effect of the drug.
196. Rose, A. J., Berriel Díaz, M., Reimann, A., Klement, J., Walcher, T., Krones-Herzig, A., . . . Herzig, S. (2011). Molecular control of systemic bile acid homeostasis by the liver glucocorticoid receptor. Cell Metabolism, 14(1), 123–130. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21723510
The fact that about 18 % (average) of budesonide may become systemic is general knowledge, but here is one of the earlier references that notes a range from 9 to 21 % for various patients. This is from Microscopic Colitis:
10. Edsbäcker, S, & Andersson, T. (2004). Pharmacokinetics of budesonide (Entocort EC) capsules for Crohn's disease. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 43(12), 803–821. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15355126#
I hope I haven't overlooked anything here.
Love,
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.
Tex,
Thank you sooo much for posting this. It gives me a lot to think about and understand. Interestingly, Cholestyramine did not work for me when I tried it a few years ago. It worked to begin with, but then made things worse instead of better.
Regarding weight, I have been at my absolute lowest weight since I was a teenager. It seems like taking a low dose of Budesonide will help me gain some of it back, albeit very slowly, since I'm keeping to more or less the same diet.
Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday and thanks again for all your insights and help.
Love,
Kari
Thank you sooo much for posting this. It gives me a lot to think about and understand. Interestingly, Cholestyramine did not work for me when I tried it a few years ago. It worked to begin with, but then made things worse instead of better.
Regarding weight, I have been at my absolute lowest weight since I was a teenager. It seems like taking a low dose of Budesonide will help me gain some of it back, albeit very slowly, since I'm keeping to more or less the same diet.
Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday and thanks again for all your insights and help.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Hi friends!
I came on the board to look for the water-magnesium spray I've been making. I couldn't find it, so used a 4:1 ratio of hot water to Epson salts. I can't remember if the formula was three or four tablespoons hot water.
While looking I came across this thread. Yes, Kari, I am still taking budesonide: one pill for three days, one day off, then one pill for three days and a day off again. I tried reducing to 1/2 pill in the middle of the three days, but symptoms returned. I still have some Entocort pills, but I've been alternating between them and the Budez pills from All Day Chemist. When I run out of the Entocort, I will be using Budez exclusively. I haven't had any problems using either, but my osteoporosis, a side effect from using steroids, continues to get worse.
My mother had osteoporosis, but she never had a bone fracture from falling and she lived until she was 87. My doctor wants me to see a specialist about the osteoporosis and let him know when I have made the appointment so he can send him/her my DEXA scan results. He hasn't posted my DEXA scan results for me to see first, so I suspect we're playing cat and mouse. I'm going to go to the hospital and get them myself.
I've been interested in the discussion on this thread about histamine reactions. I've had mouth sores for years and a few months ago I realized that I no longer had them. I have resumed eating chocolate in small amounts and have also resumed eating avocados, both of which I avoided for years because of their high histamine content. I did develop a rash in April on my face and hands and saw a dermatologist right before Christmas. He said it was due to an external cause, not internal. I changed my facial and hand creams to using pure shea butter and my rashes have disappeared.
I am able to eat more fruit and am presently eating blueberries, cranberries and mangoes. Vegetables are still problematic, but I recently tried butternut squash and it seems to be OK.
I haven't posted much because I am busy as a Family History Center Director, Precinct Committeeman, and webmaster for the local genealogy society. Silly me, I thought retirement would give me time to relax.
One of my daughters lives in San Diego now, and the other lives in Denmark. I still am able to visit each by preparing most of my food ahead of time and bringing it on the plane. I can't bring my mango sorbet, of course, and I can't bring any meat to Denmark, but my daughter purchases it before I come, and I prepare my meats and broths the day after I arrive and freeze them. I haven't traveled to other countries outside of Denmark due to my being unable to eat out, unfortunately. My husband was born in Hamburg, and his grandfather was born in a town in Germany right across the Baltic Sea. He would love to visit the town. We may try to travel to Germany from Copenhagen this year if we can find a place to stay with a kitchen and freezer.
I've taken advantage of my daughter living in Denmark buy buying Sam Mills pasta and having it shipped to her apartment in Copenhagen. Then I pack it in luggage and take it home. It is no longer sold in this country. Once DD returns to the U.S., perhaps this year, I don't know what I will do. The pasta is a big component of my diet. There isn't any other 100% corn pasta produced in the U.S. that is also non-GMO. Corn is still the only grain I can eat. Sam Mills produces a large variety of shapes which helps me feel like I'm getting some variety in my diet. Another brand produced in Italy, I believe, only offers a few types.
That's my news for now. I might write another post about the Freeda Vitamins eliminating most of the supplements I used. I can't find a replacement for the T-Vites.
Gloria
I came on the board to look for the water-magnesium spray I've been making. I couldn't find it, so used a 4:1 ratio of hot water to Epson salts. I can't remember if the formula was three or four tablespoons hot water.
While looking I came across this thread. Yes, Kari, I am still taking budesonide: one pill for three days, one day off, then one pill for three days and a day off again. I tried reducing to 1/2 pill in the middle of the three days, but symptoms returned. I still have some Entocort pills, but I've been alternating between them and the Budez pills from All Day Chemist. When I run out of the Entocort, I will be using Budez exclusively. I haven't had any problems using either, but my osteoporosis, a side effect from using steroids, continues to get worse.
My mother had osteoporosis, but she never had a bone fracture from falling and she lived until she was 87. My doctor wants me to see a specialist about the osteoporosis and let him know when I have made the appointment so he can send him/her my DEXA scan results. He hasn't posted my DEXA scan results for me to see first, so I suspect we're playing cat and mouse. I'm going to go to the hospital and get them myself.
I've been interested in the discussion on this thread about histamine reactions. I've had mouth sores for years and a few months ago I realized that I no longer had them. I have resumed eating chocolate in small amounts and have also resumed eating avocados, both of which I avoided for years because of their high histamine content. I did develop a rash in April on my face and hands and saw a dermatologist right before Christmas. He said it was due to an external cause, not internal. I changed my facial and hand creams to using pure shea butter and my rashes have disappeared.
I am able to eat more fruit and am presently eating blueberries, cranberries and mangoes. Vegetables are still problematic, but I recently tried butternut squash and it seems to be OK.
I haven't posted much because I am busy as a Family History Center Director, Precinct Committeeman, and webmaster for the local genealogy society. Silly me, I thought retirement would give me time to relax.
One of my daughters lives in San Diego now, and the other lives in Denmark. I still am able to visit each by preparing most of my food ahead of time and bringing it on the plane. I can't bring my mango sorbet, of course, and I can't bring any meat to Denmark, but my daughter purchases it before I come, and I prepare my meats and broths the day after I arrive and freeze them. I haven't traveled to other countries outside of Denmark due to my being unable to eat out, unfortunately. My husband was born in Hamburg, and his grandfather was born in a town in Germany right across the Baltic Sea. He would love to visit the town. We may try to travel to Germany from Copenhagen this year if we can find a place to stay with a kitchen and freezer.
I've taken advantage of my daughter living in Denmark buy buying Sam Mills pasta and having it shipped to her apartment in Copenhagen. Then I pack it in luggage and take it home. It is no longer sold in this country. Once DD returns to the U.S., perhaps this year, I don't know what I will do. The pasta is a big component of my diet. There isn't any other 100% corn pasta produced in the U.S. that is also non-GMO. Corn is still the only grain I can eat. Sam Mills produces a large variety of shapes which helps me feel like I'm getting some variety in my diet. Another brand produced in Italy, I believe, only offers a few types.
That's my news for now. I might write another post about the Freeda Vitamins eliminating most of the supplements I used. I can't find a replacement for the T-Vites.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Gloria,
I've been wondering about you and how you're doing, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a post from you. Thank you so much for taking the time to write an update. Glad to see that you are traveling. I don't know if you have seen other updates from me, but I had to drop all grains, as well as eating out, a while back. However, Buckwheat and Quinoa (not grains) seem to work well for me. I have found a fabulous buckwheat crispbread that is GMO free and organic. It is called "Le Pain des fleurs" and I buy it at Natural Grocers. The only ingredients are organic buckwheat flour, organic whole cane sugar (less than 2%) and sea salt.
At this point in time I have been on 1 Budez a day for over 2 months, and have the feeling that I may need to stay on it indefinitely. Like you, I worry about Osteoporosis, but I do a lot of physical activity, like hiking, skiing and yoga, so I hope that this will counteract the risk of bone problems. Also, I'm 68 years old and not getting younger :). After all the years of stressing with managing my symptoms with diet alone, I'm willing to take this risk for life quality. Even though I pretty consistently have only 1 BM first thing in the morning, it is not necessarily what I would call "a perfect norman". But it is always well formed and not urgent so I am good with that.
In terms of moisturizer, I have been using only pure organic coconut oil for many years now, and have had no episodes of skin rashes. It also helps keep my skin young.
Wishing you all the best.
Love,
Kari
[/b]
I've been wondering about you and how you're doing, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a post from you. Thank you so much for taking the time to write an update. Glad to see that you are traveling. I don't know if you have seen other updates from me, but I had to drop all grains, as well as eating out, a while back. However, Buckwheat and Quinoa (not grains) seem to work well for me. I have found a fabulous buckwheat crispbread that is GMO free and organic. It is called "Le Pain des fleurs" and I buy it at Natural Grocers. The only ingredients are organic buckwheat flour, organic whole cane sugar (less than 2%) and sea salt.
At this point in time I have been on 1 Budez a day for over 2 months, and have the feeling that I may need to stay on it indefinitely. Like you, I worry about Osteoporosis, but I do a lot of physical activity, like hiking, skiing and yoga, so I hope that this will counteract the risk of bone problems. Also, I'm 68 years old and not getting younger :). After all the years of stressing with managing my symptoms with diet alone, I'm willing to take this risk for life quality. Even though I pretty consistently have only 1 BM first thing in the morning, it is not necessarily what I would call "a perfect norman". But it is always well formed and not urgent so I am good with that.
In terms of moisturizer, I have been using only pure organic coconut oil for many years now, and have had no episodes of skin rashes. It also helps keep my skin young.
Wishing you all the best.
Love,
Kari
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"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari,
You're just a kid. I can barely remember being that young.
I agree with you about getting older, though. We should be able to use whatever works best for us without worrying about this or that.
Love,
Tex
You're just a kid.
I can barely remember being that young.I agree with you about getting older, though. We should be able to use whatever works best for us without worrying about this or that.
Love,
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.
