Help with Enterolab Results Interpretation

[Sonia]

Hello, friends,

My results are back after just a week! Turns out I've been eating all the wrong things even on my elimination diet (too much rice and white potato), other surprises are chicken, beef, and tuna. Looks like soy and eggs are ok?!

I'll read through the newsletter article that describes interpretation, but I'd really appreciate any ideas about first steps to take for eliminating food. I have chronic WD--ranging from 5-15 stools morning and night, and have had both celiac and CC for at least 12 years.

Thank you so much for your help!!
Sonia

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 118 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 13 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 9 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 9 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 18 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Food to which there was no significan timmunological reactivity:
Oat
Walnut

Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+):
Rice
Pork
White potato

Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+):
\Tuna
Beef
Cashew

Food to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity(3+):
Corn
Chicken
Almond


Food Categories:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Corn
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Rice
Meats:
Meat toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Chicken
Meat toward which you were next most immunologically reactive: Tuna
Meat toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Beef
Meat toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Pork
Nuts:
Nut toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Almond
Nut toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Cashew
Nightshades:
You displayed immunologic reactivity to white potato, the member of the nightshade family usually consumed
While this does not necessarily mean you would react to all othernightshade foods (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), it is possible. In the realm of elimination diets for immunologicdisorders, nightshades are usually eliminated as the entire food class (i.e., all four previously mentioned foodsin this class). This is especially important to the clinical setting of arthritis.

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

Make absolutely sure that there are no traces of gluten sneaking into your diet. Many of us react to even the tiniest traces, especially when our MC is active, because our immune system is hypersensitive during a reaction, and for months thereafter. If you are drinking coffee, avoid nondairy coffee creamer's, because they contain a derivative of casein. Apparently the manufacturers mistakenly believe that a nondairy label simply requires eliminating lactose.

With a score of 18 on the 11 other antigenic foods, it's possible that you might Be able to eat some of the 1+ foods (rice, pork, and white potato), as long as you don't eat them every day. Eating them on a 3 day rotation, for example, works for some of us. That said, it would be safest to avoid those foods, if possible, especially until you can reach remission.

Those of us who have persistent, and difficult to resolve, symptoms, almost always need to do our own cooking, and never eat at restaurants, because published research shows that at least half the meals that are claimed by restaurants to be gluten-free, are not.

I hope this helps,

Tex

[Sonia]

Thank you so much for this advice. I'll try to eliminate what I can from the 1+ foods for the time being (although it is going to take me a little time to re-work this/figure out meal plans that work for my family and stock my pantry accordingly!)

Does a 3 day rotation mean one could potentially eat 1+ foods on back to back days if they are different foods? For example: Monday-pork, Tuesday-rice, Wednesday-potato? Or does it mean, for example: Monday-pork, Tuesday-no 1+ foods, Wednesday-no 1+ foods, Thursday-rice?

I am already super careful about gluten--never eat out, no gluten in my home, only certified GF foods, I pack my own food and cooking utensils if I travel. Since I have celiac I'm well-versed in cross-contamination. I realize nothing is truly GF but I do my best given the world we live in.

That's interesting that dairy free is equated with lactose free, not casein free. I'm trying to convert to black coffee, and have also tried lattes made with coconut milk. It's an acquired taste!

With gratitude,
Sonia

[tex]

Your first example is correct. Just don't eat the same food 2 days in a row.

Tex

[Sonia]

Ok, I'm working on getting this elimination diet in a way that works for me and with the new info from Enterolab.

A couple questions:
Would you think the high IgA for gluten means gluten is somehow getting into my diet? Like I said, I've been paranoid about gluten for years. Only places I could think of it getting right now are salt, pepper, or cinammon...

What I'm eating (Since 3 days ago)--feedback appreciated:
Breakfast: quinoa (certified GF), coconut milk (no guar gum), banana, black coffee or tea
Lunch and dinner Meats/Proten: Eggs (safe for me), turkey, lamb
Lunch and dinner carbs: sweet potato, green beans (well cooked; soy is safe for me), applesauce or cooked apple (no skin)
Fats: coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower seed butter
Seasonings: himlayan salt, ground pepper (minimal), cinammon (minimal)

Thank you!!
Sonia

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

I see nothing wrong with your diet. The only thing I see that could possibly be cross contaminated is the cinnamon. Most Spices are imported, and they're notorious for being contaminated with all sorts of impurities. I'm not sure if that applies to cinnamon, but it might. That's easy to check out, though, simply avoid it for a few days, to see if that helps. Make sure all your cosmetic products are gluten-free, also.

Your antigliadin score on the EnteroLab test is a bit concerning, if you've been avoiding gluten scrupulously for years. It can take years for that level to decline to a normal level, if it's exceptionally high to begin with. But if you've been meticulously avoiding it for 5 or 6 years or more, it should be lower than that, so something appears to be amiss.

I notice that chicken is ranked as a 3+ food for you. That raises a red flag about chicken eggs, in my opinion. if I were in that situation, I would avoid eggs for a few days, to see if that helps. If it does, then you can try duck eggs, to see if they will work.

Tex

[Sonia]

Ok, this is all very helpful. I'll eliminate the eggs (or try to find duck eggs) and find some certified GF cinnamon. I have been very careful about gluten for 12 years, but I did eat out and definitely had cross-contamination over the years.

Since soy is apparently ok with me, what are your thoughts on tofu while in the healing phase? Just trying to find some cheaper options for protein.

THANK YOU,
Sonia

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

in our Guidelines for Recovery, we don't recommend tofu. We recommend plain, simple, basic foods — the foods that humans evolved eating, for a very good reason — they're safest, and they allow the fastest recovery. Like most plant foods, tofu contains several antinutrients. These include: Trypsin Inhibitors, compounds that block trypsin, an enzyme needed to properly digest protein; Phytates, compounds that can reduce the absorption of minerals, such as calcium, zinc, and iron; and possibly other anti-nutrients. You might find a newsletter that was recently published by the Microscopic Colitis Foundation to be helpful. For your convenience here's a direct link where you can download a copy:

https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 732984.pdf

and here's a link to our Guidelines for Recovery, in case you haven't seen them.

viewforum.php?f=79

I hope this helps,

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

to expand on Tex's reply..

animal protein is preferred
animal protein has amino acids and other key elements/nutrients our bodies need (that things like tofu dont)

Soy grown now is a cheap crop, and basically I class current day soy as a 'shite' crop it is genetically modified and many products on current market are like a waste product. the Soy of 20 -30 years ago and how it was prepared and eaten in asian countries was a good food product. sadly like many food items, what is on our shelves now is not good quality food products.


re the quinoa - even though it is certified Gluten free. for a product to be gluten free in the USA it can have up to 20 parts per million of gluten in the product.
(of note for a product to be gluten free in Australia it can only have 5 parts per million hence why alot of USA gluten free products can not be sold or imported into Australia as they do not meet labelling laws/ingredient rules)

I mention this as your gluten result from the test is very very high. To extent that it would appear there is ongoing ingestion of gluten.

[Sonia]

Thank you both so much. I just found quinoa from a gf facility that is tested to less than 5 ppm so I hope it is ok.

With celiac I have always had negative TTG, but after reading this forum I am gleaning that those results may not be as sensitive as the stool tests. I've always been careful about gluten, but apparently not as careful as I should be. My doctors always assured me that I was doing a good job with gluten consumption:(

I will stick with the meat proteins. I've seen elsewhere on this site that the rosemary extract in all supermarket ground turkey is a no-no. Is this information up to date? It is kind of hard to find real turkeys this time of year!

One more question--I find it a little strange that I didn't have an oat reaction when just about everyone else does. Is this just one of the wacky things about MC?

You are both a God-send,
Sonia

[TXBrenda]

Hello. Thought I would put my two cents into this conversation regarding oats. I haven't had Enterolab tests run but aparently I do not react to oats. I donot eat them often but so far not reaction. I am always careful to buy the GF oats but not sure how gluten free they really are, lol.

[Sonia]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Brenda!

Another animal protein question--if I'm sensitive to tuna, I've read that it is likely I would also be sensitive to salmon (big sad face). What about other fish? Tilapia and Catfish are the two that I most commonly consumed before beginning this journey.

Thank you,
Sonia

[tex]

As far as I'm aware, many of us who are sensitive to salt water fish, can tolerate certain freshwater fish such as the 2 you named. If anyone has had any contrary experience, I hope they will post it here.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

Re gluten
double check non food items

- bathroom products. a lot of natural products like shampoo / moisturisers have wheatgerm in them
- make up, lip balms, lipsticks can have gluten in them
- did you set yourself up with new cookware / utensils / chopping boards that have never had contact with any gluten?
- are you cooking with wheat flour in the kitchen for others in the household?

in early stages of healing I would encourage preparing and cooking your food items totally seperate from others in the household.

[Sonia]

Tex--thanks for the fish info.

Gabes--thanks for all these reminders. Yes, I threw out everything in my kitchen when I got celiac, and we keep our home gluten free. My husband even stopped eating gluten when I was first diagnosed. I definitely don't have any skin products that have wheat germ in them, but I should double-check the manufacturers to see if they test for gluten.

Is cross-contamination an issue for other foods? Just thinking of my cast iron pan. It has never had gluten, but has certainly had dairy and every kind of meat on it.