Until you posted the link about sulfites, I was at a total loss as to why I reacted to things like sugar, (including honey), fruit, most veggies, grape juice, coconut, sometimes eggs, etc., after testing negative to eggs, and yeast at Enterolab.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that I have a major problem with sulfites. Dried fruits get to me big-time, even the "natural" ones. This truly sucks, and adds a whole new meaning to the term "multiply-intolerant", since it encompasses such a huge body of products that were otherwise considered safe. As far as I can tell, avoiding sulfites is much harder than avoiding gluten.
So why are so many of us sensitive to sulfites? The occurence is certainly not anywhere near this high in the general population.
Maybe this is why corn bothers me:
"Corn wet-millers commonly use sulfites such as sodium metabisulfite to aid the milling process. While most is removed during subsequent washing and filtering steps, trace sulfite may remain in certain products.
Member companies of the Corn Refiners Association strictly adhere to FDA labeling regulations for sulfites. FDA permits 20-40 ppm and 50 ppm sulfite in sweeteners and starches, respectively. Sulfite levels are monitored in all finished sweetener and starch products. Should the sulfite level exceed 10 ppm in these products, a written agreement between shipper and consignee concerning the presence and level of sulfites is sufficient to satisfy FDA’slabeling requirement for ‘foods for use in further processing.’ When this information is incorporated in finished product labeling, sulfite-sensitive consumers are able to recognize and avoid foods containing common sulfites."
This quote comes from:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Lm ... vity&hl=en
Incidentally, that article mentions that the prevalence of corn-intolerance in the general population is less than 0.016 %, FWIW.
The overall prevalence of sulfite sensitivity in the general population is unknown, and probably low, but note that sulfite sensitivity is seen more frequently in asthmatic than in nonasthmatic individuals. I had major issues with asthma when I was growing up, though it is no longer a problem.
Marsha, a while back you were promoting the use of Vitamin B12. Are you aware that "supplementation with B12 may reduce sulfite sensitivity. In one study the oxidative action of vitamin B12 was able to block a sulfite-induced bronchospasm in 4 out of 5 asthmatic children."
That quote comes from this site:
http://www.diagnose-me.com/treat/T39005.html
I have a new mantra,
Sulfites Suck!
Tex
Marsha, You Have Opened a Real Can of Worms With Sulfites
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Marsha, You Have Opened a Real Can of Worms With Sulfites
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.
-
kate_ce1995
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1321
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 5:53 pm
- Location: Vermont
Wow! Wayne, sounds like you guys are on to something here. Does fresh corn bother you? You raise (I know, feed) corn. Can you eat a fresh ear of that? Or is it the seed that is also processed with sulfites so the plant has it in it regardless. I'm thinking you might be able to process your own corn meal, if desired. Or at least your own corn-on-the-cob or popcorn.
Katy
Katy
-
Marsha
YAY!! 
I'm doing the happy dance. Yes, I knew all that and more. I've been wanting to reach through the computer and grab everyone by the neck and make them read the links. 
Sulphur loving bacteria in the colon are implicated in ulcerative colitis and IBS type diseases. So sulphur that you ingest, and diets that are condusive to the growth of sulphurs might be an issue. And look how many of us do well on a low carb paleo diet - what does that do but cut out sulfites?
But, that said, I am such a bandwagon jumping fanatic about every new thing that I think might have cured me, I've been trying really hard not to try and sell you all on something that might be true just for me.
Of course, sulfites are in anything, so how could you not be sensitive? But, let me know if you want me to give you any more links, or if you have any more for me. It's harder to find sulfite support for it than it is for gf support.
Yay, happyhappyhappy :goodvibes
I'm doing the happy dance. Yes, I knew all that and more. I've been wanting to reach through the computer and grab everyone by the neck and make them read the links. Sulphur loving bacteria in the colon are implicated in ulcerative colitis and IBS type diseases. So sulphur that you ingest, and diets that are condusive to the growth of sulphurs might be an issue. And look how many of us do well on a low carb paleo diet - what does that do but cut out sulfites?But, that said, I am such a bandwagon jumping fanatic about every new thing that I think might have cured me, I've been trying really hard not to try and sell you all on something that might be true just for me.
Of course, sulfites are in anything, so how could you not be sensitive? But, let me know if you want me to give you any more links, or if you have any more for me. It's harder to find sulfite support for it than it is for gf support.
Yay, happyhappyhappy :goodvibes
Marsha,
I also agree with Tex, it is overwelming!! Also think that it is true.
I can't believe how many things it is in.
It is down right depressing. What do you eat if GF, DF, YF, Sugar free, and Sulfite free?? Organic meat, and organic veges?? If you can eat veges.
Thanks for the info.. tho
I feel worn out too.
Love, Kathyp
I also agree with Tex, it is overwelming!! Also think that it is true.
I can't believe how many things it is in.
It is down right depressing. What do you eat if GF, DF, YF, Sugar free, and Sulfite free?? Organic meat, and organic veges?? If you can eat veges.
Thanks for the info.. tho
I feel worn out too.
Love, Kathyp
Birdlady
Jaco, a parrot in Salzburg, could not only speak but seemed to understand grammar. Whenever his person left, Jaco would say "God be with you." But when several people were departing, Jaco would change it to "God be with all of you."
Jaco, a parrot in Salzburg, could not only speak but seemed to understand grammar. Whenever his person left, Jaco would say "God be with you." But when several people were departing, Jaco would change it to "God be with all of you."
Katy,
To be honest, I don't know if fresh corn bothers me or not, because I've been afraid to eat any for at least 4 or 5 years. I do know that popcorn causes me problems, though, even air-popped, (without oil), so apparently the zein, (protein), in the corn might be a problem for me.
As far as I am aware, nothing is added to popcorn. Nothing is on the label, anyway. I havn't tried any popcorn in about a year and a half, so maybe I'll get up the nerve to try some again, (after I get over my current episode, that is), just in case I couldn't handle it the last time because my gut needed to heal some more.
Tex
To be honest, I don't know if fresh corn bothers me or not, because I've been afraid to eat any for at least 4 or 5 years. I do know that popcorn causes me problems, though, even air-popped, (without oil), so apparently the zein, (protein), in the corn might be a problem for me.
As far as I am aware, nothing is added to popcorn. Nothing is on the label, anyway. I havn't tried any popcorn in about a year and a half, so maybe I'll get up the nerve to try some again, (after I get over my current episode, that is), just in case I couldn't handle it the last time because my gut needed to heal some more.
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.
-
Marsha
You know, I don't think you need to be afraid of everything. Really it's just eating like our bodies have already been telling us: eat fresh food, not processed. One of the sulfite sites I read said that foods (naturally occuring) aren't as much a problem as additives. So examples of naturally occuring sulfites are onions and radishes and lettuce cottage cheese and yogurt, and potatoes, but the things to watch out for are potato chips and potato flour, and tator tots, and mashed potato flakes. I can do that!
I'm so happy that what I found for me might help somebody else. I'm crossing my fingers that it will. Everybody here has done so much for me, I would sure like to be able to give back.
I hear what you were saying, Wayne - It's just puzzling when being gluten and dairy free isn't enough! I still had weird intolerences that I couldn't pin on anything in particular.
Wayne, have you noticed headaches about 8 hours after wine, beer, coconut, potato chips, marachino cherries, dried fruit? There is a 8-12 hour delay, or more depending on the food. Man oh man, I bought a sulfite free wine (no added sulfites, anyway) and drank 2 glasses last Sat. night, just to test how sensitive I might be. Drank them from 6:30-8: headache started promptly at 4am and lasted until 8 that night. TOO predictable! In a good way, though.
Katy, I'm gf, df, sulfite-low, avoid eggs all by themselves, avoid rice, beans. I think that covers it. It's not too bad, actually, just lots of simple ingredients, home cooking, meat and potatoes and veggies. My husband is sort of getting used to it, even.
I'm so happy that what I found for me might help somebody else. I'm crossing my fingers that it will. Everybody here has done so much for me, I would sure like to be able to give back.
I hear what you were saying, Wayne - It's just puzzling when being gluten and dairy free isn't enough! I still had weird intolerences that I couldn't pin on anything in particular.
Wayne, have you noticed headaches about 8 hours after wine, beer, coconut, potato chips, marachino cherries, dried fruit? There is a 8-12 hour delay, or more depending on the food. Man oh man, I bought a sulfite free wine (no added sulfites, anyway) and drank 2 glasses last Sat. night, just to test how sensitive I might be. Drank them from 6:30-8: headache started promptly at 4am and lasted until 8 that night. TOO predictable! In a good way, though.
Katy, I'm gf, df, sulfite-low, avoid eggs all by themselves, avoid rice, beans. I think that covers it. It's not too bad, actually, just lots of simple ingredients, home cooking, meat and potatoes and veggies. My husband is sort of getting used to it, even.
Hi Marsha,
There are only two items on that list that I have tried in the past few years, potato chips and dried fruit, (beer contains gluten, you know). Potato chips are only a problem if I eat a lot of them, in which case the fat, (oil), is more of a problem than the sulphites. I get gas, some bloating, and GI distress, (pain). The dried fruit will cause me to have serious gas, bloating, GI distress, and diarrhea, even with natural forms, (no sulphites, or other preservatives, added). I usually have a minor headache with the dried fruit, (the next day), but have never noticed one with the potato chips, even eating them daily.
While I think about it, I'm curious why you usually choose an undersized font size--it can be pretty tough to read sometimes, especially in color, unless one has a huge monitor screen, (hey, some of us are still back in the dark ages, when it comes to monitor size, and our vision is less than 60-60. LOL). It's not a biggie, and I can certainly live with it, if you really prefer it, but I would assume that if I have to concentrate in order to read some of it, then probably, others are having problems also.
That's one of my pet peeves with some magazines, too. They've evolved into such "slick", trendy formats, that they are only marginally readable, with weird and difficult-to-read fonts, printed in poorly-chosen ink colors, camouflaged on an equally poorly-chosen background color, so that the final result is a waste of ink and paper, as far as I'm concerned.
Your posts are easy to read, compared with some of the magazines that I no longer subscribe to. Don't worry, I'll continue to look forward to reading your posts, no matter how difficult a challenge you choose to make them, from the reader's viewpoint. LOL.
Tex
There are only two items on that list that I have tried in the past few years, potato chips and dried fruit, (beer contains gluten, you know). Potato chips are only a problem if I eat a lot of them, in which case the fat, (oil), is more of a problem than the sulphites. I get gas, some bloating, and GI distress, (pain). The dried fruit will cause me to have serious gas, bloating, GI distress, and diarrhea, even with natural forms, (no sulphites, or other preservatives, added). I usually have a minor headache with the dried fruit, (the next day), but have never noticed one with the potato chips, even eating them daily.
While I think about it, I'm curious why you usually choose an undersized font size--it can be pretty tough to read sometimes, especially in color, unless one has a huge monitor screen, (hey, some of us are still back in the dark ages, when it comes to monitor size, and our vision is less than 60-60. LOL). It's not a biggie, and I can certainly live with it, if you really prefer it, but I would assume that if I have to concentrate in order to read some of it, then probably, others are having problems also.
That's one of my pet peeves with some magazines, too. They've evolved into such "slick", trendy formats, that they are only marginally readable, with weird and difficult-to-read fonts, printed in poorly-chosen ink colors, camouflaged on an equally poorly-chosen background color, so that the final result is a waste of ink and paper, as far as I'm concerned.
Your posts are easy to read, compared with some of the magazines that I no longer subscribe to. Don't worry, I'll continue to look forward to reading your posts, no matter how difficult a challenge you choose to make them, from the reader's viewpoint. LOL.
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.
-
Marsha
Oops, sorry. My post was just so long, I thought it would help to make it smaller and take up less room. Doink! 
I the letters are regular size, are colors still harder to read than black and white text?Oh, yeah, I meant to say that, most people, unless they're truly allergic to sulfites, have a "tolerence level". Dried fruits, even unsulfured, have a naturally occuring sulfur level that comes from the fruit itself (I think grapes, plums, and cherries?if I remember righ) That's why the unsulfered wine still got me. I'm still trying to figure out an easy way of knowing how much sufite is in a serving size of any given product, and exactly what my limit is. Apparently, however much is in two glasses of unsulphered wine is way too much!