Help with Entero Results please -thank you=) GF for 12+ years~

[nclarkramirez]

Hi there!

I was hoping for some help with these results. I have been GF for 12+ years so I'm a bit surprised. I only eat at home— Never ever eat out ---literally, even before I had MC. Before I had MC I was very sensitive to eating out so I just didn’t do it! I bring my own food if I have to go anywhere. I’ve been Lactose-free most of my life and DF for 12+ years with the exception of whey protein isolate which I took out of my diet 2-3 years ago.
I do have Ehlers Danlos and Celiac in addition to MC-collagenous type, so I definitely have autoimmunity issues.

I’ve posted on this board before and I know I am a complicated case.

Currently on 9mg budesonide and 2.5mg LDN. Feel like LDN is actually helping and plan on continuing to dose up. Been on budesonide since July 2022 and tapered to 6mg a few times but went right back up to 9mg. Honestly feel I may be refractory to budesonide.

I have been off PPIs since Sept 2022—I believe stress and PPIs were my culprit. Also taking Doctor’s best Magnesium, magnesium lotion, 5000 Vitamin D, and B-complex.
Do have a few other medications I am on but I have cut back the best I can for the moment (Wellbutrin, Vyvanse (going to lower dose), L-methylfolate, Nystatin (seems to help), Vegan GF cbd gummy).
I know my Vitamin D levels are good around 69.
My iron levels are horrible.

I have had a few weeks here and there with normal bowel movements but never for more than a few days. In the beginning, I was going 7+ times a day. Right now, the usual is 2x in the morning on most days with a very occasional third time in the afternoon, usually very small and always a weird color and watery. Most mornings are anywhere from MC Mud to WD. Sometimes I will have a small soft movement and then WD 10 minutes later. I don’t “seem” to react to the foods I eat now immediately, like I once did. I am actually starting to feel like I’m not having complete movements in the morning. My worst recent flare was when my mother had an unexpected stroke at the end of January for about 1.5 weeks—was going 5+ times a day then obviously from stress.

Just looking for some help interpreting these please and thank you so much in advance!!!

My current diet:

Proteins: Bovine Collagen protein power, Turkey (ground, sliced), Lean Steak 1x/week. Chicken 2x/week

Carbs & Veg: White Rice, Rice noodles, Japanese Sweet potato, Banana, 1 brand of potato chips with avocado oil--(Siete brand--seem to react to other things), small amounts of GF rice cereal (not chex—organic GF Rice Crisps), Zucchini
Took out plantains and plantain chips because I thought I was reacting to them? Maybe not

Other: Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, small amounts of maple syrup in baked goods, small amount of cacao powder, red rice & quinoa thin rice cakes w/tiny amount of almond butter, was making rice pudding but was wondering if it bothered me.

These foods seem to be ok in that I only go to the bathroom in the morning on most days. But I know I am on budesonide too.

With these results, can I still have rice and almond flour? They are current staples. I only have chicken 2x a week and filet mignon 1x a week-is that still ok?
I really feel like rice has always been ok and actually settles my stomach...Maybe just in small amounts?

I was trying to search the boards about why the Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA would be so high if I have been GF for so long. I don’t know if it’s just my body is overreacting to everything and levels are high for another reason.

Thank you in advance for your help!!!

TEST RESULTS


Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 227 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 183 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 101 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-soy IgA 69 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 68 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

While all of the foods tested can be immune-stimulating, the hierarchy of reactions detected were as follows:

Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity: NONE
Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+): NONE
Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+):
Oat
Rice
Pork
Beef
Tuna
Almond
Walnut

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

Within each class of foods to which you displayed multiple reactions, the hierarchy of those reactions detected were as follows:

Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Corn
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Oat
Grain toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Rice

Meats:
Meat toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Chicken
Meat toward which you were next most immunologically reactive: Pork
Meat toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Beef
Meat toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Tuna

Nuts:
Nut toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Cashew
Nut toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Almond
Nut toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Walnut

Nightshades:
You displayed immunologic reactivity to white potato, the member of the nightshade family usually consumed most often and in greatest quantities. While this does not necessarily mean you would react to all other nightshade foods (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), it is possible. In the realm of elimination diets for immunologic disorders, nightshades are usually eliminated as the entire food class (i.e., all four previously mentioned foods in this class). This is especially important to the clinical setting of arthritis.

[Gabes-Apg]

Given the Gluten result
- I would cut out the GF rice crisps and any processed gluten free products still have 20 ppm of gluten in them
also the rice and quinoa cakes - grains have high risk of being contaminated and depending on the brand / factory they are made they may also have gluten contamination (under the 20 ppm to be classed as gluten free)

- do you share a kitchen with people that are eating /cooking with gluten products?

- have you checked bathroom products and make up etc for gluten

what are ingredients of the bovine collagen powder?

Rice is your least impacting grain so stay with it
as almond is moderate I would reduce /eliminate it for now to reduce the inflammation levels

[tex]

For ELISA testing procedures, such as Enterolab (and many others) use,the numerical quantity of your individual results reflect the relative length of time in which you have been reacting to those respective foods. Most of them are exceptionally high, indicating that you have been reacting to those foods for numerous years. As Gabes mentioned, levels that high probably indicate daily cross-contamination. If you feel that you have really been meticulous with your diet, then the problem may be that your sensitivity level is so high that you are indeed reacting to cross-contamination levels less than 20 ppm, which Places virtually all commercially processed foods off-limits. I would be very suspicious of any processed protein powder.

Tex

[nclarkramirez]

Gabes & Tex,

First, thank you so much for replying. I feel like a pain and really appreciate you both taking time to respond! It means a lot to me!!

I feel like Tex's idea that my sensitivity level is uncommonly high may be correct. I truly have been meticulous with my diet for so long-- long before I had MC because of my other food sensitivities and gut issues. I know that in other food sensitivity testing (which I know is different than Enterolab), when the results are all very high across the board, it is very likely that the person's inflammation is so bad that it is causing lots of false positives because the body is just reacting to practically everything. It happens when there is a lot of intestinal permeability and inflammation. I'm wondering if that is happening with me. That is one of the reasons I decided to start trying the low-dose naltrexone. It was the first thing I have taken that has given me some hope for normal bowel movements. Considering I have more than one autoimmune disease, I am hoping it will help but I know it takes a long time to work.

Gabes,

Thank you for your thoughts. I am wracking my brain trying to think of and find something that could be the culprit. I have been so careful for so long I just can't understand it.

To answer your questions:

-The collagen protein I use is Vital Proteins and literally only contains "bovine collagen peptides" (https://www.vitalproteins.com/products/ ... n-peptides).

-Bathroom products/make-up:
I only use Tula skincare on my face which is gluten-free and my body washes are as well. I don't wear much make-up and the few products I use are gluten-free.

-Prescriptions - have checked them all and the companies appear to only use GF ingredients but I will call my pharmacist tomorrow for sure.

-My step-daughter does eat a lot of gluten. I have lived with her for about 4 years. I have always worried about this but made a lot of changes in the past year that I hoped would help with any cross-contamination.
*I have a separate cabinet for most of my food and have a separate cooking utensil drawer.
*I have separate pans and bowls I use for cooking.
*I do share a silverware drawer. All the dishes go thru the dishwasher in a sanitizing cycle as well.
*I do share the oven and she sometimes bakes things in the oven but I never cook my items at the same time.
*We do share a refrigerator and freezer but my items are always sealed. Vegetables aren't but I take the skin off anyway.

-I just wrote to the few companies whose products I use to request further information about cross-contamination and testing of their products. I did find out that "certified gluten free" is less than 10 ppm for Nature's Path Crispy rice cereal. And I usually only have 10 grams per day (which is like 2 tablespoons) in my smoothie bowl I make 1x/day. All of Emmy's products are gluten-free.

- I have recently introduced skinless Japanese sweet potatoes and they are white on the inside but are still a sweet potato and seem to be doing great with those. I have been trying to eat small amounts of rice noodles and sweet potato and zucchini with all meals. Usually I am having ground turkey which I have confirmed is safe. I can try switching to quinoa though I love my rice noodles :(

-Do you think having chicken breast and steak 1x/week would continue to cause inflammation? If so I guess I'm just stuck with turkey. I don't eat any fish =/. Not sure if cornish hens are ok.

-I don't really eat actual almonds, just almond flour and almond milk. I guess I can switch to all coconut products. I can only have canned coconut milk I think because I haven't found any others that don't have gums.
-I'm convinced the almond flour "cookies" I make are the only things keeping weight on me. I have lost almost 20lb in the past year. I know this is common and I need to be patient. I am sad to think that the almond cookies have to go =(.
This disease is so crazy. I honestly was shocked by my Enterolab results. I had no items that were 0 or 1? I have been in health and fitness for over 25 years and just finished my Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine this week! It's all so very very ironic.

Is there a possibility that I will stop reacting to those foods some day? The gluten number shocks me the most. I am desperate to find the culprit! The almond and rice also surprise me.

Thanks so much for your help.

Nicole

[Gabes-Apg]

Have you read the label for the vital proteins

the website says "made without gluten and dairy".
yes technically they dont add any gluten - and have a gluten free status on the product
I would still be concerned about cross contamination or if the product is in the higher range of 19 parts per million

The label states that it is made in a facility that processes milk, fish, tree nuts, wheatgrasss and peanuts

Does your step daughter do any cooking with wheat based flour in the kitchen ?


The high result to the gluten may be high because of increased inflammation from other triggers
(soy, eggs, dairy etc) your body is super inflamed (the mean value result is another indicator of that )

[nclarkramirez]

Hi Gabes,
I just wrote to Vital proteins and will see if I can get an answer. I am truly confused about the inflammation considering I'm not eating any eggs, dairy, or soy. I stopped eating eggs in July 2022. I have had 2 egg whites once since then and didn't have any immediate reaction but didn't have them again out of fear and now I'm glad I didn't.
Part of me feels like I must have something else going on. I feel like it would be hard to be more careful than I am! Not sure. :(. I guess I would have to take out all almond products and maybe the vital protein. I literally look forward to that smoothie every day. It's sad to say but I truly Do.
The masters program was very stressful so I'm not sure how much stress could have played a role here.
Also, yes, my step daughter bakes muffins from muffin mix and these Crescent roll pizza things quite often. Could using the same oven have that much of a reaction? Like could that cause those numbers?
Thank you again for the help

[Gabes-Apg]

There is an article in the MC foundation newsletters in the past 12 months that talks about contamination and impact of wheat flour in the house

long story short - yes the flour gets on everything in the kitchen during the mixing process and you are breathing it in.
(I dont think the oven is an issue but if you are sharing any of the baking trays, baking tins, mixing bowls then yes there is HIGH risk of contamination)

Stress is one of my main triggers, so the inflammation from the stress could be making you more sensitive to other triggers.

the other aspects that can cause inflammation beyond foods and dont always impact everybody
- age and hormones - do you have any issues with menstral cycle?
- any mold in the home, workplace or other places you go regularly
- histamine issues - do you notice itchy /runny nose etc
- chemicals and other air borne toxins - do you live or work in a dense city? near industrial? activities or near farming using chemicals
do you feel worse the day after cleaning the bathroom?

I react to chemicals - and know the day after cleaning bathroom or after getting my hair dyed I will have mild reaction
I increase the Vit D3 and magnesium before these events to help minimise the inflammation

How much elemental magnesium are you taking each day? you need good amounts of magnesium for the body to use the Vit D3 to moderate inflammation
you mentioned the foods you are eating but not what you are drinking each day? other than the smoothie do you have tea or coffee?

[nclarkramirez]

Hi Gabes,
Thank you very much for that information.

I spoke to my pharmacist today and she researched all of the medications I have taken. I am taking one medication that has a very small amount of lactose anhydrous in it (milk sugar). I only take 1/2 of that pill a day and it is a tiny circle pill. But it may be why the dairy number is up?

I received a lot of information from the various companies I wrote to today in my email. All companies except 1 have written back so far and all have confirmed less than 10 ppm and seem to have stringent policies. I pasted the Vital Proteins collagen peptides response at the bottom of this message and they make sure it is less than 3 ppm.

Here are the answers to your other questions:
- age and hormones - do you have any issues with menstral cycle? I'm 44 and I have a very very regular, 28 day cycle to the day every month. Some months the second day is a little heavier and my bowels may be a little worse. Usually I am a bit irritable 2 days before it starts.

- any mold in the home, workplace or other places you go regularly. I do not know for sure about my home. I've seen a little bit of black mold in the window sill before and was worried there was mold in the bathroom but had the shower replaced and was shocked that everything looked great. I do think there may be mold in the gym I go to 1x a week to meet with a few clients. Usually only there 3 hrs/week.

- histamine issues - do you notice itchy /runny nose etc: I do not have that after any foods. I do have some pollen allergies.
- chemicals and other air borne toxins - do you live or work in a dense city? near industrial? activities or near farming using chemicals
do you feel worse the day after cleaning the bathroom?. No, none of these seem to apply to me

How much elemental magnesium are you taking each day? you need good amounts of magnesium for the body to use the Vit D3 to moderate inflammation: I take 2 tablets of Doctor's Best High Absorption Mag Glycinate/ day + Use a fair amount of Life-flo magnesium lotion on legs and arms daily. I was taking more of the Doctor's best before but was worried it was making me worse so cut back.
you mentioned the foods you are eating but not what you are drinking each day? other than the smoothie do you have tea or coffee?: I drink a minimum of 120 ounces of water/day. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning that is 1/2 decaf, 1/2 reg caf. It is brewed in a normal coffee pot. I get Lifeboost coffee which is organic, mold-free etc. The Decaf I get is organic and ground etc.

Thank you so much for your help, Gabes!!


VITAL PROTEINS (COLLAGEN)
Hi Nicole,

Thank you for reaching out to us. While our products are manufactured in a facility that processes milk, fish and tree nuts, we perform full wet clean downs after allergen containing products and also perform allergen swab testing, meaning we test for the presence of allergens on the equipment prior to producing non-allergen containing products.

The wheat and barley grasses are harvested in very early stages of growth to prevent any gluten from forming. Our supplier tests for gluten content, and, we also perform a 2nd test on all incoming lots of the raw materials prior for use in production. Our testing is sensitive down to < 3ppm.If you have any further questions about this please let me know.

In Health,
Team Vital

[Gabes-Apg]

Bugger (aussie slang)
there is no 'big' smoking gun in those items

I am wondering if a few minor things are keeping you in an high inflammation pattern.
The flour, small amount of histamine inflammation, etc