My Elimination Diet Trial

[mle_ii]

Hi Mike,

You're doing great! I know this diet is hard, but you'll be happy you did it when you're done.

Annatto sends up a red flag for me, but I don't remember why. I think I thought I was reacting to it before I discovered casein. It's a food coloring made from tree seeds.

Why don't you list the ingredients in your suppliment for us.

You said you never noticed a reaction to yogurt, but as you have discovered, you may not react for 12 hours. That's a lot of time to blame a reaction to yogurt on something else. What do you think?

Love, Jean

Thanks Jean! And I have you to thank for setting up the great info. :)

Hmmm.... yeah, I was wondering what that Annatto was. Why in the world do they have to color the cheese? Strange.

Here's one sup:

They also sold me some supplement that's supposed to help heal my gut. Thought I'd give it a try. It is Tyler Permeability Factors w/ Glutamine, NAG and Phosphatidylcholine. Here are the contents per 2 softgel caps (he said to take 2 three times a day):
Vitamin E (as d-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate) 11 IU
L-Glutamine 500 mg
NAG (N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine) 250 mg
Gamma-Linolenic Acid (as Borage Seed Oil) 133 mg
Gamma Oryzanol (from rice bran) 66 mg
Phosphatidylcholine (from lecithin) 56 mg
Other Ingredients: Gelatin, safflower oil, glycerin, carmel color and titanium dioxide.
Says the contens are free of mil, yeast, corn and gluten.

Fish oil caps: (which I forgot to take yesterday)

Fish Oil Concentrate, Gelatin, Glycerine, Methacrylic Acid Copolymer, Water, Titanium Dioxide (artifcial color), Propyline Glycol, d-Alpha Tocopherol, Triacetin, Vanilline, Talc, Glyceryl Monostearate, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 80. Says it contains no Yeast, Starch, Sugar, Gluten and Lactose.

Multi Vit (which I also forgot to take yesterday)

Calcium Carbonate, Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, di-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Cellulose Gel, Croscarmellose Sodium, Corn Starch, Gelatin, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Acacia, Sugar, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Sulfate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Silicon Dioxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Copper Oxide, Sodium Borate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Polyethylene Glycol, Beta Carotene, Potassium Borate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Molybdate, Lycopene, Lutein, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Metasilicate, Vitamin D, Cyanocobalamin, Biotin, Sodium Metavanadate, Nickelous Sulfate, Phylloquinone.

And says no Artificial Colors/Flavors, No preservatives, yeast or gluten.

Yeah, but I don't even remember a reaction 12 hours later either. I'll try again once I'm done with the other foods.

Thanks,
Mike

[mle_ii]

Mike,

I am wondering about the annatto too. Have you tested yet using an aged cheese that is not colored?

In answer to your other question, the "average" gut transit time from mouth to anus is usually about 24 hours. But everyone is different. For some people it is normal to have a BM twice a day.....others go every 2-3 days.

A food trigger increases the gut transit time - sometimes dramatically, as we well know!

Love,

Polly

Hi Polly, Didn't try an aged cheese that was not colored. In fact I'm not sure what other cheeses at the store I went to were aged besides the cheddar. It was the only one that said it was aged. Perhaps a different store down the road. And perhaps a provalone or motzerella (sp) next time.

Yeah, I have a BM pretty much every morning every day. Well... that is except for today, the day I'm telling you. LOL A bit constipated today for some reason.

Thanks,
Mike

[mle_ii]

Found some more on Annatto:
http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/annatto.htm

In Brazil and Mexico, it is used as a diuretic, astringent, and purgative, and by some indigenous peoples of South America for diarrhea and dysentery.

But then some of the comments here make me think it might have the opposite effect:
http://www.rain-tree.com/annato.htm

And there's this too:
http://www.nowheat.com/grfx/nowheat/primer/controvl.htm

Annatto color
A coloring agent derived from the seeds of the Achiote, also known as the Lipstick tree (Bixa orellana), it is often used in cheese but also in many other orange-colored foods. The seed itself is unlikely to contain any gluten, it is the processing of the seed into a colorant that causes concern as it appears to use alcohol in the process. There is also suspicion that caramel color may be included in the annatto colorant. Anecdotal evidence has some celiacs reacting to foods with annatto color in them but this may be a non-celiac reaction to the annatto itself.

There's more, but this is the last I'll list here:
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/sn/spnk9511.html

Q: What is the problem with annatto color?

Dorothy Vaughan: I called the FDA in Washington about annatto color,
and I am waiting for some printed information. When I get the
information it will be published in a future newsletter. I
haven't been concerned with this in the past; this is somewhat of
a new issue. This issue really applies to all natural colorings
and flavorings.

The concern would be: Is that coloring or flavoring extracted
with alcohol? If so, then the next question is: Is it a
distilled alcohol? Finally, if a distilled alcohol is used, then
we must ask: Is it distilled from a gluten-containing grain such
as wheat? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes",
then the flavoring/coloring may contain some gluten.

This becomes very complex. I would not state in absolute terms
that everything with annatto coloring or natural flavorings and
colorings should be ruled out. I've checked with the local FDA
office and the FDA office in Washington, and I am waiting for
information from them. In the meantime, I am not going eliminate
everything with annatto in it, because I don't have the evidence
that says I must. It is so pervasive, and I have no evidence of
people having a problem with it. That is a personal decision I am
making; if you feel you should eliminate annatto coloring you may
of course do so.

[starfire]

Mike, All real cheddar cheese should be aged but the "sharper" the cheese
the longer it has been aged. I would think extra sharp is aged at least 6 months or more and if you really want to be careful, go to extra, extra sharp.

Love, Shirley

[mle_ii]

Mike, All real cheddar cheese should be aged but the "sharper" the cheese
the longer it has been aged. I would think extra sharp is aged at least 6 months or more and if you really want to be careful, go to extra, extra sharp.

Love, Shirley

You're right Shirley, aged is better. This one was sharp, and was aged 9 months.

[mle_ii]

Oh and just to let folks know my status today. I feel ok, but a bit constipated. Hoping that eating and drinking more today will get things ummm... moving. LOL

[Jean]

Mike,

I don't see anything but corn in your three suppliments. Since you're not avoiding corn, they seem to be OK.

Love, Jean

[moremuscle]

Hi Mike,

I am not savvy enough to dicipher your supplements but I see Jean has already done it. I take Carlson Fish Oil sometimes and it is a very clean product - you could choose to switch to that brand next time if you wish. It comes in gel cap form or bottled.

The few quotes you've found on annatto plus the fact that both Jean and Polly are pointing to annatto as a potential allergen would make me avoid annatto if I were you. The good news is that perhaps you can tolerate aged cheese you just have to find one that isn't colored. It is frustrating that so much stuff is put into otherwise good food, isn't it!!

(some people think cheddar has to be orange; otherwise it isn't cheddar - just ask my 7 year old son!).

Love,
Karen

[mle_ii]

Hi Mike,

I am not savvy enough to dicipher your supplements but I see Jean has already done it. I take Carlson Fish Oil sometimes and it is a very clean product - you could choose to switch to that brand next time if you wish. It comes in gel cap form or bottled.

The few quotes you've found on annatto plus the fact that both Jean and Polly are pointing to annatto as a potential allergen would make me avoid annatto if I were you. The good news is that perhaps you can tolerate aged cheese you just have to find one that isn't colored. It is frustrating that so much stuff is put into otherwise good food, isn't it!!

(some people think cheddar has to be orange; otherwise it isn't cheddar - just ask my 7 year old son!).

Love,
Karen

Yeah, I hope that's it. Not that I need cheese per se, but it'll make it easier for my wife when she cooks something for the family if she doesn't have to worry about it. And plus... well... I'd like to add some whey protein back. I know, I know. LOL

[tex]

Mike,

All the celiac stuff you quoted about alcohol, was a wasted effort--that's obsolete information. Alcohol is gluten free, no matter what type of fermented grain it is distilled from.

Tex

[mle_ii]

Mike,

All the celiac stuff you quoted about alcohol, was a wasted effort--that's obsolete information. Alcohol is gluten free, no matter what type of fermented grain it is distilled from.

Tex

Really??? Even grain alcohol? Where can I read more about this?

[Jean]

Mike,

If it helps, I can attest to the fact that alcohol and vinegar are safe, at least for me. The only thing I'm not sure about is whiskey. I read somewhere that mash is added back in after the distillation process. As I can't stand whiskey, I haven't bothered to try it.

Love, Jean

[tex]

Mike,

This is old news, but myths are often perpetuated for many years, even on the internet. I thought that everyone in our family was aware of this:

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=187

Here is celiac.com's list of gluten free alcoholic beverages:

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_pr ... prodid=271

Tex

[Matthew]

Of course any information that a member does not know about is neither “wasted effort” or “obsolete”. If Mike was not aware of it then it seems to me that their may be many new members in the future who will not be aware of it and would want to know. Lets face it, to assume that anything is common knowledge is a bit off base and presumptuous since learning about any kind of diet let alone the gluten free diet may be a first time experience for new members, and old.

Mike- would you please move the links about alcohol and gluten to the information forums?

Thanks

Matthew

[mle_ii]

Update today.

I was going to eat a bunch of corn this morning to see how corn reacts. I think I'm fine with it. But since I didn't have a BM yesterday and the one this morning was a bit strange I think I'm going to wait one more day before I try the next thing on the list.

This morning the BM was thinner/longer than my normal, but not pencil thin. It all sank like a rock. I don't feel constipated, but I'm suprised that I haven't had to go much in the last two days. The Friday night Diarrhea Party must of emptied me out good. LOL

What was also strange is I didn't have the foggy/drained/tired feeling that I was having during the week. I'll have to see how today goes. If I feel tired today I'm going to have to bet that it's my lack of exercise as I was moving around quite a bit watching my 2yo this weekend. If so I'm going to have to exercise tomorrow morning for sure.

Also, on the alcohol I wasn't sure. I thought I'd read something about some alcohols being ok, but not all. I guess I'm still confused as some of the info I read I could have sworn was recent info. Gotta do more reading here. I'm guessing that what is being said is that the process of making the alcohol, even from grains, removes the gluten from the liquid.

Mike