Rotating foods
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Rotating foods
Aloha - I would appreciate input on rotating foods. I re read the MC book this week and it briefly discussed it. I don't want to develop new intolerances by eating foods too often. I have read that some people eat white rice many times per day & that is okay. What foods should we rotate? I am worried about becoming reactive to meats. I have cut out chicken and beef and mainly eating turkey, duck, elk, venison and lamb. I eat meat 3-4 oz 3 times per day so try to eat 2 or 3 different ones daily (eating a lot of turkey and lamb I am afraid I am starting to have reactions to it after 1 month). There are not enough meats that I can eat to wait 3-4 days before eating it again. Any feedback please?
Hi,
What I am posting here is based on my experience and the experience of other members here, but there are no medical research data to either confirm or dispute these observations. Rotation seems to be most beneficial for handling certain foods for which we might have a slight intolerance, but that normally do not cause us to substantially react when eaten in normal amounts.
Each time we eat a food that happens to produce an immune system response, some antibodies to that food are produced. The half-life of most antibodies (except gluten) is approximately 6 days. So if we don't eat that food again, those antibodies slowly decay and disappear. Each time we eat that food though, our immune system produces additional antibodies, and obviously if the food is eaten regularly, the antibody level will continue to climb. The longer we continue to eat it, the higher the antibody level will rise.
The theory behind food rotation is based on the observation that if we avoid eating a problem food for a while, the antibody level will slowly decline. Mathematically, to make a rotation diet work, a food would need to be avoided long enough so that the antibody level would decline sufficiently such that when the food was eaten again, the total antibody level resulting from that exposure would not be above the previous total level. Provided that an individual has typical immune system reactivity, then this resulting level should not exceed the threshold at which a reaction is triggered. It turns out that 3 days fits the math, so this is the basis of the rotation program that some people use as a basis for their diet.
So the foods to rotate would logically be foods that don't seem to make us unequivocally react, but we are still somewhat suspicious of them because they seem to "sometimes" cause symptoms.
Of course for some of us, food rotation isn't really practical, due to the fact that not enough foods are known to be safe for us to even allow us to set up a rotation schedule.
But foods that cause no antibody production do not need to be rotated, because their antibody level should never increase (0+0=0). However, some people are concerned that they might develop a sensitivity to a food simply because they eat it regularly. On the surface that seems logical, but unfortunately there is another side to this coin — restricting certain foods, so that we eat only miniscule amounts of them (or none at all) seems to have the opposite effect on most immune systems. As almost anyone who has adopted a GF diet can tell you, if we avoid gluten for a while and then eat it again (either accidentally or intentionally) our reaction will almost always be noticeably more severe than it would have been if we had never restricted our gluten intake. And this seems to apply to certain other foods as well.
Here is my theory (and this is strictly a theory) of why this happens:
When wheat gluten is ingested, the digestive process produces certain peptides that cannot be broken down any further into the respective amino acids. Some of these peptides are the ones that cause our immune system reactions (such as gliadins and glutelins), but there are also peptides known as gluteomorphins or gliadorphins. These peptides are similar to morphine, and they can attach to opiate receptors in the brain, to cause effects similar to morphine. IOW, gluten can be addictive due to it's narcotic effects in the brain. And my best guess would be that this addictive quality is responsible for the exaggerated effect of a re-exposure. The digestion of casein in dairy products results in peptides known as caseomorphins, and these have an effect similar to gliadorphins. So dairy products can be addictive also, and avoidance can lead to an amplified response if a re-exposure occurs.
Personally, I have never used diet rotation. I have eaten basically the same core foods almost every day for decades. 7 or 8 years ago (long after I had recovered from my original symptoms), I decided to order a stool test to make sure that eggs were safe or me. And because of a discounted price on the tests, I also ordered tests for soy and yeast. All 3 results were negative. But I consider soy to be animal feed, and unsuitable for human consumption, so I have always generally avoided it, but I have never bothered to avoid the small amounts of soy oil in vitamin supplements.
A couple of months ago I ordered a few tests to make sure that everything was still going according to plan, and I discovered that I am now sensitive to soy.
And the antibody level was relatively high, eliminating any doubt about the accuracy or reliability of the test result. A check of everything in my diet turned up only one item that contained soy oil — my fish oil capsules. So I immediately stopped using them. And note that the "experts" all agree that soy oil does not contain any soya protein, so it cannot cause allergy problems. Really? 
So much for "expert" opinion.
I'm not sure that this has anything to do with a rotation plan, but it just goes to show that if we are sensitive to a food, it doesn't take more than tiny amounts of an allergen to eventually develop into a full-fledged sensitivity, even if we are initially producing antibody levels well below the threshold at which a positive test result would be triggered. But the main reason why I bring this up is because during the last 7 or 8 years, I have become sensitive to a food that I have generally avoided (or at least minimized in my diet — the "experts" would say that I have been totally avoiding it), and to the best of my knowledge, I have not become sensitive to any of the foods that I eat in significant quantities virtually every day.
IMO (and this is strictly my opinion, which may turn out to be worth absolutely nothing) you are very unlikely to have a problem with the meats that you named, because virtually no one here reacts to any of those meats. By cutting out beef and chicken, you have eliminated the 2 main meats that "might" cause problems. So from a practical standpoint, if you wanted to occasionally eat beef or chicken, then those 2 would be good candidates for a rotation diet. On the other hand, if you can live without them, then you are better off without them, at least until after you have been in remission long enough for your intestines to have accrued some significant healing.
I hope I haven't just confused the issue.
Tex
What I am posting here is based on my experience and the experience of other members here, but there are no medical research data to either confirm or dispute these observations. Rotation seems to be most beneficial for handling certain foods for which we might have a slight intolerance, but that normally do not cause us to substantially react when eaten in normal amounts.
Each time we eat a food that happens to produce an immune system response, some antibodies to that food are produced. The half-life of most antibodies (except gluten) is approximately 6 days. So if we don't eat that food again, those antibodies slowly decay and disappear. Each time we eat that food though, our immune system produces additional antibodies, and obviously if the food is eaten regularly, the antibody level will continue to climb. The longer we continue to eat it, the higher the antibody level will rise.
The theory behind food rotation is based on the observation that if we avoid eating a problem food for a while, the antibody level will slowly decline. Mathematically, to make a rotation diet work, a food would need to be avoided long enough so that the antibody level would decline sufficiently such that when the food was eaten again, the total antibody level resulting from that exposure would not be above the previous total level. Provided that an individual has typical immune system reactivity, then this resulting level should not exceed the threshold at which a reaction is triggered. It turns out that 3 days fits the math, so this is the basis of the rotation program that some people use as a basis for their diet.
So the foods to rotate would logically be foods that don't seem to make us unequivocally react, but we are still somewhat suspicious of them because they seem to "sometimes" cause symptoms.
Of course for some of us, food rotation isn't really practical, due to the fact that not enough foods are known to be safe for us to even allow us to set up a rotation schedule.
But foods that cause no antibody production do not need to be rotated, because their antibody level should never increase (0+0=0). However, some people are concerned that they might develop a sensitivity to a food simply because they eat it regularly. On the surface that seems logical, but unfortunately there is another side to this coin — restricting certain foods, so that we eat only miniscule amounts of them (or none at all) seems to have the opposite effect on most immune systems. As almost anyone who has adopted a GF diet can tell you, if we avoid gluten for a while and then eat it again (either accidentally or intentionally) our reaction will almost always be noticeably more severe than it would have been if we had never restricted our gluten intake. And this seems to apply to certain other foods as well.
Here is my theory (and this is strictly a theory) of why this happens:
When wheat gluten is ingested, the digestive process produces certain peptides that cannot be broken down any further into the respective amino acids. Some of these peptides are the ones that cause our immune system reactions (such as gliadins and glutelins), but there are also peptides known as gluteomorphins or gliadorphins. These peptides are similar to morphine, and they can attach to opiate receptors in the brain, to cause effects similar to morphine. IOW, gluten can be addictive due to it's narcotic effects in the brain. And my best guess would be that this addictive quality is responsible for the exaggerated effect of a re-exposure. The digestion of casein in dairy products results in peptides known as caseomorphins, and these have an effect similar to gliadorphins. So dairy products can be addictive also, and avoidance can lead to an amplified response if a re-exposure occurs.
Personally, I have never used diet rotation. I have eaten basically the same core foods almost every day for decades. 7 or 8 years ago (long after I had recovered from my original symptoms), I decided to order a stool test to make sure that eggs were safe or me. And because of a discounted price on the tests, I also ordered tests for soy and yeast. All 3 results were negative. But I consider soy to be animal feed, and unsuitable for human consumption, so I have always generally avoided it, but I have never bothered to avoid the small amounts of soy oil in vitamin supplements.
A couple of months ago I ordered a few tests to make sure that everything was still going according to plan, and I discovered that I am now sensitive to soy.
And the antibody level was relatively high, eliminating any doubt about the accuracy or reliability of the test result. A check of everything in my diet turned up only one item that contained soy oil — my fish oil capsules. So I immediately stopped using them. And note that the "experts" all agree that soy oil does not contain any soya protein, so it cannot cause allergy problems. Really? So much for "expert" opinion.I'm not sure that this has anything to do with a rotation plan, but it just goes to show that if we are sensitive to a food, it doesn't take more than tiny amounts of an allergen to eventually develop into a full-fledged sensitivity, even if we are initially producing antibody levels well below the threshold at which a positive test result would be triggered. But the main reason why I bring this up is because during the last 7 or 8 years, I have become sensitive to a food that I have generally avoided (or at least minimized in my diet — the "experts" would say that I have been totally avoiding it), and to the best of my knowledge, I have not become sensitive to any of the foods that I eat in significant quantities virtually every day.
IMO (and this is strictly my opinion, which may turn out to be worth absolutely nothing) you are very unlikely to have a problem with the meats that you named, because virtually no one here reacts to any of those meats. By cutting out beef and chicken, you have eliminated the 2 main meats that "might" cause problems. So from a practical standpoint, if you wanted to occasionally eat beef or chicken, then those 2 would be good candidates for a rotation diet. On the other hand, if you can live without them, then you are better off without them, at least until after you have been in remission long enough for your intestines to have accrued some significant healing.
I hope I haven't just confused the issue.
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.
This is such a beautifully written explanation...this even helps me to understand better how I should continue to keep approaching food choices.
Thank you Tex,
Erica
Thank you Tex,
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Aloha Tex - thanks for that very thorough reply. I really appreciate your rapid response! This information and your experiences really put my mind at ease. I was very nervous at the thought of having to limit meats / protein further because as far as I know at this point we don't have a wide range of game meats available in Hawaii yet.
LC, strong reaction to cola, squash and D & C Orange #4; moderate reaction to sugar cane, sulfite, sardine, flaxseed, coriander, black-eyed peas and FD & C Blue #1. Enterolab Anti-gliadin IgA 6 units.
You're very welcome. IMO the bottom line is that a rotation diet can often postpone the development of a food sensitivity, but if we are producing antibodies to a food, then the handwriting is on the wall, and sooner or later the sensitivity will mature.
Tex
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.