Enterolab results + recovery diet questions

[audreybutler22]

Hi folks,

Hoping for a bit of guidance regarding my recent Enterolab results (like most people on this website haha). Tex, I've read your book cover to cover — as well as the MC newsletter you often link to about interpreting Enterolab results, so I think I understand the basics.

I have been strictly gluten, dairy, and soy-free for 2 years now. Unfortunately, I got glutened via cross-contamination a couple of months ago, so I was not surprised to see that my anti-gliadin antibodies were high. Here are the test results:

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 150 Units

Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 18 Units

Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 46 Units

Fecal Anti-soy IgA 15 Units

Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 17 Units

Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity: Pork, white potato

Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+): Rice, beef, cashew

Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+): Corn, tuna, almond, walnut

Food to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity (3+): Oat, chicken


Since I was diagnosed with celiac/MC a couple of years ago, and have cut out dairy gluten and soy, I've certainly noticed a very significant decrease in symptoms (now have WD 2x per day that is gradually becoming much less watery, instead of 10+ episodes per day, no more migraines, improved eczema, etc etc) so it tracks that my overall mean value for the 11 antigenic foods is 17 meaning that my immune system is still being triggered — but I'm heartened at least that it isn't worse, compared to some of the folks I've seen posting here, and that I do have some foods in the no or limited immunological reactivity pool. Taking small wins where I can get them and trying not to have a doom-and-gloom attitude :)

Evidently, chicken and eggs have been flaring me up without me realizing it. My plan of attack is to cut out chicken, eggs, goat, and sheep cheese since these have casein in them, as well as corn, tuna, almond, and walnut. I don't eat oats so that's easy.


I do have a couple of questions remaining, and would be grateful if you could shed some light here:


- Chiefly, I'm wondering if I cut out the above antigenic foods (everything in the +2 and +3 groups, rotating foods in the +1 group, and of course continue to avoid gluten, dairy, and soy, and eat just the recommended usually-okay-for-MC veggies) if you think that's enough. I am a foodie and will definitely find it difficult to stick to the "plainness" of the diet. If I make my own sauces (with non-antigenic ingredients) is that okay? For example, I could make a pulled pork but it would need some sauce, probably apple cider vinegar-based/tomato-based. I know vinegars, citric acids and sugars of any kind aren't recommended but I cannot see myself being able to adhere to the diet in any long-term way unless I can sneak some flavour and sauces in there. I'd rather take a bit longer to heal but be able to actually stick to the diet.

- I struggle to get enough protein because I am a reluctant meat eater (I was previously a vegetarian for many years). I will choke down turkey and pork, and occasional game meat I suppose, but I can't imagine I'll be able to get as much protein as is recommended for healing since I really don't like eating meat and in recent years have usually just eaten poultry, which of course is no longer possible. Is there any protein powder I could use? I know legumes are a no-no so pea-based protein is out (although my soy antibodies weren't as high as they could be, will still avoid legumes) — what about hemp protein? Chia seeds?


Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

Any advice you could give me would be most welcome.

[audreybutler22]

Oh and I'm also wondering — if I react to corn, is it still possible to have corn starch? As I understand it, corn starch contains almost no protein or fibre...

[tex]

I do have a couple of questions remaining, and would be grateful if you could shed some light here:

- Chiefly, I'm wondering if I cut out the above antigenic foods (everything in the +2 and +3 groups, rotating foods in the +1 group, and of course continue to avoid gluten, dairy, and soy, and eat just the recommended usually-okay-for-MC veggies) if you think that's enough. I am a foodie and will definitely find it difficult to stick to the "plainness" of the diet. If I make my own sauces (with non-antigenic ingredients) is that okay? For example, I could make a pulled pork but it would need some sauce, probably apple cider vinegar-based/tomato-based. I know vinegars, citric acids and sugars of any kind aren't recommended but I cannot see myself being able to adhere to the diet in any long-term way unless I can sneak some flavour and sauces in there. I'd rather take a bit longer to heal but be able to actually stick to the diet.

That plan should work. I eat only pork, myself, and there are many, many different ways in which it can be prepared. My favorite seasoning for pork is plain old garlic salt. Depending on our level of intestinal damage, some of us have very little tolerance for citric acid, so be careful with tomatoes, for example, unless you find that you're able to tolerate significantly more than most of us. As our digestive system heals, we're able to tolerate more normal levels of citric acid.

- I struggle to get enough protein because I am a reluctant meat eater (I was previously a vegetarian for many years). I will choke down turkey and pork, and occasional game meat I suppose, but I can't imagine I'll be able to get as much protein as is recommended for healing since I really don't like eating meat and in recent years have usually just eaten poultry, which of course is no longer possible. Is there any protein powder I could use? I know legumes are a no-no so pea-based protein is out (although my soy antibodies weren't as high as they could be, will still avoid legumes) — what about hemp protein? Chia seeds?

Remember, it's safe to eat turkey, duck, goose, quail, pheasant, emu, ostrich, etc. it's also safe (unless you were previously allergic to them) to eat shellfish, such as muscles, clams, oysters, shrimp, prawns, octopi, lobsters, crayfish, etc. I've written an article regarding research on the use of protein powders to supplement nutritional needs, which will eventually be published in the Microscopic Colitis Foundation newsletter, but I have no idea when. Suffice to say, that most proteins shakes and protein powders don't meet their label specifications, and they're designed to supplement diets, not replace foods, for people who want extra nutrition, the easy way. But in general, we're much better off getting our nutrition from eating whole foods, rather than by trying to cheat the devil, so to speak. Also, for people with food sensitivities, precious few protein powders are truly safe. You might be okay with hemp protein, but hemp milk caused bloating for me, for example, and I've seen posts from others here who had similar results.

Oh and I'm also wondering — if I react to corn, is it still possible to have corn starch? As I understand it, corn starch contains almost no protein or fibre...

Good question. I have no idea whether it's pure enough to be safe or not. Many (not all) people who are sensitive to soy cannot tolerate "pure" soy oil (because it's really not pure). But corn sensitivity is normally not as severely limiting as a soy sensitivity, so cornstarch might work okay for you. On all of these "might work" possibilities, keep an eye on your symptoms after eating them (keep a food/reaction Journal if necessary), and if you develop symptoms, obviously, you need to stop using them.

I hope this helps.

Tex

[audreybutler22]

Thank you for the detailed reply Tex, very helpful information as usual. So grateful to have this resource. I will post an update in the coming weeks.

[audreybutler22]

An update for anyone else who is looking for a non-legume, non-dairy protein powder to use in smoothies — this pumpkin seed protein powder is great, it's gluten and additive-free. Bonus: pumpkin seeds are incredibly high in magnesium and it's nice to get it in a food form as an addition to magnesium supplementation.

https://www.healthyplanetcanada.com/ome ... -600g.html