Hair loss

[Rogol72]

7 minutes ago, MiriamW said:

Thank you @Rogol72that's great to know! Also good to know about Warbuton's bread recommendation, I'll give it a try as normally I don't tolerate gluten-free bread. 

No problem @MiriamW. The Warburton's bread seems to have less ingredients likely to cause issues ... https://www.warburtonsglutenfree.com/products/supermarkets/white-loaf

Regarding thinning hair, I've read that deficiencies in Zinc, Selenium and Iron can cause this. I've always had thick hair, but many years ago I noticed it going thin (at the Barber's) at a time when I was still eating gluten-free breads and gluten-free Oats. Since ditching all the gluten-free foods and gluten-free Oats which I don't tolerate, it's returned to normal. I also got laser focused on correcting vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I rotate between Viridian, Biocare, Solgar and Nutriadvanced for my supplements, they're all good quality and gluten-free.

[MiriamW]

@Rogol72that is most helpful and really encouraging message. Thank you. Can I ask if you tolerate dairy? Is there anything else that you avoid eating? And yes, the supplements that you have listed are all great brands! 

[Rogol72]

@MiriamW,

I can't tolerate dairy ... and stay away from it, though I fall off the wagon occasionally! It gives me brain fog (histamine), gurgling stomach and my skin starts itching. At present I follow the AIP diet 80-90% of the time. Just fruit and vegetables ... the freshest meat, lambs liver, poultry and fish possible ... and I'm making progress fixing a histamine intolerance. I think it's a deficiency in the DAO enzyme cofactors and dysbiosis from Dapsone, an antibiotic I take for DH as needed. S. Boulardii recommended by my functional medical practitioner helps.

I can't tolerate caffeine either, alters my mood and constricts the blood vessels in the brain.

I came across a guest post on the forum where a lady said she flooded her body with 30+ nutrients from vegetables, so her body has all the nutrients it needs to heal quickly from CC and feels fantastic.

Dr. Datis Kharrazian recommends getting 30 different fruits and vegetables in a week for a healthy gut mircobiome ... he blends them in a Vitamix and freezes them in ice cube trays to consume later in soups etc. A clever strategy! https://drknews.com/

P.S. Terranova are good supplements also, but some of their formulations contain oat seed.

[MiriamW]

Thank you @Rogol72for your reply, it's very helpful and much appreciated. Great to compare experiences with someone who seems to have similar problems. I've been in denial with dairy but it's becoming clear that I simply have to stop eating it. It's tough not being able to have a cup of tea or coffee, not to mention a bit of cake. I even struggle with most types of fruit as it's too acidic for me, or with bitter vegetables (e.g. rocket salad). Nuts or nut butters don't agree with me either nor does good quality dark chocolate. And I don't touch any gluten-free products either. If I cross the line, I get histamine problem and itchy skin in addition to painful gut. Thank you for recommending Dr Kharrazian, his website looks really good. What I always find helpful is making fresh vegetable juice - usually from organic cucumber, cellery, beetroot (not too much), some carrot and a lot of parsley. If I do this daily I always feel better. You can add ginger and peppers if you tolerate them. I use a juicer for this, not a blender. Even most supplements effect my inflamed gut including those that I supposed to be healing like slippery elm, but I always take vitamin D and some probiotics. 

[Rogol72]

I’m 12 years on this journey @MiriamW. Some things are easy to deal with, others not so much. We persevere though!

It’s the casomorphins in dairy that make it so addictive. And it’s highly inflammatory. You might benefit from the AIP diet for a while to heal your stomach. Knitty kitty is a big advocate of AIP and I agree, it helps to stop the reactions and heal the stomach.

What probiotics work for you? Some of them can induce a histamine reaction. I just take S Boulardii at the moment but am open to suggestions.

[MiriamW]

@Rogol72I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2014 so not very far behind you. You are right, it is a journey of constant learning and I'm so glad about writing on this website as I have learned far more from you guys in the last few days than from all the doctors and health specialists that I've seen (both NHS and private) over the years. Little did I know, when I was diagnosed, that by going on gluten free diet, I would damage my gut even more with all those gluten free products on the market. If I knew what I know now, I would be a much healthier person. 

I haven't heard of casomorphins, thanks you for this information. Does it apply to sheep and goat products as well? And how do you tolerate nuts, are you ok with those? 

I used to take all sorts of probiotics but since I had a very bad histamine problem and highly inflamed gut (following strong antibiotics for a very bad chest infection) I've been taking only L.Acidophilus by Klaire Labs as they sorted me out. This probiotic is also SCD compliant, the diet also recommended for coeliac disease and IBD. I order them from Your Health Basket website. 

[Rogol72]

I hear ya @MiriamW. As I understand it, gluteomorphins and casomorphins result from the breakdown of gluten and dairy proteins in the gut. They both have an opioid like affect on our brains, that's why bread and cheese are so addictive! So I do believe they apply to sheep's and goats products also. Maybe @knitty kitty who is more knowledgeable about microbiology can correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't handle nuts because of the plant lectins they contain, and they are a high risk for cross contamination because of storage. Thanks for the probiotic advice. That one is clean, no dairy in it. I'll see if I can find a European distributor.

[knitty kitty]

@Rogol72,

You're right!  All kinds of milk have them!  

I found this interesting....

Casomorphins and Gliadorphins Have Diverse Systemic Effects Spanning Gut, Brain and Internal Organs

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8345738/

 

[MiriamW]

Thank you @knitty kittyit's a good article. Interesting what they mention in the conclusion: 

"Specific strategies for reducing exposure to bBCM7 and GD7 are two-fold. Bovine BCM7 is relatively easy to remove from the food-system by producing cows that produce A2 rather than A1 beta-casein or alternatively placing more emphasis on milks from other species such as sheep and goats, plus an emphasis on human milk for babies. "

That was the reason I was asking about sheep and goat milk. I always use Kerrygold butter as it contains A2 beta-casein which is supposed to be similar to human milk. It's more difficult to find milk with A2 beta-casein. 

 

[trents]

Until reading this thread, I had never heard of A1 and A2 milk. I suspect I am not alone in this. For those of us in that boat, here is what I believe to be a balanced article on what the difference is between the two and what the implications of those differences are: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/a1-vs-a2-milk#bottom-line

It seems to me that most of the health implications pertain to infants and children if I understand this article correctly. But for the most part, it seems there needs to be more testing done before any firm conclusions are reached for people of any age.

[Rogol72]

@MiriamW, If you wish to geek out on nutrition, allergies and all things Coeliac related, check out Dr. Robert Pastore's podcast. He's a Phd Clinical Nutritionist who's worked with some top Coeliac experts in the US. I've found some of the topics very educational. He's a Coeliac with DH and a severe dairy allergy. Here's an episode on Lactose Intolerance and the Coeliac connection ...

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AZXNHbXPUGy2zieqOeQLI

[knitty kitty]

Hypoallergenic and Physicochemical Properties of the A2 β-Casein Fractionof Goat Milk

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932946/

 

Comparative Analysis of the Protein Composition of Goat Milk from French Alpine, Nubian, and Creole Breeds and Holstein Friesian Cow Milk: Implications for Early Infant Nutrition

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9454708/

[MiriamW]

@trentsI believe it applies to everyone, adults as well as children. I know that many people with allergies can tolerate casein A2 dairy products but I guess it also depends on what you are sensitive to, if it is proteins in milk or lactose.

[MiriamW]

Thank you @Rogol72I'm always excited to find a good educational source of health information. I will most definitely have a listen!

[MiriamW]

@Rogol72, I forgot to mention that I always have a bottle of 'gluten away' in the house. It's a gluten digestive enzyme by Just Thrive (US company) and I order it directly from them. I take it on very rare occasion when I eat out or in someone else's house, just in case I digest gluten without knowing. It's also helpful for low stomach acid or to take with a heavy/meaty meal. 

I wanted to ask a few questions if you don't mind just to compare our notes/experience 😕 

Do you still eat rice and potatoes? Can you have any type of gluten-free flour? Are you ok with any type of milk alternative (I use coconut milk). How about sugar/sweetener? (honey for instance immediately aggravates my gut). Can you have pumpkin? (I get pains after having squash or pumpkin even tough it's supposed to be healing). What do you have for breakfast? Breakfast is my biggest struggle (without carbs) and as a result I often substitute with eggs which can't be healthy either. 

 

[Rogol72]

Thanks for that tip @MiriamW, much appreciated. I have DH, the skin version of Coeliac Disease but my gut and brain also take a beating from it!! At the moment, I only eat sweet potatoes most days as I'm mostly on the AIP diet (for UC also) which excludes nightshade vegetables. I try potato once or twice a year, but too many and my stomach is sore the next day.

I don't touch any gluten free flours and stay away from all gluten free foods. My skin was reacting to a lot of stuff like Tilda gluten-free rice, quinoa and coconut milk etc. So I stopped all those foods. I think some of that was to do with a histamine reaction in addition to DH. The histamine issue has improved, as I'm taking steps to bolster the DAO enzyme cofactors.

I've started taking Viridian Trace Mineral Complex and it's really helped with energy and mental clarity. They also have an Organic Mineral Complex which I'm going to try. We focus on supplementing the macro minerals and neglect the trace minerals, which are just as if not more important. I'm adding them since excluding nuts and seeds on AIP means I don't get enough trace minerals.

Most brands of honey are blended and are cross contaminated. It's the really pure honey that seem to be safe, but I don't consume honey too often. Minimal sugar and I've never had a sweetener ever. My functional practitioner uses Xylitol. I haven't had pumpkin in years!

Breakfast at the moment is bacon and eggs, or mushrooms and eggs. I also have sweet potato hash and eggs from leftover sweet potato. I eat bananas for breakfast, and was on a green breakfast smoothie kick for a while. I was eating avocado at breakfast but it's high in histamine. For breakfast I need to be inventive and eat unusual combinations of foods and  just suck it up!! Have you considered doing the AIP diet for a while? It's scientifically proven to help heal autoimmune diseases.

[MiriamW]

Hi @Rogol72and thank you for your reply. I only eat Waitrose organic basmati rice from time to time (touch wood I seem to be ok with it). I try to avoid nightshades but still eat potatoes. From fruit I eat bananas, cooked apples and fresh pears. Everything else seems to be acidic for me. I eat lots of avocados, sardines and eggs (but when my histamine goes up I have to avoid avocados and sardines). I love bacon but because of the added preservatives I try to avoid it. By sweeteners I meant honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar...not artificial sweeteners. I never touch any of those either. 

So do you also suffer from UC? That's wonderful you found a supplement which is making a difference. I've recently ordered Okinawa supplement for trace minerals and Nano Zinc and Nano Magnesium, all from The Health Factory. They are top quality supplements too. 

I haven't been strong and determined enough for AIP diet so far as it doesn't allow you to eat anything tasty. I really struggle without any carbs or a cup of (very weak) coffee a day. But I appreciate that sometimes we have no other choice. Have you ever done juicing? It is tedious and time consuming and can be pricey buying all those organic vegetables but it really is worth a try. Much better than all the supplements that we take from a jar. I'm going to give it a go again. 

Additionally, have you heard of Steven Gundry? He has written a lot of great books about gut problems. Have you tried taking quercetin for histamine? Some people swear by it. And tea made from a plant perilla is supposed to be very helpful with histamine problems too. 

[MiriamW]

PS @Rogol72I've spoken to my sister who is a nutritionist and she said histamine issues stem from various causes and therefore different remedies work for different people. Apart from quercetin, some people find vitamin C helpful, some Coenzyme Q10 or black seed oil. Viridian do a nice organic black seed oil. 

[MiriamW]

@Rogol72and of course appropriate probiotics and DAO enzyme 

[Rogol72]

Hi @MiriamW, I've had UC since ’02 caused by C.Diff. It’s been in remission for years. UC later led to celiac disease/DH. I did the juicing thing for a while before celiac disease/DH diagnosis. Maybe I’ll get back to it sometime.

I’ve looked at Steven Gundry’s stuff on youtube. I like his ideas on plant lectins which I avoid. I’ve never tried quercetin, but I’ll keep it in mind. I understand my histamine triggers a lot better now. I was eating too many sardines for the calcium, smoked mackerel/salmon, sauerkraut!! It’s ten times better than it was but I will try your suggestions to see what works.

I’ve come to terms with eating for health rather than taste. But coffee is a weakness which I’ve gotta give up. I had a subclinical iron deficiency due to Dapsone which I’ve fixed. Since then I’m far more in tune with what my body needs the days! Thanks again for the tips.

[MiriamW]

@Rogol72no worries and good luck. If you come up with any new discoveries/useful information please do share them with us.. And yes it is frustrating that even so many healthy products are very often problematic like sardines or sauerkraut for histamine. Smoked foods are always best to be avoided even for people with healthy digestion. 

[Rogol72]

@MiriamW,

Just wondering, have you heard of Fulvic and Humic minerals? I've come across them lately in an interview with the founder of Beam Minerals ... https://www.beamminerals.com/

I also discovered a Canadian company called Activation products, the founder Ian Clark has an interesting story ... https://shop.activationproducts.com/

I'm looking into trace minerals and micronutrient supplementation at the moment.

This Holistic Doctor has some great content on all things gut related ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72s3pRREjyI&t=2s

 

[MiriamW]

Hi @Rogol72, thank you for this information. I've heard of Fulvic minerals and probiotics but haven't tried them so far. I've only had probiotics from Just Thrive which are spore based, I guess it might be a similar principal? All the products listed in your email sound great and your plan to supplement with trace minerals and micronutrients sounds very sensible. Who knows, that might be the key to recovery. Apparently you are supposed to start with very small doses and take them only with filtered water:   

"There is some emerging evidence that water quality is drastically important when taking these types of minerals and probiotics since they don’t react well with chlorine and *might* create a harmful substance when combined with chlorinated water."

I look forward to listening to the holistic doctor as soon as possible and thank you again for recommending Dr Robert Pastore, I've been enjoying his podcasts, they are really informative. I just wish I could be in a position to get all the tests done that he offers in his clinic  

[Rogol72]

14 hours ago, MiriamW said:

Hi @Rogol72, thank you for this information. I've heard of Fulvic minerals and probiotics but haven't tried them so far. I've only had probiotics from Just Thrive which are spore based, I guess it might be a similar principal? All the products listed in your email sound great and your plan to supplement with trace minerals and micronutrients sounds very sensible. Who knows, that might be the key to recovery. Apparently you are supposed to start with very small doses and take them only with filtered water:   

"There is some emerging evidence that water quality is drastically important when taking these types of minerals and probiotics since they don’t react well with chlorine and *might* create a harmful substance when combined with chlorinated water."

I look forward to listening to the holistic doctor as soon as possible and thank you again for recommending Dr Robert Pastore, I've been enjoying his podcasts, they are really informative. I just wish I could be in a position to get all the tests done that he offers in his clinic  

Dr. Dinezza (another coeliac ND)... she explains in a 4 part video series the mechanism of histamine intolerance as it relates to mast cells in a visual manner, which is what I like being an engineer.

[trents]

3 hours ago, Rogol72 said:

Dr. Dinezza (another coeliac ND)... she explains in a 4 part video series the mechanism of histamine intolerance as it relates to mast cells in a visual manner, which is what I like being an engineer.

And this has a bearing on hair loss? I'm just looking at the original topic.