Chakra2

Just to offer another perspective: my bloodwork done 3 months ago showed borderline anemia and low b12. I was feeling very fatigued. My MD asked me to do some supplements and probiotics before we considered shots. So I added a chewable b12 to my daily multivitamin and doubled my dose of probiotics (I think bacteria in the gut can help manufacture b12?). I also started drinking a kombucha (fermented tea) about once a week and made rejuvelac from quinoa (another fermented grain drink). Both of those drinks supposedly have a lot of probiotics in them. When I could get some from the farmer's market, I would drink raw goat yogurt too for the probiotics. I started feeling super-energetic after a few weeks of doing that (and staying gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free). I recently did follow-up bloodwork and my primary care physician said my b12 was through the roof and that I should drop the b12 supplement ASAP. She said too much b12 can cause acne, dizziness, numbness and possibly be rough on the liver and kidneys.

Here's a link from a thread on another forum with links in the thread to studies about b12 risks. I loooove my b12 but I do feel a little more peaceful now that I've brought my levels down a bit. And not fatigued yet.

Open Original Shared Link

Hope you find ways to feel better soon.

Chakra2

I got IgG food allergy tests done by a holistic MD a few months ago. The results were divided into categories by severity. Category 1 = very mild reaction, 2 = mild, 3= moderate, 4= severe. The doc said to never eat the severe foods ever again, to avoid the moderates for 9 months, milds for 6 months, and very milds for 3 months.

I'm okay with his advice for the most part but my son's pediatrician (son got tested too) and my chiropractor/nutritionist both said they didn't believe in the IgG testing. I wasn't surprised that the pediatrician thought that, but the nutritionist is super alternative so I was surprised that even she thought I wouldn't really benefit from following that schedule. She said the test was a useful, concrete image of just how leaky my gut is but that she doesn't necessarily think that it accurately measures a specific response to individual foods.

So I was wondering if others who have done IgG testing have really followed a schedule like the one above? With what kind of result?

I only have 4 "never agains" and I'm fine avoiding those (even my mainstream primary care doc said to avoid the nevers) but one of the foods I'm supposed to avoid for nine months is rice -- easier said than done while I'm learning gluten-free/soy-free/dairy-free. My nutritionist said it just doesn't make sense to think that a person couldn't really tolerate rice for 9 months. She asked if I feel like I react badly to it but I honestly feel a little confused about some of my reactions still -- I've only been gluten free since January, and fully dairy and soy free since about April.

Chakra2

In some old threads on this site I read that some chamomile tea is not gluten free. Is that still accurate? What is the ingredient in the plain chamomile tea that is a problem? I drink tons of tea and the chamomile I usually get is loose tea with the actual flowers crumbled up in there. Does that sound ok?

I recently read a book about health and the mind/body connection by Dr Christiane Northrup. As part of the healing process for many illnesses, she suggests asking yourself "What is this disease trying to tell me?" She suggests that there might be physical answers to that question and also spiritual, emotional, or psychological answers. I'm new to all this and to celiac disease/gluten intolerance. But I have been wondering what the answer to that question might be. Interesting that we have the saying, "trust your gut," for example and that for some people addressing their gluten issues seems to involve a struggle or balance between trusting their inner wisdom about their own bodies vs seeking approval or validation from others (like doctors and family members).

Has anyone meditated on this topic? Willing to share what you think your gut is trying to tell you?

Chakra2

I like everything California Baby and you can buy it at Target. I use their baby shampoo as shampoo and face soap, and I use their conditioner too.

I've also tried TheraNeem shampoo and cond from Whole Foods. I like it because it says gluten free on the label (thank you, marketing dept!!). But I try to avoid soy in my products too and I think it might have a little bit of soy.

I just posted some of this advice in another thread and it might sound pretty out there, but here goes! I got so fed up with finding gluten in the "non-toxic" all-natural products I was using that I decided to try some of the make-your-own recipes I'd seen on the Internet. So now I use plain baking soda for a face wash in am, followed by 50-50 solution of apple cider vinegar and water as a toner and straight aloe Vera from a plant on my porch as a moisturizer. In pm, I use California Baby soap to wash and water mixed with a few drops of cocnut oil for moisturizer. I also use baking soda with a few drops of different essential oils for deodorant -- this one has blown me away! I live in Houston and have a toddler so you know I'm sweating but most days I don't even reapply the baking soda and there is no smell.

I've recently started experimenting with baking soda and ACV for hair too (google "no poo" as in "no shampoo" and you'll find lots of instructions and tips.

And in case some context helps you analyze this advice -- I am a lawyer and a mom and I was a sorority girl at UT in college. I try not to be vain but I do care about my looks. As I said in the other post, hair (etc) is a small thing but I feel better when I don't look like a sick person. I would not be using this stuff or recommending it if it didn't work for me. So I don't know how crazy that all sounds to you but the baking soda is gluten-free, non-toxic and cheap! Plus I feel like I'm getting some kind of revenge against all those companies whose stuff was helping to keep me sick. (Does putting a smiley-face after "revenge" make it sound nicer? I hope so!)

I feel like this is a weird question, but does anyone know if it's ok to use soy candles if you have a soy allergy? I know just inhaling gluten dust makes me sick so I started to wonder about all of those "all natural" soy candles we have.

Chakra2

I was diagnosed with leaky gut after some allergy testing a few months ago. Here's what my doctor and my nutritionist prescribed. I've been doing this for about 5 months and feel way better.

*Avoid gluten, dairy, soy and corn. My doc said no goat dairy for first 3 months either. My nutritionist encouraged me to try raw goat milk and raw goat kefir after 2 months. The goat milk was a no-go but the kefir seems okay so far. Dropping all supplements and vitamins with these ingredients helped a ton too.

*Load up on probiotics. My dr suggested rotating brands each time you buy a new bottle so that you get a variety of bacteria. He also prescribed homemade rejuvelac (fermented grain drink). Google it and you'll find lots of recipes. I make mine with quinoa (I didn't feel comfortable using a gluten grain). I've kind of learnd to like the taste but it was weird at first. Oh, and I don't sprout the quinoa first because dr said that step was optional. The raw milk is also supposed to be filled with probiotics. I drink an occasional kombucha too. The nutritionist also told me that the probiotics in commercial yogurt aren't the kind that will colonize your gut (which is what you want), so that's why she recommends additional probiotic sources.

*Take permavite or another supplement with slippery elm and MSM to encourage new cell growth in the intestine (from the Dr).

*Consider IgE and IgG food allergy testing to help you avoid any foods besides the ones listed above that might be irritating your gut.

*Check out the Weston A Price Foundation website for more info about foods that some think are especially healing for the gut.

Good luck!

I've been gluten-free for 5 months while working with doctors on my

health and my 2 year old son's health. We're also dairy-free, soy-free

and try to avoid corn for the most part. The results have been amazing!!

Mentally, the clouds have parted for me and physically my son and I

seem to be doing way better.

BUT . . . Lately I've been feeling like even this 5 months seems like

forever. And the diet seems hard again. And my relatives don't

believe in celiac disease, etc. I've wondered if finally feeling better

is kind of playing tricks on my mind -- it's even hard for me to believe

that food can make this big a difference on our health.

So I would love to hear from folks who have more perspective on this.

How long did it take you to stop fighting the facts? When did the diet

become 2nd nature to you? Do you feel even better 5 (or however many)

years out than you did that first year?

Any inspiration and encouragement welcome!

Chakra2

This is a late reply maybe but I'm new to the forum. Just

thought I'd share my experience in case it could help. My hair did

some normal falling out around 4-5 months postpartum. It really changed

again though (thinning, dry, falling out) at about 15-16 months pp (still bf'ing at that point).

That time period for me was also when I was my most sick and just

learning about my gluten issues. Now my son is 2 and I'm actually

still bf'ing, and my hair is getting better!!!

Here's what I think helped me. . .

1. Going gluten-free, dairy-free, and especially soy free. My prenatals (that

I was still taking) had soy as did my fish oil. Dropping those sources

of soy really improved my hormones and my hair.

2. Switching to gluten-free and soy-free shampoo, conditioner and styling

products. They are hard to find but made a big difference for me.

This might sound crazy but most days I actually just use baking

soda and apple cider vinegar. No toxins at all! Or like tonight, I washed

my hair with baking soda (google "no poo" as in "no shampoo" and

you'll find lots of instructions), and then used California Baby conditioner.

I haven't felt so psyched about how my hair looks in months!!!

Hair is a small issue in the grand scheme of things, I know, but I

do feel better when I thnk I don't look like a sick person.

Hope you're doing better!

Chakra2

Thank you for the responses. They are giving me a lot to think about.

His pediatrician has suggested a gluten challenge but the idea does seem

illogical to me. Hope hubby and I can agree on what to do!

Thanks for the replies.

Beans??? Who would guess! I think I will look into other allergies. We did an IgG test on my son

that showed mild reactions to 7 or 8 things but his pediatrcian

pooh-poohed the test in general (I had it done with an alternative-minded

MD) and I haven't really known how seriously to take the results. I

would like to do conventional IgE testing as well.

As for the kitchen, our home is gluten-free, dairy-free

and soy free. BUT I haven't replaced those utensils, pans, etc. It just

seems so out-there! And my husband and relatives already think I'm crazy

with all the gluten avoidance so if I tell them I think it's in wooden spoons I

worry they'll have me committed. I think I'll just replace the spoons and

cutting boards quietly.

Thanks again for the help!

Here's a question for moms of school-aged kids:

Without knowing anything about celiac disease, in January I took my 2 year

old (and myself) off gluten, dairy, soy and a few other things to

try to fix his nightwaking, eczema and diarrhea. Both of us got

great results on the diet, and the more I read about celiac the more

I thought it matched up with the variety of health issues I've had and

my relatives have had.

Now I'm trying to decide whether or not to do a gluten challenge with

my son to work on an official diagnosis. Right now it doesn't seem

worth it -- I control his food choices, eating gluten-free/DF/SF hasn't been that big

a deal, he's growing, happy, and 95% symptom-free.

But I did wonder about the value of an official diagnosis for school, or

even just for helping family and friends take the diet seriously on

down the line.

Could some of you let me know your experiences with having or not

having an official diagnosis for your kids? Does a diagnosis matter more

as kids get older?

And as a 2nd issue -- any thoughts on a good age for a gluten challenge?

Thanks!

Chakra2

Here goes -- first post!

I am in the process of pursuing a diagnosis for myself and my 2 yr old son. We have both been having a variety of food intolerances and digestive issues.

My question right now is about my son's skin symptoms.

He has had something that his pediatrician has at various

times called eczema. It is like small red bumps that cluster around

his mouth and chin. The last 3 times we've gone to the

doctor for well-child visits the doctor has said that it is a rash caused by

the hand, foot and mouth virus and has told me that my son has sores in his

mouth (also virus-related, according to ped.). Dr told me very firmly

that I should NOT consider the eczema, rash or sores to be food-related (he

knows I think my child might have food intolerances).

Has anyone else's child had bumps that sounded like this?

Am I off the mark to think it's weird that my son just happened

to have hand/foot/mouth symptoms at all THREE of our last well-child

visits?

I took my toddler off gluten in January as part of a general

elimination diet, trying to address nightwaking/eczema/diarrhea. Not

realizing that celiac might be a possibility. I got instant, awesome

results but still see the rash every couple of weeks or so.

It would help me to know if this kind of a rash can be related to gluten

or if people think it's more likely to be something else.

Thanks!

Chakra2