Diets, Diets, and more Diets!

Where do I start?  It’s so confusing.  In fact, confusing enough to make me want to close the book (or internet) and eat a pepperoni pizza, a bag of Doritos and then chase them with a Corona! Oh, but then I would probably go into a mast cell hell attack! So, I’m back to the question of diets, diets and more diets!  What do I eat to maintain a low profile, minimal-twitchy mast cell profile? 

This question is so confusing because we all have individual triggers when it comes to food.  What is nourishing, delicious, and fulfilling for some is toxic poison for others.  My approach and that of others who deal with a funky body is to start with an elimination diet and then add back in healthy foods one at a time.  It is highly recommended to use a tracking tool or food diary to log what’s going down the hatch.  I found an easy one on the allergyhome.org site.  There are several apps out there or simply use a notebook or journal.  I choose to journal my food life but that is just my old school preference.

Food Sensitivities and Intolerances

So, as stated before, most of us masties have individual triggers often referred to as food sensitivities and/or food intolerances.

Food intolerances are often the result of the absence of an enzyme needed to fully digest a food.  For example, people that are lactose intolerant do not possess enough of the enzyme needed to break down lactose (a type of sugar) therefore drinking milk or consuming dairy causes  symptoms such as bloating, cramping, gas, diarrhea, etc. 

Food sensitives are a toxic reaction to foods that can be divided into two categories:  allergic responses and food sensitivities.  If someone has an IGE allergy to food, they will develop and immune response when exposed that can be serious enough to induce anaphylaxis.  Think peanuts or bee stings!   If someone has a food sensitive, they usually develop a cascade of symptoms such as GERD, gas, cramps, headache, fatigue, dizziness, etc.  For example, I do not tolerate sulfites.  If I ingest sulfites, I get dizzy, wheezy, and unable to breathe.  Some people with food sensitives simply get bad gas, a headache or become tired and lethargic.  Food sensitives also contribute to inflammation which is a leading cause of weight gain and disease.  Both of these reactions are stressful on the body and cause widespread inflammation meaning your joints are probably going to respond with achiness.

You may have heard of the term “Leaky Gut”.  It is thought to be at the root of many diseases in America especially auto-immune disorders.  The gut lining should be tightly woven with mucous cells, connective tissue, blood vessels, etc.).  When the gut becomes inflamed, it can also become permeable and allow small fissures or holes to open up which then allows bacteria and partially digested food molecules to dump into the blood stream.  Our system sees the bacteria and food molecules as foreign invaders and goes into attack mode “auto” against itself “immune”.    The attack is significant and stressful on the body even though we may not realize it.  The symptoms are initially subtle and gradual but cumulative.  We often do not realize our system is attacking itself until it is too late and we are burden with an ailment.  Some signs that you are food sensitive include feeling:

• Sadness or depression
• Moodiness, brain fog and headaches
• Food cravings
•  Fatigue
•  Heartburn
•  Joint pain
•  Acne, rosacea, dark circles
•  Gas, bloating and constipation/diarrhea

These symptoms can drastically reduce the quality of life within the affected.  We just used to feeling like ick.  However, it is not normal and nobody should have to feel like ick all the time.  We are going to talk about food a lot on this site.  But the initial step we must take is keeping track of our food.

Food Tracking and Testing

The first thing that is recommended is tracking or journaling food to assist in discovering food sensitives, intolerances, and allergies.  It is as simple as writing down everything consumed both beverage and food.  It is recommended to jot down what was eaten, when it was eaten, what time symptoms started, feelings throughout the day, exercise performed during the day,  and sleep pattern.  Make a list of all things that thought to be a trigger.  Journaling becomes easier as body awareness increases.  One may find that the foods that they are reacting to are in the same as foods they know they are allergic to.  For example, people with latex allergies sometimes find that bananas bother them.  Bananas are cross-reactive with latex.  Along with journaling, I choose to have food sensitivity testing down every few years.  It is a bit costly (up to $200) but will test up to 300+ foods that people are most commonly sensitive too.  I do this through a functional medicine doctor however you may be able to order the test on your own.

 Elimination Diet

After spending a week journaling, it’s time to take action.  First, the most common food culprits are removed from diet which includes dairy, soy, wheat, sugar, yeast, corn, MSG, soda including diet and basically anything packaged.  Packaged food is full of hidden ingredients.  If an ingredient cannot be pronounced, it should be eliminated.  The key to success is to have a menu plan thought out and purchased.  If I get hungry, I will cheat.  It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts for the first three days of elimination but this is normal.  The body is purging and detoxing some of the foods that it is sensitive too.  After seven days, food may be added back in one at time.  Being diligent in journaling and noticing how symptoms after adding food back in is the key to success.  One should pay attention for a full 24 hours after the food is added because delayed reaction can happen up to 24 hours.  After a food has been consumed for three days without incidence, another food item may be added back in.   I notice within a day if an added food does not agree with me.  Once a food is determined to be a culprit, it should be remove that food item for 90 days.  Often, it is possible to add that food back in after 90 days and be fine with it.  The key to the elimination diet is to find out what is bugging the body, eliminate the food item to assist in the healing of the gut and then hopefully be able to add the food item back in unless it is an empty calorie food.  In that case, leave it out.  Adding that bag of Doritos back in just because a reaction did not occur, doesn’t mean we should be eating them because eventually they will become harmful.  We are going for nutrition to heal the body, not empty calorie junk food to contribute to our illness.  The key is to eat as many high-nutrient, high-fiber, organic, whole foods as possible.  Limit meat as it is very acidic and hard to digest and cut back on the coffee (my weakness). 

I will join you in the elimination process as I am starting it myself.  I’ve been doing a pretty good job with the exception of dairy and coffee.  I drink milk rarely, eat very little cheese (trigger), and try to avoid creams however I do like my yogurt and kefir.  Also, coffee is one of my weaknesses.  I’m working on it!

Please feel free to comment below and share how your journaling is going.  Also, please provide any insight you may feel is useful pertaining to this subject.    

References

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/expert-answers/food-allergy/faq-20058538

http://drhyman.com/blog/2012/02/22/how-hidden-food-sensitivities-make-you-fat/

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/signs-food-sensitivity/story?id=24770899#7

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/food-allergy-myths

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/04/03/chemical-sensitivities.aspx

http://allergyhome.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/AllergyHome_Food-Symptom-Journal-copyright-2013.pdf

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180120.php

http://www.innerbody.com/image_digeov/dige11-new.html