Allergy — Gluten Allergy / Gluten Free Diet / Yeast Allergy / Asthma / + other Allergies — Page 39

Gluten-Free Snacks – Dried Fruit and Nuts

by Allergy Guy

I’m going on another trip, and as usual, bringing all my food with me.

In the past, I have brought a large bag of granola to supply wheat-free snacking requirements.

As far as celiac goes, there is debate as to whether oats are truly gluten-free and therefore safe, or not.

I am not celiac (according to two biopsy tests, but there is still room for error), so I am less worried about gluten and more worried about wheat. Or anything else that makes me feel lousy for that matter.

Be that as it may, I’ve never done well on oats. A little is fine, too much is not so fine.

Also, porridge seems to be more digestible than granola, the later being baked with no added water.

So this time I thought twice before bringing granola.

There is the health factor, and the time factor (I prefer my own home-made granola to store-bought any day).

This time I am bringing dried fruit and nuts for snacks.

This might be less filling, but I’ve noticed that when I go to seminars, I eat more snacks than when I am at home. This may be because the granola actually makes me hungrier.

An important point about mixing fruit and nuts: DON’T. Eat either one or the other, with half an hour delay between snack types.

It is very hard to digest fruit and nuts together. I never liked the combination myself, and recent reading I have done confirms that improper food combining is hard on the body.

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  • Pan fried granola
  • Oats
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Citric Acid Intolerance

by Allergy Guy

A comment from Heather, about citric acid and yeast (see Even Yeast free bread may still have yeast) put me on to learning that some people have a citric acid intolerance.

That lead me to a bit of research, which lead me to Vicy Clarke’s Citric Acid Intolerance page.

The problem with having a citric acid intolerance is that citric acid is so hard to avoid, at least if you eat prepared foods.

Sounds familiar from avoiding gluten.

Citric acid is used as a flavoring, preservative and catalyst for other preservatives. And probably other uses as well.

As with managing any allergy, reading ingredients is a must.

Also, doing your own cooking makes it much easer to manage a citric acid intolerance. This may seem like a drag if you aren’t much of a cook, but the good news is that (a) this forces you towards a more healthy diet and (b) it really isn’t that hard to learn how to cook.

Vitamin B5 may help reduce reactions should you accidentally eat a citric acid containing food. This is confirmed.

External Links

These links are to a static website that appears unmaintained, although it has very useful information. Please let me know if the links stop working.

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Acid Reflux

by Allergy Guy

Acid Reflux is a condition where some stomach contents get pushed up the wrong way, in other words, part way up the esophagus.

The stomach acid, pepsin and bile irritate the esophagus, causing a burning sensation.

Acid Reflux Symptoms

Acid reflux causes a burning sensation, starting from the stomach, and working its way up towards the chest.

It may reach as high as the throat. This is called Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD.

Acid Reflux Complications

Chronic acid reflux problems can lead to permanent damage to the lower esophagus.

Barrett’s esophagus is an example of such permanent damage.

Barrett’s Esophagus

Barrett’s esophagus refers to permanent changes in the cells that form the lining of the lower esophagus.

It is thought that this is caused by chronic acid reflux problems.

Barrett’s esophagus can lead to an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus.

Acid Reflux Causes

A number of different things can cause acid reflux. Allergies and celiac disease are covered separately below.

Foods that do not agree with you can cause acid reflux. Certain foods can make the condition worse, see Acid Reflux Cures for a list.

Acid Reflux and Allergies

Acid reflux is not closely related to allergies, although some allergies sufferers do experience acid reflux as one of their symptoms, especially in delayed reaction allergies due to food.

Acid Reflux and Celiac Disease

Celiac can cause acid reflux. This happens for those with celiac disease who continue to eat gluten.

Acid Reflux Cures

As with most types of medical conditions, there are two approaches to curing acid reflux.

One approach is to take acid reflux medication. While this may work, all medication has side-effects, and you should definitely not take medication for acid reflux on a long-term basis.

A much better approach is to deal with the root cause of your acid reflux problem.

The first step in this process it to determine the cause. To some extent, you can experiment with your diet and see if that helps.

Next, remove the underlying problem. Changing your diet often helps.

Some people report that proper food combining alleviates acid reflux. For example, do not eat carbohydrates and proteins at the same meal, and always have fruit on it’s own, never combine it with any other type of food.

Weight-loss (if you are over-weight) and elevating your head slightly above your feet have been shown to consistently improve acid reflux problems.

Try raising the head of your bed about an inch or two above the foot of your bed (by placing blocks of wood, or some other solid and stable objects under the feet at the head of your bed).

Also, avoid eating within two hours of bed time.

If you have any food allergies, avoiding these foods may help with your acid reflux problem.

Of course if you are celiac, then you must cut out all gluten right away. In this case, acid reflux is the least of your problems.

The following may make acid reflux worse:

  • Coffee
  • Alcohol
  • Excessive Vitamin C supplements (subjective – high levels of vitamin C are very beneficial to other aspects of your health).
  • Smoking
  • High-fat foods
  • Large meals. Instead, eat smaller meals more frequently.
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Chocolate
  • Peppermint
  • Acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits etc.
  • Cruciferous vegetables such as onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and Brussels sprouts.
  • Milk.

Note: the above list is largely anecdotal, so experiment, see if these changes help, especially specific foods. You are better off without some of the things on this, such as smoking. On the other hand, citrus fruits and vitamin C are beneficial.

Note: Antacids made with calcium carbonate actually increase the acidity of the stomach. They do reduce the effect of acid reflux in the lower esophagus, but use them with caution. Aluminum hydroxide-based antacids do not increase stomach acidity. They may have other health side-effects however.

Acid Reflux Terminology

Acid reflux is one common name for this condition. Here are other terms, some technical, others common:

  • Heart burn
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  • GERD
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • GORD
  • Gastric reflux disease
  • Acid reflux disease

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Gluten and Cross-Reactivity

by Allergy Guy

If you are sensitive to gluten in any way (allergic, celiac, etc.), the you must eliminate gluten from your diet in order to improve your health.

Even if you do eliminate all gluten from your diet, you may still find that your level of improvement is not nearly as much as it should be.

The fact is that most people who discover one allergy, find out that they have other allergies and sensitivities as well.

Some of the common problem foods for the gluten sensitive are:

If you are on a gluten-free diet, and you still don’t feel at your best, try eliminating the foods listed above.

I suggest that you remove all of these types of foods, all at once. With luck, you will feel much better after a few days (although it could take several weeks before you notice any improvement).

At this point, you can re-introduce foods and see if you still feel OK.

Reintroduce the foods one at a time, waiting several days before you decide if that food is OK or not. Depending on your reaction, you may get a negative reaction almost right away, or it could take several days before you notice anything.

As you reintroduce foods, you will be able to make a list of those foods you can tolerate, and those you can not.

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Mold Under the Sink

by Allergy Guy

Mold under the sink – what better place for mold to grow – dark and damp if there is a leak.

I’ve been adding more articles about mold on Allergy-Details lately, so it is ironic that I have recently discovered a major mold problem under the kitchen sink.

You could smell it when you got near the sink sometimes. But at other times you could not. Strange!

There were no obvious damp areas in the cupboard under the sink, and the wooden underside of the counter-top was clean and dry.

Eventually, I realized that it must be water spilled on the counter, working its way under the sink where the edge of the sink meets the counter.

Nasty.

And it seemed like a big job to fix.

As it happens, the sink faucet had recently been replaced – which was a good thing. The plumber replaced the old tap-set, which had permanently soldered pipes, with a hose connection that can easily be undone.

So I removed the hose-set, the drain connection, and the clamps that attached the sink to the counter.

Then I lifted out the sink, exposing the mold, in all its foulness and ugliness.

I sure felt lousy being exposed to all that mold all at once. It hadn’t been too great up till now, but with the sink out, I was assaulted by the full smell and effect of mycotoxins.

It was then a matter of scraping and wiping the mold away.

I sprayed the counter and the bottom of the sink with hydrogen peroxide to kill any remaining mold.

Then I put the sink back in place and connected the drain and hoses.

Now it smells much better, and should be much healthier too.

I expect to feel a bit better tomorrow – lately the mold has been effecting my energy and eczema.

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Toxic Mold (Toxic Mould)

by Allergy Guy

Toxic mold (or toxic mould) refers to certain types of mold that release toxic substances into the air, causing health problems.

Not all types of mold fall into this category. In fact, there are many types of beneficial mold. We would not have cheese for example, without the beneficial action of mold on milk ingredients for example.

In most cases, toxic mold refers to certain species of mold that release mycotoxins – liquid or gaseous compounds that are harmful to human health.

So it is not the molds themselves, but the toxins they release that cause all the trouble.

Toxic Mold and Illness

Harmful molds can cause illness in a number of ways:

  • Toxic effects
  • allergic reactions
  • Immunotoxic effects
  • Infections

Mold allergy problems are covered elsewhere on this site. These are not toxic effects, but allergic reactions to mold spores or other mold by-products.

A mold infection is also not a toxic effect, but a situation where mold growth is able to take hold in the body. This is often due to a problem with the effected individual’s immune system.

Toxic mold refers either to the toxic or immunotoxic effects of mold.

Toxic Effect of Toxic Mold

Some mycotoxins have a directly poisonous effect on the body. Examples include aflatoxin and ochratoxin.

They cause a variety of damage types to the internal organs and nervous system.

Toxic Mold and Carcinogenic Effect

Many mycotoxins are carcinogenic, and some are very carcinogenic.

Too much exposure to the effects of these toxic molds can be cancer-causing.

Toxic Mold and Immunotoxic Effect

Mycotoxins can greatly reduce the effectiveness of your immune system. This may explain why so many mycotoxins are carcinogenic, and why mold allergy are so common.

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Celiac Symptoms

by Allergy Guy

Celiac symptoms can appear as early as 6 months of age, with slow growth and under-weight of your baby.

In some cases, symptoms may be less severe, going unnoticed for years, even well into adulthood.

In other cases, the symptoms are so severe, that there is clearly a problem in childhood.

One the one hand, severe celiac cases are distressing, especially to parents who have no idea what is wrong with their child. Of course they are propelled into action, looking for the cause.

Although gaining awareness among doctors, there are still stories of doctors who mis-diagnose the disease.

Less severe cases are less distressing, but the bad news is that the disease can carry on for years, causing a great deal of damage over time.

Celiac Disease Symptoms

Celiac disease can be mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome. These are very different diseases. See the celiac article for details.

  • Malnutrition due to reduced absorption of food nutrients
  • Anaemia
  • Abnormal stools
  • Bloating
  • Muscle wasting
  • Poor muscle tone
  • Low appetite
  • Irritability
  • weight loss
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Foul smelling stools
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Foul gas
  • Acid reflux
  • Ataxia (lack of coordination)
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Folate deficiency (lack of Vitamin M, forms of Vitamin B-9)
  • Calcium metabolism disturbance
  • Dermatitis: clusters of itchy blisters, usually on the knees, elbows and buttocks.

Celiac Complications

If you continue to consume gluten, you risk severe harm to any and all internal organs. This can lead to an extremely deteriorated health condition, and can be fatal.

Treatment

Avoid any and all gluten in your diet at all times, for the rest of your life.

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Koilonychia

by Allergy Guy



Koilonychia, also known as “spoon nails”, is when the nails are too thin. This can cause them to appear flat, or even concave (curved up) rather than convex (curved down).

Koilonychia can be caused by anaemia.

Anemia can be caused by celiac disease, an intolerance to gluten.

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Celiac Disease

by Allergy Guy

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a disorder that causes severe symptoms when you eat gluten.

Stop eating gluten, and the short-term symptoms are reversed.

Celiac disease is hereditary. If you have the genes for it, inherited from either or both of your parents, then you have celiac for the rest of your life.

This sounds bad, but unlike many other hereditary diseases, it is relatively easy to manage: just stop eating gluten.

True, avoiding gluten is easier said than done. However, it is possible to avoid gluten and still eat well.

In fact, you will find that your diet is much better without gluten.

Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. There is debate about how harmful the gluten in oats actually is for celiac, but I recommend you avoid oats as well. Most celiac do not do well on oats.

Processed food uses a lot of highly-refined wheat flour, which quite frankly, is bad for everyone’s health.

By avoiding gluten, you will find yourself gravitating towards more healthy foods.

The challenge is less available convenience foods, but this is changing as more and more manufacturers supply gluten-free snacks and foods.

Warning: if you have celiac disease and continue to eat gluten for an extended period of time, you will do permanent damage to your body.

Celiac Damage

If you eat gluten, the first set of effects is in your small intestine.
The villi become damaged, leading to poor absorption of essential nutrients from your food, but at the same time, the body absorbs partially digested food, polluting the blood stream.

Poor absorption of nutrients leads to deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals. Anaemia is common amongst celiacs who continue to eat gluten-containing foods.

Eventually, extensive long-term damage can effect all the internal organs, and can be fatal.

There is also a higher incidence of bowel cancer among celiacs who fail to eliminate gluten from their diet.

Celiac Symptoms

See celiac symptoms for a list of symptoms associated with celiac disease.

Gluten-Free Diet

A gluten free diet is the only known way to manage celiac disease. See gluten-free and gluten free diet for more information.

Celiac Disease Management

News Flash! A new drug, larazotide, is being tested for its ability to control some of the damage caused by gluten. See Celiac Disease Cure? for details.

External Links

See gluten free diet links.

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Anaemia

by Allergy Guy

Anemia is the medical term for a low level of hemoglobin in the blood.

Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. A low level of hemoglobin reduces your ability to carry oxygen, causing weakness, fatigue and several other symptoms.

This reduces your ability to perform physical activities, because the muscles, lacking oxygen, have less power.

Symptoms of Anemia

Mild anemia can be hard to detect. The greater the deficiency in hemoglobin, the greater the symptoms.

Someone with anemia may have some or all of the following symptoms:

  • Weakness
  • Fatigue (sometimes only during exercise)
  • General malaise
  • Poor concentration
  • Cold intolerance
  • Behavioral disturbances, especially in children
  • Pallor (pale skin, mucosal linings and nail beds)
  • Cheilosis
  • koilonychia
  • Brittle or rigid fingernails
  • Pica (eating non-food items such as wax, paper, dirt, hair, ice, grass etc.)

More Severe Anemia Symptoms

  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion.

Very Severe Anemia Symptoms

Severe anemia causes the body to pump more blood, putting great strain on the heart.

  • Palpitations
  • Sweatiness
  • Heart failure

Anemia Treatments

The best treatment for anemia is to deal with the root cause.

Anemia is a common symptom of celiac disease – in this case, avoid all gluten in your diet.

Dietary Supplements to Treat Anemia

  • Iron (rarely required. Too much is toxic,)
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B-12
  • Folic acid

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