Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Got my results from my food allergy tests and hair test from my new Naturopath last week.
Allergy Panel - description of test
http://meridianvalleylab.com/food-allergy-testing/basic-foods-e-panel/
Hair Elements Test - description of test
http://www.doctorsdata.com/test_info.asp?id=1
I have really high levels of arsenic in my hair -above the 95th percentile. I've never been on well water -always city water which is supposed to be some of the best in the world (British Columbia, Canada). I did smoke cigaretes for 20 years - but I'm still surprized by the level.
She's given me a homepathic chelation drops to take in the morning. I increase the dose each week until the bottle is gone. Could take 3 months. My anitmony was unexpectedly in the high moderate rate... maybe due to the cigarettes but it is in the mental alloys I deal with at work, same with lead and tin (which I expected from Stained Glass solder and lead came). My silver was also slightly higher than the norm possible due to my expossure to melting colored glass in glass beadmaking.
Overall my toxic element burden is very high. I must be more careful and its a darn good thing I quit smoking. The naturopath said some individuals just have more trouble with some metals than others and I don't seem to be able to process (get rid off) the arsenic as well as others might. I am still considering getting my water at work and home tested just to be safe... but its not cheap to have done. Its $125 CND for each location I need tested. Can't decide if its nescesary or if I should just assume its the smoking.
My food allergy panel was very interesting and its gonna help me a lot.
Really bad dairy senstivity (casein) (even goats milk - phooy), as well as off the chart bad egg sensitivity. I also a little senstivie to wheat and gluten. Likely I won't be able to eat milk or eggs ever again. The wheat and gluten I may be able to add back at some point.
Other things that came up high (avoid):
-Green Beans - of all things... it has to be my favorite cooked veggie
-Kidney beans - no loss there - I hate them anyways
-Mushrooms - too bad... I will miss my mushrooms in spagetti sauce.
Other moderate items - (avoid for now):
-Tree nuts - almond, peanuts, pecan, walnuts etc
-Avacado - double phooy - luv them on salad or with honey!!!
-Brocoli - my second favorite cooked veggie - RATS!
-Lemon - well not sure it I can really avoid lemon - not if want to eat fish. I think I'll let this one slide on occasion.
-tropical fruits - banana, papaya, pineapple etc.
-Lima Beans - the doc said maybe best to avoid the bean group entirely for a while. Peas and lentils still okay.
-Brewer's yeast - good thing I'm not a beer drinker! I usually go for the Bombay Saphire Gin - so I'm good there! I may have to avoid wine as they sometimes use wheat products or egg product in the "fining" process (clarifying agent).
So basically I can eat soy, rice, potatoes, corn for starches. I can eat all meats and seafood (as long as they are not breaded). Most veggies, some fruits and seeds. I can also eat the non-gluten grains as well. The sneaky wheat, eggs and dairy are the worst... all kinds of things have sneaky ingredients as thickening agents, or coloring or "flavour". I will have to do most of my own cooking to avoid them... if only someone else would clean up for me after the cooking! I need a maid.
I tried the Bob's Red Mill gluten free brownie's. They are awesome!!! I had to sub for the egg (vinegar, baking powder, vegan shortening).
I also found Van's gluten, egg, dairy free toaster waffles in the frozen organic food section of the grocery store! I can't believe I can eat these - blueberry waffles! Becel is my margrine of choice already and they are now doing a VEGAN version - yippy! Kinnikinnick's brown rice bread isn't bad toasted with jam either!
Man I am so glad that I'm trying this now versus 20 years ago... there is so much more available in packaged foods than there used to be. Let's face it even without RA, eating without dairy, eggs and gluten is a real chore... with RA it makes it really hard. I don't have the stamina to cook 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.. even if I make alot of it in advance its still too much.
I'm happy to eat my packaged toaster waffles in the morning and *&$#@ cooking breakfast. I do hope all this effort is worth it... I suspect it will be.
Allergy Panel - description of test
http://meridianvalleylab.com/food-allergy-testing/basic-foods-e-panel/
Hair Elements Test - description of test
http://www.doctorsdata.com/test_info.asp?id=1
I have really high levels of arsenic in my hair -above the 95th percentile. I've never been on well water -always city water which is supposed to be some of the best in the world (British Columbia, Canada). I did smoke cigaretes for 20 years - but I'm still surprized by the level.
She's given me a homepathic chelation drops to take in the morning. I increase the dose each week until the bottle is gone. Could take 3 months. My anitmony was unexpectedly in the high moderate rate... maybe due to the cigarettes but it is in the mental alloys I deal with at work, same with lead and tin (which I expected from Stained Glass solder and lead came). My silver was also slightly higher than the norm possible due to my expossure to melting colored glass in glass beadmaking.
Overall my toxic element burden is very high. I must be more careful and its a darn good thing I quit smoking. The naturopath said some individuals just have more trouble with some metals than others and I don't seem to be able to process (get rid off) the arsenic as well as others might. I am still considering getting my water at work and home tested just to be safe... but its not cheap to have done. Its $125 CND for each location I need tested. Can't decide if its nescesary or if I should just assume its the smoking.
My food allergy panel was very interesting and its gonna help me a lot.
Really bad dairy senstivity (casein) (even goats milk - phooy), as well as off the chart bad egg sensitivity. I also a little senstivie to wheat and gluten. Likely I won't be able to eat milk or eggs ever again. The wheat and gluten I may be able to add back at some point.
Other things that came up high (avoid):
-Green Beans - of all things... it has to be my favorite cooked veggie
-Kidney beans - no loss there - I hate them anyways
-Mushrooms - too bad... I will miss my mushrooms in spagetti sauce.
Other moderate items - (avoid for now):
-Tree nuts - almond, peanuts, pecan, walnuts etc
-Avacado - double phooy - luv them on salad or with honey!!!
-Brocoli - my second favorite cooked veggie - RATS!
-Lemon - well not sure it I can really avoid lemon - not if want to eat fish. I think I'll let this one slide on occasion.
-tropical fruits - banana, papaya, pineapple etc.
-Lima Beans - the doc said maybe best to avoid the bean group entirely for a while. Peas and lentils still okay.
-Brewer's yeast - good thing I'm not a beer drinker! I usually go for the Bombay Saphire Gin - so I'm good there! I may have to avoid wine as they sometimes use wheat products or egg product in the "fining" process (clarifying agent).
So basically I can eat soy, rice, potatoes, corn for starches. I can eat all meats and seafood (as long as they are not breaded). Most veggies, some fruits and seeds. I can also eat the non-gluten grains as well. The sneaky wheat, eggs and dairy are the worst... all kinds of things have sneaky ingredients as thickening agents, or coloring or "flavour". I will have to do most of my own cooking to avoid them... if only someone else would clean up for me after the cooking! I need a maid.
I tried the Bob's Red Mill gluten free brownie's. They are awesome!!! I had to sub for the egg (vinegar, baking powder, vegan shortening).
I also found Van's gluten, egg, dairy free toaster waffles in the frozen organic food section of the grocery store! I can't believe I can eat these - blueberry waffles! Becel is my margrine of choice already and they are now doing a VEGAN version - yippy! Kinnikinnick's brown rice bread isn't bad toasted with jam either!
Man I am so glad that I'm trying this now versus 20 years ago... there is so much more available in packaged foods than there used to be. Let's face it even without RA, eating without dairy, eggs and gluten is a real chore... with RA it makes it really hard. I don't have the stamina to cook 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.. even if I make alot of it in advance its still too much.
I'm happy to eat my packaged toaster waffles in the morning and *&$#@ cooking breakfast. I do hope all this effort is worth it... I suspect it will be.
I just took a blood test for celiac (gluten allergy..)(I put up another topic `something interesting to think about...`) about it the other day.
My mom found out she was celiac this year, and used to have joint pain in her thumbs, and big toes. Now that she`s off of gluten she has no more pain.
My brother also found out that he has celiac... hence why I got tested as well. It would be wonderful to have some relief just by eliminating gluten and not having to take drugs.
My tests showed only food "sensitivities" not real "allergy" levels. I did actually have a gluten test done a couple months before this however I found out later that being on immune suppressing medication would likely result in a false negative anyways.
I am finding it easier to avoid dairy and eggs... man no gluten sucks!
The naturopath forgot I was a smoker so when I asked her about it later she said the Arsenic is definately from the smoking.
{{{hugs}}}
I'm also high on some weird ones: garlic (tough to avoid!), flax (which is good to know as I was taking a lot of flax oil to help inflammation), and brewer's yeast (but was off alcohol thx to MTX) Totally hear you on good choices for food these days vs. 10 years ago. I just found an awesome gluten free / vegan chocolate cake which is subbing in nicely whenever I need dessert!
Good luck - I hope things get better, pls keep me posted on your progress.
achymom
Wow, that's quite a surprise! You have quite a few allergies! I haven't had mine tested since I was a kid...very different results than yours and not as many! What a bummer!
I wish you the best of luck with your new avoidances and I hope it makes all the difference!
hugs,
Sarah