Trying to cut out inflammatory foods

[Faith1989]

So.. this week I have decided to start TRYING to cut out foods that promote inflammation. Examples include: sugar, yogert, wheat ect. It's really hard because obviously you must cut it out for a long period of time before you can decide whether it has an effect on you or not. Plus I LOVE wheat and do eat alot of it. I'm currently reading the book "Wheat Belly" to try and give me some encouragement! I'm already pretty thin so I don't want to end up losing weight but a lot of anti-inflammatory foods are also considered "diet" foods. I think it's important to think "what is this doing to my eyes?" before putting it in your mouth, you may decide not to eat it if you do! (I know I would) Eating foods that promote inflammation to me, just arent worth eating. It's hard to think about it because sometimes I think like "great, now I can't eat anything good, in addition to things I can no longer enjoy due to my ocular rosea" But, at least it will help clear up my eyes and skin, and to me that's worth fighting for!!!!! Can ppl please post on here what promotes inflammation to them?? For me sugar is a big one.

[eye_allergy-kids]

hi faith1989

Try this link read all articles and links . it will be helpful

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...stomach-linked

[Rebecca Petris]

I don't really know what specifically promotes inflammation for me, but I know what foods my body is just not happy with. (Doesn't make me want them less, unfortunately!) You know what helps me? The more information I have about the way commercial foods are grown/raised in this country, the less I want to go anywhere near them, and that includes a lot of things on common anti-inflammatory lists. There's a classic line from the documentary "Food, Inc" where the narrator describes the vast majority of packaged foods in grocery stores as an illusion of variety disguising the fact that they are all really just "clever rearrangments of corn and soybeans". Also I re-read the section on potatoes in Michael Pollen's "The Botany of Desire" (fascinating little book). Ugh. The interview with an Idaho potato farmer who described how many toxic chemicals they had to saturate their fields/plants with made me never want to eat a potato I didn't grow myself.

What kinds of wheat-based foods do you like eating most? Wonder if there might be some good substitutes. Do you bake? For me Pamela's mix has been great... in fact a member here put me onto that.... I get 3 4lb bags on Amazon dirt cheap (doing a quarterly ship). In most baking (except, of course, bread) I actually like that stuff better than wheat... For example I'll make banana bread with Pamela's instead of wheat and honey instead of sugar and it's to die for.

[lynnwiggers]

You can read The Inflammation-Free Diet Plan by Monica Reinagel and learn about what actually promotes inflammation and calculate inflammation factors from http://nutritiondata.self.com/. I was eating very close to the plan when I had my second RCE episode that lasted four months, so I'm very convinced that in my case that is not a solution.

[PotatoCakes]

I have heard that night shade veggies can be problematic. I haven't tried eliminating them yet but will probably do so eventually. It's tough for me because tomatoes and potatoes (2 of my very favorites) are on the list. Sigh.

More info on nightshade http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62

[Lacrima]

sorry, made a mistake with posting, please see my comment below.

[Lacrima]

Interesting topic.. As well as cutting out dairy, sugar and gluten (almost completely), I have been trying to cut out inflammatory foods- but wasn't sure where to start. Thanks for mentioning Monica Reinagel. After looking her up I found her book's website:

www.inflammationfactor.com. It lists all vegetables and types of foods' inflammatory factor- very useful.

In the FAQ section, it emphasises that nightshades don't really need to be avoided unless the person has solanine sensitivity.

Like potatocakes I was worried about nightshades but I might try and find out if I have solanine sensitivity first, before going ahead and cutting out some of my favourite nightshades.

[farmgirl]

Perhaps it would be a good idea, besides cutting out the obvious like sugar, to have some allergy and food sensitivity testing done. As a rule any food that gives us a true allergy we usually avoid as the allergy is usually noticable in a very short time like hives or bloating or gas. Food sensitivities on the other hand can well be foods that appear to be tolerated but at a cellular level cause us problems. I recently had food sensitivity testing done because gluten is suspect in almost all autoimmune conditions. As a result if you are avoiding gluten we often turn to rice as an alternative grain. Well to my surprise, although I have Sjogren's wheat, no problem rice big problem. It was the thing I reacted to the most...go figure. Other grains were spelt and buckwheat. Add to the list cinnamon, dill, watermelon, almonds, pecans, cod, shrimp etc. and now I don't have to guess. Rather than guessing I advise spending the $$$ to get tested properly.

There is a lab in one of the Carolinas, can't remember if it is N or S but I don't advise using them as I had a bad experience with my son when we used this lab years ago but Signet Diagnostic in Fl did these latest tests and I trust the results.

Good luck with finding those triggers, if it doesn't cure your dry eye you are sure to feel better regardless...cheers...F/G

[littlemermaid]

What reaction do they actually test for, Farmgirl? How do they test for food/chemical sensitivities? I'm really struggling with this. The food/flareup diary is helping us but not enough detail. Rice not wheat - who'd've thought? Signet look like radiology?

[farmgirl]

Technically I am not sure, the test is done with blood I know that, but there is a number here you can call and ask. 561-848-7111. The test I had done was only for sensitivities, not allergies - apparently that is something different. Scratch tests maybe??? I wasn't worried about allergies because anything that gives me immediate grief I avoid. Coffee and mushrooms are the only things that give me any grief at all and those are easy to avoid. Many of the things I was reactive to like almonds and pecans are things I eat on a very (almost daily) basis and I have no problems with my gut whatsoever. Those reactions were mild and I can reintroduce them slowly after 3 months...but rice???? that was a shocker.

[spmcc]

CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) printed an article in March 2012 entitled "Blood testing for sensitivity, allergy or intolerance to food" by Elana Lavine MD.

Here are some excerpts (I hope I'm allowed to do this!):

What is tested in blood assays for food sensitivity?

In testing for food sensitivity, drawn blood is exposed in vitro to a panel of foods and food components. The degree of total immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody binding to each food is quantified via enzyme- or fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assays. Alternatively, IgG subclass 4 (IgG4) binding may be measured in lieu of total IgG. Results of testing for food sensitivity may be reported to patients as a multipage document that itemizes foods by category. For example, under “dairy” may be listed cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and so on. This is inconsistent with current understanding of food allergy, which has identified substantial allergenic components of cows’ milk, for example, casein or β-lactoglobulin, in contrast to making distinctions between types of cheese made from cows’ milk.

Large numbers of foods are tested, many of which are ubiquitous, difficult to avoid or very rarely documented as food allergens (e.g., sugar, yeast). The degree of “sensitivity” or “allergy” is graded by a classification scale pertaining to the photometric measurement of the degree of IgG binding to each food.

That's just the beginning of the article. I'd like to post the entirety, but I don't think I'm allowed.

If you want to read some news reports about the article, see here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...rgy-tests.html

http://drelainechin.com/dr-chins-blo...ime-and-money/

[farmgirl]

HI spmcc: I tried to access that article but you needed to be a member of CMAJ. You obviously have some ins that I don't are you a medical Doctor?...F/G

[spmcc]

No, I'm not a medical doctor. My area is epidemiology and I'm affiliated with a university which allows me access to medical (and other) journals.

I'll PM you.

[littlemermaid]

We are getting rosacea flareups eg premenstrual, under stress, with a virus, as well as some foods, and eye inflammation and intracranial hypertension with tiredness, and incapacitating intracranial hypertension with eg exam stress, plus some unidentified bowel cramping. So there's some inflammatory switches being flicked there but it's not just food.

You guys posting on autoimmune disorder is very interesting http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...mune#post73721

Faith, I'm thinking chemical sensitivities and probably allergens causing inflammation round the eyes is a big one for us. But definitely sugar and fats for the skin and resulting mgd (oils seem to be good). Gluten-free has been better although we think yeast might be a problem (as Rebecca says, gluten-free flours are delicious). It'll be different for people eg SAAG does well on meat but we're having to minimise red meat to 1/wk and eat more oily fish. Sometimes it's things we've had too much of - eg someone told me her son's acne rosacea triggers were orange juice, bananas and strawberries - if he avoided them his rosacea cleared - so it's personal. She will come home from school with the skin flared up and it will be clear by evening. Very interesting. I'm suspecting those horrible 'health' fruit juice drinks with additives from the vending machines.

[eye_allergy-kids]

try a google search "why we have to eat alkaline food"

[bakunin]

I know eye_allergy_kids son got much improvemkent (almost cured) only by diet.

Did anyone else who tried a diet get cured or have a impressive improvement?

I would be glad to know what was the result for people on this thread/board.

Like Faith1989 i'm very thin and i'm afraid of losing a weight that I can't. I'm a vegeratian for 16 years, but I eat a lot of wheat and glutem. I intend to saart in the next weeksn a diet as natural as possible: no dairy, no glutem or wheat and only raw food, organic if possible. I think I don't have many other options remaining than trying a improvement by nutrition.

[spmcc]

Hi bakunin,

I know you're informed on nutrition, but keep in mind that a diet devoid of wheat/gluten is low in fiber. So unless you have Celiac Disease, a gluten-free diet can be harmful.

Anyway, if you are going to go gluten-free, please ask your doctor how you can get proper fiber in your diet.

Also, I've read that the top inflammatory foods are sugar, salt, and trans fats.

All the best.

[bakunin]

Hi bakunin,

I know you're informed on nutrition, but keep in mind that a diet devoid of wheat/gluten is low in fiber. So unless you have Celiac Disease, a gluten-free diet can be harmful.

Anyway, if you are going to go gluten-free, please ask your doctor how you can get proper fiber in your diet.

Also, I've read that the top inflammatory foods are sugar, salt, and trans fats.

All the best.

Thank you spmcc!

I'm not that informed on nutrition. So any advice is very welcome. Before I start a new diet i will go to a nutritionist.

This site left me confused about anti-inflammatory diet: http://www.inflammationfactor.com/
The majority of foods are inflammatory . I thought wheat was much more inflammatory than appears there.

Anyway, I need to stay positive on this new trial.

[Blinks]

Dr. Weil has an anti-inflammatory diet pyramid. He's an MD and heads up the integrative medicine center in Arizona. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/PAG00361...d-pyramid.html
Trying to avoid all processed food is a challenge, especially high sodium, sugar, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and high fat foods. I have a sweet tooth so dialing down the sugar with stevia as a substitute has been helpful.

[bakunin]

Dr. Weil has an anti-inflammatory diet pyramid. He's an MD and heads up the integrative medicine center in Arizona. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/PAG00361...d-pyramid.html
Trying to avoid all processed food is a challenge, especially high sodium, sugar, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and high fat foods. I have a sweet tooth so dialing down the sugar with stevia as a substitute has been helpful.

Thanks Blinks!

What makes me a bit pessimistic about anti-inflammatory diet in my case is that I think I already have a anti-inflammatory diet: vegetarian, very few dairy, i don't even have sugar at home; don't drink coffe or alcohol; very few fried foods, and for 7 months I took omega 3, and for the past months i'm drinhking organic green tea caffeine-free. I eat a lot of cookies, crackers and pasta. I'm inclined to blame wheat and gluten, or the chemicals in the processed food... or I have some problem in the digestive system.. or my eyes problem has really nothing to do with nutrition

[MeibomianGlandman]

Inflammation in the eyes can be caused by these few things

1. Dryness, either lack of meibum Oil from meibomian glands that causes tears to evaporate or Lack of Water from Lacimal glands that causes dryness.

2. Infection in the eyelids Ie; staphylococcus bacteria, streptococcus bacteria, p. acnes bacteria, Malassezia furfur Yeast, demodex folliculorum Mites, or herpes simplex virus.

3. Allergies/Chemical Sensitivities The immune system attacks non harmful substances causing inflammation, Ie. Allergies

4. Auto Immune Disorders, the immune system attacks the lacrimal glands in sjogren's syndrome.

What is the Solution?

Dryness? Artificial Tears, and Jojoba oil for the dry skin....They need to invent Jojoba Oil eye Drops in the future...could solve a lot of problems for MGD suffers.

Infection, This one more complicated. For bacteria, oral tetracycline, For Yeast...No solution at this time, for demodex, no solution at this time, for herpes, no solution at this time. That is in traditional medicine, in naturopathic medicine one can try probiotics, and garlic enteric coated capsules. Also improve the quality of water with out fluoride. However consult your doctor before doing this. As far as Food, Improving nutrition is good One Eye doc said that FISH OIL improves meibomian gland secretions and skin health.

As far as thinking the food that you digest in your intestine has anything to do with the health of your skin. I believe it does! A diet similar to a diabetic which REGULATES blood sugars could really improve skin health. Taking the right vitamins and minerals will improve health too.

Theory states that Fluoride in tap water leads to allergies, chemical sensitivities and auto immune disorders, that combined with harmful gut flora. Which normally is established by proper raw food diet. However due to today's processed, genetically modified foods, and the use of antibiotics and steroids for infections, these things can mess up said flora. Now don't get me wrong, antibiotics are good, and steroids are good in emergency's, but however, they have a negative effect on flora health. To improve flora health through diet try this.

Eat whole raw foods, Eat like a diabetic, regulating blood sugars, improve gut health with probiotics enteric coated for bad bacteria, Improve gut health with enteric coated Garlic capsules for the yeast that is. But if your intent is to change your Diet and improve your intestinal health make sure to drink water without fluoride.

But Before all of this!
Please! Be sure to ask your local physician for diagnostic test, in particular stool test. Such said test can determine if you need to improve your gut health. Sounds Silly and Crazy, but really your gut really has a lot do do with your skins health I couldn't believe how it was connected but it is. Its weird how your digestive systems heath and what you get from the food you eat can affect the health of the rest of your body.

Speaking of eating right Might be a good time, to inspect what you are putting down the hatch and start reading those Labels on the back of the boxes labeled Ingredients you might be surprised whats in there, some of it won't even sound like food to you :P Maybe time to pay attention to what you are breathing, time to put down that pack of cigarettes maybe even time to check the cleanliness of your bed or your clothes. And yes I said Bed...cuz you use it everyday...Who knows what germs might be lurking on that pillow?! or what said germs might be doing to your eyes every night when you go to sleep on that pillow. Might be time to check even what shampoo you are using?...Is it harming your head? If your head itches after you use it might be time to change to something less artificial. Even the soap you could be using could have something in it that could affect your skin, you would be amazed of all the funny words and ingredients you will learn about in your quest. Some of them you might come to learn that some ingredients that we are using everyday are toxic and then you will be wondering...hmm I wonder why they put that in there?...That don't make any since at all? anyway, Let me know what you all find in your Diet Quests.

Because I believe its what we, Drink, Breathe and use and eat everyday
that all Said things lead to skin disorders, which is the basis of Dry eye.

Hope this helps...Let me know what you all find in your discoveries.

[eye_allergy-kids]

Hi MeibomianGlandman

in particular stool test. Such said test can determine if you need to improve your gut health. Sounds Silly and Crazy, but really your gut really has a lot do do with your skins health I couldn't believe how it was connected but it is.

gut cleanning technique is ENIMA and fasting. If you know these two tech properly no need of stool test because all the rubbish in gut, comes out after some time after that I don't think anybody need any tests. Most of the problems vanish. Only thing is should not add any rubbish after cleanning.

If one takes a stool test today and take a test few days after taking enema it will be total different results.

[bakunin]

Hi MeibomianGlandman



gut cleanning technique is ENIMA and fasting. If you know these two tech properly no need of stool test because all the rubbish in gut, comes out after some time after that I don't think anybody need any tests. Most of the problems vanish. Only thing is should not add any rubbish after cleanning.

If one takes a stool test today and take a test few days after taking enema it will be total different results.

Hi MeibomianGlandman



gut cleanning technique is ENIMA and fasting. If you know these two tech properly no need of stool test because all the rubbish in gut, comes out after some time after that I don't think anybody need any tests. Most of the problems vanish. Only thing is should not add any rubbish after cleanning.

If one takes a stool test today and take a test few days after taking enema it will be total different results.

eye_allergy_kids,

But the Enema cleans the bowel from the bad and the good bacteria, doesn't it?
The stool test is to know how is the flora. Is you do Enema you will not know how it is , which bacterias you need, which are causing harm...

I think stool test is an instrument we have to make a proper diagnosis and help with a proper diet.

[MeibomianGlandman]

Hi MeibomianGlandman



gut cleanning technique is ENIMA and fasting. If you know these two tech properly no need of stool test because all the rubbish in gut, comes out after some time after that I don't think anybody need any tests. Most of the problems vanish. Only thing is should not add any rubbish after cleanning.

If one takes a stool test today and take a test few days after taking enema it will be total different results.

I have heard from many Experts to, Never Ever do ENIMA's that they can damage the mucosa lining of the intestines, Leave the intestines open for infection. That goes for laxatives too I Used to have I.B.S that is, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I believe I have the cause nailed down, Fluoride in the tap water.

As far as fasting technique, I have never heard about this, Whats this about fasting?

Now you are right about raw foods, Though Food for thought I have heard that Taking whole raw foods and Juicing them is a way to do wonders for your intestinal health and including the rest of your body. They say that juicing retains all the fiber and nutrients of the vegetable or fruit you use, and its easier to get down, for some of you out there who hate eating vegetables. But the catch is you got to drink the juice when its freshly made, Its a good thing to add to your diet when your sick or injured I know it helps A lot, and besides its Tasty, way better than soda.

I know that stool tests diagnostically speaking can tell your doctor a whole host of things as to whats going on with your body! the reason why I stated that its important, because blood diagnostic tests can only go so far. Now if its a skin disorder most of the times dermatologists normally do cultures with a scalpel to figure out whats going on but when the disease in in the eyelids, this test is impossible. The only real way to see if there's a skin problem going on in the eyelids, is to check the gut. Trust me, you would be surprised how the Intestinal health is connected to the skin. I believe it all has to do with blood sugars...regulation of them. I have heard from many Doctors now who are starting to agree with the the studies that have been done about how the intestinal flora is a huge part of the immune system, In fact look up Dr. Oz who has hit on this growing consensus.

[eye_allergy-kids]

Hi MeibomianGlandman

I have heard from many Experts to, Never Ever do ENIMA's that they can damage the mucosa lining of the intestines, Leave the intestines open for infection. That goes for laxatives too I Used to have I.B.S that is, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I believe I have the cause nailed down, Fluoride in the tap water.

If you ask any allopathy doctor (MD) they will surely never let you to go for enema.If you do that they will lose lot of money...I will recomend only drinking water enema. the liquid you use for enema should be the water you drink. Drinking water enema not going to affect intestinal flora.

read this complete thread and all the links fully you will learn a lot

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...pathy-Ayurveda

Trust me, you would be surprised how the Intestinal health is connected to the skin.

I agree with you above quote. But one correction. If intestial health is bad your liver, kidney,pancreas, spleen and all stomach organs get glogged or .. something happens(this gives different systoms for each person for the same problem). then eyes, skin, knee pain all sorts of trouble starts. liver damage creates lot of problems in eye and skin. This why Ayurveda medicine say to take enema first. (may be Chinese medicine also)

For your Irritable Bowel Syndrome take Ash Gourd, Bottle Gourd raw with seeds (remove skin) for three or four days, Enema , avoid all oil food, take lot of raw fruits it will go off. people say Ash Gourd seeds have some % omega 3.

This link gives some idea about enema and fasting.

http://naturalhealthtechniques.com/h...quesenemas.htm

regarding stool test

All tests are to find what is in there but to my knowledge no tests has done to find what causes it. (I wish to remove all the rubbish inside and then to do a stool test) So I nowadays have less beleif in these tests. Once you clean your gut first and then we can add all probiotics stuff. Raw fruits(natural not hybrid) and veges, nuts with no pesticide no fertilisers have more probiotics stuffs. If you take antibacterial drugs you kill all probiotic. Then how can recultivate it?