Food coloring

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:00 pm

I am investigating something...has anyone had a reaction to commercial food colorings (yellow #5, etc.)? Trying to find a common denominator in a couple of things I've reacted to lately that didn't seem to have any other obvious triggers...

"If the hat fits..."

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:13 pm

Oh, yes! (Zizzle's daughter, for one - you can find that thread on a search.)

But many people react (wouldn't you think the food manufacturers would care more about that than about how intensely colorful they can make the stuff? That's what *I* would think, but I would be wrong!).

Sorry you got sneak-attacked,

Sara

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:24 pm

Yep. On MRT I tested reactive for yellow #5, red#40, and green #3..

Hugs,

Polly

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:10 pm

Even before I was diagnosis with MC I had problems with certain dyes (yellow #5 and red#3,5 and 40). Dyes are in almost everything so be careful!

Best of health,
Robin

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:15 pm

Yes, I reacted on the MRT test to red #4, red #40, yellow #6 and blue #1. What I don't understand is why they add food coloring to pills. It's not like you can make them appetizing with the additional color. Even Imodium has food dye. Sigh.

Gloria

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:54 am

I also react to red and yellow.

Maggie

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:11 am

Ugh--one more thing to add to the label reading. Also confirmation that, though my system seems to be healing, I will always have to watch what I eat. Just the little I ate yesterday was enough to swell me up like a balloon, and today I have Slippery Norman (does anyone else get these??) and am a bit nauseated.

Funny--my observant 13-year-old picked up on a reaction before I did. Sunday night she looked at me and asked me if I was swelling up again. I hadn't noticed it yet because I wasn't cramping, but sure enough, I looked like I was about 5 months pregnant!

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:12 am

My daughter and my MIL react to Yellow #5, Tartrazine. I think it's the most reactive of the artificial dyes. Many people react to the natural yellow/orange colors of annato (achiote) too. There was an earlier thread about this.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:58 am

I agree, Gloria, about the pills. I am turning into quite a crank - I'm eating almost no processed/packaged/convenience food of any kind, and other than those occasional hideous pink Pepto pills, no medications, either. I just realized that I need to take two of our cats to the vet, instead of toughing it out at home - which is what I would do for myself.

(Somehow they got out and got into a fight with - hard to say what beast, but one has a nasty gash and is still limping, and the other is still suffering through hot compresses and neosporin for a bite wound to the head...)

It is amazing, the many forms of non-food we have been trained to consume - and pay good money for.

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:19 pm

Sara,

Ouch - I hope your cats will be OK. It must have been quite a fight.

Gloria

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:03 am

Thanks, Gloria!

They're doing much better. Our vet says nothing messes up a cat like another cat - and cats don't look at another cat with sensible caution, the way they might give a raccoon a wide berth.

I wish my doctor were more like our vet. Open, light-hearted focused on what's important... no pooh-poohing our concerns, nor overreacting. He felt we'd taken reasonable measures before hauling them in; he gave us choices about the vax - we opted for the rabies and distemper vaccines, since they're such escape artists. We will redouble our efforts to enforce the "indoor cats" rule, but...

We had given some antibiotic we happened to have on hand (which we shouldn't have - of course we were supposed to use it all up on the last incident), and hot compresses and neosporin, which he says is exactly what he would have done. (And as there's no fever, we'll probably 'bank' the last few doses of this antibiotic against some future event. I hate to use them at all, but when they're necessary, sooner is better.)

--Sara

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:17 pm

Sara....So sorry to hear about your cats! Its funny, my girlfriend who as 4 dogs just told me a simular story about 2 of her dogs. I was at her house this afternoon and one of them is in a body stocking....he was so cute! I am a huge animal lover...sometimes I tell my boys I should of had only pets....they are much easier to take care of. I have an African grey and an Amazon. They got in to a fight about a year ago...they were ok (according to my vet)...but i was devastated!

I hope your cats get better very soon!

Hugs
Robin

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:39 pm

Thanks, Robin!

I had no idea an African grey and an Amazon would get into a fight! (Actually we had a minor twit-match in the dog-park this morning - my husband and I wound up separating everybody, while the other owners... oh, we may as well forgive them, they're probably gluten-challenged, but SHEESH - 2 other guys, 3 other dogs, where's the management?? No harm done, but, DUDES, if we can do this before coffee, you need to step up!)

One thing about pets/kids... a few years ago we were eating and early dinner at an outside table, in a local restaurant, and the skies just opened with pouring rain! The only other couple outside grabbed their baby and ran inside, and held the door open for us. But, of course... you can't take your pooch inside a restaurant (silly rules, I know - my dog is still hoping they'll get this straightened out, because he has been studying the menus!).

We had a great meal - the awning was out, there was an umbrella, the dog huddled under the table, and the staff ran between the raindrops in what turned out to be a very brief storm.

And today - the cats seem better than ever. In fact, the one that was most hurt was sitting by the back door, hoping we'd relent and let him out again. Not likely!

Hugs,
Sara

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:38 pm

Once again Sara you make me smile and laugh! You have such a great personality! GOD BLESS YOU! I cant wait to come on here at night to see all of your post! Even if I have nothing to comment on I love reading everything your right!

Hugs
Robin

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:19 pm

In my work with MRT I can tell you that sensitivities to food dyes are very common. Here is a good review of food dyes from CSPI

http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-ra ... -risks.pdf

Mary Beth