MRT Results-very puzzling

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:21 am

As promised, the people at Oxford/Signet Labs e-mailed my results of the MRT test this morning. I am very puzzled by a few things. I have very few Red reactive items and show non-reactive to wheat and to soy. Why in the world would my wheat measurment be green and 11.1% and soy 3.7%? The Red reactives are: goat's milk, whey (biggest reaction), cocoa

, carrot, amaranth, kamut, crab. By far, the most reactive is whey but cow's milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese are non-reactive. There are an awful lot of moderately reactive and chicken is way up there along with some other things that I eat very regularly: blueberry, chicken, coffee, corn, mint, tapioca, tea (!), walnuts.

From reading some other posts about the MRT I understand that some of the results are very puzzling. I've been eating the Morning Glory Muffins every day and they are loaded with carrots and walnuts. I have no reaction to them at all. This is going to take some time to digest and figure out what to do with the gallon of frozen chicken/leek/carrot soup, frozen portions of chicken thighs etc. Perhaps I've been eating too much chicken, too often and that drove up the reaction?

My biggest question is why wheat and soy are non-reactive? I also tested positive to eggs according to Entero Lab and eggs are also non-reactive.

Now I understand why people are so confused by MRT results.

Thanks for any input anyone can give regarding these crazy results.

Sheila W

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:39 am

From my limited knowledge, since I haven't done MRT, I think it's the difference between an IgA (gut) reaction and an IgE (blood/allergy) reaction.

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:01 am

I think you're right, Marliss. I've been reading the booklet, which I should have done before posting

and found that explanation. The reaction to gluten and soy is digestive. Whey is also digestive and I've known that I have problems with dairy for a long time but it also comes up in blood reaction. I would love to be able to eat eggs again and they are green on the MRT but show up on Entero lab tests. I'll have to slog it out and expect this process to take months and months to get through. I know it will be worth it in the end, should I live long enough.

I'm one of those people who usually reads the directions after trying to do something. Duh!

Sheila W

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:25 pm

Sheila,

Neither Enterolab or MRT is a test for IgE allergies. Enterolab measures secretory IgA. MRT measures inflammatory mediators like prostaglandins, interleukins, cytokines etc. No one test can capture all the different types of reactions we can get from food.

While diarrhea may be your most troublesome symptom, the release of inflammatory mediators can have far reaching effects (headaches, GERD, swelling, constitutional symptoms etc). I have had clients get releif from rosacea, behavioral symptoms (ADHD), arthritis, rashes, insomnia etc, so don't just look at diarrhea as the sole marker for your inflammation. Also, keep in mind that reactions are usually delayed responses (4-72 hours), so something you ate 2-3 days ago could cause a symptom. Additonally, sometimes we need to look at "dose response", meaning a small amount is OK but a large amount is not. My son can eat a few corn chips without incident but a bowl of popcorn and he gets explosive diarrhea 24 hours later (red reactive to corn). We must also look at the cumulative effect of reactive foods. Eat one yellow item and you may not feel so bad, but eat 4 or 5 reactive items and you may notice it. I recently had an MC client who tempted fate and ate a bunch of yellow reactive foods and triggered a flare. IOW, if you still have D, your muffins may not be as safe as you think they are.

If you are working with a dietitian I encourage you to stick with Phase 1 for 7-10 days. It is very restrictive (as an elimination diet should be) with the intent of getting symptoms undetr control, and then testing foods one by one.

Good luck getting started.

Mary Beth

Post by **tex** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:44 pm

Sheila,

The bottom line is, the EnteroLab results trump any other food sensitivity tests. The MRT is notorious for missing the major food sensitivities. The MRT results are most beneficial for tracking down lesser food sensitivities.

So to prioritize all your test results, the EneroLab results rank number 1, and the MRT results should be ignored for any foods that show a positive result on your EnteroLab tests.

For any foods that showed a negative EnteroLab result, the MRT results should be carefully tested, one food at a time, for tolerance. Nothing is chiseled in stone, with the MRT results -- trial and error testing is always necessary.

That's just my opinion, FWIW.

Tex

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:48 pm

Hi Mary Beth,

Helpful explanation even for those of us who have not done MRT. Brandy

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:52 pm

Thanks Mary Beth and Tex. Mary Beth, your explanation is what I needed to know. The woman I worked with at Oxford/Signet Lab told me that she didn't think I needed to work with a dietician if I followed her instructions. She also said to take it very slow and add only one food at a time. She explained that it was important to note what "family" a specific red or yellow item was in and then be very careful with other food items in that same "family". She did say that I should contact them for a dietician if I have problems. That leaves open the question of a dietician who is familiar with MC. The people at the lab didn't want to hear about MC and called it colitis.

At first I thought I was out of luck with the Morning Glory/Paleo muffins but I think I can substitute pumpkin or bananas for the carrots. I'm going to try a batch tomorrow using pumpkin. I can't keep losing weight and with the new restrictions I am at a bit of a loss. I know I can work it out and it will take time. How in the world I'm going to wake up in the morning without tea or coffee is a mystery. Drinking a coke for breakfast isn't very appetizing.

It is what it is and I just have to suck it up and move on.

As always, thank you for the information and the help understanding MRT. :bigbighug:

Sheila W

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:01 pm

Hi Sheila,

I made batch #3 of the morning glories today and I think the recipe lends itself to substitutions. Keep us posted on how the pumpkin sub goes.

Zuchini might work as a carrot substititution but I don't know how you scored on zuchini.

Can you sub green tea for coffee/tea?

Brandy

wonderwoman · Post by **wonderwoman** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:14 pm

How in the world I'm going to wake up in the morning without tea or coffee is a mystery.

On my MRT results, coffee was a yellow also and I felt the same way. I gave up my decaf coffee and don't even miss it. I don't like unsweetened tea so no tea for me either.

In the beginning I heated unsweetened diluted apple juice for something to drink in the morning.

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:05 pm

Necessity is the mother of invention and I had to improvise on this batch of Paleo Muffins. After shopping at both Costco and Publix Greenwise, I unloaded, put everything away and began the muffins. Forgot to buy almond flour.

I've got all the ingredients layed out, oven preheating and so decided to improvise. These aren't technically paleo because I used some sweet rice flour in addition to the scant 2 cups of almond flour I had on hand. I think I could have used coconut flour and may try that next time. I decided to take Leah's suggestion and make the muffins with shredded zucchini. The texture is similar to shredded carrot and the taste is neutral. The muffins do have a tendency to crumble so I added a scant 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum, again not paleo, and the muffins are good and do hold together. I had added chopped walnuts to my first batches but can no longer have walnuts or pecans. I added chopped pistachios and they work great. They need something to pop the flavor and I'm thinking either additional cinnamon or other spices might be good. I think the addition of 1/2 C of either sweet rice or coconut flour will improve the texture of the muffins and the tiny bit of xanthan gum helped to keep them together.

Now to make Gloria's turkey sausage.

The big turkey I bought has to defrost before I can make it and the necessary turkey broth that I need. Commercial turkey broth is made with carrots unfortunately. I just can't imagine making endless turkeys just to get the carcass so I can make turkey broth. I think I'll speak to the butcher at Publix and find out if there is a way to get bones from him. Back to the kitchen.

Sheila W

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:24 pm

Sheila,

I eat turkey broth every three days, usin one cup for my soup. At that rate, a turkey carcass will make enough broth for 2-3 months. I can it, which requires some time, equipment and effort, but it can also be frozen.

I've also purchased wings and legs from a local store and used that for the broth. The nice thing about a whole turkey is that you get the more flavorful juices from baking it and can add that to the carcass broth.

Gloria

mickjcat · Post by **mickjcat** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:32 am

Here is my question, I noticed that everyone who has had the Enterolab testing is sensitive to gluten, soy, dairy as the first and foremost intolerance's.
Does this mean that the majority of people generally are sensitive to these foods? Also, did eating these foods cause the colitis?
Or do they just aggravate it?
I have had the Genova testing and it did not have any of those foods that I was sensitive to, and on the left, you can see their findings. Just wondering....I am not eating any gluten products, soy, a little dairy, half and half in the morning. I know that the Genova blood testing is not the preferred test that you like.
Did your doctors tell you what they think may have caused your colitis? Mine seem to agree that it was overuse of NSAIDS.
I am a how come kind of a gal, so noticing that everyone seems to have the same food sensitivities perks up my interest.
In the end, I know we all have an inflammatory bowel and need to keep the inflammation down, and I know food is a huge trigger. It is just the amount of folks that are sensitive to the above mention that gives me pause....

Post by **tex** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:34 pm

According to research, when the genes that predispose to MC are triggered, for most people, the genes that predispose to food sensitivities are also triggered at the same time. A few people who have drug-induced MC are able to attain remission simply by discontinuing the use of the drug that triggered their MC. According to Dr. Fine's research, approximately 67% of those who have MC are sensitive to gluten. On this board, however, since we probably see the worst cases (the ones where the doctors are unable to help), probably around 95% of us are sensitive to gluten, and roughly 85% or better of us are sensitive to casein. At least half of us are also sensitive to soy.

Most of the blood and skin tests are not of much value for the type of sensitivities that we have, because our reactions are in our intestines, and the antibodies don't show up in the blood or skin. The antibodies can be easily found by ELISA tests for IgA antibodies in stool, (such as the tests offered by EnteroLab), and they can also be found by intestinal biopsy, but that method is only used by researchers, since collecting the biopsy samples is such an expensive and intrusive project.

These foods trigger autoimmune reactions, so just minimizing them in the diet does little good -- they have to be avoided 100%, even trace amounts in vitamin supplements, etc.

Tex

mickjcat · Post by **mickjcat** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:01 pm

Thanks Tex,
I just noticed a pattern.....you are a kind person for such personalize responses. I appreciate your care.
I am currently making chicken broth and rice, taking it easy.....

Oh, I have a site question, I have tried to put my profile picture on and it doesn't seem to take, the jpeg size is within the limits....any tricks?

Post by **tex** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:28 pm

mickjcat wrote:I am currently making chicken broth and rice, taking it easy.....

That was a staple for me for many a day when I was recovering.

mickjcat wrote:Oh, I have a site question, I have tried to put my profile picture on and it doesn't seem to take, the jpeg size is within the limits....any tricks?

Usually, if you get the file size to below 6 KB, the system will take it, though sometimes if insists on limiting the pixel size to 80 pixels on each dimension.

If you can't get it to cooperate, just e-mail an image file to me and I'll be happy to convert it into an avatar and upload it. I can usually force it to accept an image file if the discrepancy is not too substantial. You can send me an e-mail by clicking on the e-mail button at the bottom of this post.

Sorry that the system is being cantankerous.

Tex