My MRT results...lots of yellows, no reds

[Zizzle]

I met with a new dietician last week to go over my MRT results. I was secretly hoping for a couple of blazing reds (a smoking gun) and the rest greens, but alas, I got tons of yellows (moderately reactive), tough yellows. She recommended eliminating all the yellows and even high greens for 3 months, then adding them back in one at a time. They/she think a period of elimination may be enough to retrain the T cells to not react to them. The report did not have info about which type of immune cells were reacting, which the new test was supposed to have as of last year, so she's looking into that. I suspect it'll all be my darned T-Lymphocytes!!

Here they are by category, from low to high:

CHEMICALS:
Candida Albicans (the dietician recommends a trial of Diflucan for this result, but my doc doesn't agree yet. I was low green for Baker's Yeast)
FD&C Yellow #5 (my daughter and MIL are also sensitive to Tartrazine...avoid it!)
Benzoid Acid (this was in one of my shampoos!)
FD&C Blue #1 (this was a surprise)

Low greens included Capsaicin (surprising considering how much it aggravates my gut!), MSG, Aspartame, Salycylic acid, acetaminophen, Polysorbate 80, potassium nitrite, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, red#40, red#4 and green#3. Maybe because I avoid them in general? Does this mean I don't have a problem with salicylates and sulfites??


DAIRY:
Goat's Milk
Cow's Milk


FLAVOR ENHANCERS:
Dill (almost never eat it)
Ginger
Garlic (I'm a total addict - I don't cook without it! Would garlic powder be less reactive? I can't deal!!)
Vanilla

Low greens included basil, leek, mustard (yay!), turmeric (good, I take it as a supplement), and SESAME - which I tested highly reactive to on celiac cross-reactivity testing. Hmm. Try eating it again, or assume it's a different type of reaction?
Coconut was almost a yellow, yikes!


FRUITS:
Cantaloupe (not surprised)
Apple (depressing!!)
Banana (oh no!!!)
Avocado (another staple!!)

Lowest greens were cherry, grape, apricot, plum, papaya and watermelon.


VEGETABLES:
Onion (staple seasoning)
White Potato (staple)
Cucumber (just started juicing it)
Cabbage (just started enjoying it, bummer!)

Lowest greens were broccoli (huge staple), sweet potato, string bean, celery, mushroom and lettuce.


GRAINS:
Amaranth (I could have predicted this)
Buckwheat (not surprising)

My lowest greens were millet (hate it), corn (yay! I was about to drop it!), oat (yay Udi's granola!) and quinoa.


SEAFOOD:
Shrimp (one of my favorites!)

Lowest greens were crab, scallop, clam, codfish and tuna, yum!


MEATS AND POULTRY:
Pork (Staple)
Lamb (love it, but not a staple meat)

My lowest greens were beef and egg, phew! Chicken and turkey were high greens.


BEANS/NUTS/LEGUMES
Soybean
Pistachio
Walnut (could have predicted it)
Pinto Bean (why don't they test for black turtle beans?)
Lima Bean

My lowest greens were almond and pecan, so I've switched from coconut to almond milk.


MISC:
Hops (no more GF beer! This was almost a red)
Coffee was almost a yellow, but I rarely drink it.



I have not cut all these foods out yet, just the easy ones. I'm still digesting the result and wondering if I really have to avoid them all. Thoughts?

[Kari]

Hi Zizzle,

You seem to have a mixed bag there with both good and bad news. It's always painful to eliminate anything you're particularly fond of. For me, the heartbreaks were bananas, coffee (as well as caffeine), garlic, corn (because it's in so many things) and tomatoes. As you may remember, I had lots of reds and yellows. I deleted all of them right away, and saw immediate results - it was quite amazing. Anyhow, in working with my dietitian, I started adding foods back too quickly, and got into trouble again. So I like your dietitian's idea of waiting 3 months before adding anything back.

No matter what approach you take, good luck with it!!! It's almost 2 years since I did the MRT test. I'm strongly considering taking it again, as I'm sure a lot has changed. My food intolerances seem to be a moving target, so getting an updated MRT guideline should be helpful.

Love,
Kari

[Zizzle]

Just discovered bad news about benzoic acid...it's in everything!

Acidic food and beverage like fruit juice (citric acid), sparkling drinks (carbon dioxide), soft drinks (phosphoric acid), pickles (vinegar) or other acidified food are preserved with benzoic acid and benzoates.

[mbeezie]

Z,

I agree it would be easier if there were just a few reds to eliminate. Sigh.

The yellows are equally concerning though and you do need to eliminate all of them becasue there is a cumulative effect. Chances are you will be able to add some back at some point.

The test has never, and will not as far as I know, tell you what types of mediators you are dealig with - it is not designed to do so, so don't get your hopes up on that one.

I agree to not try diflucan just yet - give MRT a chance. The reaction to candida is not a defintive test for yeast overgrowth.

Good luck getting started.

Mary Beth

[Gloria]

Benzoic Acid (this was in one of my shampoos!)

Hmm. I tested high yellow for benzoic acid. Maybe that's what's giving me itchy bumps on my scalp. Thanks for the tip!

Good luck with your LEAP diet. I hope it closes your final chapter on MC.

Gloria

[Leah]

I feel for you Zizzle. How bad are your symptoms right now? I guess they still must be pretty bad if you are considering taking all of those foods out. I am having a hard enough time with the things I already can't eat, but I also know that I would have done almost anything to feel better when I was at my worst. Good luck and keep us posted.

Leah

[Zizzle]

Gloria,
Benzoic acid is in most processed, acidic foods like pickles and soda as sodium benzoate. Luckily I mostly use natural brands of these, but I do eat standard pickles and enjoy an occasional Coke when I'm out. I just tossed an old jar of Dill Relish... Can't have the Yellow #5 in most regular brand pickles anyway. I'm buying Bubbies now but Trader Joe's has pickles with out the additives too.

Oh wait, I can't have cucumbers and cabbage according to MRT!?!?!! What about my fermented sourkraut and pickles??



Leah,
My MC symptoms are manageable. No pain, no gurgles, no gas, just infrequent D with occasional flares when I let my food guard down or when stress gets high. After 3 years though, I expected less D and more healing, not the status quo. My real issue is my itchy skin rash, which I am convinced is 100% tied to my gut health. I feel like I am covered in bug bites 24 hours a day. Honestly, it might make me certifiably crazy one of these days. It's just no way to live and it's pissing me off.

I walk around looking at people with their disastrous lifestyles and diets and get so angry. Why don't they develop D and skin rashes? If I ate like that I would fall apart! Why me, when I've lived a relatively healthy life? My diet, cosmetics and household products are almost as natural and chemical free as you can get. I've never taken any long-term prescriptions and almost no NSAIDS. My house is in a beautiful urban forest. Why isn't my family enjoying great health as a result?? Why isn't everyone else dealing with runaway inflammation?? This isn't fair!!!!! Other people deserve to get this crap, not me!!

[tlras]

I hear ya girl! I was just thinking that this evening when I went out to eat with my hubby and son. I basically ate just guacamole, chicken and rice and watching everyone else eat whatever they wanted. I know I had no business eating at a restaurant but we'll see how it goes tomorrow. I wanted to cry not being able to eat the stuff I normally do at Mexican restaurants. I'm a thin, healthy (well thought I was healthy) person and who would have known I had this nasty disease! I always think "Why me?" Well I guess in time I was going to get something. Guess I should be thankful it's not cancer but sometimes I think this disease is slowly killing me with my weight loss and all. Scary stuff! And you are right.....it's not fair!!

Terri

[Zizzle]

Here's an update:

So far I have eliminated the following MRT yellow foods from my diet:


Blue #1
Yellow #5
Benzoic Acid (this was a tough one)
Dill
Ginger
Vanilla
Cantaloupe
Banana
Avocado
White potato (also tough - no more potato chips on the run!)
Cabbage
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Shrimp
Lamb
Soybean
Pistachio
Walnut (I'm having to inspect all my nut bars now. Cherry Lara Bars are safe!)
Pinto Bean
Lima Bean
Hops

I'm still eating small amounts of garlic and onion (mostly in powdered spice blends), occasional cucumber (juiced) and pork (occasional ham cold cuts and bacon), and plenty of fresh picked apples. I just can't stop the apples until they're out of season!

I'm feeling fine overall, and the rash seems to be responding the the daily steroid cream after one week. Much less itching, and one patch is looking less red and bumpy. I still have D, but once or twice max, and there was a near-norman on Saturday.

Not reaching for the antihistamines just yet...

[mickjcat]

Zizzle,

Girrrl, you might as well just juice....

Really though, I feel for you.....I have been telling my colon that food is my friend..... I am pulling out all the stops, might as well....good luck, it is hard to keep it all in order isn't it, what to eat what not to eat, to be or not to be...

I do the same thing when I see people eating willy nilly and not a problem, super size me.