EnteroLab Test Results — This Is A Game Changer

[ldubois7]

Tex,

My scores on the Enterolab test still have me totally baffled.

To have all of the top 4 allergens rise as high as they did, when I've worked so hard to prevent that from happening, is hard to understand.

I don't eat processed food, and only clean meats, some veggies, small amounts of nuts/ seeds, a little fruit, coconut flour & oil.
I've reduced stress in my life since my diagnosis of MC.
I just started taking some supplements again....zinc, magnesium, Vit. C & E, HCL, enzymes, Bile Salts.

I don't know how to reduce the inflammation...especially when I've had testing done that tells me my gall bladder, liver function, etc is normal...

Even Dr Fine didn't have an explanation....except maybe Crohn's....but I do not have any bleeding.

I'm feeling better the last few months....just my joint aches (which is why I started taking fish oil).

I recently make meat stock from lamb shanks to try to help seal my leaky gut, but one ice cube size of the broth gave me bloat/gas....so how do I heal if I react to what it is that should heal my gut?

It's a mystery, for sure!

[cinemom]

Thanks to all of you, I am being more diligent than ever when I read food labels. I recently bought fish oil and a Multivitamin, both at Whole Foods. I asked the staff member for his recommendation after explaining that I have an AI disease, without going into detail.

He recommended Natural Factors brand Fish Oil. There were several choices to make, so I chose the 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil, which has all of the Omega spectrum (3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) as well as EPA and DHA plus Astaxanthin & Vit D3. I haven't called the company, but the label says No dairy, sugar, wheat, gluten, yeast, soy, corn, egg, shellfish, salt, tree nuts, or GMOs. The "other" ingredients list includes non-GMO sunflower vitamin E. So I'm feeling pretty safe with this one.

And the Multivitamin is brand Rainbow Light, Women's One. This is a Food-Based Multivitamin. It is Gluten-Free and Soy-Free according to the label. But, it does list the Vitamin E as d-alpha Tocopheryl. I'll have to call to see what they say about that; it is probably from soy, right?

Thanks for this discussion...sorry Tex about your recent test results. Am grateful that you have shared this with us!

[tex]

d-alpha Tocopheryl. I'll have to call to see what they say about that; it is probably from soy, right?

D-alpha tocopheryl is often made from soy, so there's a good chance that it might be made from soy in your product, also. As has been verified, many industry "experts" mistakenly believe that all soy proteins are removed from their d-alpha tocopheryl during processing, so that makes the product safe. Maybe all of the protein is removed, or maybe the process is imperfect, and only 90-something % of it is removed, but that's irrelevant, because clearly, many/most people who are sensitive to soy react to such ingredients.

Thanks for the sympathy. Actually I consider myself fortunate that I didn't have to deal with soy-sensitivity for many years. I've often wondered why I wasn't sensitive to it when so many here, are. Now I don't have to wonder anymore.

Tex

[tex]

Linda,

Obviously there's more to this than meets the eye, and sooner or later we're going to figure out what it is.

Have you ever considered EnteroLab's Acute/Chronic Colitis Stool Test* (Fecal Lactoferrin)? The description says:

Tests for an inflammatory protein called lactoferrin from neutrophils (a white blood cell) in stool which mainly occurs in acute bacterial colitis and/or most forms of chronic colitis. It is almost always positive, and strongly so in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and while sometimes positive in microscopic colitis, not as often and with a less fervent reaction. It also can be negative in microscopic colitis, but this test would almost never be negative in very active ulcerative colitis or Crohn's colitis. This test is superior (more sensitive and specific) to the old fashioned microscopy test for fecal white cells (fecal wbc's).

My point is that while a positive test result wouldn't necessarily be diagnostic of Crohn's (because the result might be due to MC), a low result should pretty much (though not 100 % reliable) rule out Crohn's or UC.

Tex

[ldubois7]

Thanks, Tex. I did not know that Enterolab had such a test available. I will look into it.

I really, really, really appreciate the way you've stuck it out with me the last 3 years!
My docs can't think outside the box or take into consideration the MC factor in my health.
Where would I be with out ya?

[tex]

Linda,

And I appreciate your support, equally. We're all in this together, and all together, we can devote a tremendous amount of brainpower to finding solutions by continually comparing notes, and as you say, thinking outside the box. Eventually we'll figure out what makes this disease tick, and well be able to stop the ticking.

Tex

[TREESE]

While we are discussing Supplements, I came across a Multi-Vitamin and Pro-Biotic Supplement all in one that was especially designed to supply all the deficiencies of a person with Celiac Disease. It was on the Celiac.com Website. Also on the Site was an Article that stated how many people with CC also have Celiac Disease. The Link between the two is real.

So, I'm wondering if the Ingredients might be good for us with CC, too. Maybe there's hidden Soy, I don't know. Here's the List of what it contains.... Someone with some experience on this Forum may be able to evaluate it better than I. *TREESE

Celiact
Product Amount: 180 Tablets
Model Number: VITS05_0180 - UPC/ISBN: 793573105905

Gluten Free Foods Soy Free Foods

Celiact
CeliAct is a nutritional supplement created just for people with celiac disease. It is certified gluten free.

CeliAct contains 5 core components into just 1 pill:

Multivitamin / Multimineral Complex:
The intestine of someone with celiac disease doesn’t absorb essential vitamins and minerals as well as it should. That’s why CeliAct contains high-potency nutrients that people with celiac disease need the most:
•Vitamin A, E, K: A trio of fat soluble vitamins that are important for immunity, blood clotting, and vision.
•Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that protects your cells from damage.
•B-complex Vitamins: Almost every metabolic process in your body relies on B-complex vitamins.
•Folic Acid and B12.

Bone-Building Formula:

One in four people with celiac disease suffer from osteoporosis, a chronic disease that results in weak and brittle bones.
•Calcium
•Vitamin D
•Magnesium

Intestinal Healing Blend:
•Zinc
•Glutamine
•Powerful antioxidants

Probiotic Defense Complex:

Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, and Bacillus Coagulans: The super bacteria that put yogurt on the map.

Digestive Enzyme Support:
Digestive enzymes assist your intestine by breaking down food and releasing more vitamins and minerals to reduce the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

[Gabes-Apg]

ideally - it would be good to see the actual ingredient amounts of each of the ingredients
and the forms (ie what form of calcium etc)

also with the probiotic types in the product - it is very likely to have Dairy - so not good for a MC'er

in the early stages of MC healing, it is best to avoid any meal, supplement etc that has more than 6 ingredients.
a) multiple ingredients are harder to digest
b) if you react - it is near impossible to know what you are reacting to
c) and while ever you might be Vit D3 and/or magnesium deficient, you wont absorb nutrients via the gut at the levels you should be.. ie taking this type of thing in the early days is kinda a waste.

Also - many people here have benefited from having the Active forms of B12 and B6 - which most multi vitamins do not include.

[tex]

with Gabes. With that many ingredients, it would be almost a miracle if very many of us could tolerate such a product while we are recovering. It sounds like a good idea, when you read the ads and glowing endorsements, but in the real world, as Gabes says, it probably wouldn't provide much benefit during the recovery stage, plus it carries a big risk of aborting recovery and/or preventing remission.

After we are in remission, we are much more likely to be able to tolerate such products, but do we need them then? It's always best to take the particular vitamins and minerals that we actually need, in the correct amounts/ratios. Most products that contain so many vitamins and minerals don't contain enough of the ones we actually need to do much good. It's usually much more efficient (and safer for our recovery) to spend our money on the ones we actually need.

Tex

[TREESE]

Thanks for those tips, Gabes and Tex. So, products being Gluten Free and/or dairy and soy free alone are, by far, NOT the Only criterion for us with CC. We have to also watch for any overload to our delicate gut, in general. Whether through foods or supplements. At least while in recovery.

Not that either is desirable, but if I am understanding all this correctly, it sounds easier to have Celiac than to have CC. Celiac only needs to be concerned with Gluten, while CC with basically Everything, PLUS Gluten. Wow...

Not happy
TREESE

[tex]

Thanks for those tips, Gabes and Tex. So, products being Gluten Free and/or dairy and soy free alone are, by far, NOT the Only criterion for us with CC. We have to also watch for any overload to our delicate gut, in general. Whether through foods or supplements. At least while in recovery.

Well, yes, but that's not the main point. The main point is that anytime we use a product that contains that many ingredients, the odds are extremely high that 1 or more of those ingredients will contain something that we cannot tolerate. And the greatest risk for us is that even if we read the label carefully, and understand every ingredient on there, with that many ingredients, the odds are very high that 1 or more of those ingredients will be cross-contaminated with gluten or some other problem food. And when that happens, the label will look safe, but it won't be. It's a mathematical/statistical problem, due to the fact that after the number of ingredients exceeds about 5 or 6, the risk increases exponentially.

In general, it's not a good practice for anyone to use products with that many ingredients. Whether someone has MC, celiac disease, or nothing at all, is irrelevant — consuming any supplement, or food, or whatever, that contains that many ingredients is asking for trouble. The problem is that just because an ingredient is FDA approved, does not make it safe for everyone. Every ingredient, especially synthetically-created ingredients, carries a small risk causing an adverse reaction for the average individual on the street. If enough of those ingredients are mixed together, then the risk of an adverse reaction goes way up (again, this risk applies to anyone and everyone, not just people who have an IBD). Why take that risk?

Tex

[TREESE]

I see... so regardless then of a medical condition, for anyone in general, and us in particular, 5 or 6 ingredients per product will always be the safer choice.

Gee, Tex, I sound like I'm bummed out today. My writing reflects that. Sorry...

Think I'm just in a dark place again, feeling down after my recent D episode. Skinny, too skinny, and the brain fog is back. I'm thinking poorly. Thank you for your patience!!

TREESE

[ldubois7]

Treese,

Don't be hard on yourself. We all understand your feelings. We all have felt them.
That's why this site is so valuable. We can keep asking, and those on the site who understand the complexities of this disease will continually support you.

It's a bumpy road we have to travel, and you will have ups and downs. It's not just you....you're tired...I'm tired, too. Sometimes you have to walk away from it and just do something that you enjoy....read a book in the sunshine, take a walk, visit a friend....you will get through this....one day at a time.

Hugs!!

[tex]

Treese,

Linda is right on target. Dwelling on the problems caused by this disease never helps. We have to concentrate on the good things in life, because if we concentrate on how MC makes us feel, it controls us, and it defines us. That's not where we want to be.

There is nothing magical about foods or supplements that contain an ingredient list as long as your arm. We can get everything in those products (everything that's beneficial, that is) by eating whole, pure foods that eliminate such risks.

To gain weight, we have to eat more food than our body needs just to maintain the status quo. We have to take in more calories than we burn as fuel on a typical day. There's nothing mysterious about the process.

Add up the calories in your daily diet and you will see why you are not gaining weight. For some strange reason, many people think that they have to eat more variety in order to gain weight. Why would that be necessary? To gain weight we simply need to eat more of what we are already eating (assuming that what we are eating is safe).

It's important to eat plenty of protein, because protein will help us to heal faster, and help to grow muscle tissue, and eating more carbs will increase fat deposition. As our intestines heal, we will be able to absorb nutrients better, and this will allow us to gain weight more easily. Eating more fat (assuming that we can tolerate more fat in our diet) will give us more energy, and keep our cells healthy.

At least that's the way I see it.

Tex

[TREESE]

Starches, Proteins, Fats... bigger portions is better than a variety of products. Got it!

Wow...you are just so kind. Linda and Tex, I especially thank YOU for your PROMPT Replies.

Sunday is usually such a day of joy for me, with going to Church and all. I guess my not feeling up to it really hit me in my last safe place. But I will gather myself up and maybe take a walk today, and let everything else just be.

PS I Did buy a box of Kosher Quinoa as TEX suggested in a different Post to me. Thanks again, Tex!

Have a good day,
TREESE