My visit with a homeo-naturopath

[Gabriel]

I thought I'd share the results of a visit a week ago to a homeopath-naturopath -- a highly competent looking and sounding gentleman in his early 70s.
After questioning me extensively and taking copious notes (he had a very pained expression when I mentioned taking Imodium), he suggested that I was not intolerant to gluten but rather to wheat and animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs), but not to cheese/dairy. In addition to two homeopathic drugs (3-time a day drops and once in two days little pills), he prescribed the following diet (he instructed me to eat everything on the list and nothing that is not on the list):
[color=red][u]FIRST THING IN THE MORNING[/u]
Glass of water or herbal tea with a teaspoon of fresh lemon (possibly sweetened with fructose)
[u]BREAKFAST[/u]
Blend 1 apple, 4 tablespoons of rolled oats, 2 teaspoons of almond paste, 2 dates, half a teaspoon of carob powder, a glass of lukewarm water
[u]SNACK[/u] (10-11 a.m.)
- Bio yogurt
- 3-4 rice crackers, or rye cracker, or buckwheat
- Half a glass of pomegranate juice + half a glass of rice drink
[u]LUNCH[/u]
- Small vegetable salad, thinly sliced, with canola oil + alternating cheese / tofu / 2 spoonfuls
of a mixture of finely ground nuts and seeds (available commercially)
- Various steamed vegetables
[u]SNACK[/u] (4-5 p.m.)
- Compote of boiled fruit
- A few nuts/almonds
- 3-4 crackers as above
[u]DINNER[/u]
- Small salad with sesame oil or avocado
- Vegetable soup with the addition of several tablespoonfuls of either basmati rice,
buckwheat, or quinoa. Can also add some green peas or lentil.
[u]OPTIONAL LATE SNACK[/u]
Banana[/color]

I was suspicious about the rolled oats at breakfast -- the only component containing gluten that had no alternative. If I interpret correctly the collective wisdom of this forum, there is hardly anyone with MC who made progress before going off gluten. Still, I decided to give it a try. After two days it became clear that the breakfast drink (though very tasty and nutritious) did not have a good effect, so I eliminated the rolled oats. In the subsequent days I also replaced the cow's milk yogurt with goat milk yogurt, reduced nuts and almonds, cut back to a small number of vegetables -- essentially following a subtractive method instead of the additive one that I had followed before (when I was working my up from BART). To no avail. Today I had a very bad relapse -- square 1 -- so I went back to BART. The only difference is that I refrained from taking Imodium, and I must say that I don't see much difference in the resolution of the D or the number of exits, with or without Imodium.
The diet the naturopath prescribed was extremely tasty and nourishing. If I had been able to stay on it I would have been golden. He suggested that I follow it for a month before adding anything new. Unfortunately, there were too many new additions for me to be able to determine what exactly was causing the problems, so I don't think the subtractrive method really works.
I am wondering whether any of you has had experience with natural remedies, and how successful (or unsuccessful) they were.
Thank you,
Gabriel

[tex]

Hi Gabriel,

he suggested that I was not intolerant to gluten but rather to wheat and animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs), but not to cheese/dairy.

I don't follow his logic on the concept that I've highlighted in red, above. Gluten, (composed of gliadins and glutenins) is the only absolutely vital component in wheat, that makes it such a desirable food ingredient - gluten is what makes dough stick together, so that it can be used to make bread. Without gluten, it would be useless for baking bread, and wheat would have never been cultivated and bred up to be the major food source that it is today. No other grain has a form of gluten that will allow it to come even close to the baking qualities of wheat. Wheat is unique in that respect, and it is the gluten that is wheat's claim to fame. I'm not a cereal chemist, but I do know a little about the topic, and I don't understand what else there could be in wheat, that he might be trying to blame your intolerance on. :shug: Gluten is the only component that is really unique to wheat. Without gluten, wheat is nothing, so if we're talking about wheat, then we're talking about gluten, and virtually every other aspect about wheat, is irrelevant.

Be that as it may, be aware the anyone who reacts to the alpha and/or gamma gliadins in wheat gluten, will also react to the secalin in rye, and the hordein in barley. There are no exceptions, that I am aware of. The avenin in oats, is the protein prolamin that is equivalent to the gluten in wheat, (and the secalin in rye, and the hordein in barley), and while not everyone who is sensitive to wheat gluten is sensitive to avenin, many of us on this board are, and for a doctor to recommend a diet that includes oats, and rye, to a patient whom he acknowledges may be sensitive to wheat, (albeit he considers the problem to be some protein other than gluten), shows a basic lack of understanding of how certain peptides trigger autoimmune reactions.

Also, his recommendation to start each day with a teaspoon of lemon, (sweetened with fructose), suggests a lack of understanding of IBDs, and enteritis in general. Someone with inflamed intestines shouldn't be starting the day with a shot of citric acid. Some patients can tolerate it, but many of us, (myself included), have a major issue with citric acid, during a flare, and fructose is a problem for many of us. Tea is generally good, though, and many us find that tea soothes the digestive system.

Raw salads irritate an already-inflamed gut, especially if they contain lettuce. Most of us have to avoid lettuce, and raw vegetables in general, until after our gut heals. I don't have your medical file in front of me, so I can't recall whether you have been (accurately and reliably) tested for any food intolerances, but most of us can't tolerate either cheese or yogurt, and half of us react adversely to soy-based foods and ingredients, (such as tofu).

The diet that was prescribed for you contains so many highly suspect foods, (for someone with MC), that it would have been almost a miracle if it would have worked for you. Also, if you happen to be sensitive to soya, you will also react to beans, peas, etc. - probably any legume.

I'm sure that doctor had the best of intentions, but like so many doctors, all over the world, he really doesn't understand MC.

Concerning gluten sensitivity: Actually, according to Dr. Fine, (arguably the world's foremost MC researcher, since he has the disease himself, and has researched it extensively), only 69% of patients with MC are gluten sensitive, according to his actual testing trials, whereas 29% of the general population are gluten sensitive, (most of whom are unaware of it). Anyway, the point is, the percentage of members of this board who are gluten-sensitive is obviously much higher than that, so I'm guessing that most MC patients who are not gluten-sensitive, developed MC because of a drug trigger, and very few of them ever join this board, because in many such cases, where MC is drug-induced, simply stopping the use of the drug, will bring remission. Also, for such patients, (who are not gluten-sensitive), a prescribed regimen of a corticosteroid, or Pepto-Bismol, will often bring lasting remisson, so those individuals have no need for a support board. Those who have food intolerances, of course, will relapse after a drug treatment regimen, and are therefore much more likely to seek out a support board. That's my best guess, anyway, FWIW.

Yes, many members here use natural remedies as part of their treatment program. The trick is for each of us to select a combination of treatment methods that work for us, individually, based on our symptoms, sensitivities, and our lifestyles.

Thanks for sharing.

Tex

[Gabriel]

Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful reply, Tex -- as always. I'm still looking to have the intolerance tests done. In the meantime I have a few dietary questions, probably answered many times on the forum, but I wasn't able to find explicit answers:
(1) As I peruse the list of food intolerances of the members, I find only occasional mentions of white meat and fish. Is it a good idea to begin with chicken soup and chicken breast, as I try to add nutritious foods to my regular fare of bananas, rice, and potatoes?
(2) If I seem to tolerate walnuts and sunflower seeds, is it safe to expand to cashews and other types of nuts, or does each of these need to be tested individually?
(3) What are the odds on avocado?
Thank you again,
Gabriel

[Gabes-Apg]

Gabriel
my experience with natural therapies is that the reaction of MC people is different to other digestion issues.

they will follow the principles and recommend treatment that they do for other digestion issues. I have discussed articles and real people feedback with my practioners (as the are friends) and they have even been on this site and read some of the articles

they acknowledge that what works for IBS does not work for MC,

I agree with tex, the proof is on this site as to the benefit of removing gluten from our diets.
and I am hesitant about the raw vege salad. Fibre is not our friend. We dont need any additional help to poop!

My therapists (naturopath and acupuncturist) are letting me follow the very basic stewed meat and gooey rice diet, and giving my gut time to heal. we are not going to look at any changes or supplements until the inflammation has totally gone. as per my post the other day this patience and diligence with the diet is working.
i have been eating the same small base of ingredients for almost 5 weeks. no new stuff for almost 2 weeks and i am now 5 days of things being quite good

[Stanz]

Gabriel,

I would also agree with Tex and Gabes here as to the need to remove ALL gluten from your diet, especially in the beginning, I wouldn't eat something that could contain traces, even though I realize that's probably overkill.

You had asked on your original post on this forum if you needed to have a second set of dishes, etc., if it was that critical. I'm a caterer and I handle gluten all day, always w/gloves on when I'm working, but my DH is not GS so I still make him oatmeal, toast, etc., I still bake cookies with flour, I still make scones, cakes, desserts with flours. I don't notice any "absorption" problems through skin but I am highly sensitive if I am accidentally glutened by something I eat.

I was dx w/MC in mid Oct.'09. Working with my 60 yr. old ND, we came up with a non-drug protocol that worked very quickly to stop my D. I had fortunately already been GF since Aug. By the end of Nov. I was D free and have had only rare days of any kind of intestinal distress since then and I have a very stressful life/job. I highly recommend L-Glutamine and pro-biotics. My story of long illness is no different than others here, MC appears to be a disease that is your body's way of saying ENOUGH ALREADY, stop sending this crap down here. I know that there are few others here who have ever tried Glutamine, but from my research after my dx and my ND's further research (as I absolutely refused to take steroids), ((and I acknowledge that others here have had both good and bad results)), we believed that this was my best option for re-activating the Villi in my intestines and all I can say is that it's worked for me and I'd love to see someone else try this approach.

This disease is likely one that would best be served by dealing with a younger ND, frankly. Mine is a lifelong researcher/student/teacher so he is rare in his field, he's willing to and has learned from me. My initial blood test he did for gluten in '07 was negative - a test he rarely uses anymore - he told me to stop gluten anyway, which I did not do until a few months before my dx w/MC. I do have the genetics for GS, via Enterolab from 12/09 and they are posted on this forum. My med school daughter had stopped gluten and gone on the Specific Carbohydrate diet nearly a year before this, because of her issues with what was dx as IBS, and her IBS had stopped, so I had both of them on my case and now wonder why it took so long for me to act.

Unless the Dr. you are seeing now is someone who is curious and willing to learn and constantly educating himself by using all of the recent research on GS that has been done - mostly in N. Europe - then he is not worth your time, IMO.

Connie

[tex]

Gabriel,

To answer your questions about specific food items - yes, poultry and fish are good choices, as long as the poultry are not injected with "tenderizing solutions", that sometimes contain gluten, and/or who-knows-what. I also had good luck with pork, but beef causes some of us to "partially" react. IOW, a few hours after eating beef, I will notice a slight amount of bloating, and an uncomfortable feeling in my gut. A few hours later, my neck will become stiff and sore, (the same thing happens with gluten), along with a few other upper-body aches and pains. But that is the extent of my reaction to beef - no D, usually, and the next day I will be fine. Others here have reported similar symptoms from beef, but not everyone has a problem with it, of course. I ate a lot of chicken soup, when I was having really bad days/weeks.

IMO, nuts need to be tested on an individual basis. Some of us can handle nut butters, even though the whole nuts cause problems. Avocados are a pretty safe choice, I believe, and they are a relatively high-calorie item, which is good when we need energy, and/or need to gain some weight back.

Tex

[Rome]

Tex,

Your comment about about :"beef causes some of us to "partially" react", brings up a conversation I had with a friend about whether beef is gluten free since they are fed grains. He insists that beef cannot be GF, where his wife says it is. Who knows for sure, but it sure makes for a good discussion.

Romanita[/quote]

[tex]

Hi Romanita,

That question comes up every so often, about one type of meat or another, but the fact is, unless stomach contents are allowed to contaminate the carcass during the slaughtering process, the meat should be gluten free. The reason is because when the grain fed to the animal is digested, it is broken down to individual amino acids, before being utilized by the body, to be converted into new muscle and fat cells. Even if the animal had a GI problem, which caused incomplete digestion, the peptides which resulted from the interrupted digestion process could not be utilized by the body to create new cells, because the amino acid chains which make up new tissue in any particular species, are unique to that species, and cannot be created from foreign peptides - they can only be formed from individual amino acids. At least that's my understanding.

I suspect that the reason why some of us react to beef, is because some of the peptides in the amino acid chain of the primary protein in beef, are very similar to the alpha or gamma gliadin peptides in wheat, to which gluten-sensitive people react. IOW, one or more of the beef peptides mimics gliadin peptides, which confuses our immune system, causing it to initiate a reaction. That's just a WAEG, though.

Tex

[teagirl]

MC appears to be a disease that is your body's way of saying ENOUGH ALREADY, stop sending this crap down here.

Connie, I love the way you put this. Like many others, I had symptoms for years before my dx of LC last summer. Every year I stopped eating certain things that seemed to be a problem and that would help a little. What I realise now is that I have been teetering on the edge of MC for YEARS!!! Years, dammit, and no one could tell. All that happened medically was treating the symptoms in an isolated manner .. take this for the GERD, take that for the D, this for the migraine, that for the pain on the left hand side, that HRT following the hysterectomy ... and zoloft for the anxiety of feeling so crappy for so long.

It wasn't until the painful illness and death of my beloved MIL that I fell over the edge. Even then, treatment was so haphazard until I found this forum and saw others had exactly what I had. I went gf a few weeks before the endoscopy and colonoscopy, and haven't looked back since. I'm not 100% but gf df sf works for me, the GI has me on Pentasa which seems to be helping, and I'm down to one or 2 pretty good BMs a day. I have a life.

My body is a damn sight smarter than doctors I have had. It knows when something is wrong and tries to tell me. I'm slowly learning its language. Unfortunately the people we think can speak the language, can't always, and instead of saying something sensible, they say something stupid or funny or rude .... or even dangerous. But they think they are speaking the language perfectly and don't like their usage corrected!

[Stanz]

Maxine,

I appreciate that you understand where I am with this, I know I can come off as angry oftentimes, but the reality is that we should all be angry that the system we pay so much for has failed us so completely. We are the same age, well - I just turned 61 - but our generation largely does not question "authorities", I have been a rebel since early childhood, I question EVERYTHING and if I hadn't, I shudder to think of the damage I'd have done to my organs by now.

There is a reason for the saying, "Listen to your gut".