Did eliminating certain foods reduce tics?

[Claire]

Evangelia,

 

I shared your story with my husband, this is soooo wonderful. Thanks for your kind words. After a year of posting here, some of the patterns were becoming so clear.

 

I took the liberty of posting it on the "1 week to fewer tics" thread, since you actually did multiple things at once. I think this has by far the best odds of getting early results. If at anytime you want this deleted, please let me know. Or you can repost it yourself and I will delete mine. The goal of that thread is for people to list complete programs that worked--and yours went beyond just food elimination which is what I thought you did. In an ideal world I would like a thread that had each of our success stories.

 

You are correct about the yeast. Actually most of us treat for yeast. Heather had remarkable success with Threelac, and I personally think, as do Ronna and Heather (and others?) that healing the gut is one of the steps needed formost of the kids who have food sensitivities as a symptom. Certainly Dr McCandless talks about it in "Children with Starving Brains".

 

I need to update my summary post to pull in a comment on yeast. The tricky part there was that I was hesitant to recommend supplementing for something that might need to be tested for first. Even though I agree with you on how important it is. Mercury is the same for many of us too.

 

We watch sugars closely, and I am trying out Heather's advice on Threelac--my own yeast is high and 'stubborn'. I took the Great Plains OAT test, but I have posted on the saliva test you can do at home for free. Spit into a glass of water first thing in the morning before drinking water and see if the spit floats (no yeast) or sinks or has stringers floating down (yeast).

 

Your story on how you explained it to your son is wonderful, and I for one, think that a broken Television does no one any harm and can save a lot of unneeded emotional upheaval.

 

I am glad you are working on the yeast--that is needed for healing. You might also check for elevated mercury, because if your child has that, it will interfere with gut healing. If not, then you are no worse of for checking. Our doctor just supplements with antioxidants for it--no chelation--he says it is too risky, and the antioxidants are the natural way. Heather used NDF. I am sure if your son has it, you will do your own research and determine a good path.

 

By the way, pear juice, xylitol, erythritol and stevia don't feed yeast. Honey and molasses too. I give a glass of diluted grapefruit juice (half water half juice and a half dropper of stevia), and sliced pears.

 

That is great to hear that the dustmite removal makes a difference for tics. I know for me it makes a huge difference for allergies, so I shouldn't be surprised. Just as reactions to foods vary from hives, to respiratory to tics, why not dustmites?

 

Thank you so much for sharing--it is like that movie "Pay it Forward". If all of us who learn from others here pay it forward, then we WILL positively impact not only the lives of our children but the lives of other children. I have learned from so many here.

 

God bless you for what you are doing to help your child, he is very lucky to have you for a mother!

 

What a remarkable mother you are, doing all that for your child at once. I KNOW how much work is required.

 

Claire

[Heather]

Evangelia,

 

Just want to add my praise for your determination to help your son. I am sooo glad to hear that he is doing so well. You have taken all the right steps to have quick improvement. The long term healing is frustrating at times and there will probably be ups and downs. Don't get discouraged and keep reading the board. The answers are here and lots of caring parents will keep you posted.

 

Heather

[Evangelia]

I really appreciate your kind words, I am so focused on trying to help my son, that I rarely give myself a pat on the back. You are right Heather, the setbacks do discourage me a great deal, but my loving husband is always there to put me back on track and remind me of our progress so far. Also, this wonderful resource of parents experiences and knowledge is priceless. I am not out of the woods yet by any means. You are all also right that it is hard work, I am often scratching my head wondering what to make for meals/snacks/deserts. I still have so much material that I need to read and digest. I am thankful for all of it though - it sure is alot better than that helpless feeling that I had when I left the neurologist's office who told me that I would be back within the year asking for the medication.

 

I forgot to mention that regarding yeast, I also eliminated barley malt, vinegar and maple syrup (natural maple syrup seemed to make him tic more). Vinegar and barley malt contain toxic yeast compounds. Also be careful with cinnamon, allspice, dried mustard, nuts and chocolate because "many are inherently mold contaminated". Aflatoxin comes from a fungus, called Aspegillus. which contaminates the peanut plant. Chocolate beans are dried with a fungus.

 

"Feast without Yeast" by Bruce Semon and Lori Kornblum is an excellent book that I have been reading and it has a lot of recipes for yeast free cooking. If you like I can outline the stages and food items that he recommends eliminating for each stage until improvement is seen.

 

Claire, for newcomers, I would recommend testing for yeast as opposed to trying to resolve a potential yeast issue and doing the elimination diet. It can get very complex at times. I am now discovering that there are conflicts between the two approaches. For example, to fight yeast, substitute honey/molasses to replace sugars, to follow Feingold/Failsafe don't use clover honey/molasses/raw sugars since they are high in salicylates and refined/caster sugar is better.

So right now, I am at a cross-road.....and I feel that I have to choose between yeast fighting versus Feingold/"Failsafe". When the two conflict, I am choosing Feingold/"Failsafe" over yeast fighting for now. The Failsafe website has a great link on common mistakes - they also do not recommend combining candida diet and failsafe/feingold. It is better to do the food elimination 100% for it to work the best.

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/inf...on/mistakes.htm

 

On a whole other topic, since I will be getting my IgG results soon:

I have a question regarding the IgG blood test versus salicylates. Can there be contradictions? In other words, is it possible to have a food item that does not show up to be a sensitivity on the IgG blood test but should still be avoided due to the high salicylate content? Does it pick up all salicylate sensitivities? I don't expect my naturalpath to know the answer so I am asking my more knowledgable, wonderful group of parents instead.

 

Thank you so much everyone, for the pats on the back. Have to keep chugging along, slowly but surely we will get to the bottom of it.

 

Evangelia

Ps. I also told my son that I wanted to THANK his body for his tics because now our whole family and relatives are changing the foods that we buy and consume.

His tics have taught alot of us a whole lot. (4 of his cousins have ADD or ADHD - my sisters are now trying this out after they saw my son's changes.)

[Guest Guest_caz]

I too am curious about the IGg allergy results, and salicylates. My son didn't show allergic to much at all, but now that I am eliminating as many salicylates as possible (and gluten/casien free) his tics (touch wood) seem to be improving.

 

I guess as I am trying to do so much all at once, it will be hard to know which is responsible for the problems.

 

Can anyone else help with their experiences with Igg allergy tests, and whether after eliminating the offending foods, tics decreased, or if they had to eliminate other things as well?

 

Caz

[Andy]

Foods that my son currently needs to avoid based upon testing:

1. Cane Sugar, Milk and milk products of any animal, Rice and rice products, Corn and corn products, Grains and any product that contains gluten, Mushrooms, Soy and any soy type product.

2. Made a big difference for the foods did prove to be triggers.

3. Sleep improved, alot less stomach pains, behavior became consistent which is now sweet.

4. Have not retested and it has been slightly over a year.

Note: I feel that the straving brain was also a factor for there was even more of a reduction of tics when we added supplements after testing. However, there is still an issue with other triggers that also needed to be addressed.

[Evangelia]

Andy,

 

Wow! grains, rice, soy, corn.... that can't be very easy.

 

Does that mean that you are able to eat all the other salicylates (apples, grapes, oranges, etc) without any problem? This would imply that the IgG is the bottom line....?

 

Evangelia

[Claire]

We only eliminated the IgG foods. e.g. my son tested for sensit. to rye and wheat, but not other glutens. I tested sens for barley, but not other glutens. He was positive toward apples, bananas, cranberries, almonds, but not other salicyliates, and I was only positive for peaches. We only eliminated those.

 

We both improved greatly--my son less fidgety, me more energy.

 

I think that different people are allergic to different subsets, so I don't like to restrict more than needed.

 

If you have both no reaction and a negative test, I don't see an issue.

 

Claire

[susanna]

I too have recently been wondering whether the IgG test would show a sensitivity to salicylates.

 

My son tested positive for oranges/citrus bit negative to grapes and apples. Since he also tested positive to dairy and soy, his drinks of choice lately have been apple juice and grape juice, and his fruits of choice are apples and grapes.

 

Although tics aren't really an issue these days, behavior (rages) still were/are. They have gotten significantly better and less frequent, but not completely disappeared. I'm wondering if it's the continued consumption of apples, grapes, apple juice and grape juice, or if this is just the nature of my son. He can be very sweet, loving and affectionate, but he's always had a bit of a temper if he doesn't get his way. I hate to take away the fruits and juices at this point since his food choices are so limited these days...and I can't believe how good he is at sticking to his approved foods. We've been eliminating the foods he tested positive to for about 6 weeks now.

 

Any thoughts?

[Ausclare]

Hi Suzanna,

I don't think that the allergy tests can pick up the salicylates or amines.

That's why it is so confusing to people that eliminate the foods the allergy tests show are the problem, but the symptoms don't go.

I think thats why you have to try the elimination diets to get to the truth.

 

Feingold or Failsafe (Sue Dengete) elimination diets are the ones to seriously look at if you are concerned.

Good luck

Clare

[Andy]

Hi, Evangelia. Sorry about my delay in postings but I started during my lunch time and now I'm finishing after work. Have a new baby at home so the time at home isn't there right not but that is a good problem to have. My oldest son assessments were based upon the IgG blood test. Food was a big problem for a while but things have worked out with it. Of course we take our own food where ever we may go which includes kids parties. It is amazing how much food my son can't eat right now but most of it was not healthy anyway. Processed foods are out, frozen foods are out, cold cuts are out, etc. However, Veggies are in, farm raised meat is in, organic fruit is in and visits to the health store for alternative products have been productive.( Note: My five year old can eat fruit however we stopped giving him grapes for we saw negative results after consumption). We are careful with the juices for alot of products add sugar to their juice. To avoid this we buy not from concentrated or anything with puree added.

[Evangelia]

Hello,

 

Just visited the Naturalpath and got the results of the IgG blood test. My son has reacted to 31 of the 115 foods tested. What is even more incredible is that, like you Susanna, he reacted to lemons, limes and oranges but not to grapes and apples and not to many other salicylates. I know first hand from my record keeping (28 days so far) that my son has had tics right after eating apples and grapes/grape juice.

 

This leads me to agree with Ausclare. That is a scary thought because alot of the leftovers that I was "allowed" are salicytes or amines. I will just have to feed this child water for the next few months....

 

I will highlight a few key interesting points of my exchange with the naturalpath:

 

1. After mentioning to him the point about the salicylates not showing up, he said that the IGg tests the "humoral (sp?) mediated immune system response" not the "cell mediated immune system response". He generally does not ask for the latter for children because it requires one ounce of blood.

 

2. Similar to the salicylate debate, what I found odd is that the IGg only showed that my son was sensitive to wheat, buckwheat, but the gluten test showed that he is extremely sensitive to gluten. I would have thought that rye and barley would have showed up. I am going to keep all glutens away at this point. Thankfully he does not have Celiac.

 

3. More contradictions: the test shows that he is sensitive to cow's and goat's milk, however, cow's cheese is ok. ???

 

4. He believes my son has a severe "leaky gut" because so many food items showed up and especially because he is sensitive to lettuce! Lettuce is not a protein and is not a very complex structure.

 

5. Of the remaining foods that he is allowed, I should not give the same food 2 days in a row. I have to be careful because giving too much of the remaining food items will create new sensitivities.

 

6. After asking the Naturalpath about a potential yeast problem, he said that most people with yeast problems will show a sensitivity to yeast (Baker's/Brewer's). My son didn't so I will look at this one probably months from now.

 

7. There is hope. This is all reversable.

(1) Eliminate the foods

(2) Eat only organic food - including meats.

(3) To help with the sensitivities, he recommeneds "Ultra Care for kids" from Metagenics

(4) To rebuild the lining of the intestines he recommends "Ultra-Clear". He said that L-glutamine would have been good but he doesn't recommend it because it affects the "mind"

(5) The friendly bacteria will also be built up with capsules (I didn't get the name- I will let you know).

 

8. Beans/Lentils are very good because of the fiber. Fiber rebuilds the intestinal lining -> short chain fatty acids.

 

9. I asked if I should consider "oil of oregano" or garlic supplements, and he said that he doesn't recommend it. They are strong herbs and can be very disruptive - won't recommend it unless there is a real need.

 

That's it for now, I better get some sleep.

It's going to be a whole lot harder now, considering the IGg and Feingold/Failsafe. I am just thankful to you all for the proper guidance that I have received to put me on the proper track right away (almost a month ago).

 

Evangelia

[Guest Guest_Caz]

Interesting that the consensus is that IgG allergies do not show if there is a salicylate sensitivity! As I have said before my son's only showed citrus and nuts as being problems, and it showed all grains as being fine, but I guess for those who are sensitive to gluten, if it was a true allergy, it would be celiac, but for those maybe on the ASD spectrum, the problem is not the allergy to gluten, but the peptides that the body doesn't adequately breakdown, and then the leaky gut lets get into the blood stream.

 

I wonder if salicylates are in the same catagory, it is not an IgG reaction to these, but maybe if the body does not have enough antioxidants (eg glutathione) then it cannot breakdown the toxins created by salicylates. I read somewhere that certain unfriendly microflora produce salicylates in the gut as well. I also read, but cannot find the reference that gluathione/selenium etc breakdown salicylates in the body.

[Andy]

"FANTASTIC! We have had a similar experience! I was so helped in so many ways by everyone who took the time to post and share their experiences. I know a parent will come along and your post will mean the world to them and will give them hope!", Ronnas.

 

I must agree with Ronas. This Forum helped me find the light during the darkest moments. My son still has tics but now we know most of the triggers and we are controlling them. Before the tics were in control and were getting more and more severe as well as being non-stop during his waking days. This forum convinced me that the path I wanted to take was the right one and so far it has been a blessing and I thank everyone who has ever posted upon it.

[Claire]

Hi Caz,

 

Interesting about glutathione/selenium--I didn't know this. In fact I never heard an explanation for it. Hmmm...I will investigate this.

 

QUESTION: What are amines?? And what are examples of them?

 

Claire

[marina]

Hi Clare,

 

Firstly Clare, thanks for your 7 day plan. Just the direction I needed.

After a few weeks my 12 son's tics are now 80% reduced. What a relief.

This is what we've done so far.

1. Tried to reduce stress and ignore tics

1. Ban games, but allowed TV

3. Greatly reduce salicylate, amines, & eliminate flavors, preservative, etc (ie modified version of failsafe diet which our 17 year old son has followed for years.)

3. Introduced a multivitamin, and magnesium.

4. Reduced household chemical load.

 

We haven't yet done a strict elimination & testing of foods for our 12 year old.

When we do I will follow FAILSAFE.

 

Tomorrow we leave for an interstate competition, and Stress, foods and chemicals will all be tested at the same time.!

I'll let you know what happens.

 

 

I agree with Ausclare, and follow the total salyicilate/ amine load approach rather than testing for individual foods. This has worked the best over the last 10 years for our eldest.

I tried testing individual foods at the start, and although things greatly improved while on the strict elimination diet, I could never work out which foods affected him. Very confusing.

Finally, when using FAILSAFE, I worked out that he reacted to both salicylates and amines, msg, flavors etc.

 

Amines are another group of naturally occuring food chemical found in foods like chocolate, cheese, red wine, banana. Some foods contain both saly & amines msg. eg: citrus, tomatoes, grapes mushrooms.

 

Our son had different reactions to each set. Salyicilates would make him hyper, whereas amines would result in terrible moods & rages. Have found that others have similar experiences.

 

Susanna,

Amines may be a clue for your child.

 

Also, be careful of fish oils (amines) & evening primrose (saliciylates)

 

I'm posting at 4 in the morning. Couldn't sleep.

 

Like everyone else, I think this forum is FANTASTIC. Such valuable inspiring information, and certainly food for the soul.