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Food Sensitivities
My problems started several years ago when I started eating "healthier", with lots of colorful salads, kale, spinach, a ton of carrots, all kinds of peppers, lots of chili powder and other spices, and I took spirulina, cod liver oil, a multivitamin, and vitamin A. After a few years of eating like this, I became extremely fatigued, seemed to age dramatically, and began developing multiple food sensitivities (fatigue, hives/eczema, insomnia). I researched my problem, and had all kinds of theories such as sensitivity to salicylates, oxalates, glutamates, sulfites/thiols, and allergic cross-reactivity. My doctors theorized leaky gut or adrenal fatigue. I once asked my doctor is she thought I was allergic to vitamin A, since the biggest offenders seemed high in the vitamin! She didn't think so. I eventually stopped all supplements and ate only beef (mostly fatty), which was great at first, but eventually resulted in even worse fatigue, acne, insomnia, and eczema. And then I was diagnosed hypothyroid. So I began eating potato chips, because I had read the thyroid needs some glucose to work properly. I felt great! But then I began the vitamin A supplements again, because I was worried about a deficiency. And my misery continued. So I was thrilled to stumble upon Grant's work, and began a low vitamin a diet just a little over a week ago.
My acne cleared up very quickly, but I am having an allergic reaction to rice! I have been eating only beef, bison, potatoes, potato chips, and rice. On days when I eat rice (usually a lot), I am up all night with hives and insomnia. It has gotten progressively worse, to the point of zero sleep last night. My question is this - has anyone had anything similar, and could it be that vitamin A toxicity has caused my extreme food sensitivities?
There's not much to be allergic to in rice. If you eat only a small quantity, do you get the same symptoms? That would confirm an allergy.
If it's dose related, I would say that rice is creating an imbalance in your body. What kind of rice do you use? Do you add fat/oil to it?
Because of the vit A toxicity, your body chemistry could be easily perturbed leading to symptoms from many different foods.
Hi Eliza, In my first 10 days I had shocking sleep and it was the longest detox cycle I have had in 4 montjs. In that first week I wasn't even totally low VA but 90% was beef, rice, oatmeal. Is the rice organic?
Your gut is probably still inflamed. Like somuch4food suggested plenty of fat with starch might help. You could also try getting some of your carbs from sugar instead of starch like low A juices such as apple or grape juice or whatever appeals to you and see if that makes a difference. From my experience (and we are all a bit different) your digestion should improve with time. Bella
Thank you so much for your responses.
Somuch4food - I use long grain organic white rice, and tried it with rice bran oil, with butter, and plain, all with the same reactions. I think you may be onto something with the imbalance thing - potatoes and meat seem best, and have lots of nutrients. Maybe I can eat rice in the future.
Mokus - yes, the rice is organic. So are the potatoes, and I even bought organic potato chips. The potatoes and potato chips don't bother me. Corn also makes me itch like crazy, and I did read that corn cross reacts with rice, so maybe that's it.
Bella - Thank you for the suggestion. I seem to react to all fruits, so I'm not sure about the juice - I might try it once my eczema settles down.
Sorry you’re having such a rough time. I went through a phase when I was first diagnosed with celiac where I couldn’t tolerate many foods. It does get better as the GI tract heals. Just keep getting enough of the foods you can tolerate in the meantime. Bella
Quote from eliza1275 on February 11, 2019, 10:55 amThank you so much for your responses.
Somuch4food - I use long grain organic white rice, and tried it with rice bran oil, with butter, and plain, all with the same reactions. I think you may be onto something with the imbalance thing - potatoes and meat seem best, and have lots of nutrients. Maybe I can eat rice in the future.
Mokus - yes, the rice is organic. So are the potatoes, and I even bought organic potato chips. The potatoes and potato chips don't bother me. Corn also makes me itch like crazy, and I did read that corn cross reacts with rice, so maybe that's it.
Bella - Thank you for the suggestion. I seem to react to all fruits, so I'm not sure about the juice - I might try it once my eczema settles down.
I also don't react too well to rice, oats, and corn. Despite all the hype about gluten, I have no issues with wheat products, even highly processed bleached flour. Different people are adapted to different forms of starches. Just because people say that rice is non allergenic, doesn't mean everyone can tolerate it well.
Also different low Vitamin A meats may help with digestion. I don't think having beef all the time is great for digestion. Rotating in lean chicken, lean/white seafood, and turkey may help with digestive issues. Additionally, red meat is very high in absorbable iron, which may be problematic for someone overloaded with Vitamin A.
Quote from Guest on February 11, 2019, 2:25 pmSorry you’re having such a rough time. I went through a phase when I was first diagnosed with celiac where I couldn’t tolerate many foods. It does get better as the GI tract heals. Just keep getting enough of the foods you can tolerate in the meantime. Bella
I also agree with this. Adding in some low Vitamin A fruits and vegetables may ease the transition to more grains. Loading up on starch might not be so great initially. Cherry juice, lemonade, lemon/coke, and ginger ale have helped me recently deal with some digestive issues.
Thank you. Recently before I started this diet, I had been eating plenty of grains, including home-made bagels, which didn't seem to bother me. The flour I use is high gluten white bread flour, but I make them without yeast (amines) and use baking soda and seltzer water instead. Maybe I can eat them again; I was just avoiding them because of what I read somewhere about gluten and vitamin A. But for sure, rice and corn bother me. Glad to hear I am not alone!
I also had been eating fish and chicken, which I will resume. As long as I get enough zinc - I think I was high copper before.
I have tried cherry juice and it was very, very bad - up all night itching. I really seem to have a problem with amines and sometimes salicylates, which is why I avoid most fruits. I guess I could try some pears. Hopefully the vitamin A depletion helps all of these things.
Try short grain rice, it is the most easily digestible starch source on the planet. It's 100% amylopectin, no amylose to irritate your gut. Make sure you fully cook it and that it's soft all the way through.
Bread should be fine in terms of VA. Rye and durum wheat have more VA than just regular old plain wheat, which is very low. I also react to pretty much all fruit. I did have a peeled nashi pear a while ago. I didn't have any VA symptoms after eating it although it did make feel a bit discomforted. From what I have read pears and especially nashi pears have the lowest VA content of any fruit. Celeriac has become a staple for me.