Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Diart on October 21, 2019 at 1:39pm

I have been dairy free for over 20 years and gluten free over 10 years. Through years of trying to figure out why I felt so bad, I developed leaky gut syndrome. Then it became a vicious circle. Eliminating the 2 top allergens helped a lot. You can be sensitive to foods without being allergic. Have you had a food sensitivity test?

Since being diagnosed with FFA 2 years ago I delved deeper into why I developed an autoimmune disease, which makes my chances of developing another autoimmune disease more likely. Without overwhelming you with data, here is what I discovered:

I read The Autoimmune Solution by Amy Myers, M.D. - a functional medicine doctor ($12.82 on Amazon)

I followed Dr. Myers Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) for 30 days and felt better than I have for years. There are a lot of 30 day AIP diets and web sites to get recipes. Dr. M has recipes on her site and a cookbook.

When I reintroduced foods I discovered I'm sensitive to all grains, even corn, oats, quinoa and rice that I often ate since I couldn't eat wheat, barley & rye. 

I also discovered through her articles on-line and her Facebook page that I probably had SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). I was eating a lot of fermented foods prior to AIP diet. I made my own kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi which apparently aggravates SIBO - who knew? I had never heard of SIBO. I took her treatment for SIBO (herbal) and a soil based probiotic. I had excellent results!

I continue to eat AIP along with some foods I successfully reintroduced. If my diet isn't clean I can feel my scalp get itchy, my eyes get itchy and sensitive and my gut hurts. I had corn recently and was in agony for 3 days. You can get sensitivity testing now, which was not so easy years ago. You can also eliminate and reintroduce foods. Often the foods we crave we are sensitive to - bummer. 

Does this help my hair loss? I'm not sure however I know I feel better in many ways without inflammation. My hair loss has slowed a lot. I started taking Finesteride about a month before starting AIP and my dermatologist swears that is the reason for the slow sown. I think it is the combo. 

I hope that helps answer your question. I'm happy to answer any questions. I didn't want to overwhelm you.

Permalink Reply by NorthCarolinaMama on October 21, 2019 at 1:55pm

Thank you so much, Diart. I really appreciate your suggestions! I have not taken a food sensitivity test. Did you buy an at-home test? I just checked EverlyWell's website and the tests listed seemed very reasonable. 

Permalink Reply by Diart on October 21, 2019 at 2:42pm

I looked at their web site and the price is reasonable. They test the lgG reactivity and that is what you want. I did not take a sensitivity test. They were not available when I started this journey. When they were new they were very pricey. By that time I already knew a lot of things to avoid. Between the cost of supplements and organic foods I don't feel compelled to spend more money since I feel good now. I hope it helps you discover your sensitivities. I mainly eat vegetables, apples, berries and proteins. For treats I make zucchini or banana breads with coconut or almond flour. Not too exciting but healthy. Best wishes!

Permalink Reply by Demixl on March 9, 2020 at 8:48am

You might be allergic to gluten. I had something similar in the past. I think that you need to make sure that you are not suffering from cileac disease, so I would suggest you go and get tested. I have been suffering from gluten allergy and it has been causing a lot of problems in my life. I have had severe hair loss because of it but I never knew exactly why. I did find a decent dermatologist that suggested I go and do a few food intolerance tests just to make sure that it's not the case for my alopecia. After a few weeks I got my results and turns out I am allergic to gluten. After I went gluten free my symptoms have subsided so you should definetly give it some thought.

Permalink Reply by Nerida on January 5, 2022 at 10:06pm

Interesting.  I do have a lot of allergies.  Mainly to things that touch my skin (lotions etc) but some food issues too.  Sounds like a good research paper.   Sometimes my head is particularly itchy.  Next time it happens I'll have to take note of what I've been eating.  

Permalink Reply by NorthCarolinaMama on January 6, 2022 at 10:32am

I posted this a few years ago, and I so appreciate folks still replying!

My hair loss is pretty stable now, but I was just tested recently for food allergies and environmental allergies due to a diagnosis of perioral dermatitis, which is inflammatory dermatosis. I'm not sure there is an autoimmune component to this type of skin condition, but there is a lot of talk of gut health within the PD community. My lab results were normal, but I'm thinking of seeing a naturopath anyway. 

Permalink Reply by ZakICarey on January 19, 2022 at 4:48am

Some allergies you may have from birth, while others appear over time. That's why it's best to get allergy tests at regular intervals. To minimize the chance of getting allergies, I eat only healthy foods. My wife is supportive, so we think through the week's diet every weekend. I love it when my wife decides to make lettuce wraps side dishes; it's unreal delicious. When my friends try these side dishes, they are jealous that my wife can cook so well. Moreover, next month she wants to enroll in cooking classes.

Permalink Reply by sampeckard on February 16, 2022 at 7:30am

If you've been tested and found that you don't have any allergies to food, it may be non-food. I did the intolerance test through intolerancelab.co.uk very quickly. The results came in a few days by email. I found out that I was allergic to cat and dog hair, which caused some itching on my body. I don't have a cat or a dog at home, but I lived with my boyfriend a few months ago, and he had a Labrador. I already don't know what we will do in the future when we move in together; it seems we have to reach a compromise.

Permalink Reply by anettemandell on November 21, 2024 at 3:05pm

I did mine in NYC, which cost me an hour and a leg. Well, I already knew that I was lactose intolerant. But also turns out I was allergic to a few things that really surprised me, like celery and tuna, which wasn't too obvious to me, of course. At least now I know why I was feeling a bit down after eating a healthy green smoothie.

Permalink Reply by lordiron on November 25, 2024 at 10:58am

Regular allergy tests didn’t show much, but I tried an IgG food sensitivity test, and it gave me some clues. Honestly, though, what worked best for me was an elimination diet. I cut out wheat and dairy for a while, then slowly added things back. That’s when I realized wheat was causing issues for me.
If you’re looking to tweak your diet, you could try using stuff like coconut flour or even barley powder. It’s a bit of trial and error, but once you figure out what’s causing the problem, it can make a huge difference.