Wow! This post has been a long time coming... literally, almost 21 years or so coming. I've probably left some of you really confused now. Let me explain.
A few months ago, I posted that I thought many of my health issues stemmed from something known as histamine intolerance. With the help of a local functional medicine doctor, I've confirmed my hypothesis as well as learned a few other big things affecting my overall health. How has this been 21 years in the making? Well, many of my symptoms began around puberty, although I'm just now connecting the dots. I'm sure my family members will recall that I was very prone to regular headaches, scent sensitivities, anxiety and very painful cycles. It appears I was just in the beginning stages of some of these problems at that point. As time went on and the integrity of my gut was further jeopardized, my symptoms became more intense and diverse. So what exactly is going on with me?
First, I have a few genetic mutations that feed into the histamine issue in the first place. I am heterozygous in all of my DAO genes. That basically means that genetically, I don't break down histamine as efficiently as I should and excess histamine causes a world of symptoms. DAO helps to break it down and I don't produce enough. There are DAO supplements (that are not cheap) that help with this but do not totally "solve" the problem, they just address the symptoms. My other gut issues are likely a bigger factor in causing my histamine intolerance as I'll explain further in this post.
For the nerds out there, other (notable) genetic issues include being highly estrogen dominant with a homozygous CYP1B1 as well as other blood markers and symptoms. My PEMT was heterozygous which means I don't process choline well. There were also issues with my COMT (rs4680(A)), VDR and FUT2. I have mild mitochondrial defects. My BHMT is off so I'm also currently testing my sulfur metabolism to see if it needs to be addressed.
Now on to easier to understand things. We primarily eat a "real food," often organic, local, low grain diet. My B vitamins and magnesium were acceptable but several were on the low end. My amino acids were phenomenal (yay!) and most of my other vitamins, antioxidants and such were excellent. I do have an elevated copper/low zinc ratio.
My cholesterol and heart stuff all looked very good over all - praise the Lord! I had slightly elevated levels of Lp-PLA2 and Myeloperoxidase but combined with other blood work, I was told they were not of concern.
My food testing is consistent with intestinal permeability and showed high sensitivities to egg white, gluten, milk/casein and various other lower sensitivities. As a result of these, I will be cutting all of these foods from my diet for a minimum of 2 (to 6 months). We've already been gluten-free since around last November. I've also been dairy-free since shortly after Abigail was born because I'm nursing and I learned very quickly she had troubles with dairy. After several months, I will be allowed to try and add some of these foods back to my diet to see how I respond. Gluten is gone for good because my numbers were still incredibly high being on a gluten-free diet already. The question is "how high were my scores before cutting it?" I was told I have non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (and for those who question the validity of that, read this). My Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio was not superb but not terrible (probably thanks to my regular fish oil supplementation).
Fortunately I had zero bacterial overgrowths, SIBO, yeasts or parasites (yay!) but did have poor bacterial diversity in which we'll hit with particular probiotics and other methods. Right now, because of the histamine intolerance, I do not currently tolerate fermented foods (as well as a long list of other foods) in any great quantity. The catch-22 is that fermented foods can tremendously benefit gut healing and add to the diversity of the bacteria in there. Ditto for bone broth. I'm working to add these things in small quantities while upping my intake of antihistamine, anti-inflammatory foods to counteract the negative effects. The doctor is going to add some prebiotics to the mix in hopes of helping my digestion in these areas over time as well. Lastly, gut related, I'm not breaking down and properly absorbing fats and I have very low stomach acid (after years of thinking I had too much!). The doctor is recommending some pancreatic enzymes instead of just the HCL/Betaine I already take to help while we work on gut healing.
My standard blood tests were pretty good overall. To my surprise, my thyroid is totally functioning well and it seems most of my symptoms are caused by the high estrogen and low testosterone issues. Adrenals were in a normal range from a basic view. We may do further testing there later if symptoms persist. My insulin was actually extremely low. He told me that I should try not to lose any more weight (127 lbs at 5'6") and that I should actually increase my carb/fat consumption to address the insulin, estrogen and testosterone issues. And we're talking high veggie carbs, not grains here. I know some of my Paleo buddies are already freaking out a bit but this is coming from a Paleo-encouraging doc with similar opinions as this M.D who I trust as well. My blood work showed a high presence of ketones which would be great IF I was trying to lose weight or follow a ketogenic diet long term.
Another random tidbit. My family has a genetic issue known as Lynch Syndrome. My father died of brain cancer at 39 years of age, two of my sisters have tested positive for the gene and multiple aunts have it as well. It basically increases the odds of getting colon and other types of aggressive cancers. I have a 50/50 chance of having this gene but I have not yet been tested (it's a totally separate and expensive process). As a result, the doctor does want me to have a routine colonoscopy in the upcoming months as a preventative measure. Otherwise, I'm addressing the Lynch Syndrome preventatively with diet and lifestyle measures.
After ALL that... what's the overall big picture? I'm going to adjust my dietary intake as mentioned above for the next six months to see if it addresses some of these issues, continuing a mostly paleo/real food protocol. We're adding supplements to cover the nutrient deficiencies and genetic defects that can be addressed. We're also adding a prebiotic and probiotic rotation, Omega 3, and continued Vitamin D3 regularly. There will be the addition of pancreatic enzymes to help my digestion/absorption. When I'm done nursing and/or when my cycle begins again, I'll add a small amount of lyposomal progesterone for a few days a months as instructed. Some of these markers will be retested in six months. I'm continuing to add more antihistamine, anti-inflammatory foods to my diet to combat the histamine issues specifically. I may not be able to remove all of my issues in that realm since I have some genetic issues at play but there are good odds that I can seriously minimize them. I was also told to continue my current exercise routine (a combination of light cardio and yoga) and to add some additional resistance training. I'm supposed to keep working on getting adequate sleep (which I honestly think I do pretty decent at to have 5 small children) and keep the stress levels down as much as possible (now THAT'S the challenge!).
In the end, that good Lord has numbered my days in spite of it all. I'll do what I can to live a healthy life with the information I have and go from there. ;)
Until next time...
Take care,
Terra
Showing posts with label Paleo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paleo. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
James' Health: The Big Picture
I couldn't think of a creative title for this blog post, so hence the simplicity. This entire post will be pretty nerdy/sciency so proceed with caution/interest level as far as reading goes. ;)
First, James has several genetic mutations that play a part in his current health status. I won't go into explanation of them but for those of you medical types: he is compound heterozygous for MTHFR C677T and A1298C and hetero for all the other MTHFR genes; homozygous for both MAO A and B; hetero for COMT, homo for at least one of the BHMT and CBS; homo for 2 of the NOS; and has significant issues with both DAO and HNMT.
Now on to easier to understand things. We primarily eat a "real food," often organic, local, low grain diet already. However, he has Thiamine, Vitamin D3, Chromium, and Omega 3 deficiencies. He's borderline deficient in B2, B12, Folate, Pantothene, Oleic, Calcium, and Vitamin C as well as having an elevated copper/low zinc ratio.
We know he has previously diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis and he's struggled with his cholesterol for years. It was not exciting to hear that he does have an elevated amount of endothelial endovascular plaque present for his age. His cholesterol was very high, and not in a good way. His CRP (a marker of inflammation) is elevated, which is to be expected with the RA and cholesterol issues. Unfortunately, his high cholesterol is mostly genetic and his lipid profile suggests he also has a hyper-absorption of dietary cholesterol. Bye bye steaks...
His food testing is consistent with intestinal permeability and showed high sensitivities to egg white, gluten, beef, and milk/casein. (And we're surprised that our kids have many of these same sensitivities?!) As a result of these and the cholesterol results, James will be cutting all of these foods from his diet for a minimum of 6 months. We've already been gluten-free since around November though he has had a few known exposures. After that point, he will be allowed to try and add some of these foods back to his diet to see how he responds. Gluten is gone for good and dairy may be as well based on the test scores. He was also asked to add a significant amount of seafood to his diet both to replace the beef consumption and because of his Omega 3 deficiency. It was recommended that he follow a mostly autoimmune and seafood based paleo protocol with some exceptions.
Fortunately he has no bacterial overgrowths, yeasts or parasites (yay!) but does have poor bacterial diversity in which we'll hit hard with particular probiotics and added fermented foods.
He also has borderline hypothyroid numbers. His rT3 was elevated but still in an acceptable range so we'll try to treat with the above recommended diet/lifestyle changes first and proceed with medication if need be in the future.
Hormones were excellent. Adrenals were in a normal range. High levels of homocysteine (which come with many of the genetic issues above, so no surprise). Fortunately, James is active and enjoys exercise so that's not something that he has to force. Actually, he has another one of what I call his "crazy races" in just a few weeks called the BattleFrog. ;)
What's the overall big picture? We're going to adjust his dietary intake for the next six months to see if it addresses many of these issues. The inflammation from the food sensitivities could be further irritating his RA and cholesterol issues. We're adding a specific multivitamin to cover the nutrient deficiencies and genetic defects that can be addressed. We're also adding a probiotic rotation, Omega 3, and Vitamin D 3 regularly. There were two other supplements recommended as needed for genetic stuff. We're still waiting for results on any potential glucose issues but for now, this is where we stand! Some of these issues will be retested in six months. If we cannot get his cholesterol down, he will have to go on some type of medication. Praying for grace in the healing process! Ultimately, we believe God is in control of it all.
Until next time...
Take care,
Terra
First, James has several genetic mutations that play a part in his current health status. I won't go into explanation of them but for those of you medical types: he is compound heterozygous for MTHFR C677T and A1298C and hetero for all the other MTHFR genes; homozygous for both MAO A and B; hetero for COMT, homo for at least one of the BHMT and CBS; homo for 2 of the NOS; and has significant issues with both DAO and HNMT.
Now on to easier to understand things. We primarily eat a "real food," often organic, local, low grain diet already. However, he has Thiamine, Vitamin D3, Chromium, and Omega 3 deficiencies. He's borderline deficient in B2, B12, Folate, Pantothene, Oleic, Calcium, and Vitamin C as well as having an elevated copper/low zinc ratio.
We know he has previously diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis and he's struggled with his cholesterol for years. It was not exciting to hear that he does have an elevated amount of endothelial endovascular plaque present for his age. His cholesterol was very high, and not in a good way. His CRP (a marker of inflammation) is elevated, which is to be expected with the RA and cholesterol issues. Unfortunately, his high cholesterol is mostly genetic and his lipid profile suggests he also has a hyper-absorption of dietary cholesterol. Bye bye steaks...
His food testing is consistent with intestinal permeability and showed high sensitivities to egg white, gluten, beef, and milk/casein. (And we're surprised that our kids have many of these same sensitivities?!) As a result of these and the cholesterol results, James will be cutting all of these foods from his diet for a minimum of 6 months. We've already been gluten-free since around November though he has had a few known exposures. After that point, he will be allowed to try and add some of these foods back to his diet to see how he responds. Gluten is gone for good and dairy may be as well based on the test scores. He was also asked to add a significant amount of seafood to his diet both to replace the beef consumption and because of his Omega 3 deficiency. It was recommended that he follow a mostly autoimmune and seafood based paleo protocol with some exceptions.
Fortunately he has no bacterial overgrowths, yeasts or parasites (yay!) but does have poor bacterial diversity in which we'll hit hard with particular probiotics and added fermented foods.
He also has borderline hypothyroid numbers. His rT3 was elevated but still in an acceptable range so we'll try to treat with the above recommended diet/lifestyle changes first and proceed with medication if need be in the future.
Hormones were excellent. Adrenals were in a normal range. High levels of homocysteine (which come with many of the genetic issues above, so no surprise). Fortunately, James is active and enjoys exercise so that's not something that he has to force. Actually, he has another one of what I call his "crazy races" in just a few weeks called the BattleFrog. ;)
What's the overall big picture? We're going to adjust his dietary intake for the next six months to see if it addresses many of these issues. The inflammation from the food sensitivities could be further irritating his RA and cholesterol issues. We're adding a specific multivitamin to cover the nutrient deficiencies and genetic defects that can be addressed. We're also adding a probiotic rotation, Omega 3, and Vitamin D 3 regularly. There were two other supplements recommended as needed for genetic stuff. We're still waiting for results on any potential glucose issues but for now, this is where we stand! Some of these issues will be retested in six months. If we cannot get his cholesterol down, he will have to go on some type of medication. Praying for grace in the healing process! Ultimately, we believe God is in control of it all.
Until next time...
Take care,
Terra
Sunday, July 13, 2014
My First Whole 30 Experience
During the month of June, I decided to embark on my first Whole 30. For those who are unfamiliar with the plan, you can read more here. It was not for weight loss (after all, I was six months pregnant), but for overall health and to see how my body responded to specific dietary changes. My husband and a few other friends were on board and followed the plan with me, which I’m certain increased my ability to successfully complete it. This is a recap of my overall experience.
One of my main reasons for starting this was to get control of my sugar habit. I love all things sweet and sugary. I’m certain it’s become somewhat of an addiction. The Whole 30 claims to help with the cravings. I will say that I was somewhat disappointed that I continued to still have great desires for my sweets throughout the 30 days. With that said, the authors of the plan mention that some people may truly have to have a longer time frame without the sugars before their body adjusts. After all, correcting a lifetime of bad habits in just 30 days probably isn’t going to happen. Two days after my Whole 30 was completed, I totally binged on a ton of sugary sweets and paid the price with stomach upset and headaches. Not cool. Then several days later, I apparently forgot what that earned me and did it again. This time, it was followed with stomach issues, heartburn and an inability to fall asleep until nearly midnight (which is INSANELY uncommon for me). I’m hoping I learned my lesson after that last episode. This is a very tough issue for me. Overall, I’m hoping to curb my sweet tooth with healthier options (fruits and such) and then indulge only occasionally on the other goodies.
Two or three days into my Whole 30, I noticed that a continual pain I have in my thighs completely disappeared. No joke. There are two spots on the outsides of both of my thighs that generally just feel tender to the touch, non-stop. Well, I’m happy to report that pain stopped and has NOT come back. I don’t know what it was… the sugars, grains, etc but something triggered that pain. This was the only big “miracle” change the diet gave me but one worth noting.
About two weeks into my 30 days, I started feeling extremely fatigued physically. It was kind of odd because most people that go through the program feel fatigue and issues at the beginning of their Whole 30, when I didn’t. It wasn’t a sleepy fatigue but a physical one: as if I’d ran several miles and my legs were really tired. I tried adding calories/fat/approved carbs to help. I felt like I noticed a difference for about two days and then it started again. All that said, now that I’m not doing the Whole 30, my fatigue hasn’t changed greatly. I’m pretty sure that it was more so caused by the fact that I’m towards the end of my pregnancy and not a result of my diet after all.
One thing that was lovely about the Whole 30 is that I experienced zero stomach issues. There were a few days of adjustment like pains as I think my body transitioned to much more fat. Since then, I felt no uncomfortable bloating, rumbling, gas, etc. When I came off the plan and added back dairy, my stomach almost instantly showed it’s disapproval. Now I’m trying to figure out if I’m lactose-intolerant or what exactly my issue with dairy is and what I can and can’t have.
I've discovered SO many veggies and healthy meals (mostly from http://theclothesmakethegirl.com and Well Fed 2). The family (almost everyone) has fallen in love with many of these recipes. I generally consider myself a terrible cook so I feel this is HUGE. My husband has even told me that my cooking has improved dramatically and he’s not one to complain. Score!
I check the ingredients on everything and realize how much crud we have gotten used to eating without even thinking about it. We’ve just grown up in a culture that typically doesn’t pay attention to these things (I was right there too) and mindlessly eat whatever is in front of us. This has been eye opening to me!
Overall, it was a difficult but great experience for me. I’m a very “black and white” type person and having a specific list of do’s and don’ts versus eat a percentage of this or that was very helpful. Now I’m learning how to incorporate some of those other foods in my diet in a healthy way. I’m having to truly learn self-control in the area of sweets but it’s easier to pass on some of the other things. I’m still figuring out how some of the no-no foods affect me personally. But for now, this is my story!
Take care,
Terra
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