Having success with a diet

[concerned lady]

Hi Nick,

You make some very good points, Nick, which I will take to heart.

First, I was not biopsied by the dermatologist who saw me for about 5 minutes, a few weeks ago, but I was "scraped", and she looked at the scrapings under a microscope. I don't think this counts as a biopsy, right?

Good point about questioning whether it is sodium nitrate, vs. red meat. I sure hope you're right about psoriasis patients being able to eat organic red meat, since my hubby is a beefaholic, and eventually, I'd probably succomb to eating beef again! Right now, I'm abstaining from beef, and only eating turkey, chicken, and fish.

You wrote, in regards to the argumentative dermatologist who said milk caused his psoriasis, at your medical conference:

"For a condition to clear up very fast after stopping a particular food, it may also have been an allergic dermatitis and not psoriasis at all....Step 1 in my opinion is to properly determine if you even have psoriasis."

I entirely agree, and am looking for a dermatologist in the Denver area, who can tell me for sure that it is psoriasis. Got any personal recommendations? If anyone else reading this has any personal recommendations, I'm all ears!

You also wrote:

"A more logical approach is to remove one food group at a time, and by a process of ellimination, attempt to work out if a particular good is triggering your psoriasis...."

I'm not sure this would work, in my case. Why? Because I've found that what may work better for me, is to remove a whole bunch of potential "trouble" foods, all at the same time. If I get better, THEN, I'll re-introduce one at a time, to see how I do.

The reason I feel this way, is that for some other conditions, this method has helped me figure out what foods do & don't agree with me. Had I only removed ONE of the SEVERAL trouble foods, I might not have seen or felt enough definite improvement, due to my continuing to eat the OTHER troublesome foods.

I know that this has been the case for others, who have MULTIPLE food "sensitivities" (different from allergies):

For example, if a person has a GLUTEN SENSTIVITIY (gluten is in wheat, rye, barley, & gluten can cross contaminate many samples of oats & buckwheat), possibly along with a CASEIN SENSITIVITY (casein is but one of several milk proteins--another one is "whey"), maybe possibly along with a SENSITIVITY TO CORN PROTEINS &/or a SENSITIVITY TO SOY PROTEINS, &/or a SENSITIVITY TO DIETARY YEAST PROTEINS (A yeast protein sensitivity has been associated in some cases of Crohn's Disease), &/or a SENSITIVITY TO EGG PROTEINS, etc.,

then, such a person may not see positive results until all of the offending proteins are removed simultaneously.

If a person were, instead, to remove the whole shebang all at once, and were to improve,... then, the person could ONE BY ONE, re-introduce each of the above proteins, for a few days, to see which ones agree & don't agree with the person!

Regarding conferences, and doctors thinking each one is always right..., I found lots of arguing and disagreement, among docs (even among the speakers themselves!), at the medical conferences I have attended, and I was rooting for an allergist (in the audience) who begged everyone to pay attention to how food (protein) sensitivities could provoke gastric reflux episodes, causing vocal cords to close up, in what is known as vocal cord dysfunction, paradoxical vocal fold motion, and a dozen other synonyms.

Another allergist stood up, and said he didn't believe in food protein sensitivities! (oh boy!)

Well, today I ate organic turkey left over from Thanksgiving, and I juiced some veggies (organic, fresh, raw ones: carrots, celery, fresh curled parsely, romaine lettuce), and have had some organic (in glass bottles, since I couldn't find these organic fruits available anywhere) grape juice and pineapple juice. I've been drinking my well water, and will eat some organic cooked short grain brown rice, some fresh watercress, some organic almonds, organic raisins, organic figs & organic dates.

When arguing with my hubby, I say, "Don't yell at me. I have psoriasis, and I have to stay calm." That usually works, and he lowers his voice. Of course, I'll have to stop yelling at him, now, too, during arguments! We've been together for over 30 years, and we still don't "get" how eachother's brains work! As you wrote: Go figure!

Anyway, good luck to you, and to all!

Nick--until all dermatologists stop charging money, when they see psoriasis patients, not diagnosing them properly, knee-jerkishly prescribing steroids etc., never mentioning diet, not even doing a simple blood or urine test, not taking one's blood pressure, not even taking one's temperature, not even mentioning phototherapy at all, etc., do you think that maybe we shouldn't expect the good doc in New Jersey, to stop charging for his book? Just some food for thought.

Carol

[Nick Balgowan]

hi there,

I agree with much of what you are saying, so please don't take anything I say too harshly I agree, some service from doctors and dermatologists leaves much to be desired. I also have no problem with people earning a living, but I also encourage people they can determine their own low trigger diet themselves without spending anything.

Using an example you raised of gluten intollerance. Much of the population has some intollerance to gluten, this is thought to be caused by wheat being a more recent addition to our diets, generations gone by ate other grains - hence the ancient grain mentality.

Saying that, a lot of people "think" they Celiac Disease when infact, they are probaly having an adverse reaction to food preservative 202, which is found in just about anything that contains gluten or yeast. e.g. just about every baked product in the supermarket. This food additive causes skin rashes, restriction of airways, itchy eyes, hives, irritable bowle etc. A friend of mine thought they have Celiac desease for well over 10 years, only to find they were having a reacton to a food additive in procesed breads, not the wheat or gluten.

I am not sure if a skin scrape is a sure fire psoriasis diagnosis, I suspect this rules out a skin fungal infection. As I had a scrape initially, and then a biopsy after that. I think they may look at illimiating other possible causes prior to cuting a chunk out of you? But not entirely sure. The information I have from a top dermatologist is that a full biopsy is required as the abnormal activity is below the surface of the skin.

I have emails going back for years and years of people offering me what solved their problem, some people have said changing tooth paste brand, removal of milk, removal of gluten, stopping red meat, removing junk food, drinking green tea etc. I have heard this thing about microwave ovens, but that doesn't stick as people in Tibet in the mountaints have psoriasis too. Als, cultures that do not even eat anything that is listed in some of these diets, also have psoriasis - nor have these foods been eaten for generations either.

I know however, if I eat packaged meats from supermarket with added Sodium Nitrate, I will be more spotty than usual, and red inflammed patches appear on my scalp. However, I can eat organic red meat with no change to my psoriasis at all. Likewise, if I eat white processed breat from a supermarket (high in salt, high in sugar, high in refined wheat, and added 202 preservative) my spots will be signifigantly inflamed the next day.

There are a list of known poblematic food additives that appear in most of the "danger" foods listed in some of these diets. Co-incidentally this is the main topic of our E-Book that is a whopping $2.50 USD. I have numberous case studies that show it is more likely the food additives than the food themselves. After all, preservatives, msg, emulsifiers, caking agents, anti-caking agents, rising agents, yeast and artificial sweateners also were not in our diets 50 years ago.

At this conference 2 weeks ago, some how, MacDonalds was a major sponsor of this medical confernce - go figure. Interstingly they didn't have the world "MacDonalds" on their stand any place. Obviously tring to distance themselves from their traditional image. Anyway, they were proudly introducing a new "product" being introduced next year. a new "Happy Meal" for the kids. Wow, the main feature of this meal was a kind of milk shake thing. The kids stick this straw into a cup, that get sucked through a bit like a filter, inside the filter are these little balls of "flavour." Big comments on the packaging like "makes milk fund" and "only 1/2 tea spoon sugar." Sounded outside of the scope of MacDonald's usual MO, so I took a sample and had one suck. hmmm... FAR to sweat for a kid to drink, and far to sweat for only 1/2 tea spoon of milk. Why do we need to add sugar to milk is beyong me, it already has natural sugars and fats. So I read the fine print on the ingredients (which I usually for first, but not on this occasions.) A rather long list of ingredients for a simple kids milk flavour, but fine is only listed a small amount of sugar, but being the first ingredient meant it was the highest volume ingredient too. But what was the last ingredient I hear you ask? A sweatner called SUCRALOSE food additive 955, also called Splenda. These additives are known to impact the thyroid that impacts your immune system, which is linked to PSORIASIS and many other conditions.... Infact, most food additives cause thyroid, liver and kidney complications - which are all directly links to psoriasis and many other chronic conditions. As so many people these days are eating "fat free" and "sugar free" foods, the fats and sugars are nearly always replaced with a chemical agent......... removing these clear poisons from your diet is the best thing to do, not necessarily removing entire food groups.

Also, there are clear test for gluten intollerance, again, most people who think they are gluten intollerant have never actually take a genuine test. In fact, I guarantee if you have psoriasis and are eating foods with 202 preservative (also found in red wine which is a major trigger of psoriasis) your psoriasis will be inflamed. I can drink organic red wine with no impact on my psoriasis at all.... as I can eat preservative free bread without any impact on my psoriasis.


"In Splenda®: Is It Safe Or Not? Dr. Janet Hull reveals the scientific evidence strongly suggesting the chemical sweetener sucralose may harm your body. Perhaps there is no “free ticket” to eating all the sugar-free products you want without paying a high price physically – even weight gain."


"Concerns have also been raised about the effect of sucralose on the thymus gland, a gland that is important to the immune system"

"Chlorine atoms are covalently bonded to the carbon atoms in the sucralose molecule, making it a chlorocarbon. Many chlorocarbons are toxic; however, sucralose is unlike these chemicals because it is extremely insoluble in fat and does not accumulate in fat like most chlorinated hydrocarbons. In addition, sucralose does not break down or dechlorinate"

"The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, and calcification of the kidney."

"Any animal that eats chlorine (especially on a regular basis) is at risk of cancer. The Merck Manual and OSHA 40 SARA 120 Hazardous Waste Handbook states that chlorine is a carcinogen and emergency procedures should be taken when exposed via swallowing, inhaling, or through the skin."

[concerned lady]

Dear Nick,

I just wrote a you big reply, and it all just disappeared into cyberspace! Dang! And I don't know why!

Anyway, thanks for what you wrote. When I get more sleep, I'll reply again.

I will say that earlier today I juiced a bunch of organic veggies (carrots, fresh parsely, romaine lettuce, celery) twice (shared some with hubby), and interestingly (may be too early to tell), I didn't need to apply my holistic salicylic acid psoriasis cream, all day (first time I haven't needed to do this, since this all started), and didn't hardly itch or burn, all day. Of course, as soon as I wrote this, I started to itch...

Carol

[adnan]

Hi Carol:

first of all it's really intersting to have an active member like you, for the itching i must agree with you that it's still too early, Psoriasis goes in ups and downs and you have to be aware of this, but the overall progress should be positive ...

Wish u a free psoriasis life

[powderchyld]

Carol and Nick,
I've been reading your back and forth quite intently over the last couple of days. I've benefitted from both of your comments and suggestions. Nick I found your last post to be very interesting. Over the last 17 years the only time I DIDN'T have problems with my P was when I was on the Atkins diet. Only I took it a step further and rather than substituting Splenda or another sugar replacement, I just cut it out all together. At the beginning I did try Splenda and aspartame, as I have a killer sweet tooth and didn't think I could do without. I broke out into hives and my lips swelled to the point of cracking. That prompted the complete anhialation of it all. Not only did I lose a tonne of weight (60 lbs) but my skin was super clear. Eventually I started to add foods back into my diet slowly, trying to figure out what triggered weight gain. Now I'm thinking of trying it over again for my skin's sake. I've also been prescribed Dovonex. This is a non-steroid antisporatic cream, and it seems to be working nicely. But, as we with P know, it's only a matter of time before my skin gets used to it and refuses to let the cream work! I found the information you put forth about chemical sweeteners and fat replacers quite interesting and I will be looking further into this. Thank you both for all your input. I may not be as knowledgable on these subjects as you are, but I'm keen to learn more.
Thanks again,
Angela

[concerned lady]

Hi Nick, Angela, Nat, and All,

Will try to reply later tonight. Things have been very hectic around here, and we're now in the deep freeze after some snow. My computer had big problems, and hopefully is OK now. Later. Thanks to all, and good luck to all!

Carol

[concerned lady]

Hi Nick!

Thank you for your helpful replies! See below, for my responses (in CAPS).

Carol
---------------------------

hi there,

I agree with much of what you are saying, so please don't take anything I say too harshly

THANKS! OK!
--------------------

I agree, some service from doctors and dermatologists leaves much to be desired.

YES, I AGREE!
---------------------

I also have no problem with people earning a living, but I also encourage people they can determine their own low trigger diet themselves without spending anything.

I AGREE IN PRINCIPAL, BUT FOR ME, I'VE FOUND THAT SOMETIMES A BOOK CAN BE A CATALYST FOR ME TO TAKE ACTIONS, THAT I MIGHT NOT TAKE, WITHOUT READING THE BOOK.
--------------------------

Using an example you raised of gluten intollerance. Much of the population has some intollerance to gluten, this is thought to be caused by wheat being a more recent addition to our diets, generations gone by ate other grains - hence the ancient grain mentality.

I AGREE!
---------------------------

Saying that, a lot of people "think" they Celiac Disease when infact, they are probaly having an adverse reaction to food preservative 202, which is found in just about anything that contains gluten or yeast. e.g. just about every baked product in the supermarket. This food additive causes skin rashes, restriction of airways, itchy eyes, hives, irritable bowle etc. A friend of mine thought they have Celiac desease for well over 10 years, only to find they were having a reacton to a food additive in procesed breads, not the wheat or gluten.

VERY INTERESTING, ABOUT THE FOOD PRESERVATIVE 202! I ALSO THINK A PERSON COULD HAVE BOTH A REACTION TO THIS PRESERVATIVE, ALONG WITH A NON-CELIAC TYPE OF GLUTEN SENSITIVITY.

ONE WAY TO TEST THIS OUT, IS BY EATING GLUTENOUS FOODS THAT DO NOT CONTAIN THAT PRESERVATIVE, SUCH AS ORGANIC GLUTENOUS FOODS.

THEN, IF SOMEONE STILL HAS PROBLEMS OF SOME KIND OR ANOTHER, THE PERSON COULD GO GLUTEN-FREE, AND PRESERVATIVE-FREE, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
---------------------------------

I am not sure if a skin scrape is a sure fire psoriasis diagnosis, I suspect this rules out a skin fungal infection. As I had a scrape initially, and then a biopsy after that. I think they may look at illimiating other possible causes prior to cuting a chunk out of you? But not entirely sure. The information I have from a top dermatologist is that a full biopsy is required as the abnormal activity is below the surface of the skin.

THANKS FOR THIS INFO! I'M SURE I DIDN'T HAVE A BIOPSY TAKEN, SO AM STILL NOT YET REALLY DIAGNOSED, FOR SURE.
---------------------

I have emails going back for years and years of people offering me what solved their problem, some people have said changing tooth paste brand, removal of milk, removal of gluten, stopping red meat, removing junk food, drinking green tea etc.

THIS SEEMS TO SHOW THE MULTI-FACTORIAL NATURE OF PSORIASIS.
----------------------

I have heard this thing about microwave ovens, but that doesn't stick as people in Tibet in the mountaints have psoriasis too.

I AGREE THAT TIBETANS DON'T USE MICROWAVE OVENS, SO IT'S NOT MICROWAVE OVENS THAT CAUSE THEIR PSORIASIS.

BUT, MICROWAVE OVENS DO HAVE SOME DANGERS:

1) LEAKY SEALS ON MICROWAVE OVEN DOORS, HAVE CAUSED NERVE INJURIES TO FINGERS & HANDS OF PEOPLE HOLDING ONTO THE LEAKY DOORS, WHILE BOTH THEIR FOOD & THEIR FINGERS WERE "COOKING"!

2) HEART PACEMAKERS CAN BE DISRUPTED BY MICROWAVES, SO WARNING SIGNS ARE POSTED WHERE MICROWAVE OVENS ARE USED.

SO, I SUPPOSE THAT SOME PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED BY STRAY MICROWAVES, PERHAPS TRIGGERING OR FLARING THEIR PSORIASIS. A STUDY SHOULD PROBABLY BE DONE.
--------------------------

Als, cultures that do not even eat anything that is listed in some of these diets, also have psoriasis - nor have these foods been eaten for generations either.

I WONDER WHAT THESE FOLKS WERE EATING, THAT MAY NOT HAVE AGREED WITH THEM!
----------------------------

I know however, if I eat packaged meats from supermarket with added Sodium Nitrate, I will be more spotty than usual, and red inflammed patches appear on my scalp. However, I can eat organic red meat with no change to my psoriasis at all.

I AGREE WITH YOU, THAT THIS PRESERVATIVE IS VERY BAD, SO I DON'T EAT FOODS WITH NaNO3. IF I CAN GET RID OF THIS "PSORIASIS", I WILL TRY ORGANIC RED MEAT AGAIN, TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
-----------------------

Likewise, if I eat white processed breat from a supermarket (high in salt, high in sugar, high in refined wheat, and added 202 preservative) my spots will be signifigantly inflamed the next day.

THIS SOUNDS LOGICAL. IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WOULD EAT ORGANIC, WHOLE GRAIN, GLUTENOUS BREAD, WITHOUT ANY PRESERVATIVES.
----------------------------------

There are a list of known poblematic food additives that appear in most of the "danger" foods listed in some of these diets. Co-incidentally this is the main topic of our E-Book that is a whopping $2.50 USD.

I AGREE! I TRY TO AVOID ALL ADDITIVES THAT ARE ADMITTED TO, ON LABELS. EVENTUALLY, I'LL PROBABLY SPRING FOR YOUR E-BOOK!
----------------------------------

I have numberous case studies that show it is more likely the food additives than the food themselves. After all, preservatives, msg, emulsifiers, caking agents, anti-caking agents, rising agents, yeast and artificial sweateners also were not in our diets 50 years ago.

AGAIN, I AGREE! ALSO, I SUPPOSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THERE COULD BE 2 THINGS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME: BAD REACTIONS DUE TO THE PRESERVATIVES, PLUS BAD REACTIONS DUE TO SOME FOOD (PROTEIN) "SENSITIVITIES".
---------------------------

At this conference 2 weeks ago, some how, MacDonalds was a major sponsor of this medical confernce - go figure. Interstingly they didn't have the world "MacDonalds" on their stand any place. Obviously tring to distance themselves from their traditional image. Anyway, they were proudly introducing a new "product" being introduced next year. a new "Happy Meal" for the kids. Wow, the main feature of this meal was a kind of milk shake thing. The kids stick this straw into a cup, that get sucked through a bit like a filter, inside the filter are these little balls of "flavour." Big comments on the packaging like "makes milk fund" and "only 1/2 tea spoon sugar." Sounded outside of the scope of MacDonald's usual MO, so I took a sample and had one suck. hmmm... FAR to sweat for a kid to drink, and far to sweat for only 1/2 tea spoon of milk. Why do we need to add sugar to milk is beyong me, it already has natural sugars and fats.

SO SAD! I GUESS MACDONALDS WANTS TO KEEP KIDS "ADDICTED" TO SUGAR, SO THEY MUST FEEL THE NEED TO PUT THIS ADDICTIVE "DRUG" INTO MILK, FOR KIDS TO DRINK. NOT TO MENTION THAT MANY ARE SENSITIVE TO THE PROTEINS FOUND IN MILK, SUCH AS CASEIN, WHEY, ETC. ("SENSITIVITIES" TO FOOD PROTEINS, ARE DIFFERENT FROM "ALLERGIES" TO SUCH PROTEINS. DIFFERENT ANTIBODIES ARE INVOLVED, DIFFERENT REACTIONS TOO.)
------------------------------------

So I read the fine print on the ingredients (which I usually for first, but not on this occasions.) A rather long list of ingredients for a simple kids milk flavour, but fine is only listed a small amount of sugar, but being the first ingredient meant it was the highest volume ingredient too. But what was the last ingredient I hear you ask? A sweatner called SUCRALOSE food additive 955, also called Splenda. These additives are known to impact the thyroid that impacts your immune system, which is linked to PSORIASIS and many other conditions.... Infact, most food additives cause thyroid, liver and kidney complications - which are all directly links to psoriasis and many other chronic conditions.

VERY INTERESTING AND USEFUL INFO! THANKS FOR THIS.
--------------------------

As so many people these days are eating "fat free" and "sugar free" foods, the fats and sugars are nearly always replaced with a chemical agent......... removing these clear poisons from your diet is the best thing to do, not necessarily removing entire food groups.

I TOTALLY AGREE! I ALSO WONDER WHAT BAD EFFECTS GENETICALLY ENGINEERED "FRANKEN-FOODS" ARE HAVING ON PEOPLE, TOO!
---------------------------

Also, there are clear test for gluten intollerance, again, most people who think they are gluten intollerant have never actually take a genuine test.

FROM WHAT I'M LEARNING, WHAT WERE ONCE THOUGHT TO BE GOOD TESTS FOR GLUTEN SENSITIVITY, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE "FALSE NEGATIVE" RESULTS.

1) FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE BLOOD TESTS, LOOKING FOR ELEVATED NUMBERS OF ANTI-BODIES TO GLIADIN, OR TO SOME OTHER COMPONENT OF GLUTEN.

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS BLOOD TEST, IS THAT THE EXCESSIVE NUMBERS OF ANTI-BODIES TO "GLUTEN", MADE BY A GLUTEN-SENSITIVE PERSON, ARE FIRST FORMED IN THE LARGE INTESTINE, BUT THESE ANTIBODIES MAY NOT HAVE ESCAPED YET, INTO THE PERSON'S BLOOD STREAM.

SO, A GLUTEN SENSITIVE PERSON COULD HAVE LOTS OF THESE ANTIBODIES IN THEIR LARGE INTESTINE, BUT, NONE (OR VERY FEW) OF THESE ANTIBODIES MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN INTO THEIR BLOODSTREAM, AND THUS, A BLOOD TEST WOULD PRODUCE A "FALSE NEGATIVE" RESULT. THE BLOOD TEST WOULD "MISS" A GLUTEN SENSITIVE PERSON, IN SUCH A CASE, AND THIS IS APPARENTLY MORE COMMON THAN WAS FORMERLY THOUGHT.

2) FOR ANOTHER EXAMPLE, TAKE "ENDOSCOPIC" EXAMINATIONS OF A PERSON'S SMALL INTESTINE, WITH BIOPSIES TAKEN, AND WITH THE BIOPSIES EXAMINED UNDER A MICROSCOPE. HERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF "TEST" FOR GLUTEN SENSITIVITIY:

a) IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF CASES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE "PATCHY" CELIAC DISEASE, SOMETIMES THE BIOPSIES WEREN'T TAKEN IN THE PLACES WHERE THE VILLI WERE FLATTENED, BLUNTED, ETC., AND THE APPEARANCE IS "NORMAL". THIS CAUSES A FALSE NEGATIVE RESULT.

VILLI (SINGULAR IS " A VILLUS") ARE MICROSCOPIC FINGER-LIKE PROJECTIONS INTO THE INTERIOR SPACE WITHIN THE SMALL INTESTINE, THE SPACE THROUGH WHICH FOOD MOVES ALONG, TRYING TO GET DIGESTED (BROKEN DOWN INTO SMALLER MOLECULES) AND ABSORBED INTO THE VILLI'S BLOOD & LYMPH VESSELS.

VILLI SECRETE SOME DIGESTIVE ENZYMES, INCLUDING LACTASE, AND ALSO THE VILLI CONTAIN TINY BLOOD VESSSELS, INTO WHICH DIGESTED FOOD MOLECULES GET ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM, AND INTO THE TINY LYMPH VESSELS.

b) IN CASES OF ACTUAL CELIAC PATIENTS, SOMETIMES THE APPEARANCE OF THE BIOPSIES, UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, ARE MIS-INTERPRETED BY THE DOC LOOKING AT THESE SAMPLES, AND THE PATIENT IS TOLD THAT S/HE DOESN'T HAVE CELIAC DISEASE!

BUT, IF THE DOC IS SMART ENOUGH TO SEND THOSE SAME SAMPLES TO ANOTHER EXPERT, FOR COMPARISON, SOMETIMES THE CELIAC DISEASE IS FINALLY RECOGNIZED! IF NOT, THERE'S ANOTHER "FALSE NEGATIVE", FOR CELIAC DISEASE.

c) THERE'S A GASTROENTEROLOGIST IN DALLAS, TEXAS, NAMED KENNETH FINE WHO HIMSELF AND HIS DAUGHTER, FINALLY FOUND THEY HAD/HAVE A TYPE OF GLUTEN SENSITIVITY THAT IS NOT CELIAC DISEASE.

THIS TEXAS GASTRO DOC (WELL CREDENTULED) HAS BUILT ON THE RESEARCH OF OTHERS BEFORE HIM, AND HAS FOUND A NON-INVASIVE WAY TO LOOK FOR NON-CELIAC TYPES OF GLUTEN SENSITIVITY. HIS LAB, CALLED ENTEROLAB, LOOKS FOR ELEVATED NUMBERS OF ANTIBODIES TO GLIADIN, ETC., FOUND IN STOOL SAMPLES THAT PATIENTS SEND IN TO HIS LAB.

HIS RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 1 OUT OF 3 PEOPLE, WHO HAVE GLUTEN SENSITIVITY OF A NON-CELIAC NATURE! HE ALSO SAYS THAT IN THE USA, THERE MAY BE 1 OUT OF 100 WHO HAVE CELIAC DISEASE. THIS SHOWS THAT CELIAC DISEASE IS, AS HE PUTS IT, "ONLY THE TIP OF THE GLUTEN SENSITIVITY ICEBERG!"

YET, MOST GASTRO DOCS KNOW VERY LITTLE, ABOUT THE HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE HAVING NON-CELIAC TYPES OF GLUTEN SENSITIVITY!

YOU CAN "GOOGLE" THE DOC'S NAME AND HIS LAB'S NAME, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

d) PEOPLE WHO HAVE GLUTEN SENSITIVITY THAT IS NON-CELIAC, MAY STILL HAVE SMALL INTESTINAL DAMAGE, BUT THE DAMAGE MAY BE "SUB-MICROSCOPIC", THAT IS, NOT VISIBLE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, YET POTENT ENOUGH TO INTERFERE WITH DIGESTIVE AND ABSORPTION FUNCTIONING, OF THE SMALL INTESTINE!

THESE NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVE PEOPLE, HAVE LONG BEEN IGNORED AND/OR MIS-DIAGNOSED, BY DOCS WHO KNOW ONLY ABOUT CELIAC DISEASE!

MY HUBBY AND I USED THE TEXAS DOC'S LAB, AND MY HUBBY FOUND HE IS GLUTEN SENSITIVE, AND HE WAS ANNOYED THAT I CAME OUT NEGATIVE FOR GLUTEN SENSITIVITY.

I'VE READ THAT THERE CAN BE SOME CONNECTIONS, IN SOME CASES, BETWEEN GLUTEN SENSITIVITY AND PSORIASIS.
-----------------

In fact, I guarantee if you have psoriasis and are eating foods with 202 preservative (also found in red wine which is a major trigger of psoriasis) your psoriasis will be inflamed. I can drink organic red wine with no impact on my psoriasis at all.... as I can eat preservative free bread without any impact on my psoriasis.

THANKS FOR THIS INFO! THIS SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WITH PSORIASIS SHOULD AVOID PRESERVATIVES, AND EAT ORGANIC FOODS & DRINKS.

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED GOING GLUTEN-FREE, ALONG WITH GOING PRESERVATIVE-FREE, TO SEE IF THIS COULD HAVE ANY POSITIVE EFFECT ON YOUR PSORIASIS? JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
-------------------------

"In Splenda®: Is It Safe Or Not? Dr. Janet Hull reveals the scientific evidence strongly suggesting the chemical sweetener sucralose may harm your body. Perhaps there is no “free ticket” to eating all the sugar-free products you want without paying a high price physically – even weight gain."

"Concerns have also been raised about the effect of sucralose on the thymus gland, a gland that is important to the immune system"

"Chlorine atoms are covalently bonded to the carbon atoms in the sucralose molecule, making it a chlorocarbon. Many chlorocarbons are toxic; however, sucralose is unlike these chemicals because it is extremely insoluble in fat and does not accumulate in fat like most chlorinated hydrocarbons. In addition, sucralose does not break down or dechlorinate"

"The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, and calcification of the kidney."

"Any animal that eats chlorine (especially on a regular basis) is at risk of cancer. The Merck Manual and OSHA 40 SARA 120 Hazardous Waste Handbook states that chlorine is a carcinogen and emergency procedures should be taken when exposed via swallowing, inhaling, or through the skin."

Nick Balgowan
beatpsoriasis.com
The best forum, bar none.

GREAT INFO! I AGREE, AND HUBBY & I AVOID ALL ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, ETC., INCLUDING ASPARTAME/NUTRASWEET/EQUAL, WHICH HAS SIMILAR AWFUL EFFECTS, PLUS HEADACHE, UPSET STOMACH, GRAND MAL SEIZURES/CONVULSIONS, BRAIN TUMORS, AND IRONICALLY...AS MENTIONED ABOVE...WEIGHT GAIN!

WE HAVE A WELL, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DRINK CHLORINATED WATER. I CARRY AROUND MY WELL WATER IN WATER BOTTLES, SO I KNOW CHLORINE IS NOT ONE OF MY FACTORS.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND TO ALL!

CAROL
_________________

[Nick Balgowan]

Hi Carol,

I have been more than a little busy lately, so sorry for my late reply. We have just moved into a new office and have lots of new and exciting products just around the corner.

I agree with your comments about books being good catalysts. But just to reiterate my earlier comment, most of the information in the book in question is freely available online, or available from most doctor's clinics inthe way of patient information brochures, or from web forums such as this and others.

Preservative 202 is a definite psoriasis and skin rash trigger, it is very well documented. Unfortunately it is appearing in more and more processed foods. Same with many of the colors added to food, which is really pointless. We all know margarine is opaque white, so why turn it yellow to look like butter, when it is nothing like butter? Not to mention the sodium flavour enhancers similar to MSG.

I was watching with great interest that the "Super Nanny" is endorsing Continental food products, if you can call it food. Wow, some of their instant noodles are proudly labled as "MSG FREE" but remove the MSG, an add piles of 3 or 4 other similar flavour enhances. I'd almost prefer the MSG as I know the level of reaction to expect. I actually emailed her via her official web page, with no responce. How can you claim to be a behavioural expert for children when you endorse feeding them products with chemicals that are known to change brain activity and even brain developmentin some instances? Ironic.

There is little doubt some people get good relief from removing lactose and gluten from their diets, but unfortunately these people are probably in the minority in the wider psoriasis population, and as I also said earlier, most likely have a form of irritant or allergic dermatitis rather than actual psoriasis - more often misdiagnosed than realised I am sure.

If you do actually get a biopsy I would be very interested to hear the results. However, mine left a fair scare for a small hole punched, because it goes through all the layes of the skin..... yuk.

I also agree with you on microwave ovens. I did some research into this a couple of years ago, and actually went so far as purchasing a pocket microwave leakage detector. Fortunately our microwave was not irratiating our kids.

There would well be links to microwave or other forms of radiation, as UV is a form of radiation that causes biolocial changes, so adverse exposure to harmful radiation likely has a wide range of possible side effects on the human body.

If I eat out at a restaurant and have meat, I can tell you within 12 hours if it contained sodium nitrates. Organic red meat is a completely different product and worth considering if people believe the protein in the meat is their problem - which I have seen mentioned in more than one book.

We have received some very good comments about our book, it is not a massive amount of information, but more than enough to get you thinking on the right path.

Without a doubt, psoriasis treatments are often a combination or adjusting a diet, increase clean water intake, UV, biologicals, steroids, salt baths, holidays, sterss relief, counciling etc. What ever works best for each person is up to them to decide.

I don't think we will know the impact of all these modified foods and food additives for some time yet. I read recently there has not yet been a full generation reared on margarine. Until a generation produces off spring, there is no real information to determine the over all affect. Like our parents only had butter, margarine didn't exist back then. So the long term exposure to margarine is not actually know, particularly because there are so many additives, preservatives, coagulants, caking agents, colors etc in it, it is nearly entirely engineered.

I don't know too much about tests for gluten allergies, but the skin is such a large organ and reliant on other major bodily functions, so many things seem to be linked with one condition or another.

I have experimented with gluten free, milk free etc for years. Basically now I eat mainly organic products. We have several of the larger organic suppliers close to where we live, so its not much extra work. Some of the main stream supermarkets are also starting to stock more organic products.

I drink lots of water, mainly filtered, but I'm not too paranoid about it. Happy to drink tap water if that is all that is available, but water is becoming scarse here with droughts, so the water quality is also suffering as a result.

Take care and have a great Xmas!

[concerned lady]

Dear Nick,

Things have been hectic here too, so I too am sorry for my late reply. What are your new products?

I agree about all those preservatives and other additives (artificial: colors, flavors, flavor enhancers such as MSG, sweeteners, etc.) being bad for psoriasis! I try to eat organic foods when I can.

I agree with your disapproval of that "Super Nanny", who endorsed "foods" containing all those additives.

You wrote: "There is little doubt some people get good relief from removing lactose and gluten from their diets, but unfortunately these people are probably in the minority in the wider psoriasis population, and as I also said earlier, most likely have a form of irritant or allergic dermatitis rather than actual psoriasis - more often misdiagnosed than realised I am sure. "

It would be interesting if a study was done, to find out how many people with psoriasis have problems with gluten &/or casein (a milk protein).

I also think you're probably right about misdiagnoses!

You wrote: "If you do actually get a biopsy I would be very interested to hear the results. However, mine left a fair scare for a small hole punched, because it goes through all the layes of the skin..... yuk."

So far, I haven't been back to see a dermatologist, except once, when they rolled their eyes at me, because I wasn't using a steroid, anti-fungal, nor any antibiotic for the staph infection I had in the midst of the "psoriasis", under breasts.

I've been using (not 100%) the ideas in the book by the New Jersey chiropracter, and things are slowly improving. Much less itch. Less redness. But still have "psoriasis" on scalp & under breasts. It's been about a month, using Dr. P's ideas, and when I follow his ideas more closely, I see improvement.

I've seen my chiropracter, and my acupuncturist. Both seem to help, except for a minor flare a couple of weeks ago, from what I think is the silicone coating on 2 acupuncture needles that he placed under breasts (the silicone is supposed to make the needles enter the skin more easily).

You wrote: "I also agree with you on microwave ovens. I did some research into this a couple of years ago, and actually went so far as purchasing a pocket microwave leakage detector. Fortunately our microwave was not irratiating our kids."

I'm glad your microwave oven is not leaking microwaves. My objection to using them, except when I have no other way to heat up food, is the URP's (unique radiolytic products)--"new" molecules created by the microwaves' very severe & un-natural shaking up of food molecules. From what I had read, no one knows the long term effects of the URP's! We're the guinea pigs! I also read that microwaving can destroy some vitamins.

I agree with what you wrote here: "There would well be links to microwave or other forms of radiation, as UV is a form of radiation that causes biolocial changes, so adverse exposure to harmful radiation likely has a wide range of possible side effects on the human body."

You wrote: "If I eat out at a restaurant and have meat, I can tell you within 12 hours if it contained sodium nitrates. Organic red meat is a completely different product and worth considering if people believe the protein in the meat is their problem - which I have seen mentioned in more than one book. "

I agree! After I try Dr. P's methods for another couple of months, I'll try some organic beef, and see what happens. Meanwhile, I'm using what he says is OK, namely, fish, chicken, turkey, lamb.

You wrote: "We have received some very good comments about our book, it is not a massive amount of information, but more than enough to get you thinking on the right path."

I'm sure your book is excellent.

I agree with what you wrote here: "Without a doubt, psoriasis treatments are often a combination or adjusting a diet, increase clean water intake, UV, biologicals, steroids, salt baths, holidays, sterss relief, counciling etc. What ever works best for each person is up to them to decide. "

I also agree with what you wrote here, too: "I don't think we will know the impact of all these modified foods and food additives for some time yet. I read recently there has not yet been a full generation reared on margarine. Until a generation produces off spring, there is no real information to determine the over all affect. Like our parents only had butter, margarine didn't exist back then. So the long term exposure to margarine is not actually know, particularly because there are so many additives, preservatives, coagulants, caking agents, colors etc in it, it is nearly entirely engineered. "

And again, I agree with what you wrote here: "I don't know too much about tests for gluten allergies, but the skin is such a large organ and reliant on other major bodily functions, so many things seem to be linked with one condition or another."

Nick, if you're interested, take a look through Dr. Kenneth Fine's "EnteroLab" website, at http://www.finerhealth.com

He's that gastroenterologist who himself (and his daughter too) has a non-Celiac type of gluten sensitivity. He's a vegan now, and totally avoids all grains. He's more of a purist by far, than I am!

You wrote: "I have experimented with gluten free, milk free etc for years. Basically now I eat mainly organic products. We have several of the larger organic suppliers close to where we live, so its not much extra work. Some of the main stream supermarkets are also starting to stock more organic products."

I'm glad you tried going gluten-free & milk-free, too. Here's a thought: If you might have other food sensitivities, such as to proteins in corn, soy, yeast, eggs, etc., this could theoretically have an effect on psoriasis, I would imagine.

Also, if a person has multiple food protein sensitivities, the person might not notice improvement, until all the proteins are avoided (temporarily).

You wrote: "I drink lots of water, mainly filtered, but I'm not too paranoid about it. Happy to drink tap water if that is all that is available, but water is becoming scarse here with droughts, so the water quality is also suffering as a result."

I'm more paranoid about water, so I drag my well water around with me, in my car, in glass & plastic liter bottles. I'm sorry to hear about your droughts & worsening water quality! When we had to re-dig our well (done by a well driller), we temporarily used a sinktop water filter, made of solid carbon. We used one made by Culligan. I know Pur makes one, and I'm sure there are other brands too. I avoid Britta water filters, because of the silver in some of their water filters (the silver kills bacteria that accumulate in the filter). I suspect possible migration of silver into the drinking water, and don't want to get heavy metal toxicity!

I also avoid "reverse osmosis" water filters & water that was filtered by reverse osmosis. Why? Because in John Bower's book called "The Healthy House" (his wife is chemically sensitive, so he had to become an expert), he wrote that the process of reverse osmosis removes too many minerals from water, leaving the water too "soft" (too mineral-poor----almost becoming the equivalent of distilled water----just like rain water), resulting in such (mineral-poor) water leaching out minerals from one's bones, contributing to osteoporosis!

I like our well water the best! Hard water often has good minerals in it.

But, Nick, I don't have all the answers, as you can tell, since I'm still on this website! But, I'm keeping an open mind, and we'll see what happens.

You wrote: "Take care and have a great Xmas!"

I wish you and everyone the best, too! Happy Holidays!

Carol
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[Michael Lord]

is this diet just for skin problems?

[Ambiance]

greetingz. I have taken delivery of my new Dermaray UV last week and also just downloaded both the diet booklets from this web page. I really hope the diets help as a lot of it makes sense already to me. seems more I read, the more I am learning here. thank you so very much and God Bless.

[Leasyloo]

I heard fish oil was good for psoriasis and whenever my father went away on his boat he always said his p cleared up, thinking it was the salt water but after some research found out it must of been all the fish he had been eating. So now I have tuna or some type of fish at least 3 times a week for lunch and whenever I can for dinner. I am also taking fishoil capsules once a day and I think it is really helping. I also drink green tea every day which is supposed to help and lots and lots of water.

[Ambiance]

I heard fish oil was good for psoriasis and whenever my father went away on his boat he always said his p cleared up, thinking it was the salt water but after some research found out it must of been all the fish he had been eating. So now I have tuna or some type of fish at least 3 times a week for lunch and whenever I can for dinner. I am also taking fishoil capsules once a day and I think it is really helping. I also drink green tea every day which is supposed to help and lots and lots of water.

I take fish oil for joint pains, don't think it does anything for my psoriasis?

[oz1siiam]

seasons greetings to all,

While I find my diet certainly has an impact. With some food causing a reaction, particularlly those one that are processed with lots of numbers and little actually food.

Howo do you find the weather or humidity impacts you skin?
as I find the humidity with otter temperatures seems to set me off. Althought I could still improve my diet and do some exercise.

[frew1965]

i have had phoriasis for 40 years,i have had everything under the sun,nothing has ever worked,it seems to be related to stress ,unfortunatly stress comes with life,diets can somtimes work for some,if you give up good food you may as well keel over and die,do what i do just get on with it folks,just live your life and be happy,who cares what people think.you have advantages they dont.when you cut yourself it heals very fast phsoriasis is not all negative.