gluten, dairy, eggs, and yeast?
Okay, I get dairy and eggs but does that mean everything that is made with dairy and eggs too? Also is gluten anything with sugar? and I know yeast is in bread but where else would I find it?

We have had great success using Provocation Neutralization testing with Dr. Doris Rapp? Has anyone else tried her methods? Expensive, but very worth it.

Jackie,

I would say yes, anything with dairy and eggs. Read labels and look for whey, casein, and albumin.

Gluten is found in all types of flour.

Sugar can be sucrose, lactose, fructose, corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup.

Avoid any types of artificial sweetners too, they are poison

I've read some research that questioned the reliability of the IgG food allergy testing (Miller, S.B., IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA...Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, January 1998).
The ALCAT is another type of blood test for food allergies, but I know that there is also some question of its reliability. So there seems to be a fair amount of controversy between the two types of blood allergy tests. What is your opinion on the ALCAT blood test?

A very effective way of not only eliminating food allergies but also other allergies is NAET (Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique) http://www.naet.com/. My father had allergies to sucrose as well as dust and pollens. My daughter has been treated for food and dust allergies as well. They are doing wonderfully after treatment. NAET practitioners can test for food and other allergies with a very simple test. There are many NAET practitioners around the country and the world.

I am not disagreeing with you but doing this type of process is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for people with eating disorders and possibly for people without eating disorders. As soon as you label a food as "bad" or that you cannot have it, it is a perfect setup for feeling deprived and it is extremely important for people with eating disorders that they do not feel deprived. I would be interested in learning how you would approach this issue in the context of your food recommendations as I just don't see how it is doable if you really have an understanding of eating disorders.

Dr. Hyman,
I have read your book and I tried to implement changes little by little. I have totally eliminated sugars and flour. I shop on the outside of the grocery store and have gotten rid of most processed food. I feel so much better and have dropped 19 pounds in 6 weeks! I have 2 problems: even though I drink more water now, I have had a terrible time giving up diet coke. I have at least 2 glasses per day. How important is it that I give it up? I do notice that when I drink too much that I get cranky and bloated and my feet and ankles swell. It's like an emotional crutch though. My second question is about my son. He is a little overweight too (15 years old) but these seem like really hard restrictions for him. I allow him to eat fast food about 1 per week. He acts like I'm killing him by denying the fries and such. Advice??? Thank you, Jean

I've heard that supplementing with chorella can aid in detoxing. Is there any validity to this?

I'd like a recommendation on a good diet book that I could use to try the elimination process. I know it may sound simplistic, but after a day at work, the last thing I want to do is worry about planning a meal. Any help?

LOVE ALL THE DATA. FIND IT VERY INFORMATIVE. I HAD ANOTHER NUTRITIONIST YEARS AGO WHO STOOD FOR ALL OF THE SAME DATA. I AM GLAD TO SEE IN BOOK FORM, HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE WHY YOU WOULD REFERENCE PSYCHIATRY. THEY KNOW NOTHING AND REFERENCE TO SUCH MADE YOUR WORK SEEM LESS CREDIBLE.

You say to avoid gluten and yeast but then say to eat more grains. You can't do both. I understand they do have bread without gluten but it is like eating cardboard.

Dr Hyman,

I have been following your Ultrametabolism plan for 4 weeks and I feel fantastic! Never thought I could live a happy life without coffee but here I am. This posting on food allergies is very interesting to me. It seems it was a week or less of being on the program that I noticed my body didn't swell as it used to do. Also, I used to get strange hive-like welts on my skin regularly - seemingly for no reason - they haven't surfaced since I've changed my way of eating. I've also lost the unexplained daily aches and pains.

I live alone so it wasn't difficult for me to make these modifications to my diet. They say when the student is ready, the teacher will appear... definitely was the right time for me.

Here's a word of warning to others - be careful when buying soy milk from Whole Foods - their "365 Original Organic Soy Milk" has cane sugar added. You can never NOT ready a label!

I know that I feel better when I eliminate breads and white rice and white pasta from my diet, and I lose faster. As far as dairy goes, I am not a big milk drinker but I do like yogurt and eggs and cheese, I try to limit the cheese intake.When following this I can take off weight and I do feel better.

I found out in January that I have multiple food sensitivities: wheat and all it's relatives, yeast, eggs, dairy, chicken, and quite a few more. Trying to eat within the parameters of what I call my "forbidden list" can be very difficult and I rebelled against it for several months to begin with. Until, that is, I spent an entire week eating whatever I wanted and wound up extremely sick. It took me three days in bed to recover from all that "bad" eating! Since then I have been diligent about what I eat and haven't felt better in years. It's amazing. The longer I stay away from the foods on my "list" the better I feel (and the more weight I lose!). I'm also eliminating high fructose corn syrup. Yes, it's tough. I have days when I desperately want a Coke, burger, and fries. Or piece of some kind of baked good. Or scrambled eggs for breakfast. I do feel deprived and a little like a freak when it comes to food. But then I have days like last weekend when, while on vacation, I was on my feet all day and walked for uncounted blocks without getting fatigued, winded, or suffering from swollen ankles and foot pain. The gratitude I felt for just being able to be "normal" that way far outweighs the struggles I have with NOT being "normal" when it comes to my diet. From barely being able to get through the day, to being pain free and having energy to spare makes it all worth it. For those of you just beginning this struggle: hang in there. It really is worth it in the end, but you have to be diligent & disciplined and keep with it.

You refer to a Science paper in this blog entry -- "New research in the prestigious journals Science and Gut...".
I read your Food as Healer article after reading this blog entry, and I couldn't find a reference to a Science paper anywhere in the article. I skimmed the last 4 issues of Science and couldn't find anything relevant. Could you please post the reference, so I can look up the paper? I'm very interested in reading it.

Thanks!

Dear Dr. Hyman,
While I agree with your whole foods approach in theory, I have been on your program for over one month now, & have neither lost weight or feel better. I have given up dairy, wheat, gluten, additives, (still drinking 2 cups of coffee in the AM.) I am taking Co-Q10, alpha lipoic, fish oil, calcium/magnesium, and a multi vitamin/mineral. I have always swam 1 mile or walked 3 miles a day. Lately I have felt like I don't have the stamina I am used to having, and my breathing feels labored. Do you think I might be allergic to something? I have added nuts, seeds, beans to my diet, which I didn't really eat before. Please help. Thanks.

I have identified a few things that are my major food allergies over the years, and recent work with my chiropractor has confirmed that wheat, almost all types of sugar, and goat and cow dairy are the primary culprits, with other flare-ups likely to be when my immune system is overloaded because I have eaten these items. I will ask the name of the allergy testing and clearing process he is using on my next visit. As others have said, you absolutely, always, have to check the labels, as trusted food companies can change hands and change the product ingredients. The tip about using the outer perimeter of the grocery store is a very good one, but also explore the farmers markets that abound this time of year, and check into natural food cooperatives; my local one is now where I do the bulk of my shopping.

CC, quite possible you're not getting enough protein. Haven't read the whole book yet - Ultrametabolism - but from what I've seen of Dr. Hyman's approach, he's very much against animal products in all forms. I strongly disagree with this philosophy, and I'm far from alone.

Having said that, you need to make sure your sources of animal protein (meat, eggs, dairy) are as pure as possible; i.e., beef from cattle fed on natural diet of grass vs. grains (and free of antibiotics and steroids, etc.); organic eggs vs. conventional ones, etc.

Yes, I love the contradiction someone else pointed out: "Avoid gluten, but eat more grains." HUH?!?!

I agree, however, that certain people have food allergies, some more serious than others. But - as another poster pointed out - pinpointing those can be costly and difficult, if not impossible.

And yes, there's a lot of emotion/psychology wrapped up in the whole diet/food thing. That's why Dr. Hyman's contention that "there's a shift in thinking from food as energy source to that of INFORMATION for our bodies" just cracks me up.

As if we're all a bunch of computers, and all we have to do is "download" (i.e., eat) the right "data" (i.e., food) - and all will be well.

RIIIIIGGGHHHT.

For your items 1 thru 7, if possible, please provide some candidate brand names for items 3 & 5 in the food is medicine article.

CC,
You may be right about the allergy, you may also want to keep a food journal to start observing the reactions you have to different foods. I also have to say that it took me over a month to start feeling better or loosing any weight. I was very grouchy because of the strong relationship I had with sugar and processed foods (a whole issue on it's own); my husband's weight kept on going down week after week, and mine just the same. But now after 3 months I have finally lost 12 lbs, and feel much better. So, don't give up! it's just a matter of getting to know your body.
P.S.: I am so glad this blog is finally available!

Dear Dr. Hyman,
I have been on your program for a about 8 weeks. I feel terrific and LOVE your common sense matter of fact approach to a more sensible and healthful way of life. I do have a problem though. I started the program because I gained about 20 lbs in the past year and suspect that as I sit down to write this, I've probably gained at least ONE MORE. I have not lost one pound since I started. I'm a very active woman of 47. The one thing that I feel might have been a trigger for the weight gain is I stopped smoking 7 months ago. But I don't over eat. I measure (eyeball)portions. We, my whole family and I are on your diet. Whole foods. Organic whenever possible. Recommended supplements (me). I continue my excercise regimen, running, walking, swimming, lifting weights. I am even a member of a kick boxing program that has to be burning some serious calories. WHAT is wrong with me?

To second Susan's comment about the NAET method, my daughter has had fantastic results from our Osteopathic doctor who has taken the NAET method further by combining the technique with those of Dr. Ellen Cutler, DC, MD and Dr. Carolyn Jaffe to effectively evaluate and treat the energetic systems in the body through kinesiology, homeopathy and acupuncture/acupressure. It is non-invasive and extremely effective. Just wanted to point out that there are alternatives!

Dear Dr. Hyman,
I have been receiving and enjoying your newsletter for the past several weeks. The information you have provided has been very interesting and illuminating. I am going to purchase your book today and begin your program asap.
I would also like to share some information with you regarding an amazing botanical that has made a profound difference in my life and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. This botanical contains the most powerful phytonutrients and antioxidants on the planet.....Xanthones !
As you probably already know, there are only 200 known xanthones and most of them are in things we don't eat such as wood, moss, and liken. However,the mangosteen fruit contains more than 40 xanthones ! This one small fruit has more xanthones than any other food that we know of to date. And each of these 40 xanthones supports every system of the body in healing and restoring the natural balance so as to alleviate and eliminate the symptoms of many disease states including chronic inflammation, pain, allergies, diabetes,heart disease,lung disease, and even cancer. The list of conditions that people have reported receiving positive results with by drinking mangosteen juice is far too long to list here. I have personally received complete relief from my irritable bowel syndrome which I suffered from my whole life. I was also able to get my blood sugar back to normal and get off the 9 prescription medications I used to have to take every day. And I no longer suffer from the pain of fibromyalgia or the exhaustion and depression of chronic fatigue syndrome. Drinking 2 ounces of this delicious juice three times per day has literally given me my life back. If you are interested in finding out more about this amazing juice please go to www.xgonurse.com or contact me, Dianna Ellis RN at 858-486-2965. I would be more than happy to share the information and answer all your questions about this amazing botanical !

I have suffered from severe rosacea for many years now. At 45, I have the breakouts of a 16 year old. For the last 5 years I have followed the Zone diet off and on eating mostly Zone bars for breakfast and lunch and then "real food" consistent with Zone eating for dinner. At first, I had great success with the Zone weight loss wise and my rosacea improved but never really disappeared. When I went off the Zone and would eat whatever I wanted - usually LOTS of wheat-based products - the weight would come back, plus some and my rosacea would flare up. After 5 years of off and on Zone eating, when I would go back to "in the Zone," I wouldn't lose weight and my rosacea didn't improve any more.

I have been in Phase I of the Ultrametabolism Prescription for 5 days now and my face doesn't have a single breakout! This morning, I surprised myself when putting on my makeup by not finding any blemish to cover with concealer! I am eager to see whether my fatigue, lack of focus and those 10 extra pounds disappear as I continue Phase I. Clearly, though, something I have eliminated is a trigger food because WOW my face is SO clear!!!

Thanks Doc!

I want to try and detox my body, but the only thing is I'm a little food illiterate. Can someone provide actual examples of foods that I should try and stay away from. Thanks

Foods I have learned affect my body adversely:

1. Purine-rich foods; I get gout. Cruciferous veggies are said to be rich in purine. I get gout if I eat cabbage regularly, but not broccoli or kale.
2. Nicotine family. I can eat potatoes or tomatoes once in a while with no ill effects. I don't like peppers and loathe eggplants. These foods will give me very stiff ankles if they are a regular part of my diet.
3. All refined or
'white' foods. They drain my body of energy and numb my brain.
4. So does sugar.
5. So does most packaged "food."
5a. Butter used to give me the idea that I had a gallstone. I never eat it now.
6. I tend to sugar-addiction; the konjac recommended in UltraMetab is an enormous help in dealing with it.
7. I came to see how my brain would go into depression after sugar, and 'high' on sugar, and became able to control these swings (although unable to control the cravings). I would just tell my brain , "No, we're not going there [i.e., into depression]." Now my stomach turns at the thought of packaged cookies or store pies and cakes, and I can walk through the bakery section of even Whole Foods without blinking an eye.
8. My best way of dealing with bodily upsets is to deal with them just at the moment between waking up and becoming fully awake. If I focus on the unwanted feeling in my body, I can ask the question, "What change have I made to my diet that causes this reaction?" And the answer will come as clear as a bell. "Too much black pepper." "Too much garlic." "That new ____supplement," and so on. My body will experience immediate relief on the indication, and of course I revert to my diet as it was before the change that came to light in answer to the question. And the unwanted condition disappears.
I know that as far as *my* body is concerned, everything I put into it or that gets into it affects its wellbeing for good or for ill. And I consider it my duty to help my body deal with the unavoidable pollution as best it can.
Thank you for the book and for your help.
Kenneth Urquhart

I am experiencing itchy skin and there are tiny bumps that sometimes are filled with a liquid...like a pimple. Upon close examination, I find many that contain a hair follicle. Many years ago when seeing a physician for poison ivy contact dermatitis, he commented that he could see that in addition to the ivy rash, my immune system wasn't recognizing my own hair follicles. Do you think all this might be related to food sensitivities? Sometimes the itchiness is so severe that I find it very difficult to refrain from bloodying myself with scratching. Baking soda and water seem to help with the itch, but the relief is only temporary. This has been going on now this time for several months. Thanks for any assistance. Charles

i have been doing the ultrametabolism diet for about 6 weeks now. after eating tahini i developed a severe rash on my lips and in my mouth. i am also allergic to mangos. this last week the rash came back after eating fresh cherries. what is the connection? i am a bit baffled. also, when the rash is active, any fruit or vegatable seems to aggitate the rash. help!

My daughter and I have been following your program for a few months now. She has experienced tremendous improvement in her health by eliminating dairy and had pretty much decided to continue dairy free forever.When your blog stated "delayed food reactions don't have to be permanent" I wondered if you would reccommend she try to re-introduce dairy at some time in the future. It seems to me that she would be better off without it.

Please give some sample menus. What do I eat for breakfast? What can I take for lunch in a brown bag if not a sandwitch.

I have had an allergic reaction that causes me to itch and break out in hives. About 3 years ago I saw an allergist and the only item that we determined I was allergic to was maple tree pollen.

I think it is something that I am eating. but can't figure out what it is I have been taking Claritan or a generic for of the drug for three years since I can't figure it out.

I have weaned my self slowly from the drug but every now and then I need it to go to sleep because the itching is so bad.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Pat

Dr. Hyman,
I gave up all milk products in July of 2000. Within 10 days my sinuses were clear, my eyes were no longer itchy, and I lost 5 pounds even though I wasnt' trying. When I had a dessert made with milk, after being milk-free for three weeks, I started sneezing and couldn't stop. I had to take Benedryl to finally stop.
So many products contain milk (casein, whey, lactose) that it is sometimes not easy but it is worth it. I try to spread the word but most people believe the hype from the dairy industry. And now they try to get people to eat more dairy to lose weight!
I hope you are able to convince others.
Could you also list other names for dairy that can be disguised in products?
Thanks

Reading Ultrametabolism was like unlocking an unknown magical kingdom! I've suffered from severe asthma and migrains for years. So severe, I was nearly fired from my jobs for missing so many days (45+ in a year of a full-time positon) of work. I even moved to an area with cleaner air, only to slightly improve and my symptoms to return. I moved again and again, same story.

I finally fell upon Dr H's PBS show (it was very late at night and I had insomnia) and so many of the things he said began to help me. I bought the book, read it twice to make sure I was getting the msg, lost 10 lbs and no longer suffer from many of the symptoms listed in his last article.

I've always been an active soccer-coaching and playing, wife and mother of two but now my 7 yr old struggles to keep up with me! No more post nasal drip, insomnia, heartburn, IBS, migrains, even my asthma has eased up so much, I've been able to stop all but one of my 6 (!!!!) meds!!! Turns out my adversions to dairy and gluten were the cause. I wanted to beat my doctors with my new found info. How is it possible they didn't consider this??

I been able to reintroduce some dairy, hard cheeses only and even an occasional slice of Ezekiel 4:9 bread with out any trouble! Shrimp no longer makes me weaze and head for my inhaler! I feel like I'm finally "Living"!

It's easier to exercise when you can breathe, so all my activites are that much more enjoyable! I make sure I break a now "clean sweat" each day and I've been able to lose about 3/4 of a lb each week! It will be no time (since I can enjoy my time) until I'll be able to drag my size 6 designer jeans to the front of my closet and actually wear them!!!

I NEVER felt deprived. I did have some difficulty giving up coffee, but I felt so much better I didn't notice the "lack of" of anything.

My husband and I went to Vegas and were able to maintain our new style of health eating. It's as easy as asking for no oil or butter in the food prep and grilled or better steamed salmon!

I could go on, but I won't. Thanks H!

I have terrible food allergys causing anywhere from eye,mouth,and throat irritation and swelling to vomiting, headache body sweats and nuerilogical effects.
I have heard that colin cleansing will help with the allergic reactions being
so violent.
Is this true?

But I have read that fermented products of milk like kefir and plain yogurt are good for digestion and health, because they contain probiotic and the milk already digested by the bacterias

I have read your article on Vitamin D and have learned a lot. I also have been reading your book Ultrametabolism. I truly believe that food is medicine. Thank you for writing this book. It is helping me when other medicines cannot.

Is milk a good source of Vitamin D and should the milk contain some fat (i.e. not be skimmed milk) in order to facilitate Vitamin D absorption?

I am 41 years old. Have been on meds for various ailments for years.

I have been trying to follow Ultrametabolism for the past week and have noticed a great difference in:

* arthritis
* autoimmune diseases
* fatigue
* sinus problems
* obesity
* high blood pressure
* high cholesterol
* irritable bowel
* reflux
* ezcema
* anxiety
* stress

and I have lost 11 lbs!

Sam:

In Dr. Hyman's book he recommends people "decrease your intake of (or ideally eliminate)dairy products. Substitute unsweetened, gluten-free soy milk, almond milk, or hazelnut milk products." There's another thread on this blog which addresses better sources of vitamin D and in his book he advises using a vitamin D3 supplement of 400-800 units daily.

I like his book very much, but there's a bit of an over-emphasis in my opinion on food allergies. I realize many have allergies, but not the majority. There's nothing wrong (and plenty of nutritional value) with whole wheat flour when it's the number one ingredient in bread. I've had the celiac test and have no allergy to wheat products. The ultrametabolism diet is wonderful but variety is the spice of life. I have no intention of giving up whole grain wheat bread, nor do I think it makes sense to recommend it for most people. I also don't buy that dairy is bad for most people. Nonfat milk (hormone free) sold at Whole Foods, for example is a staple in my family's diet. Same thing with gluten. I think we're getting obsessed with food allergies and that the book could do a better job of addressing long-term nutrition habits for people without them.

Avoiding wheat and other foods containing gluten cured my GERD (acid reflux disease). I suffered for many years, saw many doctors, took many tests and prescribed drugs without relief. All the tests results (including allergy) were "normal", yet I still had this illness. I still faced increasing damage (not to mention pain) in my throat, esophagus, stomach and intestines. I feared cancer or other life-threatening conditions that I thought might follow long-term GERD. Fortunately, I found a book that stated that many people can not tolerate wheat or foods that contain gluten. I stopped eating these foods and replaced them with gluten-free alternatives and was cured of GERD. It's been many years now and I have not had a recurrence of GERD or had to use the medications used to treat it ... when I avoid wheat products. If I slip up and start to eat wheat products regularly, the GERD symptoms come back. When I stop eating wheat the GERD goes away. I have finally learned my lesson and now I stay away from wheat products. By the way, dairy is another food I don't eat because it causes problems (gas, bloating, pain, etc.) in my digestive system. I stop eating dairy and the symptoms go away. I eat dairy and the symptoms return. I guess I have been my own guinea pig, and have learned via trial and error. But I have found that nutrition has cured most of my illness in life. I think the UltraMetabolism book and the newsletter are very informative and helpful. I follow many of the principles in the book to stay well and to recover from illness.

I understand that people can be allergic to gluten and that there are countless anecdotal stories of people living to be 100 with and without wheat in their diets. But the vast majority of people are not allergic to gluten. I've had both the celiac (negative) and C-reactive protein (within range) tests referenced in the book. My hat is off to people who can live on fruit, vegetables and beans alone. I don't think, however, the book does an adequate job of discussing whether or not gluten is a problem for those without an allergy to it. It states that allergies to gluten can result in inflammation. I'd conclude therefore that if you're not allergic to it, it isn't a problem. If you think blood test results are producing false negatives, that's a different issue.

Dr. Mark,

Oh my gosh this couldn't have come at a better time!! I was recently diagnosed as boarderline diabetic. I attended a workshop at my loval VA about how to eat to prevent this from getting worse. Guess what I learned?

If you buy a bag of regular oreos and a bag of LOWFAT oreos (I didn't even know they made those) look at the labels. The servings for the reg. oreos is 3/LOWFAT is 2. If you divide the carbs by the # of Cookies, guess what...they have the same amount of carbs in each cookie. So they didn't change the formula for making the cookies, they just changed the LABELS!!!

I have taught myself to pretend the front of an item is the label side....I don't even look at the advertisers side anymore.

Dr. Mark,

Oh my gosh this couldn't have come at a better time!! I was recently diagnosed as boarderline diabetic. I attended a workshop at my loval VA about how to eat to prevent this from getting worse. Guess what I learned?

If you buy a bag of regular oreos and a bag of LOWFAT oreos (I didn't even know they made those) look at the labels. The servings for the reg. oreos is 3/LOWFAT is 2. If you divide the carbs by the # of Cookies, guess what...they have the same amount of carbs in each cookie. So they didn't change the formula for making the cookies, they just changed the LABELS!!!

I have taught myself to pretend the front of an item is the label side....I don't even look at the advertisers side anymore.

great info I bought the book. could't put it down your a genius thank you thank you thonk you I'm seing results in 3 weeks

alot of talk but no show on foods to eat. I mean like a sample diet of what you are talking about.
Do you have something like that to give an idea of what foods to eat in a week? Also what about an herb that cleans out your whole system?

I have asked for some information abt. fructose and muscovado sugar, never got any answer.
Yes, I live healthy, living in Switzerland is very much like living in Italy, although food differs, more cream and cheese, but I am a Mediterranean cook, so there we are (am slim!) Would appreciate answers to questions above. regards, g. laag

Dear Dr Hyman,

I love your book and recently; I actually bought sunlight saunas and been using it for about 2 weeks. I noticed that I wake up with headaches each time I use it. I drink plenty of water before and after; should I be taking some electrolyte solution? I've eliminated sugars and "whites" and more or less follow your RX, what do you think is the problem?

Dr. Hyman,

Can you provide the names and addresses of these restaurants you went to in Italy???

Thanks. NIck Fialo

I started eating whole, natural foods and also switched to organic brands for milk, etc. just two weeks ago. I've lost 3 pounds without exercising, but more interesting is when I eat something with chemicals in it now. Today I ate two small pieces of pizza bought for a department luncheon. Later in the afternoon, I didn't feel good. I also felt my blood sugar drop. I've had this happen in the past, but it seems now that I experience reactions to food with high sugar or transfat content. Instead of reaching for sugar to counterbalance my reaction, I ate a small piece of shart cheddar cheese with an apple and I feel fine now.