Something's Amiss...Trying Gluten-free

Be warned that this post has potential to be a bit TMI. When we're talking about allergy/sensitivity issues, things can get a bit...interesting.

I have been having...issues with *something* in my diet. As I have mentioned previously, the BioAllergenix has helped immensely in opening up most foods as allowable in my diet. With the exception of tomatoes--which I think is a genetic thing I just have to live with to some extent, but has gotten better with the treatments--just not cured.

The issues I have been having are basically a sore belly/gut. My digestive system, mostly my gut but there are clues(such as itching) that it's sometimes moved beyond that, is not happy. I've not had the classic symptoms of celiac(ie. I'm not having to run to the bathroom multiple times/day if you get my drift) but I do know that when I was trying to reintroduce wheat, I would have horrid heartburn issues, and I wonder if it's the culprit here with my gut.

I also found that my toothpaste, of all things, was attacking me. Over the course of a few weeks, the corners of my mouth were sore as all getout, leading to a coldsore(making me think my immune system was suffering), and I think possibly might have exacerbated the gut problems I have been having lately. I mean, the digestive system starts at the mouth...if this stuff was wreaking havoc there, what might it be doing where I couldn't see????

I have switched toothpaste and believe the component in the offending toothpaste that caused this is Xanthan Gum.  I have gotten the same response to some coffee mix in the past and compared ingredients and that is the one thing they shared in common....and I would get similar reaction to sauces and salad dressings....and upon inspection they all have xanthan gum.  At any rate, I'm not using any of those things now and my mouth feels *much* better.

I plan on going in for an allergy/chiro visit this week. We'll see if I was right about the xanthan gum.(which, by the way, is probably derived from Corn---please o please don't let the corn allergy come back full force!).

In the meantime, and the point of this post, I am eliminating the following from my diet for the rest of the month of March(considering doing it thru Lent, though I don't belong to a group that officially observes Lent--I did start avoiding on the first day of Lent!) and watching for improvement/change:
1. Tomatoes/nightshades
2. Gluten
3. Xanthan gum

I am still taking certain supplements:
1. Rainbow Prenatal Multivitamin(the one-a-day kind)
2. Probiotics
3. Digestive Enzymes(mostly if I feel the meal is going to bother me)
4. Evening Primrose Oil--for lovely PMS symptoms
5. Considering Calcium Bentonite clay, as I was given the go-ahead from the family doc, but think I should wait until this trial is over so I know if it's the elimination diet or the clay that works/doesn't work.

We'll see how it goes...