Hi, there! I understand that members of this forum have seen an improvement in their KP by going vegan, or following some other dietary lifestyle. I have a question for those of you that do: How long after going vegan, or vegetarian (or whatever else) did you see an improvement in your skin or any other part of your life? I tried an elimation and challenge diet (elaborated on below), but saw no real change. I am wondering, though, if I need to follow a speacial diet loner to see results, or... something... Anyway, help!




Background...
I have been chronically fatigued for 6 years, have baaaad allergies, OCD/anxiety/mild depression, and experience occasional digestive issues along with moderate KP (arms, butt, legs) - all of which I get from my mom who also has KP - and have been curious as to whether these are signs of an intolerance to wheat or dairy...


To test a possible lactose intolerance or wheat intolerance in myself, I did elimination and challenge diet for a few weeks:

- For about two weeks, I did not consume and dairy or wheat (I cheated a BIT on the wheat, lol, but was otherwise very good).

- Then, for one week, I ate more dairy than I normally eat in the form of organic cheese, organic yogurt, and organic milk, while still avoiding wheat (and, consequently, most all grains).

- Then, after the dairy week, I consumed loads of wheat and grain products.



The results:



1. Honestly, I did not really feel any better the first two "fasting" weeks. My fatigue, KP, digestive problems, or allergies had improved any. My allergist/immunologist said that if I had any allergies or intolerances to dairy or wheat, I would fee noticeably better when off of them.



2. The dairy week was probably my best week. I may have experience a bit more mucus production, but I felt better than the fasting week, actually. I was regular, and experienced no abdominal discomfort (which I occasionally do after eating food). At the end of the week, I came down with a bug, but so did the other members of my family, so I do not think it was related to the dairy consumption.



3. My wheat week was okay. I felt no differently, and my KP was not any better. I became less regular, but experienced no abdominal discomfort.



So my food intolerance theory has little evidence supporting it right now...


Anyway, of ya'll could help me out about those dietary changes, it would be much appreciated!

Peace!

- Green Bean

To do a true elimination diet one must cut out not only wheat and dairy, they are jus the common allergens, there are so many other things you can be allergic to. The correct way to do an elimination diet would last about a year, no joke!

My suggestion is to check out a raw diet.
rachel18's dietician is big on the raw diet, you can also ask her.

some links to raw diet sites below:

http://www.living-foods.com/
http://www.livingfoodsinstitute.com/
http://www.livingfoods.ca/
http://www.rawfood.com/
http://www.rawfoodlife.com/
http://www.living-foods.com/

A word on becoming vegan and eliminating wheat/dairy, read the lablels! There are many fake meats/vegan cheese out there containing wheat and gluten. Also choose organic as much as possible. It's really scarry what is in our food these days , not just pestecides & herbecides but also the franken food GMOs that the government okayed and didn't tell the public!

Its time to get back to nature people!

Um, thanks Morningbell. And while I completely agree (we need to go back to our roots - to learn how to live symbiotically with nature, while still pursuing our inherent need to seek the truth, and live comfortably - an issue our generation is having to seriously deal with... sorry...) , I really didn't mean to stir up so much frustration with this thread...

Thanks, too, for the links. I have already safely ruled out the other common food allergens (at least as far as them causing my skin condition or any other issues), which left me with the two biggest: wheat and dairy. The results, as my prior post I hope showed, were inconclusive. And while I understand it takes a long time for some foods (like wheat/gluten) to leave your body, the fact that I did not have any serious digestive issues while consuming mass amounts of dairy (of which I usually eat very little) or wheat (of which I have eaten considerable less this last year), was a sign that those two foods were not what was ailing me (at least not exclusively). I assure you, I did my research!

I plan to do a more comprehensive and effective elimination diet in a few months, in which I eliminate all but very benign foods for a few weeks, then gradually add other foods back in (wheat being close-to-last).

Anyway, thanks again... And breath... Things are turing around (Just the other day, I recieved an advertisement for an organic weed and pest control service in with my newspaper. "If you can't say it, we don't spray it" it said. It was just stuck in there with the other boring flyers! As if it were normal, and not crazy, hippy, weird material!). There has never been human progress without hope, and you may quote me on that.

Peace!

Namaste,
Green Bean

The main signs of wheat intolerance is alternating diarrhoea and constipation or just constipation because the gluten in wheat meaning glue, 'glues everything together' causing constipation. With dairy the main intolerance symptoms are diarrhoea because the lactose molecule is not digested properly because we lack the enzyme to break it down to the large molecule enters the small intestine and sits on the intestinal wall causing an osmotic laxative which draws water into the bowels causing diarrhoea. Those that have this and still eat heaps of dairy may lead to a wheat intolerance because mucous is made to protect the intestines from the irritation of the large lactose molecule. This excess mucous doesn't allow enzymatic substrates to pass the gut wall to digest the wheat causing a wheat intolerance as well. Another sign of wheat intolerance are lots of tummy noises. Also excess mucous produced in the gut associated with dairy excess is associated with sinus problems/hayfever etc because we have an embryological connection between our gut and our lungs. Anyway just thought id clear up some things for you green bean so you can determine if you have an intolerance to either.