Jump to content

Whole 30 for autoimmune help


catherinek

Recommended Posts

Hello! I'm really excited to be here, but I'll confess that I basically turned to Whole 30 out of desperation. I've been feeling terrible since December, and I'm starting to suspect that I'm having an autoimmune problem. My symptoms vary, and sometimes I feel basically fine for weeks at a time. When I don't feel fine I have: chills, sore muscles, brain fog, low energy, lung pain, sore throat, and twice now my knuckles have turned slightly yellow. My doctor said my blood work was normal except for elevated CPK, which is associated with over-exercise, which I absolutely was not doing! I'm seeing a muscle specialist in a few weeks.

 

I've been quai-paleo for three years, but never gave up dairy and I'll eat bread every couple of months. Lately I've noticed that when I eat bread my old runny nose comes back! My mom recently remembered I was tested for allergies as a teenager and tested allergic to wheat. We completely forgot about the diagnosis because I was allergic to so many seemingly unavoidable things. I wonder if any of you know what a circa 1990 diagnosis of "allergic to wheat" might specifically mean. Is that the same as gluten sensitivity? Something else? The allergy test was done on the skin -- they pricked my skin in multiple places and put extracts of various potential allergens on the broken skin, then measured the irritation several days later. On a practical level, it's clear I should just not be eating wheat! I think it's going to take some work to figure out just what is causing all this and what is okay for me to eat. 

 

I've read the first four chapters of It Starts With Food, and I'm looking forward to the rest! Thanks, y'all. I'm happy to be here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just started yesterday for much of the same reasons - namely autoimmune, and all of the symptoms you have except lung pain and yellow knuckles. I do suffer from Reynaud's syndrome, where my hands turn white and lose circulation. I'm quasi-paleo as well. I have a sneaking suspicion that these cheating sessions have kept me feeling bad. Wish I could tell you more about the wheat test, but I don't know the answer to that....

 

I'm just hoping for results like you - to feel better - to find out what's making me feel achy, sore, tired and foggy. Also, I do not want to have to take the typical treatment for autoimmune disorders....steroids. Ugh. I have an appt. with a rheumatologist next week. Funny, my symptoms started around the same time as yours...maybe we'll feel better soon. Best of luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm on the process of figuring out if I have autoimmune issues too, but I thought you need to stay away from eggs if you have these problems.  The Whole30 is big on eggs.  Are you going to do the egg thing, or stay away from eggs completely?  I'm already worried about Meal 1 options, and without eggs, not sure I can do this?  Your thoughts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, Kristynn,

 

I realized that eggs can be an issue for people with autoimmune problems about a week into my Whole 30, so I cut out eggs and nightshade veggies at that time. I've been having bacon and salad for breakfast, or the ground meat and veggies recipes from It Starts With Food. Those aren't the most breakfast-ie, but I'm feeling amazingly better so it's worth it. Pretty much as soon as I cut out eggs, actually, I started to feel fantastic. Maybe that was also Whole 30 goodness kicking in.

 

Restaurants and social situations are a little tricky ... I got sick after forgetting that delicious restaurant garlic aioli contains eggs, which perhaps does tell me that eggs really are a problem. It seems like a "it has to get worse before it gets better" situation, taking 30 or 60 or more days to eliminate, reintroduce, and then pinpoint which foods are causing trouble ... but the promise of better health and functioning are driving me to stick with it. 

 

Good luck! I hope breakfast bacon works for you, it's not a bad way to start a day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...