A Bump in the Road…

The bump was expected and anticipated, though I tried not to stress about the inevitable.  The bump was corn, hidden corn.  The new doctor doesn’t get corn, most doctors don’t understand corn, most of my family and friends don’t understand corn.  They do not understand how it is used in the processing and manufacturing of almost everything.  They do not understand how the aforementioned usage of corn contaminates “safe products for sensitive people.”  They do not understand how we can react to the tiny traces remaining in/on products.

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The new doctor wants to pull the HCL that I’ve been using to help with my digestion.  She wants me to take a digestive enzyme.  I know you all know the pitfalls of digestive enzymes, but the new doctor has no idea.  I turned down many of her recommendations because of the “other ingredients” listed for the “safe for sensitive people” products.

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I decided to try the digestive enzymes (even though it is industry standard to use maltodextrin, i.e. corn, during the drying process) because they were cheap, there were no other filler ingredients and I knew, though we would react to it, that the amount of corn was small.  I wanted the doctor to be able to see our sensitivity level, so that I would never have to prove it to her again; get the disbelief out-of-the-way with the least amount of pain for Yipi and for me.

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And it is disbelief.  Doctors aren’t taught much about corn allergy/intolerance and the fact that corn allergy/intolerance doesn’t seem to follow the same pattern as other allergens just makes it more unbelievable.  I honestly think doctors are told that corn can’t be an allergen...but that could be paranoia.  I sincerely hope it is only paranoia on my part.  See this article written by the Allergy Associates of Lacrosse titled “Allergic to Corn – Living Without.”

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Although corn products are widely consumed, there is a general lack of understanding when it comes to corn’s role as a
food allergy or sensitivity. One reason is that corn is not one of the so-called Big Eight allergens (peanuts, tree nuts,
wheat, milk, egg, shellfish, fish, soy) that together cause 90 percent of America’s food allergy reactions. It doesn’t fall
under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, which means that manufacturers aren’t
required to list it as an ingredient by its common name, highlight it on product labels or name it as a possible source of
cross-contamination in a product.

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“I sympathize with people who have corn allergy because corn is very hard to avoid,” says Mary S. Morris, MD, of Allergy
Associates of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin. “A lot of times, people don’t connect their symptoms to the corn
sweetener in their ice cream.”

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Adding to the confusion is the fact that symptoms of corn allergy can differ from those of more common food allergies.
While corn can prompt anaphylaxis, including breathing difficulty, hives, swelling and even death in severely cornallergic
patients, more often it causes headaches, fatigue and irritability.

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“I’m surprised at how frequently corn will trigger a bad headache, even in children,” Morris says.

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Another factor contributing to questions about corn allergy is that people can have varied reactions to different forms of
corn, Morris explains. For example, some people have more of a problem with corn sweetener than they do with corn on
the cob or cornstarch. And corn pollen or corn dust that’s inhaled during harvest can trigger a reaction in some people
who often can consume corn without a problem, she says.

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All this makes corn allergy difficult to diagnose, Morris notes. Corn might show up in a typical skin or blood test that
checks for IgE (the allergic antibody) levels—but not always. IgE allergy tests didn’t detect Clare Donlan’s corn allergy.

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“Sometimes corn is IgE-mediated but sometimes the only way to figure it out is to do a corn challenge test under
medical supervision in a doctor’s office,” Morris says, adding that she conducts oral challenges when she can’t tell for
sure if a suspected food is causing a reaction.

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Morris’ practice routinely screens for corn allergy through a blood test and, while corn is a less common allergen than
the Big Eight, it is common enough that she says she sees patients with corn allergy every week.

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Not all doctors would consider corn allergy as potential cause of a patient’s headaches or behavior issues. In fact, some
question whether the grain is even a true allergen. For example, Morris recalls informing a surgeon that her patient,
hospitalized under the surgeon’s care, had a corn allergy. The surgeon said the allergy wasn’t possible and ignored
Morris’ request not to administer dextrose (usually corn-based) to the patient. It took the patient’s allergic reaction to
corn during surgery to convince the physician that the allergy did exist.

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“Because it’s not on the top-eight radar, it’s not the first place people go to look for the root cause of their symptoms.
Even though corn is the source of many severe problems for people, it is many times overlooked,” she says.

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Read more:  Allergic to Corn – Living Without

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I hope you followed the link, read the article and saved it to your computer.

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I opened one capsule into a container.  We then proceeded to introduce the digestive enzyme onto our skin for a few days and then moved to ingestion after no noticeable reaction on the skin.  Within a few days of ingestion, the reactions became apparent.  We consumed about 1/1000th of the initial capsule we opened.  ….ok….you got me…I don’t know exactly how much of the capsule we consumed but it was a microscopic amount.  I emailed the company and simply asked them to check with the manufacturer to see if any maltodextrin was used during the drying process of the digestive enzyme.  Later that day (May 14th) I received the confirmation email that maltodextrin is used, but only a small amount.  That small amount is enough for Yipi and me to react.

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Since beginning the GAPS diet, I have had less brain-fogged/limited cognitive ability days.  I am able to think clearer, I have more energy (my house is clean!!!!) and I am able to actually put my thoughts into coherent sentences.  I am able to remember how I felt before a reaction and to log that state of being as well as the shift that occurs when I’m reacting and the aftermath.  I’ve also noticed, and I’ve mentioned this before, that our reactions are not as severe and do not last as long since beginning the GAPS diet.  Thank you, GAPS.

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With that being said, I’m going to copy and paste my notes from my food/reaction/GAPS journal for when we introduced the digestive enzyme, during the administration of digestive enzyme, and the aftermath.  We stopped the enzymes two days ago and the swelling and severe itching/hives/awful rash are already subsiding.

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Notes from Journal:

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5/7/2013  -  Erica started 3 RNAs and Digestive Enzyme on skin

5/8/2013  -  Yipi bad chemical reaction, behavior just awful all day, she couldn’t control herself.  Difficulty communicating.  The reaction was from the new unfinished poplar bed, she was in too close of proximity to it in a sealed room.  Not a good combination.  Gave her three baths today.  Will do three baths tomorrow.  (Bed has been airing out for over 6 months)

5/9/2013 – Erica began consuming one drop of RNAs and a tiny amount (less than 7mg) of digestive enzyme.

5/10/2013  -  Put one drop of RNAs on Yipi’s legs in the morning.  Erica took her morning dose of RNAs and Digestive Enzyme.  Erica noticed a little wax and some pressure in her ears after the dose.

5/11/2013  -  Last night I noticed the RNAs tasted like soap, I also increased my ingested dosage to two drops per RNA.  This morning they still taste like soap.  We began given the RNAs to Yipi through ingestion.  Digestive Enzyme is still being put on her skin for now but she is getting it from my milk.  Erica noticed that her left eye lid is swollen.  Yipi’s rash seems to be healing. (pictures in file)

5/12/2013 – Noticed Yipi twisting her hair on her finger during her nap.  Also noticed her itching at her scalp a few days ago.  Rash getting worse.

5/13/2013 – I’m still swollen and Yipi started really ripping at her hair today.  I had to cut it off again.  Her scalp is red with hives, her abdomen, bikini are and booty are red.  I think she’s reacting to the digestive enzyme in my milk.

5/14/2013

• Emailed manufacturer last night to see if digestive enzymes were sprayed onto maltodextrin to dry (cross contamination, maltodextrin is derived from corn).  From my research, in the past three years, it is industry standard to spray enzymes onto maltodextrin to dry.  Yes they do use a little maltodextrin (5/14 confirmed)
• I am swollen, from 136.8 (swelling was subsiding from previously exposure) to 143lb in about 4 days
• My eyelids are swollen and my eyelashes feel like daggers, pulling them out, trying to stop myself
• Orange wax in ears
• Lower back pain and hip pain (from swelling)
• My insomnia has returned.  It is almost impossible to get to sleep at night and get back to sleep if I awake.
• Yipi’s stomach is distended and swollen, her rash has brown whelps in it and is raised, the rash on her stomach is back, she is digging into her scalp and ripping her hair out, she is also having difficulty getting to sleep at night, and she is soaking through her diapers multiple times at night (sign of reaction for her)
• We are reacting to something, it is either the RNAs or the digestive enzymes.  With our history of reactions and how enzymes are produced, I am leaning towards the digestive enzymes due to cross contamination at drying time during the manufacturing process (confirmed)
• We pulled the digestive enzymes last night (5/13/2013).  We will see is the swelling and other symptoms subside.
• I’ve also noticed another swollen, painful, bug bite looking thing under my arm.  I’m going to go with ingrown hairs at this point.  Definitely corn exposure.
• Skin peeled off in two sheets on the middle finger on my left hand.  Very painful.
• One good thing is Yipi pooped a teeny tiny amount today on her own.  About 1 tsp.  Black tar with a lot of mucous.

5/15/2013  -  Since pulling the digestive enzymes two days ago, Yipi’s itching has lessened and her rash is starting to heal and peel (she was getting a double dose, topical and from my milk).  My swelling is down to 139lbs and my lower back/hip pain has subsided.  Yipi pooped again a little.  About 1/4tsp of black tar.  I am having some pretty severe lip peeling today.

From Kelly Dorfman, Clinical Nutritionist on Corn Intolerance

Yesterday, September 18th, Kelly Dorfman,a Clinical Nutritionist, posted this article on Huffington Post.  I wanted to share it with you all here.  The article is titled “Corn:  New Worries about and Old Favorite” and raises many of the points that I’ve pondered over the past 2 1/2 years.  What are your thoughts?

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I am starting to worry about corn. It started a few years ago when I noticed allergic babies in my practice were beginning to react to the infant formulas designed for them. These specialty products are made from basic protein building blocks (amino acids) rather than pre-digested milk protein. Minimum digestive function is required to tolerate them. In addition, they lack the complex antigens that tend to set off immune reactions, so they were a dependable way to save the day (and baby).

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Despite being completely unnatural, these formulas are a critically needed feeding alternative for sensitive babies. But several years ago, I started to notice a problem. At first, it was a case here and there, but soon a growing number of infants appeared who could not tolerate any commercial formula. One frantic mother sat in my office with a red, mottled baby who screeched through the entire hour appointment. When I asked how often she was distressed at this level, the exhausted mom replied, “23 hours a day.” Several specialists and numerous formulas yielded the same distressed response.

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I suspected corn.

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The safety of GM foods is still being debated elsewhere, though not in as much gory detail as it deserves. Clearly, a policy of playing with our food now and deciding if what we are doing is safe later is risky. Our collective history is littered with the dead bodies of those who paid the price for scientific arrogance or someone else’s economic self-interest. Consequently, accepting assurances that ingesting food with inserted bacterial DNA is no different than eating the unadulterated stuff, from the very people who stand to gain from selling said food, could be hazardous to your health. When people started reporting symptoms from eating adulterated corn, I listened and blamed the GM process.

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As is often the case, one does not know what one does not know. A study published earlier this year about bee colony collapse suggests a new wrinkle in corn land. Since 2006, honeybees have been dying at an alarming rate. Farmers need bees for crop pollination and if they keep dying at the current rate, there could be serious food production problems. Dr. Chenshen Lu from the Harvard School of Public Health has studied the colony collapse phenomenon. His research concerns the high-fructose corn syrup used to sustain bees over the winter. Specifically, his test target is imidacloprid, one of the world’s most popular pesticides.

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In my practice, the health effects are often subtle, making it extremely difficult to ascertain whether the problem is corn, pollutants, food adulterations, fabric softener, sunscreen additives or a high pollen count. … The problem is the loss of navigational control regarding food safety. Somehow we have completely lost our way.

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Read more here.

Corn Allergy from ACAAI

The American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) posted this gem of an article recently on their website under “Types of Food Allergies.”  Though the “ingredients to avoid” section could go into more detail, I find their thoughts on Corn Allergy, the difficulty to diagnose the allergy, and the manner in which to confirm the allergy to be refreshing.  This week I have read more stories of parents who are frustrated with medical care professional who still do not believe in Corn Allergy.  Some of these medical care professional just graduated last year and were told that “Corn Allergy does not exist.”  What do you do with that?!  How exactly are you supposed to entrust your child’s health to someone who doesn’t believe they are reacting to an allergen?  This professional would probably balk at the idea that your child would react to corn derivatives in medication and refuse to give you the proper prescription for your child.  Been there…bought a postcard.  Riddle me this:  How is it possible for one food to have allergenic properties but not another?  Why is corn so different than any other allergen?

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I know, I’m preaching to the choir here.  Here’s the article.  What are you thoughts?

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Corn allergy can be difficult to diagnose using standard skin or blood tests due to cross reactivity between corn and grass pollens, and other seeds and grain.

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Symptoms may range from mild to severe. A severe life-threatening allergic reaction is known as anaphylaxis, which is rapid in onset and may cause death.

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Treatment for corn allergy includes strict avoidance of corn ingredients.

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Corn allergy should be confirmed by an oral food challenge, administered by an allergist in a clinical setting, before an elimination diet is followed.

A Brief Recapitulate for Hidden Corn

I wanted to quickly re-post a few older blogs for anyone new to corn allergy or new to CornFreeLifestyle blog.  Please make a note of these links, save the documents as PDFs on your computers, or copy and paste any and all information that may be relevant to you.  These documents will help you when dealing with companies concerning any potential hidden corn and knowing which questions to ask in order to have more accurate answers.

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If you’re new to corn allergy, I encourage you to read my New to Corn Allergy page.  There is a wealth of information there that has proven to be invaluable to me and my daughter.

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Document from the Illinois Corn Association concerning the usage of corn in products

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List of “allowed ingredients” in organic food processing

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Corn usage poster from Center for Crops Utilization Research from Iowa State University

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Corn usage poster from Casco, the Canadian business unit of Corn Products International, Inc.

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Xanthan gum and corn allergy

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Vaccines and potential corn derivatives

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Chemurgy and products made from corn

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The difference between natural and organic and how corn can still hide in organic products

Update: Enjoy Life

From Lisa K. on the Avoiding Corn, Delphi Forum:

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“Corn Allergy Matrix” from Enjoy Life

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They posted this on Facebook. They still seem focused on the protein aspect; thanks to the work of FAAN, but they also recognized xanthan gum and vanilla. I’m bettng the chocolate is an equipment issue, since the reactions started around the time they introd new, corny, options. Chocolate equipment is notriously difficult to fully clean.

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I know not everyone will agree, but I think they have tried pretty hard to cooperate. But, given the multiple corn-like reactions on the forum, their chocolate chips will remain off the list (labelled with an explanation. The gf/cf list has removed products lined out at the bottom with an explanation, so those less sensitive can make an informed decision on safe ‘looking’ items)

Corn Allergy Awareness Write-In Campaign Update

http://cornfreedom.com/blog/?p=154

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CORN FREEDOM LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN WORKING AWESOME! You guys totally rock! I have been reviewing what I have so far, I want to share the topics and what I feel is missing and I know you are out there… I currently have several people who found out they were allergic to corn as an adult, Mom’s who have infants and are/were either nursing or fighting with doctors to try to explain the constant agony their babies were in, Teens/20′s who found out when they were around 13-15 years old and are speaking up for themselves! Great Job guys/gals, and some parents of children with behavioral issues. I want MORE from you parents with kids who suffer from Neurological issues such as ADD and ADHD symptoms showing up only after corn exposure. This is a HOT topic for parents and teachers who are seeing a rise in this issue and medicating these children, sometimes unnecessarily, and if necessary they are still giving them corn! Which is harming them. I thank you so much and we are going to be cycling down soon and reading through them all with my specialist and figuring out the next game plan in organizing the letters!!! THANKS SO MUCH!

Fragrance Sensitivity or Allergy?

Fragrance sensitivity is, in fact, a real issue, not one I made up one day as I was recently accused of doing, and it is on the rise.  Perhaps a better name for this phenomenon would be Chemical sensitivity.  I know many people who “react” to “heavily scented ares, environments and individuals,” some of these people react just as strongly as I.  I do not have asthma, however I find it exceptionally difficult to breathe and concentrate when I am negatively affected by chemical fumes and airborne particles.  I also experience an immediate headache, increased “brain fog” or the inability to concentrate and articulate my thoughts, hives and severe itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, and on several occasions I have lost consciousness.

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I wanted to share a few articles and studies from around the web for you all to peruse.

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Abstract:  Prevalence of fragrance sensitivity in the American population.

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Abstract

This study determined the percentages of individuals who report adverse effects from exposure to fragranced products in the U.S. population and in subpopulations of those with asthma or chemical sensitivity. Data were collected through telephone interviews from two geographically weighted, random samples of the continental U.S. in two surveys during 2002-2003 and 2005-2006 (1,057 and 1,058 cases, respectively). Respondents were asked if they find being next to someone wearing a scented product irritating or appealing; if they have headaches, breathing difficulties, or other problems when exposed to air fresheners or deodorizers; and if they are irritated by the scent from laundry products, fabric softeners, or dryer sheets that are vented outside. Results aggregated from both surveys found that 30.5% of the general population reported scented products on others irritating, 19% reported adverse health effects from air fresheners, and 10.9% reported irritation by scented laundry products vented outside. This study reveals that a considerable percentage of the U.S. population reports adverse health effects or irritation from fragranced products, with higher percentages among those with asthma and chemical sensitivity.

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Study:  Prevalence of Fragrance Sensitivity in the American Population

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Article on Fragrance Sensitivity.  This article states that:

…an allergen is a protein that caused IgE-mediated reactions.

…a true allergen causes a person’s immune system to release chemicals to fight the invader. On the way to the battle, inflammation could result

Symptoms of fragrance sensitivity can include:

• Headaches
• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• A tight feeling in the chest
• Worsening asthma symptoms
• Runny and stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• A skin allergy like contact dermatitis — an itchy, red rash that appears on the skin

As many as 30 percent of people surveyed report that they find scented products irritating, according to a study from the University of West Georgia. Those with asthma or chemical sensitivities may find strong scents particularly problematic due to the allergy-like symptoms they cause.

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Now, I realize this articles states that one cannot be truly allergic to fragrances because fragrances are only irritants, not proteins, however I’m not sure if my body knows the difference.  I italicize the word fragrance, because I am aware of the chemicals used to give scented products their odor.  In reality, I know that I am reacting to the chemicals in the product, including the chemicals used to make the fragrance.  The lingering fragrance is usually what alerts me to the unsafe environment or individual.

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Along with the above symptom list, I experience swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes, and throat, dizziness, occasional fainting, not to mention the delayed swelling and pain in my ankles, shoulders and abdomen.  I do want more research to go into understanding why this “sensitivity” is increasing in individuals, however I desperately hope more doctors are willing to think outside the box on what constitutes an allergen.  My plea is that the doctors are willing to address non-protein allergens that exists in cases that may not be strictly textbook.

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allergen [al´er-jen]

1. a substance, protein or nonprotein, capable of inducing allergy or specific hypersensitivity.

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Almost any substance in the environment can be an allergen. The list of known allergens includes plant pollens, spores of mold, animal dander, house dust, foods, feathers, dyes, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, plastics, and drugs. Allergens can enter the body by being inhaled, swallowed, touched, or injected. Once the allergen comes in contact with body cells it sets off a series of immune responsesthat can range from localized inflammation to a fatal systemic anaphylaxis.

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

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I compare the fragrance sensitivity list of symptoms and the additional symptoms that I experience to the symptoms associated with Anaphylaxis and I become ill at ease.

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Be on the alert for these anaphylaxis symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing
• Hives
• Swelling of the throat, face, lips, or tongue
• Tightness in the lungs
• Wheezing
• Hoarseness
• Pale or flushed skin
• Sweating
• Weak, rapid pulse
• Low blood pressure
• Dizziness, fainting
• Nausea, vomiting
• Abdominal pain

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On the one hand, I’m told that I cannot be allergic to fragrances because there are supposedly no proteins to which I am actually reacting and on the other hand…I experience difficulty breathing, severe facial swelling, and severe dizziness and sometimes loss of consciousness.  Which is it?  I think I need a real-live House; only without the psychotic ranting and obvious issues.  Or I would settle for someone similar to the doctor from the WebMD article below, minus the need to over medicate the symptoms.  I do not want more medication thrown at me.

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Fragrance Sensitivity from WebMD

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For most people, fragrance allergy symptoms abate once the scent is out of range. But this isn’t always the case. For some, repeated exposures cause an increase in symptoms that occur more often and last longer. According to the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, a small but growing segment is affected by a little understood and even somewhat controversial condition known as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).

For people with MCS, Dalton says sensitivity to one fragrance or odor can snowball into a crippling multiple chemical sensitivity that leaves its victims defenseless in the face of an ever-widening number of chemical odors and fragrances.

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To further complicate matters, doctors can’t quite agree on what’s behind any fragrance reaction, and whether it’s even a true allergy or simply a response to an irritant.

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“Sensitivity is a general term under which you can have a true allergic reaction, but you can also have irritant reactions, meaning the problem with fragrance could be that it’s an irritant. With others, it could be an allergic reaction. It’s just not well known what actually is occurring when these reactions develop,” says dermatologist Marjorie Slankard, MD, clinical professor of medicine at Columbia Eastside, a division of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.

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Some experts aren’t even sure if it’s the fragrance itself that is the real culprit, or just one part of a mix of chemicals — as many as 200 or more — that are used to create both fragrances we smell and the masking agents used in unscented products.

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“Because the ‘fragrance’ is what we smell when we have an onset of symptoms, we blame the fragrance. But, in fact, it’s possible that the reaction we are getting may instead be the result of the many chemicals used in the formulation of the fragrance,” Dalton tells WebMD. This, she says, includes both products we can smell and those labeled as “unscented,” which frequently rely on a whole host of chemicals to dampen the scent.

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Regardless of what is behind your fragrance allergy, experts agree that reducing exposure is key.

“The most important thing you can do in that respect is to remove yourself from the offending fragrance.” Avoidance is really the most effective treatment, Slankard tells WebMD.

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Avoidance…this is why we stay home.  I have not been successful in encouraging my friends and family to avoid using scented, fragranced, or unscented products.  I am not sure how to accomplish this, I’ve been adamantly trying for almost two years.

Quick Post: Website for Prescriptive Drug Ingredients

Rainbow975 posted a great site to the Delphi Forum earlier this month.  It seems like a really great resource for individuals needing medications and proof that corn derivatives are used in the readily available prescriptions from chain pharmacies.

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DailyMed provides high quality information about marketed drugs.

Drug labeling on this Web site is the most recent submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and currently in use; it may include, for example, strengthened warnings undergoing FDA review or minor editorial changes.

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It would be interesting if a DailyMed application existed for your smartphone.  How convenient would it be to research the ingredients in real time, at the doctor’s office?  I’ve checked for my G1 and as of yet have not found an app.  Please comment below if you all find one!

Laundry Detergent and Optical Brighteners

I mentioned optical brighteners in passing on my Household Products Page, however I think it is time to devout a post to this particular issue.  An increasing amount of individuals with a corn allergy/intolerance are noticing eczema issues and are unable to pinpoint the cause.  They have removed foods and beverages but are still experiencing full body eczema and itching.  The issue could be with seemingly ”safe” laundry detergent.  Most people have never heard of optical brighteners or brightening agents.  Why would you?  Most optical brighteners are not mentioned on the box/jug/packaging of your laundry detergent.  What are optical brighteners?

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Optical brighteners, also called brightening agents, fluorescent bleaches, and optical whiteners, are chemicals designed to help fabrics appear to be cleaner, brightening colors and lessening the natural yellowing of fabric over time. Some examples of optical brighteners are coumarins, naphthotriazolylstilbenes, benzoxazolyl, benzimidazoyl, naphthylimide, and diaminostilbene disulfonates (about.com). These ingredients are often shown on the labels of laundry detergents, but often are omitted.  http://voices.yahoo.com/optical-brighteners-clothes-as-clean-as-they-366187.html

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Optical brighteners are chemicals added to your laundry detergent, often unlabeled, to make your clothes appear brighter.  Corn allergic/intolerant individuals avoid most laundry detergent due to the chemicals added for scents and corn derived surfactants, however most have not considered the problematic optical brighteners in their “Free and Clear” laundry detergents.  Most optical brighteners are made from benzene (a known carcinogen).  I am unsure if corn derivatives are used in the manufacturing of benzene or optical brighteners.  The one thing I am certain of is this:  the Yipiyuk and I react to seemingly safe laundry detergents that utilize optical brighteners in their formulations.  Last year, we decided to switch to Charlie’s Soap (we were using All F&C) and within two weeks noticed a dramatic improvement in our full body eczema, constant itching and scaly skin.  Within one month we no longer were experiences eczema or scaly skin, other than the flare-ups associated with consuming hidden corn/grain derivatives.  I have found that I need a detergent capable of stripping silicone from fabrics that have been washed in unsafe detergents, that have been sprayed with perfume/cologne, or that have come into contact with silicone or corn derivative containing lotions/creams.  You can view that post here.

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Alphabetical list of laundry detergent with ingredients (including brightening agents and optical brighteners)

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Additional Information on Optical Brighteners

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Optical Brighteners from About.com

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Optical Brightener video from Seventh Generation.  Unfortunately Seventh Generation uses corn derivatives in A LOT of their products.  Contact the company before use.  Use with caution.  I do not use the Seventh Generation brand.

Corn Free Bakery? I think not…

The blog post is not meant to offend the owners Sweet Freedom Bakery, I realize they are just going off of information given to them by their supplier, however wrong it may be.  A friend of mine on Facebook sent this link to me and suggested I check it out.  I did.  We can’t eat from here, they use grain, coconut sugar, and agave in every single thing they cook.  We would be very ill from eating here.  I was going to just move on until then I saw the words “CORN FREE” at the top of the page and two more words included in almost every recipe…”xanthan gum.”

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We all know about xanthan gum, right?  So, I called them and surmissed that they had NO idea what the xanthan gum was made of, at which point they gave me the number to their supplier.  The supplier (T.I.C. Gum) tried to explain to me how it was made but wouldn’t tell me what carbohydrate was used in the fermentation process.  You know what that means…  it’s grown on corn.  Yep, that four letter word.  They finally told me after I kept repeating the same question.  According to them there is no corn protein left so, according to textbook allergic reactions, one shouldn’t react…  my body didn’t read that particular text book and treats xanthan gum just like every other corn derivative.

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Proceed at your own risk, but keep in mind, someone allergic to peanuts would avoid xanthan gum grown on peanuts…  Why eat xanthan gum grown on corn if you’re allergic to corn?

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