Below you
will find the most recent interesting questions concerning the diet and the
effects of food on health, behaviour and learning.
All previous
questions
from Food Intolerance Network members that have been published since September
2002 have been collected into a single 80 page PDF file (360Kb) so that it is
easier to download and search using Control/F or the PDF search function: http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/information/failsafequestions.pdf.
Some of the
information, particularly that about specific foods and what they contain, may
be out of date – always check the Product Updates section on www.fedup.com.au for the latest
information.
If you want
a question answered, please email me on suedengate@ozemail.com.au. My mailing address is
(May 2011)
Q. Is okra OK for the elimination diet?
A. Okra (also known as gumbo or lady finger) is not
listed in the RPAH hadnbook but canned okra was
tested in the 1985 analysis of salicylate contents of foods at 0.59 mg/kg which
makes it similar to fresh peach (0.58) classified as high - and we don't know
about amines or glutamates. So not failsafe unfortunately.
Q. Is there any connection between diet and endometriosis?
A. Endometriosis is a condition in which misplaced
cells from the lining of the uterus swell and bleed during menstruation,
causing pain and sometimes infertility. Since endometriosis is considered to be
an oestrogen dependent condition, researcher Dr Neal Barnard considers that women with endometriosis
would benefit from the same very low fat diet that has been shown to be
successful for women with heavy or painful periods. Dr Barnard also
says that it is very common for women with endometriosis to suffer from
Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Since failsafe eating works so well with irritable
bowel symptoms, this suggests to us that a low fat version of failsafe eating
may be worth a try. See the Womens Health factsheet
Q. I am not convinced about sugar. I gave my nieces pure white freshly
made fairy floss thinking it was better for them, and they turned high as kites
for 15 minutes after. Swinging like
monkeys from the furniture and laughing their heads off! It was quite a remarkable change.
A. Research shows that children do not normally react behaviourally to sugar. When behavioural
effects do occur, it is most likely because the children are salicylate
sensitive (salicylates can cause ‘salicylate-induced hypoglycemia’). Strange as
it may seem, kids like this will usually be far calmer and happier on a low
salicylate diet than a low sugar diet. Remove the salicylates and they will be
able to eat sugar without behavioural effects –
although that is not the aim of the exercise.
Q. I have been following failsafe diet for my kids (3 and 5) with great
success, but with cough and colds around now am struggling with pain
relief. I have been trying to crush ½ Herron paracetamol tabs as this is the right paracetamol-per-kg
and mix with golden syrup but they are not!! keen on
taking it. Any
suggestions?
A. Mary Poppins didn’t have it quite right - a
tablespoon of failsafe ice cream such as Peters Original Vanilla or Sanitarium
Vanilla Bliss is better than a spoonful of sugar for making the medicine go
down because it numbs the taste buds.
Q. Twice now, we have gone out for dinner/party, and I have had white
wine, only to have a reaction to it. I
get very dizzy, can’t walk, hyperventilate, have heart palpitations & can’t
talk coherently. The worst reaction is
for the first few hours, with a vague dull dizziness and fuzziness in the head
for a day or two afterwards. I realize
that this sounds like I’m drunk; in
fact, the first time it happened, my husband thought exactly that, and wasn’t
very sympathetic! I can tell you that 3
glasses of white wine will make me ill, but 3 glasses of red wine, or beer or
mixed spirits, will not affect me in the same way. I’m not a big drinker, and certainly don’t
binge drink – 3 or 4 standard drinks would be the maximum I have ever consumed in
one evening. The second time this happened,
my husband began to suspect that I was reacting to something in the wine. Would
it be the sodium metabisulphite? I have read that white wine is much higher in
220/223 than red.
A. There are many different kinds of reactions to sulphites. It is quite common for people to experience
headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations or a hungover
feeling from sulphites and it is true that high
levels of sulphites are more common in white wines.
There is an easy way to find out if sulphites are
your problem - you can remove most sulphites from
wines using Pure Wine or SO2GO www.so2go.com.au (this is a measured
amount of food grade hydrogen peroxide which removes 50 to 80% of the sulphites). If not sulphites, it
could be that you are affected by some of the natural food chemicals in wine.
(March 2011)
Q. Is it possible to combine a FODMAP diet with the RPAH Elimination
Diet?
A. It is much easier to get best results by sticking
strictly to the RPAH Elimination Diet. Breath hydrogen testing is of no value
for food intolerances and not very useful anyway because about 50% of people
test positive. If your only symptoms are bloating, reflux, abdominal
discomfort, wind and diarrhoea, you can do FODMAPS if
you want but if there are any food intolerance symptoms – e.g. behaviour, rashes, migraines, sleep disturbance, asthma, then
it is best to do the 3 week strict RPAH Elimination diet - with no mistakes,
gluten free and dairy free options first as it is possible your symptoms are
completely related to salicylates, amines and glutamates, see story [993] and http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factfructose.htm.
Q. Can you tell me whether apple cider vinegar has any salicylates?
A. Cider vinegar – as well as red and white wine vinegar
- is listed as Very High in both salicylates and amines; malt vinegar is listed
as moderate in salicylates (Source: p48 “Baking aids, herbs, spices &
condiments’, the RPAH Elimination Diet Handbook 2009, www.allergy.net.au)
Q. I would like to do the challenges but would like more information.
A. Challenges can be more difficult than most people
expect. It is important to get them right or you can end up with an
inconclusive result. You need to stick to the RPAH recommendations (e.g. 1-3
glasses of milk per day for at least 7 days for the dairy food challenge). Your
dietitian can give you a list of challenges; also see the Challenges
Hints factsheet on our website and the amine and salicylate challenge
recipes in the cookbook. However, there have been some recent updates to the
salicylates challenge. You can ask for our challenge update information (suedengate@ozemail.com.au).
Q. I went through the RPAH elimination diet about 3 years ago. The
dietician confirmed I was intolerant to dairy, wheat, salicylates, amines and
glutamates. Despite following a strict regime I have not been able to
reintroduce any of the foods that caused an intolerance reaction.
A. Most people who write to us that they are “following
a strict regime” are in fact making mistakes and the writer of this enquiry was
no exception. After receiving our salicylate and amine mistake information
sheets, she cleaned up her diet, suffered from withdrawal symptoms – which
indicates that there had been a problem – and is now feeling much better, see
story [1005] You can request the salicylate and amines
mistakes information sheets from suedengate@ozemail.com.au.
Q. I have tried to explain to my daughter who is getting married that I
only wanted plain veges at the wedding, but she
doesn't understand my food sensitivities.
A. It would be best to contact the caterer directly.
They are usually understanding for allergies, gluten and dairy avoidance, but
less so for food intolerance. See Paul’s list about food sensitivity for chefs:
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~ataraxy/ALLER_01h.html.
Q. I suffer AF (atrial fibrillation) after eating sulphites
and at no other times. My doctor does
not believe me and I am afraid I may be subjected to inappropriate medical
interventions. Can you please refer me
to an authority linking AF with sulphites in food?
A. Other failsafers have
reported this but I have searched pubmed extensively
and can find no mention of AF related to any food additives other than
MSG. I am intending to raise awareness
about this topic, so I would be interested to hear from others with
additive-related AF (suedengate@ozemail.com.au).
Q: My son becomes cranky, tantrum-throwing and obnoxious after eating
certain foods. Does it matter if he reacts but we all manage somehow, or is
there something else going on at a deeper level that is best avoided
altogether?
A. Most parents think it is OK to keep their children on
a diet that restricts their obvious behaviour to what
the family can live with. However, the obvious behaviour
(cranky, obnoxious) usually covers an underlying inattention – although parents
aren’t aware of this so much. Every time a child is inattentive it is likely to
cause a day's learning delay - if this happens once a week or more, or worse
still, every day, you are probably looking at a child whose long term school
results will be affected. The well-known Southampton University study concluded
that food reactions may cause long term psychological harm because children
with early behaviour or reading problems are more
likely to miss out on higher educational and employment opportunities and to
suffer from depression as adults. Of course if your children are already top of
the class then it may not be so important if they are obnoxious - although it
could interfere with their ability to make friends. Another little recognized
effect of food intolerance is frequent illnesses such as colds, flu and
infections.
Q: Our second baby whilst being exclusively breastfed developed eczema
over Christmas. She also has quite
severe cradle-cap. The shampoos the docs have prescribed all contain
salicylates as well as the olive oil they are telling me to put on her head.
I've noticed her head becomes quite red after application of olive oil. Do you
have any alternative remedies for both her scalp and her skin?
A: Members of the failsafe eczema group usually
recommend failsafe oils (e.g. rice bran oil, sunflower oil, canola oil - no
antioxidants) for both scalp and skin as well as avoiding foods to which your
baby has an allergy or intolerance (including from your diet if you are
breastfeeding). See their comments below:
·
A bit of failsafe oil
massaged onto his head. Leave it for a bit to soften then with a comb, comb out
the cradle cap. About 2-3 times, should be gone. That's what I did for both my
boys.
·
Baby oil is usually
the conventional treatment, but any failsafe oil should do the trick. After
all, you're just trying to soften the scales.
·
Please find out if
your son has any other allergies. My DD's cradle cap did not ease until we got
rid of the stuff she was allergic to. – thanks to the failsafeeczema
group
Q: Do you have any failsafe remedies for my daughter’s teen acne?
A: Many adult failsafers
report that their longstanding acne improved when they went failsafe but
everyone is different. Some of the culprits have been bread preservative 282,
gluten and salicylates. Many people recommend avoiding fried and fatty foods
and chocolate; drink lots of filtered water. There are some home remedies
involving failsafe foods that may be worth a try:
·
Ice cubes - to shrink
the redness and inflammation of a pimple and make it less noticeable.
·
Potato - slice a raw
white potato and place it on top of your acne outbreaks. Leave for five to
seven minutes. Will reduce inflammation and swelling and help with healing
·
Soda bicarb - wash face with a gentle cleanser. Mix soda bicarb and a little water together to make a paste. Dab
paste on individual pimples, let them dry, then rinse.
Or apply to your whole face, leave on for 30 mins,
then rinse off. If acne improves, repeat several times a week.
·
Cucumber (peeled is
moderate in salicylates) – rub the wet side of
cucumber peel on your face and leave on overnight
·
Sardines – if you
have passed your amine challenge, eat sardines in spring water 2-3 times a week
for omega benefits. Otherwise try ½ tsp flaxseed oil
daily (but see cautions in our Supplements
factsheet). (Ref Kaimal S, Thappa
DM. Diet in dermatology: revisited. Indian J Dermatol
Venereol Leprol. 2010
Mar-Apr;76(2):103-15.)
See some failsafer reports
at http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/failsafestories.pdf
Q: Do you have come any suggestions to get rid of the smell of new
furniture (a wooden wardrobe for my very food and chemically sensitive 3 yo daughter??
A: there are a number of options.
·
Ventilation, the more
the better, may help – e.g. windows open with a fan is a good idea, or you
could put the wardrobe outside on a sunny, dry day.
·
An air purifier -
good ones are not cheap, e.g InovaAir E20, see
review http://www.productreview.com.au/showitem.php?item_id=57950
·
You are probably aware
that flat pack furniture from China can have appallingly high formaldehyde
emissions (Cheap Chinese furniture 'may poison you' http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/toxic-risk-in-imports/story-e6freoof-1111117892668).
If that’s what you have, my advice (based on experience) would be to get rid of
it and buy a new one. Home renovator forums say that the best way to avoid VOC
emissions in board products (furniture, kitchens, bathrooms etc)
is to buy at IKEA because they abide by the strictest European standards for
VOC emissions (Australia has more relaxed ‘voluntary’ standards). For more information on VOCs in homes, see http://www.sustainablehomebrisbane.com.au/bcc1.pdf.
·
If you already have
an IKEA wardrobe, formaldehyde is not an issue there is another possibility -
it could be the natural smell of the wood that bothers you. Being a plant
product, some trees (and their timber products) contain more salicylates than
others, e.g. camphor and sandalwood are the most obvious. These will gas off
over time, or you can hasten the process by using an ozone generator in the same
room as the open wardrobe. Powerful ozone generators – we use a RainbowAir on our roadshows - can do the job in a short
time such as half an hour, but should not be used when people are in the room
as they can aggravate breathing problems for asthmatics. They work very well
for cleaning and deodorising the air in a room.
Q. My
stepdaughter has been on an additive free diet for three years to help
(successfully) control her ADHD without the need for medication. Recently the dentist
recommended GC tooth mousse for a sensitive tooth. The packet, tube and
consumer advice all stated that those with allergy or sensitivity to
preservatives and colourings should not use this product and on the side of the
packet had E214 and names of preservatives in 214-219 range. My stepdaughter
was VERY restless sleeping for 2 nights after the last dose that she had been
given. I looked up your website and
found a factsheet that talked about medications and the first question was
related to this same GC tooth mousse. But the wallet card in your books does
not list that preservative as an additive to avoid. Is this a nasty
preservative?
A. In the past, we
haven't listed preservatives 214-219 (hydroxybenzoates)
as additives to avoid because they are usually not permitted in foods in
(October 2010)
Q: Recently an article on amines in cooked red meat said that the amine
content in 15% fat beef patties was much LOWER than the content of 5% fat beef
patties. Can you confirm and offer an
explanation for this? - Moni
A: Amines are
usually water-soluble so they will be in the muscle or protein, not in the fat.
They are formed by the breakdown (enzymatically, chemically or even
mechanically) of the protein and tend to stay close to where they are
formed. The lower amines in the higher
fat meat might be simply proportional - if there is 15% fat then the protein
content would be higher proportionately in the lower fat version, so protein
might rise from say 35% of the total weight to 45% of the total weight, with an
increase in amines proportionately. Or it might be that fat is a lubricant so
there would be less mechanical shearing as the meat is ground up in the higher
fat version, and so more amines formed mechanically in the low fat version.
Q: I seem to be reacting to Vegemite (Kraft Foods) as though it contains
sulphites, to which I know I’m very sensitive, but
there is no sulphite on the label. Why? - Yvette
A: Most people
are likely to react to the very high level of glutamates, amines or salicylates
in Vegemite. However 220 (sulphite), which was in colour
150d in Vegemite to prevent microbial growth, has been replaced with Colour 150c which still contains preservative 220 but at
levels that no longer require labelling (less than
10mg/Kg). Sensitive people such as yourself can react
to even this level.
Q: Why has HERRON Gold Paracetamol changed colour?
A: The gold colour of
HERRON Gold Paracetamol tablets and tabsules is due to the titanium dioxide (171) and iron
oxides (yellow, red and black (172) included in the coating. There is no
artificial colour.
HERRON Gold Paracetamol
tablets are flavoured with vanilla. For those looking for an unflavoured
option, HERRON Gold Paracetamol tabsules
contain no flavouring.
Q. I have recently been introduced to your book and recipe book which
has taken our family by storm. Thank you! I have a query about a cleaning
product that I have been encouraged to buy. It is new to the market apparently
and is supposed to be 100% natural, chemical free and non-hazardous, completely
safe for your children etc. The brand is Nature Direct. Does this product fit
with the failsafe lifestyle? - Lucy
A. I looked at
the Nature Direct website under Products-Composition and found that SeeK cleaning products are a mixture of natural colloidal
agents and plant based essential oils including Clove, Cypress, Savoury, Mint, Eucalyptus, Pine, Rosemary, and Thyme.
Essential oils are NOT failsafe due to inhaled salicylates from the smell - see
more in Fed Up page 156. You can clean your house with vinegar, soda bicarb, low fragrance dishwashing liquid, dishwashing
powder and washing powder such as Omo Sensitive, see more in the shopping list or Product
Updates on the website.
Q. My canteen insists on serving slushies to
the children. I was looking for a safe alternative syrup mix but it has proven
to be very hard. The best I have come up with so far is one with potassium sorbate (202) as preservative. Is it possible to have
healthy slushie ?? - Linda
A. We haven’t
found any additive-free slushies. The best are likely
to contain potassium sorbate (202) which is sometimes
described as a harmless additive by food manufacturers but we don’t agree, see
our Sorbates
factsheet. For children with salicylate sensitivity, strong fruit flavours and concentrated natural colours
will be very high in salicylates. You can make your own slushies
by using icypole mixes (see Fed Up or the Failsafe
Cookbook) frozen in a baking tray then whizzed in your food processor for 30
seconds. Further reading: http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeandstyle/health/diet-experts-go-cold-on-icy-canteen-treat/2008/11/14/1226318927579.html.
Q. I have one of your books and have had amazing results with my 9 year
old son since putting him on a low chemical diet. My problem now is keeping him
on it. At school he eats food from his friends every day, and says it is too
hard to resist. I have spoken to his teachers, but they say there are too many
children to watch and it is his responsibility not to eat food from his
friends. His extremely difficult behaviour has
returned and I am at a loss as to what I can do to keep him on his diet. Do you
have any suggestions? - Alissah
A. The way to
get children to stay on this diet is to offer them varied food and treats that
they like, so it helps to have lots of recipes and hints to choose from. I
recommend the Failsafe Cookbook. One mother wrote 'when I found out that he had
been lunch swapping at school I reviewed his lunch box and bought your Cookbook
- now he is getting enough interesting things and variety so he feels that he
is not missing out!'
Q. I have a question about hair products - I have fine, curly hair that
tends to turn to frizz and I haven't yet found a product that I can tolerate to
tame my hair. Any
suggestions in this department?
A. You could ask
a compounding pharmacist, see under Compounding in the
yellow pages.
Q. On a recent supermarket visit - as is so often the case - there were
parents with young kids "acting up" in one way or another. On these I
would dearly love to engage the parents in conversation and tell them about
your discoveries but I know they’re stressed. So, it just occurred to me that
if I had a few cards, or wallet-size fold-out things, giving a quick intro to
food intolerance and the side-effects experienced by so many, and the address
of your web site, it would be far easier to just accost parents and hand them
one and say "Just read this when you've got some time, I think it might
help you". - Tony
A. You could try
our yellow magnifying cards with names and numbers of additives to avoid and
the web address - the advantage is that they look like business cards. See
photo on the front page of the website. Or if you’d like something free with
more information, you are welcome to copy our blue
brochures.
(June 2010)
Q: Are chia
seeds failsafe?
A: Chia seeds are not mentioned in the foods allowed on the RPA elimination
diet (see the RPAH Elimination Diet Handbook 2009 available from www.allergy.net.au). Chia is a member of
the mint family. Mint is very high is salicylates and there have been numerous
reports of gastrointestinal symptoms due to chia seeds from salicylate
sensitive people overseas (http://nutritionalconcepts.blogspot.com/2008/03/caution-regarding-chia-seeds.html).
Q: Can you
suggest any cold and flu remedies for failsafers?
When I have a cold - which fortunately isn't often - I can't take honey and lemon drinks, nor eat oranges or kiwi fruit due to
salicylates. I normally don’t take
medication, but last night I took Demazin tablets and
had a terrible reaction.
A: According to the new RPAH handbook, page 118 (available from www.allergy.net.au), Cold & Flu
products containing paracetamol, codeine,
antihistamine and/or pseudoephedrine can be suitable if not coloured
and flavoured. They recommend the
butterscotch/vanilla flavoured Demazin
Cough & Cold syrup 2 years to adult, not to be confused with other Demazin syrups that may contain peach flavour
and other additives. However, this syrup is currently off the market while
being reformulated to remove pseudoephedrine, now tightly regulated due to its
use in making cystal meth or ice. Another option is
to have a similar medication made specially by a
compounding pharmacist (expensive but safe) or try the failsafe version of hot
lemon drinks – made with citric acid and Vitamin C - in the Failsafe Cookbook.
Q: Is Stevia
failsafe?
A: Stevia is NOT approved for the RPAH elimination diet which recommends
avoiding artificial sweeteners (RPAH handbook & shopping guide, p53).
Although Stevia is promoted as natural (ie plant
derived) by the food industry, as we all know, natural is not necessarily safe
- e.g. salicylates. See more information at nutritionist Kimberley Bither’s website http://thewellnessworkout.typepad.com/the_wellness_workout/2009/04/is-stevia-safe-the-fda-now-approves-its-gras-status-but-dont-let-that-fool-you.html.
Q from #63:
I'm failsafe, gluten free and dairy free – when I get stuck without food, what
can I buy as a quick healthy snack in a supermarket?
A: Thanks to Leah who says: as I’m also very sensitive to sals and amines, and intolerant to soy, my favourite (and only) supermarket snack is Sunrice ricecake thins. Make sure
you buy a bottle of water too coz they are a bit dry. I would have gone hungry
many times without these.
Q: My 19
month-old son has bad reactions to salicylates so I've
changed his diet accordingly. However, he had a high temperature two days ago
and although I knew it would upset him in the following days, I gave him
children's panadol as it was bedtime and I didn't
want him sleeping with an awful fever. Anyway it's now day 2 and we're dealing
with a very cranky and irritable little boy (am now regretting the Panadol decision!) I knew the "strawberry flavour" would affect him, but what else can I give
him?
A: You can ask a compounding pharmacist to make up an additive free
version (one family paid over $50) or you can ask for our paracetamol
recipe (suedengate@ozemail.com.au).
A week later this mother wrote again: ‘we've been using the dissolved panadol as per the "recipe" you provided and it
has been a life-saver! Our baby boy doesn't have to be sick AND cranky any more!’
Q: I’m annoyed
about the new Woolworths fruit juice drinks in Blackcurrant & Lemon,
Orange, and Tropical flavours that sound as if they
are natural. They say Natural Colours & Flavours, No artificial colours
or flavours, No added preservative 211 (sodium
benzoate); but they contain sorbates preservative
(202). I think that’s misleading.
A: I agree with you but technically it’s legal. To protect themselves and
their children, consumers must be able to read and understand ingredient
labels. We wouldn’t recommend juice drinks anyway because they contain strong flavour additives (salicylates). Water is the best drink
but if you want juice as a treat, and can manage salicylates, it is best to buy
100% pure juice and dilute it with water.
Q: Just a
quick question regarding the Coles Smart Buy pears in syrup. Are they failsafe? On the product updates it says to avoid the snackpacks (due to natural juice) but I just wanted to
check the tins are ok as my son is not quite as well behaved as he used to be.
I didn't know if he was having a reaction to something or just going through a
phase.
A: Coles canned pears in syrup should be OK (ingredients: pear halves,
water, sugar).
Some possible problems:
·
pears should be ripe
(if pears are hard, they are moderate in salicylates)
·
pears are limited to
2 peeled pears per day or equivalent (including pear
jam etc)
·
pears should be the
traditional varieties such as Packham, Williams, Beurre Bosc, Bartlett NOT Nashi, Ya or other crisp Asian
pears. I phoned the Coles free call number 1800 061 562 to ask about the
country of origin and variety of the pears. (You need the barcode if enquiring
about a product). The customer liaison officer was very helpful - he confirmed
that the Coles pears in syrup are Australian and will be either Williams or
Bartlett depending on the season. Could it be some other food or environmental
chemical affecting your son? You are very welcome to send me a list of what he
eats in a typical day so I can check for possible problems (including brand of
toothpaste, washing powder etc).
(February 2010)
Q. My husband
and I have been happily married for 35 years. Although he hasn’t done the
elimination diet, I know he’s better on lower salicylates. Now the doctor has put him on daily aspirin
his personality has changed – it’s turned him into a grumpy old man and I don’t
want to live with him any more. Is there an
alternative?
A. If aspirin has been prescribed as a blood thinning medication, you can
discuss switching to Clopidogrel with your doctor.
(See page 115, RPA Elimination Diet Handbook 2009).
Q. I have
suffering from hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) for at least 15 years and it
seems to be getting worse. Typically this would affect the hands and feet, but
mine is mostly the back, thighs, chest etc. Recently I’ve spent over $1000 on
Chinese Medicine and acupuncture and it did nothing. I’ve tried all the obvious
things like deodorant, wearing cotton clothes, not eating hot or spicy food to
no avail. Do you know of anyone that has been cured of this through
food/additive elimination?
A. As with any food intolerance symptom, everyone is different. One reader
reported ‘I have eliminated most things that contain salicylates - which is
basically everything I eat – and I have stopped sweating ...’ and another failsafer found her excessive sweating was due to dairy
foods. A three week trial of the elimination diet would show whether it would
work for you.
Q. I have had
to give my 4yo Maxamox antibiotics for a chest
infection. I don't know if I'm imagining or not but she seems to have become
oppositional, loud, disobedient and waking 4/5am (usually she wakes at 6.30)
also she is doing some socially unacceptable behaviours
(spitting, throwing cushions at her siblings’ friends, talking too much etc). Can you spot
anything in the attached ingredients that she might be reacting to? She is intolerant to salicylates and
additives.
A. I would expect sodium benzoate (preservative 211) and orange, lemon,
peach, apricot flavouring (salicylates) in the Maxamox suspension to cause the kinds of behaviours you have described, most likely as a slow build up of symptoms. The Maxamox
tablets not suspension would be suitable for failsafers
– you can crush up plain white tablets and serve them in a spoonful of failsafe
icecream but you would have to check with your
pharmacist about dosage for a child.
Q. Do you know
what colour is in Strepsils
Honey/Lemon? Based on my son’s reaction
to one lozenge, there has to be an artificial yellow colour
additive. Also, can you tell me why no ingredient listing is required for
medications?
A. When I asked a few years ago they contained Quinoline
Yellow (artificial colour 104), now subject to a
voluntary ban in the
Q. I have
recently started reading your website as my 11 month old son still doesn’t
sleep through the night. I started to think that it was something that he was
eating. I was pretty lucky that the first 2 things I took out of his diet,
Vegemite and margarine, have helped dramatically. My son really enjoys his
Vegemite so I read all the labels of other alternative products. On the Marmite
label it says it contains caramel 111, I have not been able to find any
information on this. What is it and is it safe to eat????
A. Caramel iii is another way of saying caramel 150c, also called ammonia
caramel because of how it is made. 150c has been found to decrease white cell
counts in rats but only when the rats are deficient in a certain B vitamin.
Caramel colour is not likely to cause your son’s
sleeping problems. The culprit is most likely yeast extract (essentially MSG) -
in Vegemite, Marmite and other similar products. See Cooks
Corner in Failsafe Newsletter #63 for a substitute.
Q. What’s in
the popcorn they sell in cinemas? I’m sure it affects my 4 yo.
A. At Hoyts the popcorn contains tartrazine
(102), one of the artificial colours now subject to a
voluntary ban in the
Q. Are smoked
cold meats generally preservative-free, or would sulfites still be used?
A. Smoked meats are listed as very high in salicylates, amines and
glutamates so are never failsafe. I would expect ham to contain one of the
nitrate/nitrite preservatives (249-252) although some manufactured meat
contains sulphites. The Virginia Leg Ham below is
described as quality boneless lean leg ham, Naturally Wood Smoked, No
Artificial Colours, No Artificial Flavours.
It contains preservative 250 and traces of sulphites.
You can see the full ingredient listing at http://foodservice.hans.com.au/Products/Ham/HansVirginiaLegHam.aspx
Q. I currently
use Campbell's Real Stock in Beef and Chicken (Ingredients: Beef Stock (water,
beef, salt), vinegar, salt, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, yeast extract, natural
food colour (Caramel1), natural flavours,
spices and wheat gluten). What is in
this that is not failsafe and what could I use as an alternative?
A. That stock is not failsafe due to vinegar (sals
and amines); soy sauce, yeast extract, natural flavours
(all with sals, amines, glutamates); and spices (sals). You can make your own stock, see recipe below.
Q. Is grain
fed beef OK?
A. Grain fed means feedlot beef where animals are crowded together and low
levels of antibiotics may be mixed into the feed over a long period of time. It
is failsafe but if you can, it’s best to buy non-feedlot that can be described
as free range, grass fed, pasture fed, organic or have no label at all. See
more about feedlots at http://www.animalliberation.org.au/cattlefeed.php
Q. I’m
failsafe, gluten free and dairy free – when I get stuck without food, what can
I buy as a quick healthy snack in a supermarket?
A. A popper of So Good Soymilk Lite contains about 100 calories, similar
to 10 raw cashews, 1 container Heinz babyfoods Pureed
Fruity Pear, 15 Red Rock Deli Sea Salt potato chips, 1 medium Golden Delicious
apple (moderate in sals), or 1 medium firm banana
(moderate in amines).
All previous
questions
from Food Intolerance Network members that have been published since September
2002 have been collected into a single 80 page PDF file (360Kb) so that it is
easier to download and search using Control/F or the PDF search function: http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/information/failsafequestions.pdf.
The
information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor
for underlying illness. Before beginning dietary investigation, consult a
dietician with an interest in food intolerance. You can write for our list of
supportive dietitians (confoodnet@ozemail.com.au)
© Sue Dengate update October 2010
