The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Gluten-Free & Allergen-Free White Cake Recipe: A Cause for Health & Wellness Celebration

Last night we had a gluten-free & allegen-free white cake with chocolate frosting to celebrate my daughter's 10th birthday! The gluten-free and allergen-free white cake recipe is below. It is not only gluten-free, it is dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, peanut free and tree nut free! Why this birthday was a cause for health and wellness celebration is because my daughter was not expected to live to be 2, 3 or 4 years of age! If you have not seen the FOX 5 NYC News story on her health from 2006, you can see the FOX 5 NYC News video by clicking on this link:

Link to the FOX 5 NYC News Story, May 2006

OR, you can visit my YouTube Channel, and see it there along with my other helpful videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VpIsRiyIq4&feature=plcp&context=C3e65b7fUDOEgsToPDskLsM5ov15bZJizA0A3F1lK6

The FOX 5 NYC News story aired in May 2006, and now 5-1/2 years later she is healthy and well! To say that I have learned a great deal in the process would be an understatement! It has been an extraordinary journey from an extremely poor health prognosis to one of vital health and wellness! Is this possible for most consumers? Yes, in my humble and "non-medical" opinion - it is indeed possible with expert medical care and guidance from integrative medical practitioners using the medical testing and technology that is available! For Now, enjoy this gluten-free and allergen-free White Cake, which there is also a video about on my YouTube channel from a few years ago!

Gloria’s White Wedding Cake

The inspiration for this recipe goes to Gloria Tilley, a dear friend, and an amazing woman – hence the name!  I had given up on ever creating a white, egg-free cake until Gloria asked for help for her nieces wedding.  I created this recipe just for Gloria and I think of her every time I make it. If you change the flour mix, it will change the texture and result of the baked good.  It is a delicious cake that freezes well.

 

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans and set aside.  Measure all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

1 1/2 cups white rice flour (I used a mix of white and brown rice flour - half each)

1 1/2 cups of tapioca flour

2 teaspoons of xanthan gum

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons baking powder

4 teaspoons of Ener-G® Egg Replacer (dry powder)

Pinch of salt

 

Picture of the gluten-free flours and dry ingredients mixed together

 

ADD: ½ cup or 8 tablespoons of non-dairy margarine substitute at room temperature

Cake flours with non-dairy margarine substitute added in pieces

 

Take your margarine and cut it into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients.  Cut the margarine into the flour mixture until it is very, very well incorporated into the dry ingredients. It will look like this:

 

Then Add:

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups rice milk

Rice milk and vanilla added pictured here

Start to mix the batter. The batter for this cake will be very thick.  It will not drip off of a spoon.  It will hold it's shape pretty well.  You may need a bit less milk if you are light on your flour measurements.

Cake batter: This is a very thick batter - not like your regular cake batter.

This is the cake batter before I added two Tablespoons of additional rice milk, which make it only ever so slightly more creamy. Not much creamier, but a little bit. With the addition of 2 more tablespoons of rice milk, the batter would now drip off the spoon, or more like slide off the spoon, but it was still very thick. Underscore thick.

Extra rice milk: 1 to 4 tablespoons, as needed (emphasize the as needed part)

Mix well, but do NOT OVER MIX your batter.  You will probably see small lumps of margarine in the batter, which is fine.  Place the batter into your prepared pans and bake for 27 to 35 minutes or until done.  Oven temperature is very important.  A hotter or cooler oven will change both the baking time and results.  This recipe produced a nice, moist cake.  Because we used organic sugar and organic vanilla (both browner in color than clear vanilla or bleached sugar), our cake was not a pure white color. For cupcakes, bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until done. This recipes makes 24 to 26 cupcakes if using about ¼ cup batter per cupcake.

A few more pictures, which may be helpful...

The cake batter in the 2- 8 inch cake pans

Here are the two baked cake layers. The shine you see on the top is the waxed paper that I used to line the bottom of the baking pans. It guarantees that the cake layers will slide out of the pans. Great baking tip for cakes if you are not aware of it. I then just peeled the waxed paper off the bottom. Actually, the kids did this for me...

Final cake all frosted with leftover frosting from the fridge...No, I did not get my cake frosting tool out to frost this...Nor did I get all my fancy Wilton tools out to make flowers and pretty leaves. Some birthdays are just this way.

 

Both cake layers were full size and nice texture. No gummy insides. Use a cake tester and touch the top of the cake to see that it bounces back if you are not sure if it is done on the inside. An oven thermometer is not optional - use one for accuracy or deal with the consequences.

Detoxification and Wellness: Dr. Morrison's New Book and More

For those of you looking to be healthy and well, I want to let you know about a new book titled “Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind” by Jeffrey A. Morrison, M.D. I believe that the subtitle is: Eliminate Environmental Toxins to Lose Weight, Increase Energy and Reverse Illness in 30 Days or Less. Before I even begin to address why I love this book, let’s talk about detoxification and what that is and how it impacts human health. Most consumers don’t understand that they are bombarded with chemicals and toxins in our everyday life. Therefore, they typically don’t comprehend why they would want or need to detoxify their bodies. The quickest way to understand how significant this is for health and wellness is to look at a research project on newborn babies and how many chemicals newborns have at birth running through their bloodstream. The Environmental Working Group raised the funds and did such a research project. Watch this video and you will have a new level of understanding on this aspect of health.

http://www.ewg.org/kid-safe-chemicals-act-blog/kid-safe-chemicals-act-10-americans-video/

I began my own journey in detoxification back in 2004 as I learned about things that harm and heal the body as I was working to get my youngest child well. Over the years, the more educated I became about chemicals, toxins and things that do harm to human health – the more I was willing to do to be healthy and well. If you know nothing about the exposure you receive on a daily basis to toxins and chemicals, then you are in for a surprise and you should definitely watch the 10 Americans video done by The Environmental Working Group. I mean – really – you should watch it!

Going back to Dr. Morrison’s book. For starters, let me share a picture of the cover of his book! I should have true confessions here and let you know that I have met Dr. Morrison and can say I may be ever so slightly biased towards anything he says or does! He’s a great guy!

 

However, meeting or knowing Dr. Morrison is not why I am recommending his book. There are key points that make it a valuable tool for consumers who have health issues. Point number one is that it is well written and while it is medically based, it is not to complicated or over-done as to be overwhelming to a patient. It is straightforward and complete. Dr. Morrison gives the reader a good explanation of toxins and the effect of toxins on health and then follows it all up with a 30-Day Detox Plan.

For someone who does not have good health and does not understand the rationale for detoxifying your body, this would be a good starting point. He has included stories from patients who had great success from following such a plan. Dr. Morrison covers what you need to know as well as additional resources! I definitely am recommending this book to the people in my life and the consumers that I deal with on a regular basis! You can get the book on Amazon.com and from other sources I’m sure. Dr. Morrison’s website is: http://www.morrisonhealth.com/

Jeffrey A. Morrison, M.D.

If you get the book, I’d love to hear your feedback on it! Let me know your thoughts and experiences!

Love,

Lisa

Why people with Celiac and Food Allergies Should Sign up for FAAN Alerts

Oh, yeah. I have been meaning to write this blog post for a very long time. I often find that people with celiac disease are not signed up for FAAN Alerts. Same for those with children who have life-threatening food allergies. Stop. I guess it would be really helpful to explain what FAAN is and does and what a FAAN alert looks like. FAAN stands for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. This is the link to their website: http://www.foodallergy.org/ FAAN has been helping people with IgE food allergies for about 20 years. They advocate for food allergy awareness, food labeling, and education. One of the best programs they have in my humble opinion is their FAAN Alert program.

You sign up through their website and you will receive food allergy and gluten or wheat alerts. Below are three examples of FAAN Alerts from this year.

 

October 11, 2011 Shrimp Allergy Alert Nestlé Prepared Foods Company is recalling a limited quantity of one variety of LEAN CUISINE® Dinnertime Selects which is mislabeled. The packaging identifies the meal as containing chicken, however, an error has been discovered and approximately 200 packages contain shrimp. The product possibly was shipped to retailers in Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state. The recall affects LEAN CUISINE® Dinnertime Selects Chicken Fettuccini/UPC code 13800-14880 with a production code of 1253595911G and a “best before” date of October 2012. Consumers who have purchased to the product may contact Nestlé consumer services at (800) 542-6935, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, to receive a full refund.  FAANTM (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) 11781 Lee Jackson Highway, Suite 160 | Fairfax, VA 22033-3309 | (800) 929-4040 MILK ALLERGY ALERT  Sept. 28, 2011 M & P Food Productions, LTD., is recalling several varieties of “Vareniki/Dumplings” due to undeclared milk and wheat. The products were sold in retail stores in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. The products are packaged in 14-oz. sealed plastic bags that are distributed frozen. The recall affects the following products with “BEST BEFORE SEP 19 2011” through “BEST BEFORE MAR 19 2012:”   Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki cabbage, UPC 7 07163 02619 8, yellow and green background on packaging with green and black lettering. Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki potato & onion, UPC 7 0 7163 02616 7, yellow and brown background on packaging with brown and black lettering. Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki potato & mushroom, UPC 7 07163 02617 4, yellow and blue background on packaging with blue and black lettering. Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki farmer cheese, UPC 7 0716 302618 1, yellow and purple background on packaging with purple and black lettering. Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki sour cherry, UPC 7 07163 02615 0, yellow and red background on packaging with red and black lettering. Consumers may return the product to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (718) 438-6421, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET.   WHEAT ALLERGY ALERT  Aug. 17, 2011 Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. is recalling “Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drink” due to undeclared wheat.    The products were sold in the dairy departments of Winn-Dixie and SaveRite stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,Louisiana, and Mississippi. The product is packaged in a 128-oz. (one gallon) clear plastic bottle with a yellow bottle cap and marked with the UPC code 21140-29830.   Consumers may return the product to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (866) 946-6349.

In my humble opinion, individuals with celiac disease and gluten intolerance as well as those individuals with food allergies and food sensitivities or on the GFCF diet would do well to register to receive FAAN alerts. These are the kinds of notices that do not generally make it into the media spotlight. I can't underscore this enough. FAAN has done an exemplary job with the relationships they have established with the food manufacturing industry and as such they are on top of the food errors that occur. Just my two cents for what it is worth!

Love,

Lisa

Tribute to Bette Hagman - A Gluten Free Pioneer, Mentor and Friend

It's a funny thing about life - you never know how it will turn out. I first met Bette Hagman, a.k.a. "The Gluten-Free Gourmet", in the Spring of 2000 at a Buffalo, NY celiac support group meeting where she was the featured speaker. I had no idea then that she and I would become close enough to be remotely considered friends. I'm sure that I didn't think that she considered me her friend until I received a letter from her written while she was on vacation. I was enamored with Bette from our first meeting in 2000. Here is a picture of her and I from that chance encounter:

Bette Hagman and Lisa A.Lundy (me), May 2000 - Buffalo, New York

Bette was one of the nicest people you could ever come to know. Sometime after meeting her I wrote her a thank you note for being the pioneer that she was and for providing the cookbooks that she had published. At that time, I had an 11-month old son who had huge issues with gluten. He also had issues with dairy, eggs, soy, and other foods, so I had to modify any of Bette's recipes, but they at least gave me a place to start. At some time later, I decided that Bette needed a fan club and I called her to ask permission to print up some t-shirts with her name on them. She chuckled at the idea of a fan club or even a t-shirt, but she did say yes. I was elated. I had some t-shirts printed up that looked like this:

Bette Hagman Fan Club T-shirt

I promptly sent her t-shirts for her family and friends. It gave me such joy and pleasure to walk around in this t-shirt! I think she got some pleasure in it too! Sometime after my daughter was born in 2001, Bette and I began talking about the issues I was having in feeding my daughter. Bette Hagman was the first person ever to say to me that "Your daughter would not be alive if it were not for your expertise and efforts." I'll never forget that call or moment as I was really still in denial about how fragile and sick my daughter was. I remember telling Bette not to talk like that. But, that was one of the things that I loved about Bette - her direct and candid manner.

A memorable phone call came when Bette called me all excited because she had had ice cream for the first time in decades! I was elated for her, but wondered where she had gotten the ice cream! She laughed while explaining that my insistence that she try making non-dairy ice cream using Dari-Free (by Vances Foods) had finally gotten to her and that she had just made Raspberry Ice cream from one of the recipes that I had mailed to her! At least we seemed to get a thrill out of it. Another time Bette called me to ask if I would take a call from a man by the name of Josef who had a Bakery in New York City. Of course, I told Bette yes, but immediately followed with the most obvious question - why would he want to talk to me after all she was the Gluten-Free Gourmet! She laughed and retorted that I was the gluten-free, dairy-free, everything else free guru and she couldn't help him.

Bette had her issues with her health right around the same time that things got really, really bad with my daughter's health and I was spending an extraordinary amount of time at the doctors office, so we were a bit out of touch. I reached out to her in 2007 before she passed away and had a nice telephone conversation with her. She was the same Bette. For all her efforts in the gluten-free market, I applaud this great woman - my mentor and my friend. I think of her fondly and often! The gluten-free world is better because of her extraordinary efforts. She was an extraordinary woman. God Bless her! Feel free to share your thoughts on how Bette's work and legacy has helped you!

Love,

Lisa

Celiacs and Gluten-Free Friends: Meet me in Boston for a great gluten free dinner

Yes, calling all celiacs and those on a gluten-free diet: meet me at Burtons Grill in Hingham, MA on Monday, September 3rd for a three course gluten-free meal priced at $34.95 per person with a complimentary copy of my book going to the first 25 tables ordering off of the special menu - limit one book per table. This special dinner is sponsored by Alletess Medical Laboratory!

Here is a link to see the Event Flyer for this wonderful dinner:

Autumn Dinner at Burtons Grill

 

Here is a link to the Burtons Grill location:

Burtons Grill in Hingham, MA

The address of Burtons Grill is 94 Derby Street (The Derby Street Shoppes), Hingham, MA. The first course is your choice of Butternut Soup or Mixed Greens. The second course is your choice of Turkey Meatloaf, Spinach Lasagna or Haddock Imperial. The third course is Apple Crisp or Cherry Pie - all gluten free, of course. I will be at the restaurant for the dinner to meet and greet, answer questions and help anyone and everyone attending! In addition, Michelle Clark from Alletess will be there with information and to answer questions on medical testing. Alletess is a fantastic company that offers non-IgE mediated testing for food allergies - those are the food issues that make up approximately 90 to 95 percent of all food issues. If you as a consumer have wondered about testing for food sensitivities or food intolerances, this would be a great place and a great time to get some information and some of your questions answered. I hope to see you there!

Love,
Lisa 

 

Tales from the Crypt: Gluten Free and Allergen Free Baking Disasters

The biggest topic that I get private e-mails about is kitchen failures when it comes to gluten-free and allergy free baking. So, now it is time to tell a whopper on myself! Today I had a baking disaster! I mean a total and complete gluten-free and allergen free baking bummer. Of course, I can think of other adjectives to use here, but I don't want to be overly melodramatic. I share this with you to bring comfort to the beginners - even those of us with 12 plus years of gluten-free and allergy-free baking experience bomb in the kitchen now and then! Even those of us who have published a celiac and allergy cookbook have failures now and then! So what was the problem? Yes, I really want to share that with you as well as the total experience! The problem today was the fat that I used to grease the mini-baking muffin tins. Say what?

Yes, in the gluten-free and allergy-free baking arena the fat that you use to grease a pan matters. Let me tell you what does not work - at least not of late - one non-dairy margarine and one non-dairy margarine substitutes (brand names excluded for legal liability reasons)! I ran out of the normal baking spray that I use to grease the mini-muffin tins, so I used some non-dairy and mostly allergen free margarine (contains some soy) and the brownie bites that I was making would not come out of the pan. Let me say, even with a knife going gently around the edge of the pan, these brownie bites could not be saved! If a picture is worth a thousand words, here is a picture to show my gluten-free and allergen-free baking disaster of the day.

 

Let's take one more look at this:

These brownie bites were literally in pieces! Now, here is the upshot - they will be eaten. How they will be used up eventually is in ice cream sundae's. Non-dairy, gluten-free, allergen-free ice cream sundae's that is. They will also be used in our "pretend" DQ™ Blizzards - the ones that we make at home with non-dairy (and gluten-free) ice cream and candy or cookies. Yes, these bits and pieces of brownies will definitely be eaten over time. For now, they have been lovingly thrown (LOL) into the deep freeze. Another use for these could be dried out a bit and crumbled for a dessert pie crust.

Going back to greasing the pans. Did anyone notice in the last few months to a year that the baking sprays have changed? I noticed the label and the ingredient change a while back, but I didn't think much of it...it seems to me that the brownie bites that we have been making for years just don't slide out of the pan like they used to. Where else does the non-dairy (allergen free) margarine substitute not work out as well? Two recipes come to mind immediately - one is frosting and the other is rice crispy treats (made with a gluten-free cereal of course). The frosting with some non-dairy margarine substitutes will be too runny for my tastes and not very creamy or soft. One of the non-dairy margarine substitutes we use makes the rice crispy treats seem stale. It is definitely the margarine substitute and not the cereal.

I hope that this will make some of the beginners feel a tad bit better. I recommend that beginners stick to a few helpful guidelines to avoid failures in the beginning:

1. Use a proven recipe (just any old recipe from the internet may or may not work)

2. Don't make any substitutions in a recipe until you have had success

3. Make sure you understand how the flour is measured (I use the method invented and supported by my friend and mentor, Bette Hagman, may she rest in peace)

4. Use an oven thermometer

5. Turn OFF Convection Bake if you are using my recipes

I hope you have many, many successes in the gluten-free and allergen-free baking area! Let me know how I can support and empower you in the kitchen!

Love,

Lisa 

 

Specialized Dental Testing: Preventing Reactions to Dental Work

Mercury is so toxic to human beings that most colleges and universities as well as hospitals and other institutions have removed the old glass thermometers even though they have the masks, gloves and equipment to clean up a broken one. Given that, I had some concerns back in 2005 when I was having some dental work on a filling that contained mercury - also known as an amalgam filling. In the process of researching a dentist that would use the proper care and caution in removing the mercury containing dental filling, I became aware of dental compatibility testing. I was very interested because I had a very ill child at the time and I simply could not afford to get sick - from anything.

I had the testing done in short order. I really had no expectations on the testing because I did not know anyone who had used this type of testing. I was pleased to get the report - all 32 pages of it, but I did not have enough real knowledge to know if this was a worthwhile venture. Just to share with you, the dental compatibility testing cover things like...

*Serum Compatibility Reactivity Levels

*Metals Reactivity

*Etching Materials

*Glass Ionomers

*Composites

*Indirect (Laboratory) Composites

*Liners, Bases & Varnishes

*Bonding Agents

*Precious Crowns and Bridges

*Porcelain and Ceramics

*Porcelain without Aluminum Tested

*Non-Precious Metal Crowns and Bridges

*Non-Metallic Crowns and Bridges

*Impression Materials

*Temporary Materials

*Cements

*Root Canal Materials

*Implant Materials

*Denture Base Materials

*Denture Teeth

*Denture Liner, Repair, Adhesive

*Denture Alloys

Each of the above categories was divided into highly reactive, moderately reactive or least reactive. I was wondering if this dental testing would prove to be worthwhile, and I didn't have to wait long. On my first dental appointment with the new dentist, he indicated that he would have used a "highly reactive" material in my upcoming dental work if it were not for the report. He used the report to find a material that was in the "least reactive" category to replace the materials that he would have used. It was definitely worthwhile in my case.

One company that I used is now called BIOCOMP LABORATORIES, INC. Their website is: www.shslab.com/ Be forewared if you live in New York State, you'll have to go to anther state for this testing and get a lab slip that the blood draw! Don't forget the lab slip that proves that you had the blood drawn in a non-New York state lab or your test may not be processed. With my daughter's serious health issues, this testing provides solid scientific evidence for the dentist to help him pick the least reactive materials. While she had not had to have any involved dental work other than cleanings, I am at least prepared. I know one other parent who had similar dental testing done and found it worthwhile. The total cost for the last testing I had done for one of my children was $275.00 for a 59 page report. I'd consider this an investment in preventive medicine. 

Love,

Lisa

 

Gluten Free and Allergen Free Dressing: Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

One of the problems with salad dressings is that they often contain either gluten or allergens. In the allergen department the most common offenders in salad dressings are gluten, dairy, soy (soybean oil). Some dressings can contain MSG and other preservatives that some of us try to avoid. We tried a store bought salad dressing that was delightful, but it contained milk! Since my daughter has a life-threatening IgE allergy to milk, it was not something she could even try. After playing around a bit, I came up with this gluten-free and allergen free recipe for a Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette! We love it. To reduce the calories (and sugar), I used a dash of stevia, which makes it more diabetic friendly. If you don't have stevia, then you can use a little sugar to taste. 

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

1/2 cup pure water

1/3 cup of acceptable oil

1/2 to 3/4 cup roasted red pepper puree

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Dash of salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Dash of black pepper

Dash of xanthan gum

Optional: 1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, finely diced

For the roasted red pepper puree, you can either puree roasted red peppers that you buy at the store, or roast and puree your own red peppers. Blend all ingredients in a blender. This makes about 2 cups of dressing. Here is a picture of the dressing:

The black spec you can see is part of the roasted red pepper. Here is what the dressing looks like on the salad that we ate with the dressing:

It was simply delicious! And everyone in our family can eat this dressing! The irony is that my daughter didn't like it at all! O.K. this was not a big surprise since she really doesn't like red peppers! But my son who loves the roasted red pepper dressing and does not tolerate milk well is quite pleased to have this new recipe in our array of dressing recipes! Enjoy!

Love,

Lisa

Harvest Salsa

It is that time of year when the gardens are ripe with produce. I made salsa a few weeks ago, which we just loved. The recipe is easy and the perfect use for tomatos that are ripe. If you have never made homemade salsa, I highly recommend it. It is by far the best salsa I have ever had and my children agree. Here is the recipe for my Harvest Salsa along with some pictures.

 

 

 

 

Salsa Ingredients are pictured Above

 

 

Harvest Salsa 

 

Harvest Salsa

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1/2 cup finely diced green pepper

1 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons vinegar

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Dash of stevia OR sugar to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper or other hot peppers to taste

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small to medium sized bowl. This makes about 3 cups. Enjoy!

Love,

Lisa

 

Low or Elevated Secretory IgA: Critical Health Testing You Should Know About

With the advent of the internet, consumers and medical researchers like myself have access to a whole host of sound medical literature. This is by far and away one of the most important blog posts I have ever written. The testing I am about to share with you helped to save my daughter’s life. As it would turn out, we would only discover some six years into her health journey that elevated Secretory IgA was the underlying cause of many if not most of her health problems. By finally discovering this fact through diagnostic testing (out-of-network), we were able to avoid cancer, leukemia, cirrhosis of the liver and other horrific health problems.  My special thanks to Dr. Gene Mayer from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine for the information I am about to share. This comes from “Immunology – Chapter Four: Immunoglobulins – Structure and Function. The link to this information is: http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mayer/lgStruct2000.htm

First of all, I went looking for information on Secretory IgA after my daughter’s medical diagnostic testing came back with elevated Secretory IgA. This was not a medical term that I was familiar with, and in the last two years I have not found a lot of physicians who are familiar with it either. For the lay reader, IgA is an Immuoglobulin class. If you have severe food allergies of the life-threatening variety, that falls into the IgE (Epsilon heavy chains) class of Immuoglobulins.

Secretory IgA is found in saliva in the mouth, throughout the gastrointestinal tract and in the mucous secretions throughout the body. Here are what Dr. Mayer’s text listed as outcomes (as I read it) for increased Secretory IgA:

1. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
2. Cirrhosis of the liver (most cases)
3. Certain stages of collagen and other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus
4. Chronic infections not based on immunologic deficiencies
5. IgA myeloma

Decreased IgA would be potentially related to:

1. Hereditary ataxia telangiectasia
2. Immunologic deficiency states
3. Malabsorption syndromes
4. Lymphoid aplasia
5. IgG meyloma
6. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
7. Chronic lymphoblastic leukemia

 Myeloma is a form of cancer. Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) can be pretty serious as well and leads to malignancies in up to one-third of the patients with WAS. Cirrhosis of the liver is the twelfth-leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as referenced by the National Digestive Disorders Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Leukemia we pretty much all know is very serious and life-threatening.

All of which says to me that Secretory IgA is pretty important. From a laboratory source (Individual Wellbeing Diagnostic Laboratories), I found that Secretory IgA (SIgA) is our first line of defense against bacteria, food toxins, fungus, parasites and viruses. While I can not assert that this is in fact the case, I do personally believe that from the above information that elevated or low levels of Secretory IgA in and of themselves merit investigation or testing for individuals with chronic health conditions that are not otherwise sourced by some medical fact.

 What does this mean to you the average consumer? It means, like in most instances in health care, that you must be proactive and be your own health advocate. Perhaps this means that you ask your physician or specialist if you have been tested for Secretory IgA. We did my daughter’s SIgA testing by stool. You can also check the diagnostic testing companies’ websites that market such testing for additional support and information. If I had a chronic health condition that was not being resolved to my satisfaction, or if I had any of the above conditions, I would consider ruling out elevated or low SIgA. After all, traditional mainstream medicine is primarily based on ruling out (or in) medical conditions. Let me know your questions and comments on this post!

Love,

Lisa