One of the more frequent questions that I see in my email runs something like this:
“I’m about to start a gluten free trial because I think it may help with some of the symptoms I’ve been suffering with for years. What I don’t know, and I don’t know who else to ask, is when I should expect to see improvements. How long should I do a trial? A couple of weeks? A couple of months?”
I don’t have a great answer to this question. I’m not a medical expert of any sort, so all I can offer is my personal experience which won’t be all that helpful unless you have a wheat allergy that manifests in your gut (in which case, I felt better in three days). What I do have is an email list of thousands of people who for one reason or another are interested in a gluten free diet. So, I’m going to throw this question out to all of you. I’m sure that collectively we can answer this question.
So, if you’d like to help this person (and many others) out, add a comment to this post describing your symptoms, your diagnosis (if you have one) and how long it took you to see relief of your symptoms. I’d love to get a ton of answers from all of you and then compile it into one post, or a small free e-booklet full of anecdotal evidence of a gluten free (or gluten-free plus) diet making you feel better.
Hello! I officially took gluten out of my diet on Thanksgiving Day ’10. I’ve only had gluten through cross-contamination and by missing gluten in the ingredient list of a product.
IMMEDIATE RESULTS
no sleepiness after eating
2 DAY RESULTS
no bloating or awful gas
1 WEEK RESULTS
swelling in hands & feet subsided
1 MONTH RESULTS
nerve & arthritis pains diminished significantly
AS OF TODAY
I no longer have any joint pains at all, all swelling is gone, my allergies (hay fever type) have subsided, all hypo-thyroidism symptoms are gone including lumps in arms right above wrists, hair loss & brittle nails, swelling around face is gone, daily headaches are now only once a week or so, menstrual cycles & intestinal health are normal, my complexion rocks (no more breakouts), lots more energy (but I’m still not a morning person, hmmm)
This list is just for myself. My 9 year old has had just as amazing results:
Within the first week her daily nausea and constant crying were gone. She no longer has joint pains, muscle cramps & nerve spasms. Her intestinal health is much improved. She has had to take mylanta since she was two! But no more! Best of all her heart is fine and her bad headaches are gone. She used to have irraditic heartbeats and times where her chest hurt and it felt like her heart was racing.
Neither one of us have a positive blood diagnosis, however our doctors told us that if we feel better and are keeping our diets balanced and healthy to continue omitting the gluten. There’s a whole world of awesome grains out there for us to enjoy and you don’t have to be allergic or sensitive to gluten to just have less and be healthier all around.
Hope you found this helpful!
I was diagnosed 5 years ago as gluten/casein intolerant while residing in Switzerland after developing asthma by a very smart allergist with a simple blood test (not the Celiac test)! I had/have ALL the symptoms and too often, I accidently poison myself which is an easy task as I live now in Hong Kong where eating out is a way of life. No excuses. I use a product called Gluten Free along with a digestive capsule (to speed up the removal of the gluten or casein) from the same company. It DOES help when I know there is a possibility of ingesting the wicked proteins, but only to a degree. I do have a question. Does anyone out there have a problem with skin splitting? When I have been a very bad girl, and eaten out once too many times and have built up these toxins which collect under the skin…..I will suddenly itch, then scratch, and then SPLIT. Usually on the forearms and top of the fingers. Little fissures will appear! Sometimes my feet. I think my sister thought the devil had invaded my body when she watched me scratch my face and actually witnessed my skin start to split and bleed. It even shocked me. It was Christmas. Difficult not to process even butter…sigh….Actually I find that the Casein (the protein in ALL dairy products) to be even worse than gluten in my case. Thanks and do let me know if any one out there also experiences skin problems…….
I was diagnosed with celiac disease after being extremely sick off and on for 10 years. Within a week of eating gluten free I was shoveling snow. It was like a miracle. It’s very hard to eat out. When invited to join friends for lunch, I either eat a salad or I bring a protein bar and just order a beverage unless I have had good results in that restaurant before. You have to drill the server, manager, and chef. I use Triumph Dining disposable chef cards that I invite the chef to keep. I have traveled extensively in the last year and been able to avoid gluten. That may entail eating ice cream for lunch if nothing else looks safe. I cook from scratch and my husband eats gluten free to avoid cross contact. It took a lot of internet research and other reading to get where I am now and it’s still a work in progress.
I self-diagnosed about 3 yrs ago. Gave up all gluten & immediately noticed a HUGE difference in my body. NO bloating, pain (in joints & stomach). Feel ‘lighter’. Even my midwife commented during a breast exam,that since giving up gluten, my breast tissue is ‘softer’, not as ‘hard & bumpy’ as before. I have since taken my 11 y/o off gluten & she’s had huge improvements in focus, no rashes & no belly aches. I am a cooking instructor, former vegan, so cooking & eating gf was a relatively simple transition for me. Even my girls (13/11/8) bake gf with ease!
I’ve talked with a lot of people who seem to have different degrees of success when looking for relief from symptoms. In my particular case, however, I felt better within a week or ten days. Remember that gluten stimulates the immune system to attack your small instestines, and as soon as that attack stops and you heal, you will see some relief. But pay attention, because although I got relief there, I still had symptoms that I though I could attribute to Gluten, but was mistaken. SOY is another allergen, and is also one of the most genetically altered foods out there, so, if you do not get full relief by going off Gluten, take SOY off next. That made a world of a difference for me. Also, because of this extra allergy, I still cannot eat many of the Gluten Free products out there because of the Soy in them.
Read labels on everything you eat. Dairy is another main allergen. Be methodical in removing foods, stay away from processed foods, and eat whole grains, organic fruits and vegetables, and I feel much better.
I am just starting a gluten-free diet. I’ll let you know when I improve.
I just found out I’m allergic to wheat, milk, apples, yeast and tree nuts. I’d appreciate ANY recipes that do not include those ingredients. Particularly yeast-free bread wraps or whatever. Haha. If anybody has any please comment!!!
Thank you.
Food for Life makes an awesome brown rice tortilla.
Ingredients: brown rice flour, filtered water, tapioca flour, safflower oil, rice bran, vegetable gum (xantahan, cellulose), sea salt. Gluten and wheat free!
Delish when put in the toaster oven and crisped for chips (I brush with butter and put sea salt on them), put cheese in between and you have awesome crispy quesadilla.
I agree – a very yummy tortilla!
Hello- I don’t know how much I can help because I myself am not gf but my 4yr old son is. He was diagnosed with the allergy about 9 mo ago! He is not celiac so I have never worried a lot about cross contamination but lately we can tell that something is affecting him again. But to more directly answer your question- (hes allergic to eggs too) but within 1 week of gf egg free diet we could tell a huge difference in our child!! The doctor he sees says it takes about 3 months to completely rid your system of gluten! Good luck and God bless. It can be a tough journey at times!
I started gluten free about a year ago hoping it would help the inflammation caused by my rheumatoid arthritis. After about two weeks my “irritable bowel syndrome” disappeared and my fuzzyheadedness that I blamed on allergies also disappeared. My doc told me that 90-something percent of cases of gluten intolerance are first diagnosed as IBS. Turned out I was gluten intolerant and blamed it on IBS for 25 years! After going gluten free it took about two weeks to start to really feel a difference. Now you couldn’t pay me to go back to eating gluten! As far as the cross contamination, I just don’t take the chance. If the label says manufactured on shared equipment with wheat, even if it says gluten free, I don’t eat it. It’s not worth it to me. My symptoms are fuzzyheadedness, painful cramping and diarrhea (usually 4-6 hours after I eat), and a general all over feeling of yuck for about three days, almost like achy flu-like symptoms. Gluten free is a challenge for sure but it’s so worth it to not have to worry about where the closest bathroom is all the time!
Susie, Did it help your RA?
I was diagnosed from a biopsy, in my small intestine, with Celiac four years ago. I’m pretty diligent about avoiding gluten but I still have various symptoms, such as daily diarrhea, stomach cramping, fatigue, etc.
My doctor ran various blood tests that showed my body wasn’t absorbing nutrients like it should. We’ve tried various supplements but it was decided that anything I was swallowing was not being utilized properly. We’ve been trying sublingual supplements B vitamins injections.
Although I’m doing better now it’s still a day to day situation regarding how much energy I have and the diarrhea is usually not more than once a day, which is till too much.
My doctor suggested that I look for a Celiac specialist which is my next move.
I was told I had Celiac disease about two months ago. I was complaining of bloating, leg cramps, shortness of breath, and heart burn. I have tried to follow a Gluten free diet since and the bloat is gone, as well as the shortness of breath and the heart burn is a thing of the past. The leg cramps are much better but not gone completely yet. My dietician told me that it could take as long as 6 months to two years before the intestines were completely healed, but that I would alway have Celiac and must stay on a gluten free diet for life. The plus factor is: everything I have found to be gluten free taste better than the products with gluten so the trade off is a win win situation.
Verna
I started to eat a GF diet In March 2010. My symptoms were extreme fatigue, waking exhausted, very fuzzy thinking (scary!), sort of dizziness, very bad gas, uncomfortable indigestion after almost every meal, itching legs. After only 1 week, My gas was gone, after two, my tiredness abated as well as dizziness and fuzzy thinking, AMAZING!!!! after that it all got better and better!!! and My daughter was the reason, I was just doing it because she had to. She also got better. No more reflux! (she was 4 at the time we started, she sticks to it b/c she feels better, always asks if “it’s ” gluten free.) I since found out I have Hashimoto’s thyroid disease and that Gluten triggers the disease to get worse. My endocrinologist advised me to stay on the diet to avoid treatment or keep treatment to the lowest dose.
I was diagnosed at age 26 with fibromyalgia. One of the early symptoms was the sleep disorder that often comes with it. After 16 years of not being able to go to sleep, not staying asleep, and not going back to sleep after being awakened during the night no matter how little sleep I had I decided to try a gluten-free diet after a good bit of research and several recommendations.
Within two weeks I noticed that I was falling asleep a lot faster than I had since my early 20′s. By the end of the first month I had times that I was awakened during the night (as a mother of two kindergarteners, it happens) and was able to go back to sleep. This was totally unheard of for years! About that time I also noticed that the alarm clock was waking me up. My friends and colleagues are no longer receiving e-mails from me timed between midnight and 3 a.m.!
I have a magnesium deficiency, and I have had to find a new balance with going on a gluten-free diet, so I battled headaches and irritability that I hadn’t for years after getting things regulated long ago. That took about three months to balance.
Although I still have daily reminders of the fibromyalgia, it has not been a controlling factor for a number of years because of being in a good management routine (exercising; watching things like sugar, caffeine, and processed foods; eating more fresh fruits and vegetables) . After five months of being on a gluten-free diet I am noticing that I bounce back from flare-ups and do not have near the widespread or intense pain that had become a way of life.
I don’t know enough about all this to know why this is working for me. I’ve told people that, if it’s all in my head, don’t tell me–I don’t want to spoil it!
My DR wondered if I was gluten intolerant last July (about 10 months ago). I have a history of stomach issues as well as a family history of stomach issues. I have suffered from headaches since the fall of 2006 and have already cut corn out of my diet. My first reaction was disbelief. I was told to cut gluten out of my diet for 3 months to see if the migraines would go away. I also suffered from a rash/hives that was being dealt with by daily allergy meds. After 10 days of a gluten free diet, I started feeling better. I didn’t have to take allergy meds to deal with itching and the rash. After about 6 weeks, I felt so much better. I don’t know if I could truly explain how I felt before, I just know that I never felt “quite right.” I knew that my body felt funny, but I didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like. I hope that makes sense. As for now, I wouldn’t go back to gluten for anything. There are some things that I can’t have that are made on a machine with gluten and there are some things that I can have. If I accidentally ingest gluten or something that has come in contact, then I start to feel itchy almost immediately and a headache will come about 24 hours later. That headache can last 24-36 hours with nothing to diminish it’s intensity. I have learned to make a lot of food and I’ve also learned what restaurants I can visit.
I know exactly what you mean when you say you never felt “quite right” before. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease just a month ago. Within just a week of going off of gluten I felt so much better, healthier and happier. Before being diagnosed, I’d had a rash for 5 years that no doctors could diagnose, even when I was a patient at Standford Hospital. I also had always suffered from depression and mood swings, nothing extreme, but just enough to make like a little more difficult. After going off of gluten my life has improved dramatically. I don’t get the rash anymore (expect once by accidental cross-contamination) and I am happier. I finally feel like I am in control of my body, instead of it controlling me.
I have been GF for about a year and a half now and feel much better!!! I was lucky to get a celiac’s diagnosis and only really deal with painful diaherrea when glutened! I have been lucky this far that CC isn’t a problem for me, I don’t intentionally eat a questionable food, but do eat things that have been produced on “shared” equipment and seem to have no ill effects! I know this can change in time, but I am thankful for the how much better I feel and will cross that bridge when it comes. My symptoms cleared up almost immediately upon starting the GF diet, but I have heard that I am one of the lucky ones and that doesn’t happen for everyone.
1 & 1/2 years ago I was always sick or had painfully swollen joints. Put it this way, I wasn’t feeling well and I was told that I was always grumpy!
My Dr. had for the past 25 plus years gave me meds to help with different symptoms of ailments. Really the meds only masked my ailments. He was getting ready to put me on one more med for fibermyalga when I saw a show on tv talking about Celiacs Disease. That was 12-12-09, I couldn’t believe that a diet change could take away the constant diarhea and aches. I didn’t tell you that I was using canes to walk because of the sore joints and hips. I was PATHETIC to say the least.
Well Christmas was coming up and I really didn’t want to give up all the great baking so I put off my self diagnosis and diet change until the 27th of December. When I did the first thing I saw was gone was not running to the bathroom immediatly after a meal. And tummy aches were greatly gone. With in 2 weeks I was able to sleep the full night through with out waking with painful joints. My husband was sleeping better, too! By mid January I would lay in bed and giggle because I didn’t hurt any more!
So to answer your question on how long will it be before you get results? Right away is the answer.
My next Drs visit, Mid January, I walked into his office without a cane. His nurse didn’t say anything but He said Cyndi why are you smiling so much. I told him about my self diagnosis and diet change. He said he could not test me for Celiacs or Wheat intollerance unless I returned to the old diet for 2-3 months. Well, I told him No way, Jose’ and shook his hand and left my pills behind.
I no longer use meds for insomnia, early arthritis, lupis, migraine head aches, gastritis, uncontrolable diarhea, hair loss, (my eyebrows grew back without meds) my joints don’t crack and grind anymore.
I feell like I have reclaimed my life back from wanting to die to only haveing a full life ahead of me.
Other things in your diet that may effect you could be the following: shampoo and conditioner, bar soap, hand lotions, if you have a pet, their food, if you handle it.
I totally purged my household of all gluten, my husband and my 2 kids were uspet at first, but they are now reaping the rewards of smaller waistlines due to an unblotted tummy!
I was clinically diagnosed with Celiac disease about three months ago after years of problems that I never looked at together. The diagnosis itself came while looking for a stomach ulcer. So, looking back, I’ve been able to connect the dots of symptoms. I’m still working on being completely GF. It’s hard…but after I was first diagnosed I was diligent with what I was eating, reading every label, really avoiding what i needed to. I noticed a difference in the way I felt after only a few weeks. I had more energy, I was sleeping better, I would wake up feeling refreshed, and of course the abdominal problems were gone.
I’ve had some set backs the last month or so, and it’s really hard when I have to cook for the whole family then I can’t eat it. So, most times I give in. But I’m remembering how I felt those first few weeks and am ready to get back to that. ‘Sneaking’ the cupcake or sandwich or pasta just isn’t worth it anymore.
I hope this helps and I plan on using this website and cooking tools to make my cooking life more tolerable. Because, if I can cook something the whole family can enjoy with me, score for Mom!
I knew I was having a problem with wheat when my clothes wouldn’t fit for a few days after eating a meal of bread or pasta. I was confused about this until I started putting two and two together and doing my own research. I didn’t go totally GF until last year.
It is difficult to stop eating wheat/gluten since it’s such a vital part of our diets across the globe. I had thought a few times over the past several years to try a wheat-free diet but found it to be so daunting, I quit. But last year was quite a turning point for me…I was not only diagnosed as very sensitive to wheat/gluten, but also to oats, barley, rye, cow’s milk and all it’s product varieties, coconut, and baker’s yeast. Darn! I love bread and milk. (I had switched to rice but now I’m drinking raw goat milk, yum, depending on the goat it’s milked from.:)) I was also diagnosed last year with fibromyalgia and earlier this year with hypothyroidism (which, as a tangential comment, can be due to endometriosis, of all things, and all the above food sensitivities can contribute to it).
I did a two-month elimination diet to find out what a couple of these foods did to my body. Wheat makes my muscles hurt tremendously in my arms, hands and legs, so pretty much my whole body. Milk causes a lot of stomach upset no matter how small. Even a few dark chocolate bites causes problems. Arrgh! I love chocolate!
The other thing wheat did was make me very tired. I noticed about a month to two months going totally without wheat I was feeling less tired, and much better after six months. Even though being hypothyroid I’m tired all the time, I, nonetheless, felt better. I wasn’t as sluggish, I was a little more alert. My IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) has decreased significantly!
I usually cook two separate meals for my family and me. I don’t mind ’cause GF foods can be expensive so cooking for myself tends to keep those costs down (places like Winco, Fred Meyer, (both in the west and mountain regions) and other such stores are carrying a larger assortment of bulk items that include GF options). As with Sue’s post, I have also found that foods mfg’d with other contaminants do cause problems. Going out to eat is now a definite issue but I have a couple of GF options I always fall back on when I do want to go out.
Even though I didn’t have a positive response to peanut butter or potatoes on the food sensitivities test, I have noticed problems with these as well. Peanut butter causes upset stomach, and potatoes-my clothes fit tighter for a couple of days. So PB is totally eliminated while potatoes are eaten very rarely. Corn and rice seem to be the only two starches that don’t bother me. But with those being carbs, I have to really watch how much I eat.
But with all that being said, thank you Mary Frances! I’m glad I found your website. It’s made GF living much more tolerable and, sometimes, even exciting when I can make a favorite dessert like apple pie!!! Mmmmm, I think I’ll make that tonight!
I was diagnosed with celiac disease about 18 months ago. I’d spent almost all my adult life with periodic diarrhea and an upset stomach but blamed it on just having a ‘sensitive stomach’ and figured it was something I’d have to cope with.
It wasn’t until I had been seriously bitten by a cat and developed a raging infection that I really started to have extreme problems. I was on antibiotics for a month and had non-stop diarrhea, exhaustion, nausea and fuzzy headedness. I actually put this down to the large amount of powerful antibiotics but a friend of mine who is gluten intolerant pressed me to get tested for celiac because my symptoms seemed really familiar.
I went gluten-free as soon as the testing was done, before I actually had results, in the hopes I would feel better. My symptoms started to go away and I got a phone call telling me I did indeed have celiac disease.
It probably took several weeks for the worst of my symptoms to go away and others, like exhaustion, took longer. After about four months, I felt like a whole new person.
I’m very careful about gluten and my family is very aware, even though they are not gluten-free. I did have to get a special dispensation at work to have a small fridge in my office and to not allow people to bring unchecked food into my office after I got glutened at work from (we think) crumbs in the utensil drawer.
I would say that if you want to do a trial, go strictly gluten-free for at least six weeks. See how you feel. If you already feel tons better, I’d just stay gluten-free. If you want to try it, you can try a piece of bread and see what happens then.
Trust me – won’t be pretty. I am VERY reactive and will react within minutes with dizziness, nausea and diarrhea. I swell up and retain fluids as well and it can take 3 days to get through it. Nothing tastes good enough for that, trust me.
Good luck – it’s not easy but it’s worth it.
- Maura
I had no clue I had a gluten problem. I only knew I had a massive inflammation problem, but the cause was eluding me. Even a slew of medical specialists couldn’t figure it out. I found great success in giving up dairy three years ago (inflammation lowered) then even more success when I gave up night shade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, green/yellow/red peppers, eggplant), Although I was feeling much better and those changes returned the flexibility and range of motion back into all my joints I was ‘stuck’ at an unhealthy weight. Then I noticed the scale slowly creeping up 1/2 lb at a time. With no dietary changes, I knew that meant more inflammation.
I honestly didn’t think gluten was a problem for me, but I figured “what the heck”, I’ll do a 90 day trial, then reevaluate. I read the book “The Gluten Effect” by Drs Vikki & Richard Petersen. This was both the most illuminating and frightening book I had read in a while. I was convinced I HAD to do an elimination trial. It took me two weeks to clear my house of gluten and find substitutes for breakfast & lunch.
Within two days I noticed the morning nasal stuffiness was gone. By the end of week one a sore I had inside my nostril (that had been there forever..) simply went away! Whoa – I thought, maybe there is something to this. By week 2 my bowel movements increased. By week 3 all day & night nasal stuffiness was gone, increased bowel movements continued and I started having wild, vividly colored dreams (I attribute this to the toxin elimination). Breathing became easier and swelling and pain in my esophagus & voice box were gone.
I have now been gluten free five months and I have dropped 6 lbs of inflammation (priceless), my body is absorbing nutrients now – and all my food cravings are gone. My hair no longer breaks off and is growing like it did 20+ years ago when I was pregnant! My nails are stronger and longer, my eyes are no longer red all the time and my skin is glowing. The entire consistency of my body has changed for the better and this spring was the first time in over 20 years that I did NOT experience spring allergy symptoms! What a blessing. If I had known gluten was messing me up this much I would have stopped decades ago.
It is tough giving up items the rest of the world considers food. The reality is, if your body can’t process it – then it is a toxin to you. I will never go back. I eat whole, fresh foods (what’s best for all of us anyway!), rarely go out to eat (stick to steak houses where I can get plain meat & steamed veggies), and am discovering how to bake all over again.
My reaction to accidental gluen ingest gets more severe over time. I have about 40 minutes from ingest until I pass out (3-4 hours) and then my digestive track is ripped up for another 12 or so hours. The following day I’ll look like I’m hung over with red eyes, swollen face and I generally feel horrible.
The good news is more places (restaurants & manufacturers) are getting on the gluten-free band wagon.
Good luck to everyone. I encourage all to try a 90 day elimination trial. Then “challenge” your system by eating a gluten-filled item. If there is no negative response from your body, you’re good to go.
I was stunned to realize I had such a problem with gluten – in reality, I probably had this all my life, but my body was ‘accomodating’ as best it could. Mostly I ate obliviously – never connecting cause & effect. I had to train myself to “listen” to the language of my body and learn to eat by asking “what does my body need” rather than ‘what do I want?’
I’ve been attempting a gluten free diet for almost 2 years now. I say attempting because it took me about a year to realize all the places gluten could be found, including personal care products. I did feel a lot better at first, but have found recently over the past 4-6 months that I’ve been feeling worse. It’s nothing like I had before, but definitely more than I believe I should be feeling if my symptoms really are based on my gluten intolerance. I, like Sue, have come to the conclusion that it must be due to cross contamination. Apparently I’m very sensitive to gluten. I hadn’t really gotten lax in my diet, but did find I was eating more “gluten free” processed speciality items. I’ve just started a meat and veggie based diet with the only real grain I’m consuming is wild rice. I’m hoping I’ll see a reduction in symptoms long enough to be able to add some items back in slowly. I haven’t figured out how to deal with the cross contamination or the fact that “gluten free” could mean there’s still some gluten. It’s been a little tough for me.
After years of painful indigestion, I completely lost my appetite and dropped 20 pounds in 6 months. I started seeing a naturopathic physician who helped me make changes in diet. When simpler measures failed, she suggested a 3-4 week trial strictly gluten free. After day one, my digestive system was calm and quiet! Now I am strictly gluten-free and so glad to know what the problem was. I am maintaining a healthy weight and learning to cook a variety of delicious dishes. Thank heaven for the blogs and websites about gluten-free cooking and lifestyle! Good luck to you!
I was diagnosed by a GI doctor as having Chron’s but don’t believe the diagnosis for a few reasons…
On my own and with the help of a naturopathic doctor we suspect Gluten to be the culprint. I went G-Free on 4/7/11…it’s 5/23/11 and I have seen zero change AT all. This could mean that Gluten isn’t the culprint but even if it isn’t from what I’ve heard/read whether you have a Gluten Sensitivity/Celiac or not, most people feel better overall G-Free (both energy, bloating, etc). Again, I haven’t experienced any of this and I’m at 6 weeks. Am anxious to hear other posts and whether or not I should throw in the towel. Part of me is tempted to order a pizza tonight and see what happens. Haha.
Hi Christy,
Maybe gluten isn’t the culprit after all, however, consider this. It is said in natural medicine circles that the food you crave most is usually what you are allergic to. So if there is a food you are still eating and feel you can’t live without it, that food may well be the the culprit.
You might also try the reverse. Try limiting your food intake to rice (very low allergenic properties) for a few days, then add back foods one at a time. You will find you may then be able to isolate the allergen bothering you.
Kate
Hi Christy,I have been GF since Sept.2010. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and I was looking online on how I can feel better. It is hard to stick with it, but my main goal was to feel better. I was hurting so much for so many years not knowing I had this problem. I removed wheat,gluten,tomatoes,milk,and high frutose syrup.After changing my diet, I was feeling so much better.I have brought back the tomatoes in my diet and I do not have any problems with that. I also have a family with five children and hubby, but I do not make them go GF, it has to be their choice.I hope this advise helps. Good Luck!!!
This has been an awesome discussion! I am learning so much from everyone’s GF journey – thank you all for sharing. I especially want to thank the person who mentioned petfood. I checked labels immediately, and of course there is wheat gluten listed. I serve my three older cats canned food each morning and their dishes go right in the sink with my dishes when I’m washing up after breakfast. It never even dawned on me this could be a cross contact issue! Sue
I was fatigued, having night runs (yes runs to the bathroom to do awful, awful things), in excrutiating stomach cramp pain, migraines; weekly, and I was obese. I went to the dr. about the migraines, thought that would help everything else, not seeing the bigger picture. well, i went & my blood pressure was up, which would explain some symptoms, or could just be a symptom of feeling so lousy, my dr. started asking all the right questions, and yes was my answer to all of them, he first suggested all of this could by hypothyroidism, so we ran all kinds of blood work. Now, about a week later I was watching Michael Chikless (the actor) on The View, he was talking about how he lost all this weight, because he was feeling (all the same things I was) lousy & went to the dr. & got bloodwork, and low & behold his cholestoral came back abnormal, everything was great, except for his triglycerides (spelling?), okay, that was way off & his dr. suggested that w/all his other symptoms could be a gluten intolerance. (now, this was because his bad & good cholestoral were perfect, better than good, but his triglycerides were off the charts, this doesn’t make sense, they should all be off, or just the bad w/the tris, having just the tris indicates something else), weird; right? here’s where it gets weirder, I rarely watch interviews like this w/actors, not usually interested, but i sat to watch this, no idea why, and then the next day my bloodwork arrived in the mail, well guess what – picture perfect cholestoral EXCEPT my triglycerides!! a bell went off in my head, that day I cut out gluten! When I had my follow up w/the Dr. 4 weeks later, I had allready lost 10lbs.! – right now I’m down 19lbs, 7 weeks later! I have energy to excercies, I haven’t had one episode of diarhhea, or 1 migraine – i can’t tell you what a Blessing that is, my migraines were crippling!! the effects of going gluten free for me were almost instantanious!!! Good luck on your journey.
Thank you all for these comments. This has been very enlightening to me. I have all kinds of physical problems, fibromyalgia, low thyroid, hormonal imbalances, osteoarthritis, IBS, hypoglycemia, morbid obesity, inflammation…well you get the idea. I eat a moderately low carbohydrate diet, steer away from artificial additives, and buy organically grown whenever possible. But I still have so many physical problems that for years I’ve thought that I may have a problem with wheat or gluten, but am allergic or sensitive to so many other foods that I refused to admit there may be a problem.
Last year I almost had an acute myocardial infarction and was put on bed rest and medications for months. You can imagine what this did for my already slow metabolism with no exercise at all. Any exertion brought back symptoms, and I began to scour the internet for help. A friend of a friend posted pictures on Facebook of gluten free baked items that looked delicious and friends comments confirmed they were, so I became open to the idea, even though on a low carbohydrate diet, I still can’t eat much in the way of baked goods. When I began GF, I didn’t notice anything in particular except wildly colorful vivid dreams and much less diarrhea. Then I accidentally had a little gluten in a sauce and a slough of symptoms followed, to name a few: canker sores in my mouth, a bend-over-clutching-my-gut stomach ache that kept me from sleeping, diarrhea, joint and muscle pain, itching, headache, brain fog, my peripheral neuropathy symptoms worsened…need I go further? And these symptoms had lessened, but not fully cleared up 2 1/2 weeks later, when I was cross contaminated again. So, from this I concluded that I may not notice a clearing of all my symptoms yet, and today, from these posts, that there may be other contaminates that I haven’t been aware of like my dog’s food and my family’s food that is prepared in the same kitchen. I’m going to check my shampoo right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It is a journey…
This is crazy. I just started the gluten-free thing a few days back and I’ve dropped 5 pounds! I’m assuming this is water weight or some such thing.
I have to say I’m already feeling a bit better. Mostly the intense feeling of fatigue has lifted a little. I’m still tired but that’s to be expected since I haven’t been sleeping… only now the tiredness is bearable instead of so intense I felt like I would black out at any second!
Haha.
And thanks for the tortilla recipe!!!
Thank you everyone for your stories! I have so many of the same symptoms and never really understood what was going on! I knew about 10 years ago I was gluten sensitive but did not realize that gluten is in everything!
But the past 2 years or so I just started feeling worse, more fatigue (I dont have fibro but I do have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/RSDS) I thought the fatigue was from that left over from my last flare up. the past few months my eye redness (thought it was allergies) got worse! Even my skin was turning red around my eyes! I was so irritated, couldnt sleep, tired, loose stools I have had for years just seemed normal to me. Hair was falling out, and gaining weight!
Easter I ate gluten. I knew it would make me sick but it was Easter and I wanted to enjoy the day. By thursday I ended up in ER with a full blown allergic reaction. Being a nurse I knew I was having a reaction and was already taking benadryl but I was getting worse. Knew the only thing I had eaten on Easter that I had trouble with was gluten. I am also allergic to tomato and am very sensitive to synthetic medicines.
Took me 3 tries to get my kitchen gluten free. I havent lost any weight. I did kinda went overboard buying rice chips and things I dont usually eat because they always made me sick. It sucks the gluten free food is so expensive. Im not a great cook, but I am learning how to cook gluten free.
Tomorrow I have my EGD to test me for Celiac Disease. The Dr has done a lot of blood test on me.. this isnt a cheap disease!
Do I feel better… somewhat… maybe have to look for more allergies. But I will also stay gluten free.
I tried to give up all grains for 8 weeks a long time ago and did not see significant results. When my second daughter was born she had reflux, but I did not know that so I went on the elimination diet to possibly help her. After three months I added wheat and had a significant reaction (bloches on body/face and unclear thinking). On a skin test I was signifcantly allergic to barley, but not wheat. Based on my reaction to wheat after 12 weeks without it I knew I had problems with it as well. I have not even been tempted since that day almost four years ago. My asthma, severe anemia, and weird bruises have all but disappeared. My lesson is sometimes the skin test is not acurate and sometimes it takes up to three months to see real results. Good luck and God bless in your efforts!
I had significant gas, bloating, cramping and diarrhea after almost every meal. It got to where I didn’t even want to eat ’cause I never knew how bad the symptoms would be and believe me, they could be debilitating! My GI doc diagnosed me as lactose intolerant, but that alone just didn’t take care of the problem. (I’ve also been diagnosed with megacolon and IBS.) My daughter-in-law started eating gluten-free as a trial for her digestive symptoms and said she felt significantly better. So I decided to give it a try, even though I nearly LIVED on wheat! I’d say it took about 3-4 weeks to notice quite a difference, but wow… I couldn’t believe it. (Actually, I didn’t want to believe it, but since my symptoms were almost completely gone, how much more proof did I need?)
Then I decided to do some experimenting with my diet, always having to wait at least a week or two in between trying something else with gluten. I’m still experimenting (it’s been four months since I started) and at this point I THINK that wheat is the culprit. I seem to do okay with barley and even VERY little bits of wheat (maybe down the list of ingredients and only once in a while). So I’m learning. I tried a piece of regular pizza a couple of weeks ago and within a half hour I had extreme cramping and diarrhea! Yuk! Needless to say, I decided it wasn’t worth it.
This website has been wonderful to help me get started with some great information and great recipes! I’ve decided there are a lot worse things than being gluten-free!!
Two full months, but I don’t have celiac. I went off all gluten because I am hypothyroid and gluten’s just bad for that, but thought it “wasn’t doing anything”. After two months, though, I noticed that I no longer look 7 months pregnant by every afternoon, and the constant nausea I’d had for 9 years was gone. You bet I’ll stay off gluten!
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I have rheumatoid arthritis. After going through menopause, my arthritis got worse and the medication I was on for years was’t working well. I added a biological medicine and felt better but then I was starting to flare up and didn’t want to any additional medications. I decided to try a gluten free diet. After a month, I felt much better. After a year I started to flare up a bit and gave up milk. I felt even better and lost 10 pounds without even dieting. It also took about a month for the inflammation to subside. I have been noticing recently that I flare up when I eat red meat. I didn’t eat any for a couple of months and felt better. This week, however, I ate some corn beef and flared pretty badly. So I’m no longer going to eat red meat either.
I walk a few miles almost every day and lift weights a couple of times a week. Not only am I feeling great, but I look so much better also.
I am also on a gluten-free diet. Very difficult!!!. There is just my husband and myself and find it really hard to start this diet. I have had continuous bowel problems and had all the testing. Dr. put me on the gluten diet for 3 weeks and then I was to get back to her. No difference. I’m hoping that 3 weeks is just not enough. I’m buying gluten free foods, no desserts, but haven’t gone the whole route of having a gluten-free kitchen. How do you start? I am also a diabetic, which makes things also more difficult. What a life!! I also would like to hear from others regarding this. I have no problems with eating gluten free. Miss going out to eat but when we venture out with friends I bring a gluten free snack with me. I’m about ready to throw in the towel and live with my problems. Thanks for listening (reading). I’ve read all the comments and somehave been helpful. Thanks.
Hi Louise,
I too am a diabetic with celiac disease. I knew I was a diabetic for quite a while and had cut way back on wheat because of the rise it caused in my blood sugar, but now I have cut gluten out completely. I buy Rudis Gluten Free Bread, and now have a recipe for a bread that is promised to be as good as or better than Rudis, I haven’t tried it yet but now that I have all the ingrediences I hope to make some this week, it looks easy and fast. I eat mostly the fresh foods like meats, veggies, fruits, eggs, and instead of milk I drink Almond Milk. My meals are simple but tasty by using herbs and spices, which are by trial and error. Eating out is not a problem for me I just choose to get bacon, eggs, hash browns, no bread for breakfasts, lean steak, hamburger, or ham steak with baked potato, veggies, and salad, and no breads for dinners. I take my own salad dressing because most others are not safe. It only took a month before I noticed a real change but I haven’t wavered on the gluten free diet even a little bit. I started cleaning my kitchen right away by reading the lables of each item in my cupboards and if they were safe I would keep them and when they weren’t out they went (I took the gluten items to Gleaners). Next I went to the frig then the freezer until everything left, and that wasn’t much,was only the gluten free items. I made a shopping list of what I needed for my cupboards, frig, and freezer and went to the store looking for only gluten free goods, which did take some time but it had to be done. I don’t know where you live but we have a Fred Meyers here in town which stocks lots of gluten free foods and a town (11 miles from here) has several outlets with gluten free goods. I had to do a lot of asking to find what I was looking for and it was more expensive that I expected it to be, but I don’t feel I have any choices but to make the changes.
Throwing in the towel won’t keep you on a gluten free and diabetic friendly diet, what will do the trick is changing your attitude by saying to yourself I can do this and I will do it. Staying in touch with others who are in your same boat will help you a great deal as well. I am not saying it will be easy but this web sight has lots of recipes you can try, just keep in mind that you can’t eat as many carbs that other with only Celiac can get away with. I have found that I can eat more gluten free carbs now than I could before and hopefully you will find that to be true also. A limited amount of desserts are allowable, it is the portion size and what you ate for dinner that will make them an okay addition or not.
Feel free to e-mail me if you want more personal support.
@Louise
It took me 3 tries to get my kitchen gluten free!! I had to read, and re-read what was on the box/carton of everything I had in my kitchen. Lucky for me there was a food drive by the post office so I was able to get all the food out of my house. Processed meats that have gluten in them I put in the freezer or just pitched them out. Read everything you have in your kitchen. It you have any doubt about what might have gluten, call the 1-800 number listed on the label and ask if it does.
I hope this is helpful! Good luck to you!
Sherry
I have been on a Gluten Free diet of my own doing for 4 days. Negative results for Celiac – Doctor’s suggestions didn’t work and complications due to a blood thinner would make more aggressive approach dangerous – - however, after researching on line, I speculated it was an intolerance to gluten – I feel I have rejoined the living. My doctor concurred that I should stay on it and take Beano before a meal as needeed, etc.
Bobbie Ann
I used to have the worst “IBS” and mystery joint pains so bad that I could be bedridden for several days. My liver was swollen, and my skin was terrible. After becoming gluten-free, these symptoms disappeared within months. I tested negative for the celiac (screening only) but highly suspect that the result was false negative. Before becoming GF, I suffered 2 miscarriages. I am anemic on and off, and have been prescribed Synthroid for hypothyroid symptoms (which I suspect is Hashimoto’s). Also, my menstrual cycles tend to be heavy and I recently had to be hospitalized for a ruptured ovarian cyst. I have HPV and needed a quarter of my cervix removed due to stage o cancer. I really do think I have some kind of immunodeficiency, and going GF has made me feel so much healthier and better.
My son has been sick in and out of hospitals since the day he was born. No one could figure out why he had asthma,lung abscess, and unexplained illness all the time. We ended up at a Neurologist in Naples because of a reaction to a flu shot and medications he realized Trey may have issues with wheat. We went gluten free, peanut and Cheddar Cheese free and he has not been in a hospital or used his asthma medication since.
Thanks to all the medications the Dr have my son he was left with a lot aide effects. I wish he would have discovered Celiac Disease. Early detection can save your child’s life.
Hello! I actually am hoping to get some solid advise on which way to go with my 4-yr-old son. Just to give you a background on him: My son has never had a normal bowel movement. Up until about a year ago, he had chronic diarrhea that had a very strong, acidic smell to it that would linger for quite some time after his diaper/pullup was changed. He then switched to chronic constipation. He gets severely bloated occasionally as well, along with having some extremely large bowel movements; he has had 3 just this month. My son also has ezcema.
Our pediatrician wanted me to start my son on MiraLax daily to help the constipation. I did not want that as I knew there was a more serious issue. I asked to be referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist. He was not much help as he gave me a bathroom diary and then also wanted my son on MiraLax and Dulcolax for a month. I mentioned our suspicions of gluten intolerance (our son has been tested for celiac, lactose intolerance via blood tests with neg results), but the doc said we could just try a GF diet and see what happens.
My concern is we do this (which is costly and not easy), and discover this is not his issue. I am considering asking to be referred to another pediatric GI doc in our area to see if there is more definitive testing for gluten intolerance/sensitivity.
My quesion is should I do this or go straight to an allergist? Are there definitive tests to determine if he is gluten intolerant or do we just do the GF diet and hope for the best?
My husband and his mother have a history of stomach problems, i.e. irritable bowel syndrome.
I am just at a loss as to what to do, so any advise/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!
I’ve been gluten free for about a month now so I’m a relative newcomer to it all aswell. I had been having symptoms, some of which I didn’t even realise were symptoms, for a while but the local doctor near my uni was hopeless. I started talking to my god mother who has a son with coeliac disease and she convinced me that I should try a gluten free diet.
Within a week I was beginning to feel better and now I feel as though I have a new lease of life. The nausea and vomiting have completely disappeared, I no longer feel constantly bloated, I have more energy than I’ve ever remembered having, even my regular headaches have all but gone. I’ve been doing a lot of reading up on gluten intolerance and all the pieces are fitting together. It turns out that a disorder I have which weakens the enamel on your teeth is a common accompaniment to the intolerance. Things that I had never thought could be linked are coming together. I no longer feel nervous every time I eat something. It’s such a relief.
I really hope you find that a gluten free diet works as well for you as it has done for me so far. There are so many people out there who have no idea that a gluten free diet could help them. Good luck and take care.
Becca x
A little more than a month ago, I was trying to lose weight so I did a high protein/low carb sort of thing. As it happened, for 3 days I had no gluten products (not planned, just happened) and the next day lunch, I made a shrimp Alfredo sort of dish with half cup of pasta, and about an hour later, I had the worst stomach cramps ever!! Didn’t know what was up, but the next morning, after having eggs, I decided to have a homemade whole wheat blueberry muffin. Again, hour later stomach cramps!! Next day I went to the doctor for other issues, and happened to tell him about it. He asked me other questions, about my constant tiredness and joints aching,daily headaches, etc, and told me he thought I was wheat/gluten intolerant. Well, I argued with him…after all, I am the Bread Lady!! I grind my own whole wheat flour to make my bread for the family!!! He told me try it for a week, then eat something with gluten and see. Well, I did that, and after the third day I had energy that I haven’t had in maybe 25 years!! Joint pain was gone, I felt really really GOOD! So, when the week was up, I went ahead and ate a sandwich…boooyyy did that hurt! For the next 24-48 hours, I was bloated, lethargic, stomach hurting, diahrrea, headache…guess the Dr was right! So, I’ve been gluten free now for about a month. I’ve lost 14 lbs. I have energy for life now. I don’t ache like before, and I don’t think I’ve had a headache since then. I do get hit with CC sometimes, but the symptoms aren’t as severe as if I eat something with full-on gluten in it. I made my first from-scratch loaf of bread yesterday. It didn’t have that wheat-y, yeasty taste that I’m used to, but it is good. Good flavor, slices well, and made excellent toast this morning with my eggs. So, for me, I saw results after just a few days.
For me, celiac was a silent disease and I still have no idea how long I’ve had it. However, during testing for my gallbladder, a biopsy of my small intestine showed celiac disease. After a few weeks of not eating gluten, I noticed less bloating and discomfort in my stomach. I had felt those so long that I didn’t know it was a “symptom” of something because I thought it was “just the way I was.” I had another biopsy 6 months later and it showed remarkable improvement, however still showed inflammation. I continue to try to be gluten free.
Reply to how long will it take-
I am writing this on June 3, 2011 and I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease (Hyperactive thyroid) October 30, 2008. Nine months later I discovered a connection between Graves’ and Celiac Diseases. So, I stopped eating bread, pasta and basically checked all labels for gluten and read many books to find out that many things that don’t logically have gluten in them, do. But, the amazing thing for me was that after 14 months, I was able to stop taking one of the two medications for Graves’ because my blood tests were lowering more to the normal range. Then another 14 months and my one remaining medication was cut in half. That is 2 and a half years and my medications have been cut to 25% of original prescription.
My goal is that in another year I hope to have normal blood tests and I can control my Graves’ Disease solely by watching my diet. My grandmother had Celiac Disease in the 1960′s and had to really watch what she ate. I learned from her, but didn’t make that change until I was forced into it. Since Celiac Disease affects your intestines so dramatically, it can take years to undo the damage to your body depending on how seriously you treat the culprit. This is a lifestyle change for a better life, so don’t expect a quick fix for something you have ignored for your whole life. My grandmother’s doctor told her that in the old days babies that had the “Sprue” (old name for Celiac Disease) usually died, and the ones that didn’t die managed to make it to their golden years only to have the problem show up again. Not because you were regaining sensitivity to the gluten, but because your body had been starved of proper nutrition for so long, it could no longer cover the symptoms.
Good luck with your new way of life and enjoy a happier you.
I have had stomach problems for about 20 years. The doctors blamed stress or my diet. I was told it was diverticulitis, irritated bowel syndrome, etc. etc. It was not until I spoke of my problems to my friend who had recently become a doctor. She suggested a simple rule that she was taught – start by removing one food from your diet and see where it takes you. I started with dairy products as someone had suggested that it may be lactose intolerance. No change. My second elimination was bread. Bingo! Within a few days, I was back to normal. That was enough for me to clean out my cupboards and refrigerator and eliminate many of the foods I love. I’m still trying to find the right combination of gf flours to reproduce suitable substitutes but it’s a challenge. Even more so since I work in an industrial bakery and had to sample some of the test products from time to time.
I have to say the hardest part of not being able to eat out at the restaurants that I loved. Pasta is now out of the question but I walk around with my Tamari sauce anytime the sushi urge hits me.
For those of you who are finding it hard, keep on trying. You will feel so much better once you get it right! Good luck!
I got one hip replaced, and I was fine. I got the other hip replaced, and afterwards I was plagued with not being able to control my bowels. My Dr. has even had me eliminate milk and all dairy for two weeks to see if my problem gets better.
No. I am going to a nutritionist and a dietitian. Also a mental health counselor to try to get some relief.
My Dr. even thinks I could have IBS because it does seem every time I eat, I have an accident shortly afterward. Then I saw a web site by Real age, and it asked if we were suffering from gas? Yes, Abdominal pain? yes. Diarrhea ? yes That I could be suffering from gluten intolerance. I am also a vegetarian, so a lot of the foods I eat to substitute for meat were also full of gluten.
I have eliminated the gluten.
I can see a difference. I could see a difference almost immediately! But then, I was eating a lot of gluten every day. I tried the gluten free for a week. I know I ended up getting gluten every day on accident, so I am still trying to just make sure I eliminate it completely every day!
I noticed right off the bat my stomach cramps are gone. I still do have bowel accidents. Not every single day like before gf . If I accidentally eat the gluten the symptoms are back as bad as ever, so it really is something I am seeing a difference! It was like having the flu every day! So if getting relief is as easy as eliminating the gluten , I am going to stick with that!
My father was diagnosed with a sensitivity to gluten, but he does not have celiac disease. I forget all the details, but his gluten sensitivity has something to do with his ataxia, meaning a neurological problem that causes his muscles to malfunction, so he has trouble with walking, his hand movements, etc. His doctors said that I, being his daughter, had a 50% chance of having the problem as well. I do not have any evidence of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, after having several different kinds of tests. BUT…I decided to try a gluten free diet, anyway, just to see if I could feel better. After two weeks, my stomach was more settled, and I had less diahhrea. I lost my tummy bloating, so much so, that I could buy smaller size clothes and people were sure I had lost weight. It’s been 2 months now, and I continue to gain energy, and feel more alert. I used to fall asleep any time I sat still for a few minutes! I am looking forward to continued improvement, as I hear it can take several months. It may not work for everybody, but if you are not feeling well, and doctors cannot find the problem, going gluten-free for a few weeks or even months is a cheap test to try that may yield great results. For information sake, I am also intolerant to dairy, as are many people who are gluten sensitive.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and after surgery, went through chemo and radiation therapy. Two months later (April, 2010) I began to sting when I would get hot. The climate was getting warmer and by summer I couldn’t stand to be outside at all. My arms would sting and then the stinging spread to my back and legs. It felt like hundreds of ant bites. Sometimes my skin would be blotchy red also. My oncologists and family physician didn’t have an idea what was causing it but they gave me an antidepressant to lessen the symptoms. In April 2011, I went to a neurologist. She suggested it was an allergic reaction to something. She said to not eat wheat for a month and see if the stinging improved. Within 7 days it totally stopped. After a month, I ate wheat to see what reaction I would have, and within two hours the stinging returned. Also, headaches and overall hurting like I had the flu. I didn’t realize the headaches and aching was caused from food. I quit eating the wheat and the symptoms improved after 3 days and totally gone after 7. I feel great as long as I don’t eat wheat. I really appreciate this website. I have learned a lot about GF eating. The bread recipe is fantastic. Thank you for all the GF education you provide. I love to read your newsletters. I would have been lost without the information I’ve gained from you and the recipes you have posted.
I have been gluten free since December 2008. I started feeling better gastrointestinally and energy wise almost immediately. At about 9 months in I got very tired and became very ill. I ended up with Epstein Barr which my internist said is not real unusual for peoplewith immune issues that go gluten free and almost always between 9 to 12 months.
I have been gluten free for just over a month. ALL of my stomach pains and heartburn were gone within the first week. I used to have headaches almost everyday and those are gone. I sleep better, have WAY more energy, and I am not crazy hungry all the time.
Going gluten free has helped me feel so much better that I feel like I have a second chance at life!
For years, and many tests, I was ‘normal’ except for thyroid, but on meds it was ‘normal’ I was tired, achey, obese, couldn’t sleep, hurt to walk. Hurt to sleep. Found a Prevention flyer, inside stated anyone with auto immune disease should be gluten free. What the heck, what could it hurt, after all, I was ‘normal’ Almost overnight I felt like a new person. Gone are the sleeping pills, the OTC pain meds. I went into Dr 3 months after I self diagnosed this, he said he didn’t know. Did test, I am Celiac. I have lost 35 lbs in a year, can walk around stores, sleep like a baby, and even thyroid meds reduced. If I accidently ingest gluten, I swell, bloat, awful cramps, and definitely brain fog. Gluten is hidden in so many items, and what irritates me is when it states gluten free, but still has gluten in it for folks like me that is so sensitive.
eating out is an issue, I take my own salad dressing local, but if on a trip, vinegar/oil with salt and pepper does the trick,most restaurants have that. baked potato, steamed veggies, salmon, steak or baked chicken, or breakfast. I always tote a GF bar or fruit in the car, never know where we end up on a drive. the thing is, be prepared, don’t find yourself without edible items or you will grab something you shouldn’t. I individually bag Kinnikinnick donuts or UDI bagels and freeze them. I bake Gluten Free Pantry bread mix in bread machine, or have Pamela’s products on hand. Sam Mills corn pasta is wonderful, holds it’s texture when cooked. I drink Blue Diamond vanilla almond milk with GF General Mills cereals, or cream of rice cereal when I want some hot cereal. Kinninnick bread crumbs or ‘graham’ crumbs add to the baking pleasure, which I have discovered is like going back several decades and making food from scratch. One thing that surprised me, the side effects of aspartame is the same as symptoms of gluten! Perhaps gluten is in the processing of it, but I do know that when I have ‘diet’ drinks, it hits me like gluten. when banned aspartame from our house, switched to stevia, even truvia has chemicals in it. all those years of eating weight watchers diet products which had wheat in them, actually added to my weight.
So it’s a learning process, but the energy is worth it. I thought I would be in a wheelchair today, but I am driving, shopping, gardening…..limited, but will improve as I enjoy my life now. I am studying different subjects that I couldn’t concentrate on before…life is good. remember, it’s not removing, it’s replacing. The joy of finding food that I can eat is exciting. I also discovered Thai food can be gluten free, so the sadness of not going to Chinese is now excitement of having similar tastes. I used chicken in Zatarins Jumbaliya (sp?)which is gluten free, and it was delicious. and I’m Polish, found a GF recipe for peiorgi….life is good indeed…..
I was 27 in 1985 and was told by my dermatologist that I had Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), from a biopsy, which may be due to a sensitivity to gluten. Went gluten free (GF) and never looked back. In my case, I can tell when I have been poisoned by sudden nasal congestion, which had been constant before I went GF. Now it seems as though I also have celiac disease from articles that I have read. Regarding the fad GF diet, I hope the ones that try it (I mean really try it) who feel better on it, stay on it as there are so many undiagnosed celiacs that suffer their entire life (my dad was one).