wheat/gluten free?

hackett1171
hackett1171 Posts: 33
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone out there who has gone wheat/gluten free? I have started and I am on day # 7. The cravings were not so bad. I had a limited amount to begin with. I was a huge homemade granola junkie that has wreaked havoc on my intestines... so much to the point that I have some BM problems and am on a herbal regiment. I was so bloated and inflamed that I looked 3-4 months pregnant.....

any thoughts out there!!

Replies

  • jnorr993
    jnorr993 Posts: 18 Member
    I am thinking about starting the gluten free journey as well, so I would also be interested in anyone's responses to this post. I have been doing a lot of research on my thyroid issues as well as apparent excessive cortisol production, and it seems this might be a good option for me to explore. Any tips for a newbie would be appreciated! Honestly, I don't think cutting out grains will be so hard for me... but I guess time will tell! :-)
  • MsMo4DE
    MsMo4DE Posts: 62
    I'm hypothyroid and gluten sensitive. I eat a lot of gluten free stuff and mostly make my own from scratch. I also Eat Clean and use coconut sugar/stevia in place of refined/brown sugar. I've also got a son with Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD, so we've been working at this lifestyle change over the last 3-4 years. Now we make our own nut milk, ice cream, yogurt (dairy free, too) We use a lot of coconut milk, almond milk in our recipes and are always soy free, and mostly gluten free and keep grains to a minimum along with only eating complex carbs a lot of raw whole foods, organic when we are able. check out some of my favorite recipe blogs for ideas :

    glutenfreepantry.blogspot.com/

    http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

    http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/

    http://www.elanaspantry.com/

    www.celiacchicks.com

    www.cybelepascal.com/

    simplysugarandglutenfree.com/

    http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/

    http://thericeoflife.wordpress.com/
  • hollyrayanne
    hollyrayanne Posts: 10
    I went gluten-free about 2 months ago. I have had a couple of weeks where I had a little and felt awful! I have noticed a HUGE difference in the way my body digests food now and I am only bloated if I fall off the wagon and have some bread! LOL

    There is a group on here for gluten-free members and also check out Pinteres.com -- there are some awesome GF recipes on there!
  • ImaSongbird
    ImaSongbird Posts: 126 Member
    I just don't eat grains very often. When I do I get flatulent. I prefer not embarassing myself that way. :embarassed:
  • purplegoboom
    purplegoboom Posts: 400 Member
    I'm gluten free! Have been for quite some time. Add me!
  • IndyInk
    IndyInk Posts: 212
    Just curious, Pu, is that something you could make up by taking a supplement, like Acidophilus?
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    I am Gluten/wheat/rye/oat free as per my naturopath due to intolerances, wasn't as hard to get used to as i thought it would be, however if i wasn't intolerant you bet your butt i'd be eating some good whole grain bread. I have yet to find something gluten free that tastes AS GOOD as the real thing.
  • sam363
    sam363 Posts: 204 Member
    I am gluten sensitive and have thyroid issues. I love onceamonthmom.com because they have a gluten/dairy free monthly menu complete with grocery list. Remember to get your fiber in. I take a fiber substitute every morning. If you eat fairly clean it is easy to accomodate this diet. There are tons of recipes for the things that I love like pancakes, cake, muffins etc, I just dont' make them very often because they are still higher in calories.

    Good luck!
  • DQMD
    DQMD Posts: 193
    I have been gluten free for 3 years now.I have Celiacs so there is no real choice.

    Wheat/Gluten is hidden in so many products.

    I would like to go dairy/casein free but I do love cheese. I just don't like how blech I feel afterwards.
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    I eat gluten free most of the time but not all of the time. I prefer to on most occasions but it's really only a preference I don't notice any negative side effects from gluten.
  • songbird1960
    songbird1960 Posts: 3 Member
    Read the book by Dr. William Davis called "Wheat Belly". It will reinforce all the reasons to go gluten free. It's difficult at first, but it gets easier as you go along. Not eating bread is the best first step.
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    its not so bad...you have to see what works best for you. I went totally paleo beginning of november..now..i eat some gluten products..and some gluten free...I try to stay primal during the week and GF during the weekends..its not so bad..
  • Mommy_x3
    Mommy_x3 Posts: 48
    I am going grain free. Have for a few months. What a difference!!!!!!!
    I suggest everyone do it.... I am also learning that grains can be pretty toxic to your body.
    I am doing more Paleo style then anything.
  • G30Grrl
    G30Grrl Posts: 377 Member
    I have been gluten free (out of necessity) since about 2003. In the beginning, I at a lot of GF "substitutes" for the gluten filled items I used to love so dearly. GF pastas, breads, cookies, cakes, and the like made up a large part of my diet. Not any more. While I do occasionally indulge in the aforementioned treats, I prefer to stick to a more primal diet now, with very little grains at all. I feel better, think better, and work better as a result.
  • caroleslaststand
    caroleslaststand Posts: 176 Member
    I've been eating gluten free for close to 4 years. For those of us who are actually have celiac disease, are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant , or whatever diagnosis says no to gluten, you can't backslide or just be gluten free part time. Have you noticed the nit-picky way that some of us seem to avoid even a speck of gluten?? There's a reason for this and we aren't nuts - I thought it was crazy when I first heard of doing this, until I learned that this is NOT an allergy - it's a full blown auto-immune disorder. So, when I'm exposed to gluten, it's not like having an allergic reaction. I screw up my actual cellular construction within and it takes weeks to get it back to normal. So, this is why even my toaster is gluten free. Eating in a restaurant or at another person's home can easily mean a week or 2 of feeling like I have the flu and another week of getting back to normal, but that doesn't mean that I'm anti-social. Most of the time I get along fine, but I'm anal-retentive about avoiding all gluten. Frankly, the bread I've learned to bake tastes better than wheat and the plus side - doesn't need to be kneaded (which I don't miss as much as some people think since I'm so short that I have to reach up to knead and that hurts). Cooks are coming up with great recipes that make it easy to not miss wheat. I don't miss it at all. Losing weight is also easier for me gluten free, although there's still no guarantee that I'll keep off what I've lost. However, since I feel far better overall than I did when I was a gluten eater, my chances are much better now that I'll also feel better losing weight and be able to keep it off.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    I ditched gluten about 6 months ago and am glad I did. I used to get headaches EVERY-FREAKIN-DAY - finally found that gluten is one of the biggest causes for me. Also had more and more problems with my digestive system, which took months to recover. Dairy gets me too. But it's been worth the effort to finally figure out what my body wants (and doesn't want!)
  • vabrewer33
    vabrewer33 Posts: 185
    I have been gluten and dairy free for 6 years due to celiac disease and allergies. I am happy to report that there are many more gluten free choices out there than there used to be. Feel free to add me and I can help with any meal planning or just general questions you might have. Good luck!
  • sfh0wrd
    sfh0wrd Posts: 82
    I've been wheat free (not strictly gluten free as of now) for about 2 weeks. I dropped 4lbs the first week and just feel and look less "puffy". I have suffered from undiagnosed IBS (totally irregular movements, either constipation or the opposite in a constant cycle) for a few years. Since removing wheat from my diet, I've been totally REGULAR. Amazing how something like that can affect your overall sense of well being!

    I agree with the Wheat Belly recommendation. I'm working my way through it, and it really does give a lot of information (both scientific and anecdotal evidence) to give you more motivation on days you feel like inhaling bread.

    I'm also dairy free (casein allergy and lactose intolerance), so that makes this all the more interesting. :)

    Adding you as a friend!
  • amyh913
    amyh913 Posts: 64 Member
    Hi! I do not have Celiac but thought I might have a gluten intolerance so decided to cut out wheat. I am on my second week of GF and have noticed a huge difference in how I feel. I have more energy and my gut feels so much better... no bloating or gurgling noises that I always had! It has not been very difficult to do... I eat lots of fruits and vegetables,yogurt, as well as poultry, fish and rice and beans. For snacks I will have rice cakes or popcorn and I made some GF banana muffins that were pretty good! There are alot out good web sites out there and I picked up a book "Gluten-Free cooking for Dummies" which has been very helpful!

    I'd love to hear how you feel GF.... feel free to add me!!
  • gillybumbler
    gillybumbler Posts: 136
    Hi. I am gluten free, casein free (mostly), and soy free. My family started the GF CF diet about 2 years ago and my son is also egg free. We have noticed a huge improvement in our health and it has helped my son's asthma tremendously! Now when I eat gluten i feel like i have fibromyalgia. It also has a big effect on my seasonal allergies and my inner ear problems.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    I am gluten free (actually grain-free, no corn or rice or anything either), dairy free, vegetarian, and some other allergies. I love to eat and finds lots of things I can eat. You can do it! My husband and son are also veg and gluten free, son is dairy free. My dad is also gluten free, and multiple allergies and I suspect he will have to go completely grain free eventually.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    gluten/wheat free here. i have sensitivities to it that result in stomach issues (feels like i've eaten glass for a a few days, constipation, etc) then it turns into burning itchy hives that get so bad that my throat constricts.

    i'm not celiac but my doctor seems to think that they more i eat the less tolerant i become, so I directly avoid it as much as possible since it's in so much stuff that i figure i'm already getting small doses of it on a daily basis. before I cut out gluten I was continually getting itchy hives on a daily basis and that was from 1 bagel in the AM and sandwich bread at lunch which was part of my normal daily eating.

    I seem to be doing OK with the reactions as long as I keep my gluten down to 1 serving every 2-3 weeks. i usually will save that serving for a cheeseburger from my favorite gourmet burger place. i will eat it open face so that way i can also get a small serving of onion rings. it probably isnt right that i do that but i'm so used to intestinal issues that they dont really bother me anymore. my 1 serving every 3 weeks does seem to avoid the hive situation.. which i absolutely hate with a passion

    i hate all the gluten free breads i've tried mainly cus they taste like hockey pucks ( Udi's brand is OK, but it horrible for sandwiches. when i do have it, i only eat it as toast with butter and jam). I bought a few gluten free cookbooks and will be making some gluten free biscuits soon. Whole Foods has a large selection of gluten free flour (even boxes of pre made gluten free flour). I would generally avoid their gluten free prepackaged gluten free stuff though because they seem to compensate with way more sugar than the normal.

    My goal is to eventually start making some of the stuff that I miss.

    @indyink i think you're right. Me having to eat yogurt is a small price to pay to avoid something else that can potentially kill me. Hot and itchy hives are no fun, especially when they leave you feeling like you've had an asthma attack.


    ETA : i didnt notice that once I gave up gluten, I no longer had issues with things I thought i had problems with, namely dairy and beef.
  • chrystee
    chrystee Posts: 295 Member
    gluten free lowers good bacteria in the stomach.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494173-jumping-too-quick-on-the-band-wagon-leptin-stevia-msg-g

    Well, I personally had to get rid of it due to hormonal issues.
    I choose to follow a paleo diet.
  • Dawn1084
    Dawn1084 Posts: 17
    I also have celiacs so I don't have a choice, the only real reason people should eat gluten free is if you have a sensitivity to it. It seems like it is becoming a popular "it thing to do" its not healthier than just eating clean whole grains. Its not lower calorie especially if you buy the gluten free products to replace regular it can actually be higher calorie. I don't get why people are doing it like its some kind of fad diet???


    The people that have to do it don't think its as "glamorus" as society is making it out to be...... its actually a pain in the *kitten*!
  • hackett1171
    hackett1171 Posts: 33
    YES! take a probiotic not just acidophilus....get a really good one at the local natural food store I take kyo*dophilus for digestion and immune health
  • hackett1171
    hackett1171 Posts: 33
    I also have celiacs so I don't have a choice, the only real reason people should eat gluten free is if you have a sensitivity to it. It seems like it is becoming a popular "it thing to do" its not healthier than just eating clean whole grains. Its not lower calorie especially if you buy the gluten free products to replace regular it can actually be higher calorie. I don't get why people are doing it like its some kind of fad diet???


    The people that have to do it don't think its as "glamorus" as society is making it out to be...... its actually a pain in the *kitten*!

    I have a sensitivity and it is wreaking havoc on my intestines! I know it seems like the "FAD" thing to do but I need to.....

    thanks
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
    I listened to a great podcast by a Dr Thomas O'Brien. He was explaining the difference between allergies, sensitivities and intolerances:

    Allergy - to be classified as an allergy need to have an IgE reaction
    Sensitivity - is other Ig reactions
    Intolerance - Example Lactose Intolerance - Your body doesn't make the necessary enzyme Lactase to break down lactose so you can take supplemental enzymes.

    Dr Thomas O'Brien believes that everyone with auto-immune conditions should be gluten free.
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
    I also have celiacs so I don't have a choice, the only real reason people should eat gluten free is if you have a sensitivity to it. It seems like it is becoming a popular "it thing to do" its not healthier than just eating clean whole grains. Its not lower calorie especially if you buy the gluten free products to replace regular it can actually be higher calorie. I don't get why people are doing it like its some kind of fad diet???


    The people that have to do it don't think its as "glamorus" as society is making it out to be...... its actually a pain in the *kitten*!

    I don't think people are just going gluten-free to be part of the in crowd or whatever. A lot of folks feel better going grain or gluten-free. Its not just celiacs that benefit.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    Chances are that such a reduction in gut flora is due to a reduction in prebiotics, not probiotics, since the average American gets 80% of prebiotics in the diet from wheat:

    http://www.jacksongi.com/2011/prebiotics-and-the-gluten-free-diet/

    If you simply replace gluten products (wheat bread) with gluten free products (bread made primarily of starches and sugars) you are shorting yourself on oligosaccharides/fibre - probiotics - that gut bacteria feed on. You are starving them.

    So rather than replacing gluten-filled items with commercially prepared and processed gluten-free items, choose whole foods. Some good sources:

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/361628-food-sources-of-prebiotics/
    http://anti-inflammatoryremarks.blogspot.com/2010/05/dietary-fiber-functions-and-benefits.html
    http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Prebiotics

    Just taking probiotics (acidophilus supplements, yogurt and cultured foods) won't do it - If there's nothing for them to eat, they're not going to survive and flourish.


    gluten free lowers good bacteria in the stomach.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494173-jumping-too-quick-on-the-band-wagon-leptin-stevia-msg-g
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