Did you go gluten or dairy free? Why?

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  • momof8munchkins
    momof8munchkins Posts: 1,167 Member
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    for health reasons and no other choice like another poster mentioned.. I have to eat certain way or get deathly ill.I have celiac disease and with it many food intolerances I am gluten, grain, dairy,legume and soy free.
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
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    I tried going gluten free - because I'm on the autism spectrum, and there is quite a bit of media saying that a gluten-free diet helps with the sensory issues, processing issues, and digestive issues of autism. Basically, i wanted to get rid of stomach pain and exhaustion and sensory overload. However, I didn't find the gluten-free diet very helpful. When I'm eating natural things that have no gluten in them - fruit, veg, rice, etc. - that is fine and very helpful. But when eating processed gluten-free food, I had just the same problems as when eating processed food with gluten in it. Obviously, everyone is different, and the gluten-free diet may be brilliant for some people, but for me, the best diet is simply to have natural, unprocessed food, and small portions (I get the same problems from overeating). I don't follow this strictly, but I try to follow it as much as possible, and I follow it more strictly when my life is more stressful than usual, because then I need to follow it more.

    As for dairy, I don't drink milk - this was a choice I made in my early twenties, because I never liked milk, but as a kid I was forced to drink it, because it was seen as a necessary part of children's diets. Once I stopped drinking it as an adult, I immediately noticed a positive difference to my health and sense of wellbeing. I still eat cheese and yogurt though - I like them and they have no negative effect on me.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
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    Why: I have severe gastrointestinal reactions to gluten, and mild gastrointestinal reactions to dairy.

    Verdict: Yes, it made a difference.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
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    Thank you all for your replies. I ask because I am an acupuncturist, and so often I have patients with auto immune disease, and dairy and gluten are the #1 allergens that people have disease from. I guess the ONLY way to find out is to eliminate them from my diet for a few weeks. I have been widdling down, but can't commit to gluten free. I am pretty sure I am sensitive to rice as I always get very bloated from it, but I also know I have low HCL in my stomach. Right now lowering my calories to 1600 has helped tremendously. Thanks again for everyone's help!!

    Sidebar: No gluten in rice. That seems to be a common misconception in these forums.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
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    I'm trying the paleo/primal food approach, and so far it's been great. I don't miss the gluten/grains at all these days, and although I occasionally slip on the dairy, I really don't miss that either. And it's working.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
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    I chow down the gluten and the dairy...

    There seem to be a lot more people that suddenly want to be gluten free....cause it's a new "fad" thing. If you have issues with gluten...then yeah don't eat it. If you think that you will lose weight by going gluten free...you need to do some more research :)

    What really gets to me is how marketing plays into the the whole "fad" thing...now they are adding onto the labels "GLUTEN FREE" when all long there wasn't any...but now it needs to be advertised...silly fad crap!

    I agree with you on the fad stuff. But the "GLUTEN FREE" on the labels was actually really helpful when I was transitioning. It gave me a sense of security, and helped avoid me missing dangerous ingredients.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
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    I chow down the gluten and the dairy...

    There seem to be a lot more people that suddenly want to be gluten free....cause it's a new "fad" thing. If you have issues with gluten...then yeah don't eat it. If you think that you will lose weight by going gluten free...you need to do some more research :)

    What really gets to me is how marketing plays into the the whole "fad" thing...now they are adding onto the labels "GLUTEN FREE" when all long there wasn't any...but now it needs to be advertised...silly fad crap!

    I agree with you on the fad stuff. But the "GLUTEN FREE" on the labels was actually really helpful when I was transitioning. It gave me a sense of security, and helped avoid me missing dangerous ingredients.

    I like the labels. The fad will pass once people realize eating packaged gluten free cookies every day in place of other cookies is not a magic bullet. Who can afford that stuff anyway?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I'm about 90% GF. My tummy is just happier that way. less bloating, less constipation... Just happier.

    but, I don't substitute all the GF foods. I don't go looking for things that are GF to eat. I will some times eat GF bread, but that's about it. I certainly don't eat GF junk food.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
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    I chow down the gluten and the dairy...

    There seem to be a lot more people that suddenly want to be gluten free....cause it's a new "fad" thing. If you have issues with gluten...then yeah don't eat it. If you think that you will lose weight by going gluten free...you need to do some more research :)

    What really gets to me is how marketing plays into the the whole "fad" thing...now they are adding onto the labels "GLUTEN FREE" when all long there wasn't any...but now it needs to be advertised...silly fad crap!

    I agree with you on the fad stuff. But the "GLUTEN FREE" on the labels was actually really helpful when I was transitioning. It gave me a sense of security, and helped avoid me missing dangerous ingredients.

    I like the labels. The fad will pass once people realize eating packaged gluten free cookies every day in place of other cookies is not a magic bullet. Who can afford that stuff anyway?

    That and they are usually WAY worse for you in terms of cals and macros... I usually just eat real food too.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
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    I'm about 90% GF. My tummy is just happier that way. less bloating, less constipation... Just happier.

    but, I don't substitute all the GF foods. I don't go looking for things that are GF to eat. I will some times eat GF bread, but that's about it. I certainly don't eat GF junk food.

    I am a sucker for the yogurt covered pretzels... It's a dairy cheat but oh my gosh are they amazing. Otherwise, I'm the same way.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    Yeah. Because everyone is doing it!
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    My only point was how NOW the marketing peeps are getting all "GLUTEN FREE" happy, when the item had no gluten in it to begin with. They are just using it to get people to buy it.

    They are walking along in the store and see it and they are like "Oh wow...this is now gluten free...I have to buy it!!"

    **I thought I "quoted"...I didn't. Quote fail!
  • sheleen302
    sheleen302 Posts: 266 Member
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    My wife is gluten free due to Celiac Disease and I recently joined her and am trying to stay on a Paleo diet -- however, I sometimes eat something (pizza, cake, cookies) and will feel it the next day or two. I do feel much better on my diet and I also lost 15 pounds just by changing my diet. Read "Wheat Belly" for a lot of interesting details on eliminating wheat/gluten from your diet.

    I second reading the "wheat belly" book!!!!!!!! It's very enlightening!!!

    Please check out this review of Wheat Belly.http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2012/03/wheat-belly-busted.html I'm not saying you need to throw the book out, but not everything you read is true. That said, I have been dairy and gluten free for 2 months due to allergies and inflammation. One of the interesting side effects is that I no longer have indegestion, of any kind. I can eat peppers, cucumbers--Never could before. I do feel better overall.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
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    To my knowledge I'm not at all allergic to gluten or dairy. I cut them from my diet still and I've had very positve results. But I think the only reason is this:

    For gluten, wheat is the main food that people eat containing it. Wheat products, even when staying in my calorie limit, seemed to overstimulate insulin production in my system and I was too hungry all the time. When I cut it that went away. So, putting fads and popular books aside, that's why I cut it.

    For dairy. There might be some truth about toxic effects, etc. but that is not why I don't eat it. The items I would eat the most would be cheese and ice cream. So I asked myself, Do you really want this in your diet if you are serious about losing weight and getting ripped? That's a no brainer to me. I don't freak out if I'm handed a salad with cheese in it and if I'm in someone's home and they hand me some ice cream I'll probably eat (maybe just one bite) it but at the same time I don't plan cheese or milk or cream in my diet. It would be a rare exception.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    My only point was how NOW the marketing peeps are getting all "GLUTEN FREE" happy, when the item had no gluten in it to begin with. They are just using it to get people to buy it.

    They are walking along in the store and see it and they are like "Oh wow...this is now gluten free...I have to buy it!!"

    **I thought I "quoted"...I didn't. Quote fail!

    I totally agree with this. I am neither but see too many people posting recipes on facebook or talking about being gluten free when they are far from health conscious people. It's kind of turning into a fad.
  • Wenchilada
    Wenchilada Posts: 472 Member
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    After I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at age 29 and damn near died from a medication reaction, I tried an elimination diet, about a year after I had recovered from that cluster - in case they screwed up my initial diagnosis and it was just a food intolerance. I cut gluten first. It turned out that I felt much better overall and wasn't having symptoms of GERD anymore, either (I had been on Prilosec/Zantac/Aciphex off and on since I was 21). I initially gained about 20 lbs when I went gluten-free, though, partly because it took a while to realize that it wasn't a license to just run to Costco, fill up the rice cooker, and eat a pound of rice at every meal.

    I agree with those who suggest you don't waste your money on "gluten-free" substitutes, or stuff that should already naturally be gluten-free. I rolled my eyes HARD when I saw that Glutino is now selling "gluten-free" corn tortilla chips and potato chips. You get half as much for twice the price. Look for foods that should naturally be gluten-free, like fruits, vegetables, and proteins (other than gluten - btw, many of the meat substitutes on the market are at least partially gluten-based.) Over time I've gradually changed my entire way of thinking about food and meals. I've been on this track for 2 years now, but I do still indulge in a gluten-free cupcake now and then - because damn, it's cake.

    If you don't suspect that you have a medical reason to eliminate gluten, though, and you just want to try it to lose weight, I wouldn't recommend wasting your time or money. Some people who are diagnosed with Celiac later in life actually end up gaining a substantial amount of weight during the adjustment period of eliminating gluten, because their bodies are finally absorbing the nutrients they take in. It's not a low-fat, low-carb, or low-calorie way of eating, unless you really work to make it that way. The macros are usually pretty terrible on the gluten-free imitations of ordinarily wheat-based foods (typically much lower in fiber and much higher in calories, simple carbs, and fat).
  • Farburnfred
    Farburnfred Posts: 333 Member
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    I eat wheat and gluten free because I have very painful heavy periods (endometriosis) and cutting out the wheat and gluten cures it. I also get less mood swings and less fatigue..works for me. I do eat rice, I don't eat gluten free subs becausethey tend to be loaded with sugar UNLESS someone has bought something in especially for me.

    I was vegan for 3 years as my daughter had an infant allergy to milk and milk protein and I was breastfeeding, but when she hit 3 I tried her and she tolerates smalls mounts now. And I had to cut out wheat and tbh it was very hard to get the calories and energy I needed without wheat and milk!
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    Unless you have a true gluten sensitivity there's no health benefit to cutting gluten out of your diet. But hey, the placebo effect runs strong when it comes to dietary choices so why not!

    This
  • DominiqueSmall
    DominiqueSmall Posts: 495 Member
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    I have Celiac Disease so that is why I finally did it. I feel much better now. More energy. More consistent energy. Better memory. No gass, bloatedness, abdominal pain, itchy skin, bowel issues, etc.

    On the other side, you might want to consider reading, Wheat Belly (which I did). Totally helped me understand why so many people are having problems losing weight. Even atheletes.

    Good luck!
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    What really gets to me is how marketing plays into the the whole "fad" thing...now they are adding onto the labels "GLUTEN FREE" when all long there wasn't any...but now it needs to be advertised...silly fad crap!

    I think that there are specific rules about actually putting that label on a product - it has to be tested and under 20 ppm. In fact, I don't think they can just label the product without complying with the law. That's why you'll see labels that say 'processed in a factory that also processes wheat' at times.

    The reality is while a lot of us might survive a slight bit of contamination, there are people out there who need to be sure that there's no contamination or they wind up in a hospital - people suffering from extreme Celiac's or dangerous wheat/gluten allergies. Trust me - for some - this is like a peanut allergy. I know I definitely notice when I accidentally get some into my system as it goes into overdrive with skin rashes and such on contact with wheat.

    http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/foodallergenslabeling/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/ucm111487.htm

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