How G-Free are you?

Birdie

I am going G-Free for health reasons and have been reading everything I can about it. I notice that there are people who have celiac and have to be absolutely free, and there are others that are just intollerant. Some books list foods to stay away from and some list every houshold product that might contain something you will react to. So I am wondering how many of you are just watching the food intake and how many are actually watching everything? I imagine that as I start out I will find things that sneak in, that I react to and will eventually have to eliminate. Also do you keep a food diary to keep track of causes/symptoms?

gramanana

I need to watch mainly for wheat because of my allergic reaction to it. After 4 months I'm still not sure about all gluten, but tracking what I eat and when I have a reaction or get sick is a big help.

strudel82

I'm totally g-free b/c of celiac and watch everything. I was overwhelmed with the diagnosis at first so I learned the hard way what things to avoid and what household items I react to (certain shampoos, some lotions, cosmetics, adhesives). If you don't have to totally gfree b/c of something like celiac, I'm not sure if there would be a benefit in avoiding it in everything.

penrbrown

I'm not celiac. I am simply allergic to wheat. So far as I can tell I must ingest it before it makes me sick so I only watch foods.

I did notice that some shampoos, lotions, etc, will make me break out in a rash though. Wonder if the gluten has something to do with that?
Hm. Curiouser and curiouser.

EccentricDad

I am going G-Free for health reasons and have been reading everything I can about it. I notice that there are people who have celiac and have to be absolutely free, and there are others that are just intollerant. Some books list foods to stay away from and some list every houshold product that might contain something you will react to. So I am wondering how many of you are just watching the food intake and how many are actually watching everything? I imagine that as I start out I will find things that sneak in, that I react to and will eventually have to eliminate. Also do you keep a food diary to keep track of causes/symptoms?

I watch everything. If the possibility of wheat, rye, barley, or oat is in it, I won't eat it. I eat absolutely 0 processed foods without thoroughly checking the label. And when I do eat processed foods, I will generally only buy things with 6 or less ingredients; and all ingredients have to be things closest to the living thing..

pdworkman

When I initially went gluten free, it was just because my son (adopted) needed to go gluten free, and I knew that if there was gluten in the house he would still eat it. I did experience withdrawal from it, but thought nothing of it. I ate gluten one day when I was away from home, and that was the first time I realized that I reacted to gluten. I assumed I was only gluten intolerant because I did not have diarrhea, weight loss, etc. But as I became more familiar with all of the other symptoms of celiac disease, my family history, and that you could have celiac disease without diarrhea, I came to realize that I did have celiac disease.

Researchers are starting to realize that some cases of "non-celiac gluten intolerance" (no flattened villi found) are actually still celiac disease, and are wondering whether it is all just one spectrum, and there is no difference between non-celiac gluten intolerance and celiac disease, just slightly different manifestations of the same disease.

lphelps2007

I don't need to stay away from gluten entirely. I have to stay away for it during my menstrual week though, because otherwise I have terrible cramps. I have found through the past 4 years that the more gluten free that I am, the less painful the cramps are. I haven't had such terrible cramps as the ones that had made me decide to try being gluten free for 4 years. The cramps are now nothing in comparisson to what they were then! =D

jflint86

I've never had a confirmed diagnosis of Celiac and probably never will(because I'm not willing to eat gluten again to get tested), but I am definitely intolerant. I went gluten free 2 years ago and lost a GREAT deal of nausea, stomach cramps, bloating, etc. I don't eat any gluten now. Period.

I've recently been experimenting with products that are made in the same factory with wheat products(may contain traces of...) and haven't had any adverse reactions yet. But I mostly eat naturally gluten free foods and stay away from processed stuff anyway

gramanana

I was told that I had a wheat allergy when I was a child, but don't remember doing too much about it. After having my symptoms get really bad over the last five years (coughing at night, IBS and several breathing issues) I read an article in AARP magazine about food allergies and it rang a bell. So in April I went gluten-free which I've found is the easiest way to be free of wheat. I'm now sleeping through the night; IBS isn't gone, but it is much better; breathing issues are getting better, too.It's nice to feel pretty good after 60 years of suffering.

gramanana

I'm not celiac. I am simply allergic to wheat. So far as I can tell I must ingest it before it makes me sick so I only watch foods.

I did notice that some shampoos, lotions, etc, will make me break out in a rash though. Wonder if the gluten has something to do with that?
Hm. Curiouser and curiouser.

I went to a gluten-free expo last year and found that there is a whole line of non-food products out there including shampoo, lotions, makeup, etc. So I guess it is a possibility. By the way, I too, am just allergic to wheat.

lorettarailing

I agree with this statement. I did not believe I was celiac because I did not have all the symptoms but as I became more and more GF free I became healthier. I watched everything for two years. Almost obsessive about it but now am not so strict. Still I only buy items that say they are GF free and I always read labels. Mostly I cook from scratch. Its a blessing, actually. Keeps me eating veggies and fruits and helps me to stay away from the processed sweets. I believe that my "intolerance" to gluten is just a sign of a beginning stage of celiac and that if I can just keep it at this level I won't suffer my gut. Thats my hope anyway. I do eat an ice cream cone soft serve once in awhile and don't have a reaction.

Flab2fitfi

I'm a coeliac and have to very strict. I have my own marg at home and although I cook food that does contain gluten it is always kept separate from each other. I have to be very careful with foods that say they are produced on the same lines as I still get a reaction.

trishydee

HI. I'm totally GF; I have celiac. By now, it's 2nd nature to me (I was dx'ed 11 years ago.) Sadly, I seem to react to everything...crumbs in the toaster, pots and pans that were not washed well after cooking pasta It's kind of a drag.

hosanname

I'm gluten free only. Absolutely changed my IBS situation. I wish that the food diary pulled gluten out and monitored it. Found out about this at the same time I found out about a misfunctioning thyroid. So difficult to learn a whole new way of eating. Thought I'd lose weight from the change.. but not at all sigh. Good luck all.

momtokgo

100% due to Celiac. I check everything that goes in or on my body.

little_miss_panda

Coeliac, therefore totally gluten free.

dhencel

I just watch my food.. I am able to "cheat" a little bit so if I want to taste something, I have a bite...I also do the "chew and spit" every now and then... You just chew it to get the taste and then politely spit it out....that way, no gluten gets swallowed....

Jesstruhan

At the moment I'm just watching food. I'm intolerant but can handle cross-contamination. Once in a great while i can eat bread but with LOTS of enzyme support (papaya tablets are my best friend) and days of clean eating afterward. I should not allow wheat in my diet at all, but I'm the only Gfree one in the house and there are wheat crumbs on the counters no matter how often I clean up. I can't get totally away from it. The more I stay away, the bigger reaction I have when I do come into contact so I am not so sure it's horrid for me to have a little now and then. It hurts less down the road.

momof8munchkins

I have celiacs and extremely sensitive so I am 100% gluten free at all times

lesliev523

I have celiac, so I have to be 100% GF as well. I am also sensitive to corn.... I will still have small amounts, but too much I am SICK!

Huggenkiss27

I'm another 100% gluten free not by choice but by necessity. When we moved a few months ago we decided to make the whole house gluten free to get rid of the concern of cross contamination. I even bought new pans and threw away anything that could have traces of gluten left on it. Even a little bit of gluten makes me really really sick: blistery rash, mouth sores, stomach issues, headaches, very tired, and probably more than that. I was just diagnosed earlier this year so maybe over time I'll become less sensitive. For now it's only food that I make or that is packaged as gluten free!!! It isn't easy to do and if it was just for health reasons I would have given up already!