Going Gluten free

Akimajuktuq

This is rediculous!

You DO NOT have to be "only" Celiac to eat Gluten Free.

It's NOT some Hollywood Hype...that comment really got my goat.

Some people are seriously allergic to Wheat. I am one of them. I do not have celiacs, but I have a severe gluten intollerence and I have the note from my Doctor to prove it. I've avoided wheat since 2009.

Some of you really should be ashamed.

Absolutely Agree!!!

Akimajuktuq

Why? Unless you have a medical reason, it's just stupid. Of course, this is my opinion. If you go gluten free, and then decide it's not for you after a certain amount of time, it can actually cause issues for you. Why mess with yourself?

What issues? Please enlighten us.

No one that I have ever known EVER, including myself, has anything but good effects from going gluten and/or grain free. Yes, the pre-existing negative health issues will return when one goes back to eating gluten, but there won't be new ones caused by the switch.

I don't usually put people down but since you said it first, your post is "just stupid".

bizorra

I did an elimination diet where I cut out gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and corn for 4 weeks, then gradually reintroduced them.
Came to the conclusion that while I can eat wheat and dairy in small amounts, too much and I feel gross. I think eggs might be affecting me but it requires more testing. I was very strict about the elimination diet for those 4 weeks, but have laxed because now I feel I understand what the consequences of dairy and wheat are for me so I can decide what I want.

For me this has meant that I'm not "Gluten-free" since small amounts don't seem to bother me and I don't have to worry about cross-contamination as someone with Celiac would have to.

I haven't felt this has helped my weight loss, but I do feel more energetic, so it was a positive revelation for me.

naecarter

After I had my child, I started having awful heart palpitations, chest pressure/tightness, tingling extremities, joint and muscle stiffness, brain fog, lethargy, and a whole host of other problems. When I went to my doctor, they told me I was suffering from depression and anxiety and tried to put me on an antidepressant! They told me that severe depression can have "flu like" symptoms. I was not happy with this, and couldn't bring myself to take the meds. In my heart, something else was wrong!

I started researching my symptoms online and thought I had it pinpointed down to gluten intolerance. I eliminated all wheat and gluten from my diet for about a month. I felt a huge difference in my overall health, however, I was still having difficulty breathing.

I finally went to a board certified allergist and explained that I had it pinpointed to wheat or grains. He checked me for grass, wheat and corn allergies. Turns out I am highly allergic to corn! I have been instructed to remain gluten free for two weeks (eliminate all corn products, of course), and if I feel like it, try to reintroduce gluten back into my diet.

I am glad I went, because I was driving myself crazy trying to figure out what was causing these very unpleasant symptoms! Do I want to bring wheat/gluten back into my diet? I'm not sure...I may try it, and if I start having bad reactions again, then I wil definitely cut them back out.

It was worth every penny...I would never have imagined it was corn, and it explains why I have been so sick for the past 2 years!

Good luck to you. Through elimination, I really was able to pin it down, and I feel a whole lot better.

Edited to add: You can develop a serious allergy to any given thing at any time in your life! http://www.acaai.org/allergist/allergies/what-causes-allergies/Pages/default.aspx

FeebRyan

to update;

I have noticed a change in my energy levels, i seem lighter and more focused

I am constantly light-headed, its a bit disconcerting to be honest but i am told its part of the gluten come down!

I have been a bit achy in the evening, this could be due to lack of sleep however

I have been enjoying food more, have felt less hungry and have been noticing what i eat and when i eat it

So other than the crazy light-headedness and feeling like UTTER POO in the mornings. All positive! So far!

Skater97

I've been gluten-free for the past 2 months and there's significant changes! I didn't even have to change up my workout and it was minimal to start off with. It isn't the fact that you decrease the amount of gluten, it's that you increase the other variaties of food that you eat. veggies, fruits, nuts, all increased for the better.

VexedPixie

A gluten free/ cassein free diet was recommended for my 6yr old daughter in order to improve her focus and concentration. She is diagnosed with ADD and I do not want to put her on stimulant medication. We can now tell whenever she's had gluten due to the changes in her behavior. Within 12 - 24hours of eating "old food" as she calls it her focus decreases. It takes 24 - 72hours to bring it back, depending on how much she's had. We had an (accidental) double blind study in the second week of school that proved this diet truly works.

My daughter decided that she wanted a second breakfast at school and went through the line at the cafeteria. The school provided a breakfast of regular cereal and milk each day for a week. By the second day my child's daily report on her behavior had become worse and the trend continued throughout the week. Neither I nor the teacher knew that she was off her diet in the mornings until Friday when I was asked to please send her with money for breakfast in the future. (Talks with the teacher and principal have been had over lack of supervision after drop off. Talks with my daughter have been had about what is expected of her after drop off as well.) In either case, it proves what we had noticed at home. The diet helps my daughter. It may or may not be helpful to you, but I don't see a down side to trying it.
.

FeebRyan

Thanks for sharing your experiences guys!

Today (day 4) i have been feeling really good, definite increase of energy, did feel a bit crabby earlier but have overall felt more content and happy. I seem to be less anxious and i have only just made the connection that my indigestion and my anxiety were linked somehow.

I have had quite a calorific day, i had a brownie with my coffee that came up at 500cal! I should have checked it really but hey ho, i have not been hitting my targets every day and have been exercising a lot so... not too worried!

But the best thing is that I DONT HAVE INDIGESTION!! and i have stopped taking my meds! This is the end of day 2 with my medication and it seems to be gone...

I can only pray that it is actually gone and this isn't some weird mind game.

I am told it will be a full 2 weeks until i see full change, if the last 4 days are anything to go by though, its definitely gluten that has been causing my issues and cutting it out is for the best.

monicalosesweight

Going gluten free is a trendy thing to do as some brain dead Hollywood type have been suggesting it's the best thing since the discovery of fire. If you're one of the small percentage of people who would actually benefit from it then it's a good idea, the vast majority of people doing it are merely sheep who heard something on Dr Oz or read about it in the some trashy grocery store tabloid.

Please stop saying it's a "trendy" thing. The reality is that there are a lot of people out there who have given it up not because of a trend but due to health. You're prejudging people and assuming that they are all following a trend. I heard similar comments growing up where I was told that my allergies were all in my head and now that it's become a more respected medical profession people are finally taking it seriously. There are even people who end up in the hospital if exposed to wheat. It's definitely not a trend if you have diarrhea and massive bloating for days after only eating a tiny bit. I've run into a lot of people who have gotten their lives back after removing the gluten from their lives. Trust me - if you have this issue - it's a big problem. There are people out there who have been gluten free for over 30 years due to medical issues. The reality is that it wasn't a big deal to the market because no one understood that it was a big problem.

A lot of people give it up because of some sort of medical condition - it's not just people going "Well, that sounds so cool...I need to run out and buy a $7 dollar loaf of bread and pay like $6 for two gluten free pizza crusts". Your costs essentially triple as items are WAY more expensive.

I had to finally give wheat up because I was experiencing rashes that were out of control and also just a lot of bloating and other problems. Trust me, if it were up to me...I wouldn't be doing this - I miss my Panera Bacon Quiche. It's way too expensive and you have to look at everything to verify that you're eating healthy breads and you have to count calories. Trendy this is not - it's expensive and anyone doing it most likely has some sort of issue they are addressing like diabetes, allergy, IBS, Celiacs...

Basically, that 6% of the population is not minor chunk and we definitely need products to live healthy lives - it's finally nice to have someone cater to my needs. Trust me, there is a point where baking your own bread and preparing everything gets tiresome.