Going Gluten free

Options
124

Replies

  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    Options
    I have had the same issues as you most of my life. I have had IBS and chronic indigestionlike you my pregnancies were horrendous I consumed the gaviscon the docs prescribed and an additional bottle per week. When not pregnant I used to get indigestion so bad I would get chest pain and vomiting, I took lanzoprazole and gaviscon. In desperation I had food intolerance testing and was told I was intolerant to eggs, gluten and dairy. Icut these from my diet and experienced a major reduction in symptoms. I am currently not following the diet as it is not easy to follow, impossible to eat out and follow it although I did manage it twice once some trigger foods got in there and it made me I'll. At the moment the symptoms are tolerable but if they get severe again I would definitely go back to the exclusion plan. I didn't lose weight but it improved my health. It took lots of forward planning but there are lots of gluten free alternatives out there so it is not impossible. Good luck if you decide to follow this if you need more info I am happy to help.
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    mostly because i cannot afford things like 'gluten free bread' i will just have to stop making bread! Or make my own! They have a good range of gluten free flours etc in my local supermarket

    A lot of supermarkets in the UK sell bread cheap at the end of the day when it's about to go out of date. I've often seen very cheap gluten-free bread in Asda on the reduced aisle. And it tends to last longer than its use-by date - or you can freeze it. I've tried it a couple of times - but I don't like the texture at all. It lasts several days though, amd remains soft.

    Great tip thanks! If you toast bread it lasts a bit longer too :) Will definitely keep my eye out at Waitrose (we dont have a local asda!)
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    I have had the same issues as you most of my life. I have had IBS and chronic indigestionlike you my pregnancies were horrendous I consumed the gaviscon the docs prescribed and an additional bottle per week. When not pregnant I used to get indigestion so bad I would get chest pain and vomiting, I took lanzoprazole and gaviscon. In desperation I had food intolerance testing and was told I was intolerant to eggs, gluten and dairy. Icut these from my diet and experienced a major reduction in symptoms. I am currently not following the diet as it is not easy to follow, impossible to eat out and follow it although I did manage it twice once some trigger foods got in there and it made me I'll. At the moment the symptoms are tolerable but if they get severe again I would definitely go back to the exclusion plan. I didn't lose weight but it improved my health. It took lots of forward planning but there are lots of gluten free alternatives out there so it is not impossible. Good luck if you decide to follow this if you need more info I am happy to help.

    Thank you - are you based in the UK? I am wondering whether to force my doctors to test me. Mind you, it takes them so long i can probably work it out for myself by then! Might be worth looking into though..
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    Options
    I had private testing with York test laboratories it was about £250 it was easy to do a finger prick and collect a tube of blood then send it to them. They returned a report with food intolerances on it and 2 telephone consultations with a nutritionist included in the price. For me the price was worth it but I realise it is a lot of money. I also did a cheaper one called the food doctor that was£50 but you had to develop the test yourself and I felt you could interpret the results how you wanted. I found myself staring at it trying to decide if it was positive or not. It did come up with the same results though so if money is an issue a cheaper alternative.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    Options
    Read "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis. Very enlightening. I would like to try not just gluten free, but completely wheat free. But to me it is just so difficult because you find wheat in almost everything. I would encourage you to try it if you are interested. I bet you have good results. If you do, keep blogging - I'd love to follow you.

    I was going to suggest tyne same book. I have two kids that have celiac disease. I'm all for anyone who wants to eat gluten free to jump on whatever fad or bandwagon that is out there. It makes my life way easier. The higherl the product demand the easier to find. When diagnosed 11 years ago eating gluten free was tough, now its easy, the low carb fad diet helped too, anything to bring awareness and education and restaurants willing to provide gluten free options for people who want to or those that have to. I always tell people I'm thankful my kids are only gluten intolerant, it could have been worse they first thought my son had leukemia, I'll take gluten free any day. We as a family eat gluten free cuz my kids have to, I cook that way, I don't eat out that way.

    I would say the main thing is don't stock up on gluten free cookies and cakes or breads just because ey are gluten free. It's like the fat free fad fat was replaced with sugar so not really any better for you.
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
    Options
    All these restrictions are usually supported by bullsh!t reasons that are usually untrue--really it's just an effort to mask an individual's desire to further restrict a food group as a means to lose weight. I hate that crap.

    Are you saying that eliminating gluten is bull****? Because that's what this thread is about. I think there will be a lot of people who suffer from gluten disagreeing with you on that one.

    I'd be interested in understanding why it bothers you so much when people decide to eliminate foods to help lose weight. If someone knows they tend to abuse a particular kind of food, and eliminating it helps them to eat healthier, then what's the problem? I found that when I eliminated all grains and refined sugars, my cravings for those foods that I used to overeat has all but disappeared. That is helping me lose weight and be more healthy. And, I feel like it's a way of eating that is totally sustainable for me, because I am always full, I find I snack less between meals, and my food is delicious.

    (edited because I forgot to add my reply!)

    I only have a problem with it when they try to deceive others instead of just calling it what it is--an attempt to remove trigger foods from their diet. People don't need to come up with some excuse to not eat gluten if the underlying reason truly is weight loss--it minimizes the actual severity of the issue for people who truly suffer.

    Well, actually I'm following the primal blueprint (www.marksdailyapple.com) which happens to eliminate grains and thus gluten. Eating this way has nothing to do with minimizing the severity of people who suffer from gluten. Its about me eating healthier, and yes, losing weight along the way. But even if I don't lose another pound, my goal is to continue eating this way for the rest of my life because I feel so much better, and I'm enjoying my food so much more. That said, I do totally get your perspective. I purposefully don't tell waiters I'm eating gluten-free at a restaurant, because I know celiac sufferers can't just remove the bun from their burger or eat the hidden gluten in the sauce and not suffer, and by doing those things and saying its because I'm gluten-free it might confuse people. I'm lucky that in almost every restaurant in my town, dishes are labeled as gluten free. I choose those. Or I just ask them to replace the rice/pasta/bread with veggies. Being celiac or severely intolerant is so hard because of the consequences of being glutened. I'm glad my reaction is not so severe, and I can be gluten free without the stress of being ill.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    Options
    I'm intolerant to gluten.
    I stopped eating anything with gluten.
    It did not affect my weight loss.
    It just made me not have hives.
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    Well I certainly haven't been gluten free today!

    i had scones for breakfast and a kitkat!

    But, i also made gluten free scones which came out nicely. They were pretty high in calories but that is okay, i can definitely modify the recipe to work for us.

    I think i am going to make gluten free muffins/scones and pack them with dried fruits and nuts for lunch boxes.

    Tomorrow i am going to attempt to be totally gluten free... It might be Monday before i manage it though.
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
    Options
    I have never ever read a diet suggesting i cut out guluten. Perhaps its because i live in rural England and therefore have never read 'a trashy magazine from a grocery store' in fact, i've never even been in a 'grocery store'

    There is something in my diet causing me extreme and chronic heartburn. It is all-consuming, i have to have daily meds to control it or i am literally constantly in pain with it.

    My plan is to reduce gluten and wheat-based products. Not completely remove (yet) but so i can see if theses things exacerbate the issues that i have. My doctor is aware of this, not because i have 'asked permission' but i have discussed what i can do to find the issues causing my problems and I have decided that removing wheat would be one of them.

    I am hoping that reducing the heavy wheat and gluten based products i eat, will reduce my heartburn and i can come off the medication. It is certainly not 'for weightloss' why would it be? its quite easy to lose weight AND have a balanced diet containing weight.

    If anyone here has suffered chronic indigestion, they will understand how it affects weight again. You eat because you are constantly and continually reminded that you have an empty tummy, you are aware that the quickest easiest and cheapest method of controlling it, it to eat food.

    I have noticed that my indigestion flares up hugely when i eat

    cereals (like bran flakes)
    toast
    wheat based cake products
    certain sauces
    pasta
    other grain based foods
    spelt bread

    So yeah... It just seems sensible to me, especially seeing it written down like that!

    It isn't a decision i take lightly.

    Thanks for the advice about the gluten free products being salty. I will look out for that though really i would like to find good replacements rather than alternatives. So jacket potatoes rather than sandwiches at lunchtime and so on.

    mostly because i cannot afford things like 'gluten free bread' i will just have to stop making bread! Or make my own! They have a good range of gluten free flours etc in my local supermarket
    FeebRyan, it's unfortunate that this wasn't your FIRST post. I think this thread would have gone VERY differently.:heart:
  • magz7795
    magz7795 Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    I'm not Celiac but have definitely benefited from going grain free. I didn't just cut out gluten, though. I cut out all grains. I have less pain, bloating, gas. I have lost nearly 80 pounds. I didn't add exercise until 50 pounds lost.

    I think if you try it you have to give it 100% for at least 3 or 4 weeks to see the full benefit.
  • mknmischief
    mknmischief Posts: 2
    Options
    I hear you. I did it as a suggestion by my Dr. after being diagnosed with fibromalgia. It took about a month but the results were wonderful. It hasn't cured it but it sure has helped. People ask me quiet often if it's hard and with all the gf products out there, it really isn't. Even Domino's now carries GF pizza.
    Good luck with your adventure and please share if it works. :flowerforyou:
  • kcputtytat
    kcputtytat Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    Going grain/wheat free can be a very good thing. I have worked with a functional dietitian for years and she is finding more and more evidence that a great number of people have problems with grain; wheat particularly. All wheat in the USA is Genetically Modified (GMO) which has changed the composition of the product. In European countries that is not the case. Those who do not tolerate wheat in the US are able to eat it in Europe (this comes directly from a dietitian that works with Celiac patients and has two sons with the disease).

    I have Fibromylgia and Chronic Fatigue; when I remove wheat from my diet my pain levels improves greatly. I say go for it. There is so much information available on all sides of this issue one has to just try it and see if it makes a difference in your life.
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    I'm not Celiac but have definitely benefited from going grain free. I didn't just cut out gluten, though. I cut out all grains. I have less pain, bloating, gas. I have lost nearly 80 pounds. I didn't add exercise until 50 pounds lost.

    I think if you try it you have to give it 100% for at least 3 or 4 weeks to see the full benefit.

    I think you're right. I think as of this morning, I will try being totally gluten-free for a whole month!

    Got tonights meal sorted, I think i am going to go back over this thread and add all those without gluten as friends so i can see meal inspirations etc.
  • momtokgo
    momtokgo Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    Good luck with your month Gluten Free. Its not as hard as it sounds, but it does take some effort. I have Celiac, so I don't have a chocie about it, but it does get easier.

    Make sure you watch for hidden sources of gluten, like in soy sauce and canned soups. Some bbq sauces have it also. And someone mentioned Gluten Free pizza from a chain restuarant like Dominos, do not eat it. Its not safe for people with gluten intolerances. It will say somewhere in tiny print I'm sure. The pizza dough itself is made with gluten free flour, but its made in a kitchen with regular pizza, by someone who I'm sure is covered with wheat flour, and it goes through the same oven on the same pans as the regular pizzas do. its incredibly cross contaminated.

    Ooh, Found it! This is from Dominos, in tiny print at the bottom: Domino's pizza made with a Gluten Free Crust is prepared in a common kitchen with the risk of gluten exposure. Therefore, Domino's DOES NOT recommend this pizza for customers with celiac disease. Customers with gluten sensitivities should exercise judgment in consuming this pizza.
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    I have never ever read a diet suggesting i cut out guluten. Perhaps its because i live in rural England and therefore have never read 'a trashy magazine from a grocery store' in fact, i've never even been in a 'grocery store'

    There is something in my diet causing me extreme and chronic heartburn. It is all-consuming, i have to have daily meds to control it or i am literally constantly in pain with it.

    My plan is to reduce gluten and wheat-based products. Not completely remove (yet) but so i can see if theses things exacerbate the issues that i have. My doctor is aware of this, not because i have 'asked permission' but i have discussed what i can do to find the issues causing my problems and I have decided that removing wheat would be one of them.

    I am hoping that reducing the heavy wheat and gluten based products i eat, will reduce my heartburn and i can come off the medication. It is certainly not 'for weightloss' why would it be? its quite easy to lose weight AND have a balanced diet containing weight.

    If anyone here has suffered chronic indigestion, they will understand how it affects weight again. You eat because you are constantly and continually reminded that you have an empty tummy, you are aware that the quickest easiest and cheapest method of controlling it, it to eat food.

    I have noticed that my indigestion flares up hugely when i eat

    cereals (like bran flakes)
    toast
    wheat based cake products
    certain sauces
    pasta
    other grain based foods
    spelt bread

    So yeah... It just seems sensible to me, especially seeing it written down like that!

    It isn't a decision i take lightly.

    Thanks for the advice about the gluten free products being salty. I will look out for that though really i would like to find good replacements rather than alternatives. So jacket potatoes rather than sandwiches at lunchtime and so on.

    mostly because i cannot afford things like 'gluten free bread' i will just have to stop making bread! Or make my own! They have a good range of gluten free flours etc in my local supermarket
    FeebRyan, it's unfortunate that this wasn't your FIRST post. I think this thread would have gone VERY differently.:heart:

    I honestly had no idea the friction it would cause lol

    I didnt even ask 'what do people think about going gluten free' or 'do you think its a good idea to go gluten free'

    I didnt ask for perspectives on it at all, i just asked for support and advice on my venture. Really its up to me what i eat and not up to other people to attack a person.

    Other than this, i have found this forum to be wonderful, supportive and friendly.

    Which i hope will continue :)





    Today i have been 100% gluten free :)

    I have eaten a surprisingly calorific smoothie for breakfast
    had gluten free museli bar for a snack and half a one for lunch

    hummus, rice crackers and lots of veggies for dipping for lunch

    and my triumph

    home made falafal, quinoa with veggies and hummus for tea (with a shop bought pita bread... i was planning on making chickpea chapati but couldnt find gram flour :( )

    Really has been an adventure today, it was not the very best it could have been, the food processor died at the end of the hummus and so it was a bit grainy, the falafal was a spur of the moment thing because the falafal mix we bought had gluten in it! and everything needed a lot better spices and herbs

    But we made it, we ate it and we enjoyed it :)

    Cutting out gluten has given me boundaries on food and made me think about making things myself, sourcing different foods i would never have tried and exploring. I think its good and even if at the end of the month we decide it is not gluten causing me problems, i will have learnt so much!
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    Day 3 today... Feel like ABSOLUTE poo.

    I feel like i have a really awful hangover.

    Urgh!
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    Options
    Those are normal detox symptoms of the body reacting to a change. Drink a lot of water, take a warm bath, try some magnesium, and just rest today. They can last anywhere from 1-3 days after a major diet change. Hang in there.
  • lmschmitt63
    lmschmitt63 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I have been gluten free for 9 months, I have never been celiac tested but I did it for health reasons. If you are only going to do this half heartedly, ignoring it when you go out, it is pointless. If you believe you have a gluten intolerance then it will have to be 100% of the time.
    As far as helping with weight loss, it did kind of work for me, because I gave up the gluten, and a long list of foods I have been tested for and reacted to, I felt better and had more energy to exercise therefore weight loss and a healthier me.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Options
    If you are doing this because of health reasons, I'd consult a doctor. If not for health reasons, it's quite pointless.

    One needs a doctor's advice to stop eating gluten? Really? Firstly, doctors are not well educated in nutrition. Secondly, gluten is not necessary in our diets, especially today's grain products.

    It's "pointless" to go gluten free? Really? You need to do more research before giving advice.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Options
    I have Celiac Disease. I have no idea why someone without Celiac Disease would choose to go gluten free. It is a difficult diet to maintain and there are other health consequences. Please people, consult a doctor or a nutritionist before doing this if you don't have to!

    Many, many people have health issues due to wheat/grains that go undiagnosed. They may be "minor" compared to Celiac disease but they still reduce quality of life. I can speak from experience on that. It's NOT a difficult diet to maintain. I eat no grains or legumes and I have no problem following my diet. I am enjoying the best health that I have had in years. Before changing my diet I had cravings, binging, depression, anxiety, weight gain, indigestion, acid reflux, infections, frequent colds/flus, a variety of pain, on and on.

    What health "consequences" occur from eliminating gluten? Besides good consequences, there aren't any consequences. I've done lots of research and my own experience confirms this. Again, doctors are NOT the best resource for nutritional advice, they are victim to the same marketing campaigns and misinformation as the rest of us!

Categories