my outcomes of going gluten-free...

JessHealthKick
JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys,

So I have been *mostly* gluten free for the past month. No bread, no pastas, no pizza. I have changed my diet in a few other ways by also avoiding red meat more and adding more chia seeds, sunflower seeds and upping protein. I am not intolerant to anything, no allergies. I still have sauces (some of which have gluten) and can't stay away from my chocolate.

I used to have a serving of bread or pasta every day. Instead I stick to only rice or quinoa.

In regards to what I have noticed, I had pizza last weekend, and got a horrible stomach ache and really gassy (that could have been the cheese though). I had pasta this weekend, and let's just say... it took me 48hours to use the bathroom, on top of having a horrible stomach ache. And that was a small serving! It stuffed up my energy levels a lot as well.

The biggest difference I have found for all the ladies (maybe some men?) out there is my skin. I have had horrible acne patches since I was 13 (8 years) and have been on the heaviest medication for it from a specialist, tried creams, antibiotics etc. There is some scarring and a lot of blotchiness, but it only ever went down a little, and I simply gave up trying. I have a very good GP, and she never thought it could be my diet and instead blamed my personal hygiene (yep because showering 1-2 times daily isn't enough?) and hormones. But today I look at it, and it is the best it has EVER BEEN. I almost wanted to cry, after trying so much. I can imagine it being 100% gone in two weeks - something that I simply couldn't have ever imagined a month ago.

I don't know if you will/won't find this useful, but for those that have had skin issues or bloating issues, just try gluten free for a month and see if it helps you. It's not that hard, rice is just so yummy (I eat white, red, black, brown and YELLOW) so just give it a go. Never know, you might get some amazing outcomes! This is certainly making me give a thumbs up to the concepts behind the paleo diet though!

Jess

Replies

  • Weighinginwithmy02
    Weighinginwithmy02 Posts: 369 Member
    congratulations to you! That must feel really amazing to tackle one of your life's issues and finally get the right combination to win! Well done.
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    Wow. I don't eat a lot of gluten but I'm thinking of trying this now. I suffer from cystic acne and have tried nearly everything!
  • THExNEKOxCHAN
    THExNEKOxCHAN Posts: 134 Member
    I have been cutting back on wheat products as well, and noticed that, when I cheated with bread or pasta I, too, got bloated and gassy, only I had the opposite effect of you: I had diarrhea the next day. So I'm looking for gluten free alternatives now.
  • Soozie1978
    Soozie1978 Posts: 138 Member
    I'm so glad you are having results from the gluten free diet. I tried GF myself about 4 years ago. I first did like you, having gluten once in a while. My stomach symptoms improved greatly, and I experienced the bloating, gas, and "bathroom issues" every time I ate wheat. I continued this a few years until I realized that the horrible cystic acne breakouts, hives, and scaly itching seemed to be related to the gluten, also. Now I am completely gluten free except the occasional accidental ingestion, which still causes the symptoms. I, too, saw specialists for acne breakouts and even had injections into the cysts to prevent scarring. Nothing ever helped and I just learned to live with it. The difference is that I am 56 years old and in menopause and still continuing to have these breakouts, proving that it isn't all hormones and hygiene! I'm so glad you have found a cause and can do something about it.

    Other starches to try besides rice - Quinoa, lentils and other beans, sweet potatoes, corn tortillas. Try new things! One of my favorites is crackers and chips made from lentils. It gives me the crunch I sometimes crave!
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
    Nice post. It may not a be a gluten problem. I was on an acid blocker because of acid reflux for months. However, I did not want to be on them for life. The doctor said I had a bad stomach valve. However, I tested different foods to see if that was correct. I noticed pizza gave me the worst acid reflux, gas, etc.

    One night I ate a lot of cheese and nothing else before bed- no acid reflux or other problems.

    Next night tomatoe sauce (salsa) and nothing else before bed- no acid reflux or other problems.

    Then when I ate bread (white flour) before bed- acid reflux and other issues.

    I then ate other gluten products- beer- no problems. I never had problems with bread for the past 40 years. And now a problem. Thus, I suspect it may be the genetic engineering of the wheat and not the gluten.

    The companies look for a pesticide that they have patented or can patent which kills most plants, including the wheat. Then they genetically engineer the wheat so that the patented pesticide does not kill the genetically engineered wheat. They then are able to sell both the pesticide and wheat at an inflated price.

    I suggest using the food diary to find out what food exactly is bothering you and why.

    Good luck.
    Hey guys,

    So I have been *mostly* gluten free for the past month. No bread, no pastas, no pizza. I have changed my diet in a few other ways by also avoiding red meat more and adding more chia seeds, sunflower seeds and upping protein. I am not intolerant to anything, no allergies. I still have sauces (some of which have gluten) and can't stay away from my chocolate.

    I used to have a serving of bread or pasta every day. Instead I stick to only rice or quinoa.

    In regards to what I have noticed, I had pizza last weekend, and got a horrible stomach ache and really gassy (that could have been the cheese though). I had pasta this weekend, and let's just say... it took me 48hours to use the bathroom, on top of having a horrible stomach ache. And that was a small serving! It stuffed up my energy levels a lot as well.

    The biggest difference I have found for all the ladies (maybe some men?) out there is my skin. I have had horrible acne patches since I was 13 (8 years) and have been on the heaviest medication for it from a specialist, tried creams, antibiotics etc. There is some scarring and a lot of blotchiness, but it only ever went down a little, and I simply gave up trying. I have a very good GP, and she never thought it could be my diet and instead blamed my personal hygiene (yep because showering 1-2 times daily isn't enough?) and hormones. But today I look at it, and it is the best it has EVER BEEN. I almost wanted to cry, after trying so much. I can imagine it being 100% gone in two weeks - something that I simply couldn't have ever imagined a month ago.

    I don't know if you will/won't find this useful, but for those that have had skin issues or bloating issues, just try gluten free for a month and see if it helps you. It's not that hard, rice is just so yummy (I eat white, red, black, brown and YELLOW) so just give it a go. Never know, you might get some amazing outcomes! This is certainly making me give a thumbs up to the concepts behind the paleo diet though!

    Jess
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    Hey guys,

    Glad to see you have had positive outcomes too!! I really never thought it could be an issue simply because I wasn't labelled as 'gluten-intolerant'. Yeah, I found it was really the pasta that got me bad. Perhaps it's the very refined stuff that I don't like. I will test it with some wholemeal bread some time when I get a chance and really try to notice how I react.

    And thanks for the food suggestions :) don't worry, being the lucky one I am living in Japan, sweet potatoes are so easy to get (and so much yummier here) as well as all the beans in the world from online stores. Speaking of which, I need to soak my chick-peas! Baked sweet potato is my favourite dessert mmmm it's even better with Haagendas (excuse spelling) icecream as well!

    Cheers
  • THExNEKOxCHAN
    THExNEKOxCHAN Posts: 134 Member
    Patentguru, have you checked the ingredients in the bread you were eating? I find a lot of breads have soy flour added (a huge no-no in my book), as well as other odds and ends that shouldn't be in bread. Soy is also a major GMO crop.
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
    Patentguru, have you checked the ingredients in the bread you were eating? I find a lot of breads have soy flour added (a huge no-no in my book), as well as other odds and ends that shouldn't be in bread. Soy is also a major GMO crop.

    Good point. I will look at that.

Categories