What are the benefits of Gluten Free?

I will admit that I roll my eyes at people who go GF who don't have to. Because I have to. If you don't have a medical reason, don't do it. It makes those of us who don't have a choice look like we are jumping on a bandwagon.

I will admit that I roll my eyes at people who go GF who don't have to. Because I have to. If you don't have a medical reason, don't do it. It makes those of us who don't have a choice look like we are jumping on a bandwagon.

I know this isn't the same thing, but this is what bothers me about being a vegetarian. I am one primarily for ethical reasons and have been for years, but I'm tired of people jumping on the veg*n bandwagon because they think it will help them lose weight, restrict, or make them supremely healthy. Also, it's damn annoying when those same people eat fish or eat a burger once a year as a "treat". It's why some people act like I'm a pain in the *kitten* because I don't want to eat chicken, fish, and mind it if my soup is made with chicken broth.

people don't have to live their lives based on the way you live yours. and the way they live their lives has NO reflection on you. It actually has nothing to do with you at all.

If someone wants to become a vegetarian because they want the health benefits, who are you to say that's wrong?

Because being a vegetarian is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. And, as I said, many of those same people have a burger as a "treat" or will occasionally eat chicken or fish, and then call themselves a vegetarian. They put a label on something and adapt the lifestyle without adhering to it. Some people abandon the lifestyle if it doesn't give them what they want (e.g. weight loss). That makes things more difficult for people who DO adhere to the lifestyle and take it very seriously; we're viewed as a pain in the *kitten* because we don't have chicken "just this once".

I will admit that I roll my eyes at people who go GF who don't have to. Because I have to. If you don't have a medical reason, don't do it. It makes those of us who don't have a choice look like we are jumping on a bandwagon.

I know this isn't the same thing, but this is what bothers me about being a vegetarian. I am one primarily for ethical reasons and have been for years, but I'm tired of people jumping on the veg*n bandwagon because they think it will help them lose weight, restrict, or make them supremely healthy. Also, it's damn annoying when those same people eat fish or eat a burger once a year as a "treat". It's why some people act like I'm a pain in the *kitten* because I don't want to eat chicken, fish, and mind it if my soup is made with chicken broth.

people don't have to live their lives based on the way you live yours. and the way they live their lives has NO reflection on you. It actually has nothing to do with you at all.

If someone wants to become a vegetarian because they want the health benefits, who are you to say that's wrong?

Because being a vegetarian is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. And, as I said, many of those same people have a burger as a "treat" or will occasionally eat chicken or fish, and then call themselves a vegetarian. They put a label on something and adapt the lifestyle without adhering to it. Some people abandon the lifestyle if it doesn't give them what they want (e.g. weight loss). That makes things more difficult for people who DO adhere to the lifestyle and take it very seriously; we're viewed as a pain in the *kitten* because we don't have chicken "just this once".

i think this is a massive over-generalization.

for instance - I'm not completely vegetarian, but I eat very little meat. When I'm home I only cook/eat ovo-veg (don't do dairy), so that when I'm out and about, I don't have to worry quite so much about what I'm eating. I personally feel that all of us should cut back on our meat intake for multiple reasons - health/ethics/environment - but just because we don't adhere 100% doesn't mean we're looking for a "quick fix" or that we're tarnishing the vegetarian label, or that we don't understand/agree with the ethical issues at play.

I have the utmost respect for people who are 100% veg/vegan/etc, and for those who have to adhere to strict diets due to health issues. I might be among them, thus my experimenting with GF to deal with my inflammation and reflux issues.

But again, how does it hurt you if I don't completely adhere to a vegetarian diet?

I would disagree that it isn't a fad, by definition. But thank you for your post. I don't know much about gluten, or Celiac Disease, so I wanted to better understand. Definitely not trying to knock GF, just really curious, and uninformed.

Is gluten just in wheat, or is it in other products?

If you're forced to eat a certain way because your body doesn't digest wheat, how is that a fad? it's no different from taking medicine to treat an illness - it's what you have to do to stay healthy. For people with Celiac it's not a choice. Fads are - by definition - not necessary to your health.

Gluten is found in a number of grains:

Barley, including barley malt
Bran
Bulgur
Farina
Kamut
Orzo
Semolina
Spelt
Wheat

and in anything with wheat, wheat flour, white flour, etc as an ingredient. tons of processed foods also include it.

Oh please, I know SO many people that jump on the GF train without seeing a doctor, conducting tests, seeing a nutritionist, etc. They just decide one day that going GF will change their life and make their body some high powered machine. Then when that doesn't work, they keep experimenting (e.g. going dairy free, cutting out meat, cutting our fruit, etc). Messing with your body without guidance is incredibly irresponsible and could lead to further intolerances and digestive issues. Also, going GF pretty prevalent in EDs now because it's a way to restrict the diet and avoid carbohydrates under the rouse of being GF. To say that it is helpful to many people is correct, but to say it isn't a fad is a total falsehood.

I wanted to lose weight, so it was suggested I give up wheat products and grains. When I asked "why them?" I was told they are the bulk of the problems in today's health world. I asked further and was told "Well, we humans survived before agriculture and wheat was eaten, so we really don't need wheat and our bodies aren't designed to digest it..."

I went off wheat and grains, and dropped 20 lbs in three months. I went into my doc's office and had bloodwork drawn because I wanted to check my cholesterol. Interesting sidebar: my RA factor had been at 23, or in the "danger zone for positive", according to my doctor, prior to going off wheat (and gluten). I had been experiencing all over body aches, muscle pains, skin rashes, moody, PMS, gas, bloating and insomnia. AFTER I went off wheat (remember, I didn't say GF here), my symptoms disappeared in a week. After three months, my cholesterol dropped 40 pts and my RA was back down to 14, a safe range.

I had an undiagnosed auto immune response to something my doctor never identified. She tested me for fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, lupus and RA. What she didn't test me for was a gluten intolerance. But, the change in my diet cured ALL my symptoms the doctor assumed were of the above. Gluten was the culprit, and I had the evidence to show it.

Please don't tell me that all people who choose GF are doing it as a "fad". I wanted to lose weight, it was suggested I give up WHEAT and all WHEAT products, and as a result, my health improved tremendously. I've been GF for 2 yrs now and I hadn't felt this good in years.

I guess this is how I feel - if you're going gluten free/dairy free/ etc etc for purely weight-loss reasons, then that's silly and I'd absolutely lump it in with fad diets.

If you're doing it to improve your quality of life, no matter the severity of your potential sensitivity, I don't think it's a fad.

Lemme see here....Gluten-laced foods make me feel achy, tired, bloated, gassy, crampy, PMSy, itchy, sluggish. Gluten free foods make me feel energetic, give me a flat belly, virtually no PMS (and I'm in perimenopause), the ability to sleep, the ability to flex, etc.

Is there really a question about whether or not GF is a health choice or a fad diet for me? I don't think so.

I would disagree that it isn't a fad, by definition. But thank you for your post. I don't know much about gluten, or Celiac Disease, so I wanted to better understand. Definitely not trying to knock GF, just really curious, and uninformed.

Is gluten just in wheat, or is it in other products?

If you're forced to eat a certain way because your body doesn't digest wheat, how is that a fad? it's no different from taking medicine to treat an illness - it's what you have to do to stay healthy. For people with Celiac it's not a choice. Fads are - by definition - not necessary to your health.

Gluten is found in a number of grains:

Barley, including barley malt
Bran
Bulgur
Farina
Kamut
Orzo
Semolina
Spelt
Wheat

and in anything with wheat, wheat flour, white flour, etc as an ingredient. tons of processed foods also include it.

Oh please, I know SO many people that jump on the GF train without seeing a doctor, conducting tests, seeing a nutritionist, etc. They just decide one day that going GF will change their life and make their body some high powered machine. Then when that doesn't work, they keep experimenting (e.g. going dairy free, cutting out meat, cutting our fruit, etc). Messing with your body without guidance is incredibly irresponsible and could lead to further intolerances and digestive issues. Also, going GF pretty prevalent in EDs now because it's a way to restrict the diet and avoid carbohydrates under the rouse of being GF. To say that it is helpful to many people is correct, but to say it isn't a fad is a total falsehood.

I wanted to lose weight, so it was suggested I give up wheat products and grains. When I asked "why them?" I was told they are the bulk of the problems in today's health world. I asked further and was told "Well, we humans survived before agriculture and wheat was eaten, so we really don't need wheat and our bodies aren't designed to digest it..."

I went off wheat and grains, and dropped 20 lbs in three months. I went into my doc's office and had bloodwork drawn because I wanted to check my cholesterol. Interesting sidebar: my RA factor had been at 23, or in the "danger zone for positive", according to my doctor, prior to going off wheat (and gluten). I had been experiencing all over body aches, muscle pains, skin rashes, moody, PMS, gas, bloating and insomnia. AFTER I went off wheat (remember, I didn't say GF here), my symptoms disappeared in a week. After three months, my cholesterol dropped 40 pts and my RA was back down to 14, a safe range.

I had an undiagnosed auto immune response to something my doctor never identified. She tested me for fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, lupus and RA. What she didn't test me for was a gluten intolerance. But, the change in my diet cured ALL my symptoms the doctor assumed were of the above. Gluten was the culprit, and I had the evidence to show it.

Please don't tell me that all people who choose GF are doing it as a "fad". I wanted to lose weight, it was suggested I give up WHEAT and all WHEAT products, and as a result, my health improved tremendously. I've been GF for 2 yrs now and I hadn't felt this good in years.

Reading comprehension 101: I never said all people who go GF are doing it as a fad. You went GF because of medical reasons, and are not included in the group of people I was referring to.

Reading comprehension 102: And I said I didn't set out to go GF, nor was I officially diagnosed as GF intolerant. I said I gave up WHEAT and GRAINS to lose weight, and as a sidebar to that, LOST a lot of weight AND cured my health issues, all at once. I discovered all on my own that the "fad diet" I was on was actually the cure for some longstanding, undiagnosed, entirely curable symptoms of which I didn't have any idea were caused by gluten.

I firmly believe that MANY, MANY people out there are gluten intolerant, yet do not know they are. They have symptoms that are given another label, or they just "deal" with the symptoms because "it's been like this for years, nothing I can do about it".

I suggest everyone tries a one-week elimination diet to see if they have experienced any relief of their symptoms. If they have, then it's worth further examination. If they haven't then gluten wasn't the culprit to begin with. There is absolutely no harm in doing an elimination diet. It just means being very disciplined.

I guess this is how I feel - if you're going gluten free/dairy free/ etc etc for purely weight-loss reasons, then that's silly and I'd absolutely lump it in with fad diets.

If you're doing it to improve your quality of life, no matter the severity of your potential sensitivity, I don't think it's a fad.

Lemme see here....Gluten-laced foods make me feel achy, tired, bloated, gassy, crampy, PMSy, itchy, sluggish. Gluten free foods make me feel energetic, give me a flat belly, virtually no PMS (and I'm in perimenopause), the ability to sleep, the ability to flex, etc.

Is there really a question about whether or not GF is a health choice or a fad diet for me? I don't think so.

lol also with the reading comprehension - in what world did i say that GF would be a fad diet for you??

I was SUPPORTING your commentary.

Fad, noun; An intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, esp. one that is short-lived; a craze.
Just saying. Just because it is for your health, doesn't necessarily mean it's not a fad.

& Thank you

I would disagree that it isn't a fad, by definition. But thank you for your post. I don't know much about gluten, or Celiac Disease, so I wanted to better understand. Definitely not trying to knock GF, just really curious, and uninformed.

Is gluten just in wheat, or is it in other products?

If you're forced to eat a certain way because your body doesn't digest wheat, how is that a fad? it's no different from taking medicine to treat an illness - it's what you have to do to stay healthy. For people with Celiac it's not a choice. Fads are - by definition - not necessary to your health.

Gluten is found in a number of grains:

Barley, including barley malt
Bran
Bulgur
Farina
Kamut
Orzo
Semolina
Spelt
Wheat

and in anything with wheat, wheat flour, white flour, etc as an ingredient. tons of processed foods also include it.

Oh please, I know SO many people that jump on the GF train without seeing a doctor, conducting tests, seeing a nutritionist, etc. They just decide one day that going GF will change their life and make their body some high powered machine. Then when that doesn't work, they keep experimenting (e.g. going dairy free, cutting out meat, cutting our fruit, etc). Messing with your body without guidance is incredibly irresponsible and could lead to further intolerances and digestive issues. Also, going GF pretty prevalent in EDs now because it's a way to restrict the diet and avoid carbohydrates under the rouse of being GF. To say that it is helpful to many people is correct, but to say it isn't a fad is a total falsehood.

I wanted to lose weight, so it was suggested I give up wheat products and grains. When I asked "why them?" I was told they are the bulk of the problems in today's health world. I asked further and was told "Well, we humans survived before agriculture and wheat was eaten, so we really don't need wheat and our bodies aren't designed to digest it..."

I went off wheat and grains, and dropped 20 lbs in three months. I went into my doc's office and had bloodwork drawn because I wanted to check my cholesterol. Interesting sidebar: my RA factor had been at 23, or in the "danger zone for positive", according to my doctor, prior to going off wheat (and gluten). I had been experiencing all over body aches, muscle pains, skin rashes, moody, PMS, gas, bloating and insomnia. AFTER I went off wheat (remember, I didn't say GF here), my symptoms disappeared in a week. After three months, my cholesterol dropped 40 pts and my RA was back down to 14, a safe range.

I had an undiagnosed auto immune response to something my doctor never identified. She tested me for fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, lupus and RA. What she didn't test me for was a gluten intolerance. But, the change in my diet cured ALL my symptoms the doctor assumed were of the above. Gluten was the culprit, and I had the evidence to show it.

Please don't tell me that all people who choose GF are doing it as a "fad". I wanted to lose weight, it was suggested I give up WHEAT and all WHEAT products, and as a result, my health improved tremendously. I've been GF for 2 yrs now and I hadn't felt this good in years.

Reading comprehension 101: I never said all people who go GF are doing it as a fad. You went GF because of medical reasons, and are not included in the group of people I was referring to.

Reading comprehension 102: And I said I didn't set out to go GF, nor was I officially diagnosed as GF intolerant. I said I gave up WHEAT and GRAINS to lose weight, and as a sidebar to that, LOST a lot of weight AND cured my health issues, all at once. I discovered all on my own that the "fad diet" I was on was actually the cure for some longstanding, undiagnosed, entirely curable symptoms of which I didn't have any idea were caused by gluten.

I firmly believe that MANY, MANY people out there are gluten intolerant, yet do not know they are. They have symptoms that are given another label, or they just "deal" with the symptoms because "it's been like this for years, nothing I can do about it".

I suggest everyone tries a one-week elimination diet to see if they have experienced any relief of their symptoms. If they have, then it's worth further examination. If they haven't then gluten wasn't the culprit to begin with. There is absolutely no harm in doing an elimination diet. It just means being very disciplined.

Um, okay, you also said that your medical issues were helped and an undiagnosed autoimmune disease was discovered. You also mention a slew of medical issues you had and were looking to heal. Therefore, you continue to remain GF for medical reasons, yes?

Anyway, good for you. I'm glad things worked out. Hate to tell you, though, but it can still be a fad. People need to learn the definition of what a fad is, apparently, because it is not the same as eliminating it for medical issues.

I will admit that I roll my eyes at people who go GF who don't have to. Because I have to. If you don't have a medical reason, don't do it. It makes those of us who don't have a choice look like we are jumping on a bandwagon.

I know this isn't the same thing, but this is what bothers me about being a vegetarian. I am one primarily for ethical reasons and have been for years, but I'm tired of people jumping on the veg*n bandwagon because they think it will help them lose weight, restrict, or make them supremely healthy. Also, it's damn annoying when those same people eat fish or eat a burger once a year as a "treat". It's why some people act like I'm a pain in the *kitten* because I don't want to eat chicken, fish, and mind it if my soup is made with chicken broth.

people don't have to live their lives based on the way you live yours. and the way they live their lives has NO reflection on you. It actually has nothing to do with you at all.

If someone wants to become a vegetarian because they want the health benefits, who are you to say that's wrong?

Because being a vegetarian is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. And, as I said, many of those same people have a burger as a "treat" or will occasionally eat chicken or fish, and then call themselves a vegetarian. They put a label on something and adapt the lifestyle without adhering to it. Some people abandon the lifestyle if it doesn't give them what they want (e.g. weight loss). That makes things more difficult for people who DO adhere to the lifestyle and take it very seriously; we're viewed as a pain in the *kitten* because we don't have chicken "just this once".