Why gluten-free?

If you can eat it and it doesn't bother you, EAT IT. When I eat it, I look pregnant, feel lethargic, and clog toilets. I gave it up before it was super trendy, but my instinct is that this is an issue for a lot of people, since everyone I know who's given it up for the sake of the trend tends to feel better. This could merely be because giving up an ingredient that is in pretty much everything that's packaged FORCES you to have a really clean, unprocessed diet, or just to have better general awareness of what's going into your body, which will obviously make you feel better than your diet of easy-mac. But then again, I'm not one who tries to substitute (in my opinion, gluten free breads usually taste like gravel). If you do substitute with g free alternatives, they tend to be higher in calories and crap than the regular kind, and that's certainly not a path to health.

I cannot believe the neg talk and outright attacks. Seriously guys. If you don't suffer from allergies, count your lucky stars. But I kindly ask you not to cruelly attack those trying to help others. If you beg to differ and have a valid point with proof, then state it in an educated manner. If anything, it will enhance the validity of the point you are trying to make.

I have three personal observations on this issue:

1)

I see people buying a bevy of gluten-free processed foods in the grocery stores, which I would caution people to avoid eating. If you pick up the boxes and look at their list of ingredients, many times you will see tons of man-made substrates and all sorts of sophisticated chemicals. This advice goes for both gluten-free and non gluten-free processed foods. My advice is to eat REAL food, if it doesn't resemble what it looked like coming from animal or plant sources, then don't buy it, as it will likely cause damage to your health (wether acute or long range).

2)

What I observe in people is varying degrees of food allergies. For example, I know people who will literally die if they ingest a single peanut, while others get mild asthma symptoms after eating a handful of them. I believe that gluten sensitivity can be similar, with some people developing full blown diseases like celiac, and others mild symptoms like a bit of digestive discomfort. I have conducted a test on myself, where I eliminated wheat from my diet, and noticed that digestive discomfort was eliminated. What I did not prove however is whether it was the gluten in the wheat, or something else in the wheat. I would have to redo the experiment with gluten protein (and no wheat) to officially claim gluten sensitivity. The message here is everybody is different - and the more you pay attention to your symptoms, the better off you are attaining optimal health.

3)

I observe a growing amount of literature from doctors who specialize in wheat and gluten sensitivity. I don't think it is a bad thing to keep an open, curious mind, and keep up with the literature. Of course, always keep a sense of critical perspective, and pay attention to any hypothesis that was presented without it being adequately tested via rigorous methods.

I think when one looks behind a gluten "sensitivity" claim, you'll usually find the claimant has taken advice from a chiropractor, osteopath or other alt-med practitioner. You know, non-evidence based pseudoscience.

My medical doctor diagnosed me with gluten sensitivity.

Which is why I used the modifier "usually".

Gluten..........the new blame child.

^^^^ this

it's much easier for people to blame being overweight on a popularly demonised food, than just say "well I'm fat because I eat too much and I'm not very active".......

noooooo............ it wasn't me, I'm not responsible, it was the wheat!!!!!

I`m not overweight, never have been by more than 30 lbs. I am gluten intolerant, wasn't diagnosed by a chiropractor either. Since some of you think a gluten intolerance is all in our heads or a fad let me fill you in on the delights of what happens when I eat gluten.

It starts off with a rumbling and cramps, progresses to severe cramping and bloating, moves on to either diarrhea or large, foul smelling, oily bowel movements that often contain a lot of mucus and possibly blood. Before I knew what the issue was my guts had gotten so inflamed my abdomen was actually sore to touch. Some lesser side effects are headache, joint pain, sinus pressure, rash, incontinence and anemia. I know it`s just my imagination because I have no science to impress you with but I honestly wouldn't wish it on anyone. If I eat something with gluten in it I'm usually about 3 days feeling like crap before I get back to normal.

The world is not made for the gluten intolerant so getting glutened happens quite often and I pretty much cook everything from scratch because gluten is hidden in just about all processed foods. It's not just looking for wheat on a label but a whole list of other things that contain gluten and if that isn't enough a lot of foods I can eat are processed in plants that process wheat so they've been contaminated. Restaurants have very little grip on the whole issue so eating out is always a gamble.

I hope all of the pompous *kitten* who think it's funny or that we're all hypochondriacs looking for an excuse for something never have experience any of this. If you really want to have a giggle you could come over and spend some time with my granddaughter when she's been accidentally glutened by someone. She's been celiac since birth and you really haven't lived until you've had to try to clean the bottom of a baby who has huge sores because her poop is so toxic it eats the skin off.

Because free will

I eat gluten free because I have Hashimotos and I'm also intolerant to gluten. It makes me drowsy, depressed, inflamed, and bloated. I guess maybe people who are not sensitive to gluten want to try it out? Does it bother you that some people are going about their weight loss differently than you?

because they like spending more money than necessary ? gluten free bread costs $5 a loaf vs $2 for regular.

i also think some people who arent legitimately affected by it do it as a way to mask eating disorders

You can eat meat/veg/fruit

If you want to eat bread/biscuits/cake then buy gluten free products. But they will have more calories/salt/sugar in them.

i's really not that simple. as some one with wheat sensitivities i can tell you that just cutting out bread/biscuits/cake will not automatically leave you gluten free. flavored coffees, pickles, prepared veggie burgers, sausages, prepped salad dressings, cold cuts, curry powder, most prepared soups etc all contain gluten. cosmetic wise, many lipsticks also contain gluten

that's part of the reason why i think it's hilarious when people with non gluten sensitivities brag about how easy it is to be gluten free but they still use soy sauce, eat regular fries and use flavored coffee beans.

personally i'm ok with the craze because now that's why someone like me who has to eat wheat free has more options. for instance now betty crocker has a separate gluten free facility and they make box mixes just like for the normies :happy:

I beg to disagree...it is really as simple as meat/veg/fruit. They are not processed foods. All natural foods are OK to eat on a gluten free diet.

If you add gluten free processed foods then they will be full of calories, more so then the processed foods that are not gluten free.

Coeliacs disease if diagnosed, is a debilitating illness and can cause serious issues.

If someone wants to eat `clean` meat/veg/fruit/non processed then go for it ..and why not

I think when one looks behind a gluten "sensitivity" claim, you'll usually find the claimant has taken advice from a chiropractor, osteopath or other alt-med practitioner. You know, non-evidence based pseudoscience.

And you know this how?

People with a gluten sensitivity or celiacs have had a blood test done for the antigen that gives them the sensitivity. They're not going on your "non-evidenced based pseudoscience". Blood test is evidence of an intolerance.

I think when one looks behind a gluten "sensitivity" claim, you'll usually find the claimant has taken advice from a chiropractor, osteopath or other alt-med practitioner. You know, non-evidence based pseudoscience.

And you know this how?

People with a gluten sensitivity or celiacs have had a blood test done for the antigen that gives them the sensitivity. They're not going on your "non-evidenced based pseudoscience". Blood test is evidence of an intolerance.

Really? From the NFCA:

Currently, there are no recommended methods to test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Some doctors offer saliva, blood or stool testing. However, these tests have not been validated and are therefore not accepted.
In NFCA’s webcast, Dr. Guandalini states:
“As a matter of fact, right now, they are to say that there is absolutely no biological readout that is no way can this diagnosis can be supported by any laboratory investigation. No antibodies in the blood are specific enough, or sensitive enough, for this condition. No antibodies in the stools can be utilized to diagnose or screen for this condition.”

http://www.celiaccentral.org/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity/testing-and-diagnosis/

I think when one looks behind a gluten "sensitivity" claim, you'll usually find the claimant has taken advice from a chiropractor, osteopath or other alt-med practitioner. You know, non-evidence based pseudoscience.

Not in my case. No doctor could figure out was wrong with me. I took it upon myself to try eliminating gluten (I think the idea came from a family member who's husband had celiacs and she thought my symptoms sounded familiar). It turns out that my IBS, joint pain & extreme abdominal discomfort (to the point of missing work quite frequently) all disappear when I don't eat gluten. No chiropractor or other alt-med practitioner was involved.