Hi there. I'm another gluten free member (also dairy free and low sugar and grains). Have had various health problem since i was a little tacker but wasn't till a few years ago that i made the connection between gluten and the constant tiredness, brain fog, cramps, bloating, nutritional deficiencies (despite eating quite healthily), etc. I thought it was because i occasionally had small amounts of dairy (was diagnosed with dairy allergy at about 2yrs old), however i didn't get much better when i cut dairy out completely.

A couple of years earlier my mum was diagnosed with Celiac disease so she suggested I try a gluten free diet and see how i felt. SOOO much better, although i wasn't heaps diligent and still had a few digestive problems and tiredness. Went and saw Dr's (plural) and had blood test after blood test. Long story short I eventually had the genetic test done and it came back positive. Tried doing the gluten challenge (introducing moderate-large amts of gluten for 4-6 wks) to get the endoscopy done. I lasted 2 days with moderate gluten intake before i gave up because i felt so sick. This was evidence enough for me that gluten was definitely the problem. It took 3 weeks till my energy returned and the bloating, etc subsided.

I have been gluten free since and feel so much better. I have my occasional slip up but then i'm only human. I try to avoid too much processed gluten free products and limit my intake of starchy grains, beans and refined sugars because i've noticed that these have similar (but milder) effects. Eating out is getting easier because many restaurants now have gluten free menus and if i think they'll be nothing i can eat at parties/outings i'll take something along or have a stash of raw nuts or fruit in my bag.

I've gotten used to the lifestyle change and really enjoy natural healthy foods. I'm working on building up my immunity by making sure i get enough important nutrients (through foods or supplements) and probiotics in my diet.

So glad this group has been started :-)

Hi everyone. I myself am not gluten free, but my husband one our of our daughters both have celiac disease so I do have to cook for them. I love my bread and pasta way too much to do gluten free myself, because all of the gluten free bread/pasta I have tried I find really nasty. My husband and daughter don't seem to mind though.

So while it sucks to make 2 seperate meals most of the time, I am learning to deal with it. I hope I can find some great recipes from all of you here to make things a bit easier and maybe I will even learn to like some of them so I only have to make one dinner!

Hi, I'm gluten free since January 2009. I am allergic to wheat and assume I am also allergic to other glutinous grains. It's pretty easy to live without flour since it makes my physically ill to consume it. I don't know if I have Celiac but don't see the point of diagnosis since I'm already taking the treatment. I avoid most all dairy products as well. Looking forward to the discussion here.

Hi everyone!
My name is Malissa from Perth, Australia and i am 41.
For the last 5 years or so I've been incredibly tired, lethargic, depressed and my weight was just going up, up up! I was also very bloated and uncomfortable most of the time, even when eating healthy.
Doctor results revealed that I did not have celiac or diabetes or thyroid issues but that we needed to test further on insulin resistance, intolerances and allergies.
I went Paleo/primal for 6 months and felt absolutely amazing! However the fat content was a little high for me and I wanted more variation in my diet so I joined WW and at their insistance added some whole grains and dairy back into my diet.
After 6 months of no grains, no dairy my body reacted terribly, prickly skin, bloated so much my stomach skin was shiny, sleepiness, bathroom complaints...
so I gave ww the flick and currently eat clean, no gluten, little dairy. I can eat goats cheese, some brands of greek yoghurt, some brands of soy products. Maybe I have an allergy/intollerance to casein also?
I let myself slip every now and then (I always use the 3 spoon rule) and occasionally suffer the consequences due to the small amount.
I dislike just about every product made as a gluten free alternative it just tastes sandy and like cardboard, and just prefer natural real food these days. I have made the worst cakes and muffins with gf flour replacements haha!!
I look forward to recipe sharing and sharing tips for restaurant ordering and going out etc.
I keep an open food diary if you want to look, please friend me if you want to talk about it further.

Hi, all! I'm Steph. My Celiac was triggered after a bout with Mono two years ago. My mother and uncle are both a-symptomatic Celiacs. After being diagnosed, my joint pain, GI issues, and neurological symptoms have pretty much dissipated! I'd be happy to share recipes, etc

Hello!!!!! I'm Jessie, um im new to this whole gluten free thing. I might have problems with it and my digestive system. not 100% sure yet, i've been to the doctor for it and im going to see a GI doctor soon. But in the mean time to try and make my life easier so i wont feel so sick all the time, im going to try and limit myself on the gluten things. any advice would be more than helpful! Feel free to message me or add me.

Hi,
I'm Tracey. I went back to school in my 30's and was shocked to find I was having terrible issues with focus, concentration, memory, and processing speed. Extensive testing resulted in my being diagnosed as having a learning disability. I relied heavily on tutors, extra credit, and ridiculous hours of struggling with homework to get through my science/math classes (as a geophysics major, I had a lot of those!). I had never had these troubles when I was in high school. Not long after (I'm guessing about 2003 or 2004), I was noticing that I often felt totally sedated for no reason, so I started monitoring/recording everything I ate. As it happened, I worked with autistic children, and when I mentioned to the aunt of one of my girls what I was doing and why, she suggested Celiac's as a possible issue. I Googled it, and was shocked. The list of symptoms and secondary disease processes related to gluten intolerance looked like a detailed medical history for my entire family. I had no insurance, so rather than get the blood test, I just eliminated gluten from my diet completely. The first people to notice the change were my calculus study partners. Instead of crying and swearing out of frustration, I was suddenly seeing the answers before anyone else, and helping them, instead of leaning on them for help. I firmly believe that if I were re-tested today (gluten-free) I would not be diagnosed with a learning disability.

Benefits of going gluten-free for me have been a drastic reduction in my digestive issues (for which I had seen many specialists, but the only diagnosis was IBS), elimination of anemia issues, improvement in eczema outbreaks, tremendously increased ability to focus and concentrate, improved memory, and no more asthma!! I only wish some of my family members would consider looking at gluten as a possible issue causing many of their health problems.

I'm totally thrilled that so many gluten-free products are becoming available. And the improvements in the taste and texture of gf foods in the past few years is amazing. (Udi's bread! Oh, heaven!) Now I can go out to eat in Reno, and order gluten free pasta in one of our favorite Italian restaurants. I live in a tiny town of 2500 people, and even the grocery store here carries gf crackers, cereals, and Betty Crocker gf cake mixes, brownie mixes, and Bisquick! If only I didn't have to drive an hour to find Udi's bread (and pay $7/loaf).

Anyway, I'm amazed at how many people I now know who are aware that they have gluten issues. It used to be that when I mentioned it, nobody knew what I was talking about. So having this group where we can all share experience, support, and ideas is just a great idea. Thanks!

Hi Guys,

My name is Claire and I have had to go wheat/gluten and sometimes dairy free due to IBS. I've cut out wheat from my diet entirely and what a difference it made! I can still eat Oats and small amounts of other grains so I'm not Coeliac but for all intents and purposes the damage it does if I don't stick to it then it's easier to say gluten free!

so Hiiii :-)

Hello, everyone! I do not have celiac disease, but my husband does. He was severely ill almost two years ago, to the point where we were concerned he was dying from some type of cancer. It was a strange relief to find out it was something that could be dealt with. Because he was so sick, my husband had no difficulty giving up gluten, but it hasn't always been an easy road. He also has lactose issues, although they have improved somewhat as his body has healed. It still seems to be an emotional battle for him, though, as every time he has stomach issues, he has to worry about whether or not he was inadvertently "poisoned."

I have not gone completely gluten-free in our house, but I seldom make two separate meals, unless we're having leftovers anyways or we're in a real time crunch. Usually I just make one meal for all of us, or just change one thing...like if we're having fajitas we all have flour tortillas and he has corn tortillas.

Because his weight is not an issue, a lot of my gluten-free recipes are not really low-cal, but honestly, if I was eating like him I would lose weight. He eats very little bread, even when I have fresh made GF bread for him, and he usually reaches for fruit for snacks, and such. He's pretty naturally drawn to healthy foods.

So, I am here to share experiences with you all, and to add my support. I also highly recommend glutenfreebetty.com. I have tried several of her recipes (warning...best for TREAT purposes only) and they are amazing! Brownies and a cinnabon cake and an impossible pumpkin pie (actually the pie isn't too bad for calories as it has such a minimal "crust.") I have never been disappointed in any of her recipes. Our kids like them, too.

Look forward to sharing with you all!

Hi everyone!

I recently (VERY - a week and a half) started the FODMAP diet in an effort to curb IBS issues. After eliminating Gluten, dairy and fructose for a week I have felt better. The other day I got sushi thinking it would be a safe bet but I ended up in the bathroom for a half hour after. Turns out I shouldn't have ordered Spicy Tuna (mayo) or Soy sauce (Gluten). I am still learning but it's very hard!

I think I'm going to have to permanently stop eating gluten. I'm having a really hard time coming to grips with this. I love cookies! I love pizza! I LOVE beer.

Did anyone else experience this "denial" stage when they first gave up gluten? Was it hard?

Thanks,

Erin