Do YOU need to go gluten free?

[miss_thenorth]

It seems more and more of us are deciding we need to go gluten-free. I think, honestly, if you are not feeling 100%, it is worth looking into.

I know Bubblingbrooks pushes that everyone look into adrenal fatigue, but seriously, adrenal fatigue may have alot to do with gluten sensitivites, as well as othe things, (eating alot of processed foods etc).

Do you have acid reflux? GERD? Low iron levels, B12 levels? Do you feel light headed, dizzy sometimes? Is your memory not what it used to be? Do you feel weak, tired? Do your bones ache, your muscles ache for no explained reason? Do you have issues with your bowels? Have ou been told you have fibromyalgia?

With your blood tests, have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (or two or three?) or at least showing antibodies of autoimmune disease? Is yor SED rate elevated? Do you experience cramping and bloating? Do you get colds and infections easily? Have you experienced mild depression?

these are all things that i have experienced. Some people have the same , some people have more or different syptoms. What have you experienced?

I say ,as it is appearing to me that this is more widespread than originally thought, that if you are not feeling 100%, give up gluten for two weeks. It won't kill ya, but it might save you alot of grief.

 

[Britesea]

You are right Marianne, the whole gluten issue has become the "syndrome de jour" in some circles. I remember when sugar was the root of all evil... we found by process of elimination that it wasn't the sugar in his diet that made my youngest son climb the walls; it was red dye. I'm not saying that sugar is good, just that it wasn't the culprit in this particular case.

 

[Britesea]

I think the elimination diet may be your best bet. Otherwise, you will soon be reduced to eating nothing but brown rice and drinking water. (and even the brown rice might be a culprit- it appears to have higher than normal amounts of arsenic)

 

[Marianne]

Around here, this is almost a taboo subject. I don't have to be gluten free, DH and I don't have issues that are related to gluten. But, by cracky, the rest of the crunchy community in my area will flat shun you if you aren't gluten free or pretend to be. I don't understand a neighbor who screams 'gluten free', but feeds her kids purchased protein bars, rice cakes, no fruit...well, you get the drift, the opposite of what I'd eat.

Individual health, like home remedies, is not a one size fits all. I also believe that for SOME, it's not necessarily the gluten, it's some other stuff, preservatives, etc etc.
Not to be offensive...honest.

 

[so lucky]

Having been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis about 18 years ago, I think there are some foods that trigger flares, and make my life miserable in other ways as well. I just haven't been able to pinpoint what foods that would be. Recently I have been reading about a modification of the GAPS diet that addresses inflammation. It eliminates all nightshade foods, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant. I think I need to try this but am having a hard time getting my mind around it. What will I eat? I have already eliminated sugar, pre-packaged foods, corn. This diet also takes away dairy and all grains.
I love my raw milk. It's taking me a while to work up to it.
I may try a specific elimination diet for a couple of weeks....say...just eliminate the nightshades, as they seem to be the most likely culprit. Best to do it before my garden tomatoes start producing, I guess.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I also frequently mention going gluten free as a part of the process.
I am certain I have had trouble with gluten all my life. Just wish I had known about it earlier in life, before things got so bad.
Right now hoping to have an opportunity to speak with a friend at church who is displaying classic gluten issues, and they are getting very bad

 

[miss_thenorth]

Mee too. I had issues my whole childhood. Looking back now, I am 100% sure it was b/c of gluten issues. Its been aomost two years GF, and I am so much better off. Not completely healed, but getting there.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Mee too. I had issues my whole childhood. Looking back now, I am 100% sure it was b/c of gluten issues. Its been aomost two years GF, and I am so much better off. Not completely healed, but getting there.

What were your symptoms?
I never new that my inability to focus and difficulty understanding most of my school work was gluten induced brain fog.
A few months after going gluten free, and as a result feeling like a new person, DH and I played a game of scrabble.
Never had done well at it, even though I enjoy the game.
I more then tripled my usual score, and we actually scratched our heads over that one for a bit, before we realized what had happened!

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Oh! I takes a full year for gluten to clear our bodies, and then another 2 years of persistent work to heal.
That means I have another year to go

 

[miss_thenorth]

Mee too. I had issues my whole childhood. Looking back now, I am 100% sure it was b/c of gluten issues. Its been aomost two years GF, and I am so much better off. Not completely healed, but getting there.

What were your symptoms?
I never new that my inability to focus and difficulty understanding most of my school work was gluten induced brain fog.
A few months after going gluten free, and as a result feeling like a new person, DH and I played a game of scrabble.
Never had done well at it, even though I enjoy the game.
I more then tripled my usual score, and we actually scratched our heads over that one for a bit, before we realized what had happened!

I was extremely skinny, anemic, always caught every cold or flu that was around. Later my bowels started acting up. I was told I was lactose intolerant, and it di help a very tiny bit, but alwasy had issues. It progressed after my son was born. It seemed every year there was something else. That was 15 years ago--13 by the time I went GF.