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Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Blogs
Celiac Makes Strange Bedfellows
Remember that Billy Joel song, "In the Middle of the Night?" I have had a very unwelcome night visitor many times in the past few years. It is the typical dermatitis that goes hand in hand with Celiac disease, or better stated, "hand and nail," because the uncontrollable compulsion to rub and scratch cannot be contained. Here is the sequence. I awake from a sound sleep - conscious of a localized hot spot which is red and round and very visible. Quickly it becomes pimply and extremely itchy.How To Get Better?
Wow! Diagnosed in January by a letter. Could not get an appointment with GI until March? Very overwhelmed. I have been on the diet for 3 weeks. Still not feeling better. How long does it take? I have had bone and joint pain, numbness, fatigue, GI symptoms, nausea, sleeping problems, sinus problems, dizziness, weight loss. I have been sick for 9 mos and have been told I was crazy and there was nothing wrong with me. Every test has been negative except my small intesting biopsy. If any onList Of Symptoms That I've Noticed Have Disappeared.
I am into about week 4 or 5 of gluten free again. I am still waiting to hear when my specialist appointment is and know that I might be doing the stupid thing by staying gluten free in the event they are going to biopsy. I keep telling myself "tomorrow I'll go back on", but then I just can't stand the thought of it, and dealing with the symptoms again....so, having said that, here is the list of symptoms I have noticed that have disappeared since going gluten free. 1. Canker sores gone.I Had My Cakes and Ate Them Too
I've been rice-free for eight years and suspected rice as a problem just as I discovered I was a Celiac. However it apparently is not and in fact I show almost no sensitivity to it when compared to nuts and treated dairy, which I tolerate but occasionally react too. I tried two types of rice. One was a processed white rice which was combined with vegetables. It tasted like chlorine or iodine so I don't plan on that again. However, brown rice cakes were a limited success. I say "limited" becaConfessions Of A Carboholic
I love my carbs! I love toast, muffins, bagels with peanut butter and cereals (hot or cold). That is why I was so disappointment at my first venture into gluten free breads. Being new to the whole gluten free world I started off buying the frozen, pre-made loaves. The slices were all frozen together, so there I stood in my kitchen when I got home, chiselling bits of "bread" off this frozen loaf. Toasted...not bad. Made a sandwich for lunch the next day. I was so looking forward to eatThe Beginning
Here is my story. I don't know if I am celiac but am in the midst of the process. Being in Canada with our "universal health care" system, it may be quite a long while before I get any diagnosis. I probably had symptoms eons ago, just never really realized they were symptoms. The first GI issues I really remember having was when I was pregnant. I would get these really gassy, bloated bouts and just figured it was a pregnancy thing...I became gassier than normal. I mentioned this to my dNeed Some Help?
Hello everyone..I am suffering right now and all confused as to what is going on with me.I have been diagnosed with celiac and Fibromyalgia and Hypothyroid disease among other things like arthritis and tons of tummy troubles.My main concern right this moment is that I am losing my hair rapidly.All women out there know this is one of the most horrifying things for us to have happen.I can not seem to get any Dr to listen to me about this.I feel like I am dying slowly and no one will listen to me aThe Beginning
So the doctor has diagnosed me with Celiac disease, though I have yet to have a colonoscopy or biopsy to see how bad it is... So far I have visited Vitamin Cottage and recieved a list of all their products that are gluten-free. Wow, what service! Whenever I shop there, I always get a feeling that they care. Rare nowadays. I have a couple of cookbooks for gluten free cooking. Good ones, too. I also had to clean out my cabinets and fridge. My poor cabinets looked so bare when I was doBread And Jamnesia
Revelation: I know why it takes 3 years to get a hang of the gluten-free diet-- Because it takes about that long to forget how real bread tastes! And when you've been NOT eating the real thing for two years, like me, you DO forget what the real thing tastes like. And THAT makes the fake versions much more palatable! Now the newbies at the celiac support group meeting will look at ME like I have three eyeballs when I join the "old, wise ones" and proclaim, "it tastes just like the real thingDr Rodney Ford's Blog
I have launched my "The Gluten Syndrome" on YouTube. Open Original Shared Link I have got heaps of great feedback. In 2 minutes you can hear my theory on how gluten causes its harm. What do you think of this video? Please “rate it” and make a “comment”, and also pass on the link to your friends. The idea is to help the millions of gluten sufferers who are unaware of the problem. Thanks. Cheers Rodney. = = = = = = = =Learning To Accept
When my illness hit me four years ago, I was sure that it was temporary. I knew in my mind that in time, I would be back to perfect health without any worries. But as time went on, I only saw the opposite happen. And even when I was 100 pounds, I still felt that complete wellness was possible. I always prided myself on my optimism through periods that would break many people in half. Things have changed now. That unwavering optimism has all but disappeared. The fact is that I don't have the tyThe Supermarket
I go to the supermarket often, at least three times per week. Since I can't eat, I buy a lot of things to drink. Mainly I buy Sprite, Water, Gatorade, and Nantucket Nectar Lemonade. They are the staples of my "diet". But it is definitely strange to be the guy who always goes through the checkout line with a cart loaded with drinks, and no food. A few employees have even asked why I buy so many beverages, but no food. When I tell them that I don't eat, they don't understand. "How can someone juI Can See Clearly Now...
the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way... I got contact lenses. This has been a difficult couple of years for me, vision-wise. I've always had great vision and didn't have to wear glasses or contacts up until I was about 40 or so. I had to get some reading glasses. Since then, my vision has gotten worse and I've need some correction for my distance vision. At first I tried the no-line bifocals, but I couldn't use those at all. They were horrible! Then I tried theEating Lately
gluten-free foods I've tried lately: GlutenFreeda's frozen cookies- forgot the name of the flavor- something w/pb & ch chips- Ok, but 140 cal/ea. and I think they taste better frozen, just the dough, which is probably how I'll eat the rest of them. Ian's frozen fish sticks- excellent! Addictive! Very crunchy! Ian's frozen turkey corn dog bites- very good Large gluten-free pasta shells- haven't tried them yet. I despise the gray-looking rice pasta for the mushiness and the bNew To This
So, after 22 years and so many problems, they have found that I don't have Celiac disease but I have such a high intolerance that they can pretty much count it as such. For two months I've been living wheat/gluten free and frankly enjoy it - besides the weight gain As I was reading in the community, I was wondering if anyone can recommend any great foods out there - that we maybe can buy online? I live Santa Barbara Ca. and everything is WAY over priced. I also have to ask...anySnacks for "Yaks" - Specific Carbohydrate Diet Ideas
Are you anything like I was, addicted to starchy foods most of my adult life? I could make an entire box of Wheat Thins disappear faster than David Copperfield. Bars lost money when I dove into their pretzel bowls. My kids knew if they asked me to babysit they would have to replenish their stock of Saltines, Triscuits, Cheese Ritz and Goldfish crackers the following day. I had to say goodbye to those forever. But hope and snacks spring eternal. A door closes, an oven opens! By gosh I stilLaundry List - "Hold the Starch"
It's been eight years since I have had Arrowroot, buckwheat, corn/maize, potato flour, rice, rice bran, rice flour, sago, tapioca, soy, soy bran, or soy flour. All are gluten free! Yet, all are prohibited on the diet I have been following for celiac disease management, since December 2000, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Why? Because they may be gluten- free but they contain starch. Digestion of starch is effected by hydrolyzing enzymeIt's the Dairy, Harry!
An introductory diet lasting two or three days precedes fuller implementation of The Specific Carbohydrate Diet. One of the suggested foods on the"intro diet" is a cheesecake made with dry curd cottage cheese from cow's milk; it is 73% protein and very low in fat. The mention of food like this strikes fear into the heart of a person who follows the gluten-free casein-free diet They usually arrive believing dairy consumption is a most contentious protocol. making it vital to understand the nuanceShoulder Bouncing Laughter
We're at the hotel bar area chatting with fellow vacationers, when my bf whispers to me, "This lady thinks I'm a pro-athlete." This is typical, so I wondered why he looked so flustered. I say, "Did you tell her you're not?" He says, "Yes, but she won't take no for an answer. She thinks I'm trying to be private." fyi, the Detective in 6'3" and slim with broad shoulders, and often gets "noticed" by onlookers (at airport or concerts, usually) as a potential professional athlete-someone theyVacation Wanes
We discovered a new favorite song on our Cozumel island adventure, "Besa Me Mucho". We heard it at the musical show at our all-inclusive resort-- while the performers were singing, much to my surprise, mi novio (bf) started to sing along (he remembered the song from his CA Boys Choir Days -where he sang alongside Lenny Kravitz). My knees were like butter.... So at dinners in the downtown (outdoor dining) we paid the walk-up musicians to serenade us throughout the trip...great memory. We wereHello Greenville, Sc Celiacs!
Greetings fellow Celiacs, GIGs, Wheat Allergens and respective family members. We are new to Greenville, SC (moved here from Richmond, VA) and are trying to build up our Greenville gluten-free restaurant list. My wife and daughter are Celiacs - diagnosed almost a year ago. Below are some suggestions we have identified, but we are also looking for your input. Please post gluten-free establishments you know of or share your experiences (good and bad). Here are some good finds we have made thuThere Are Nuts In My Soup
Latest Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture endorse eating three to five servings of nuts (20 to 30 pecan halves equals one serving), seeds or legumes each day in order to maintain a healthy diet. Nuts are gluten free! They do not have cholesterol. While nuts and seeds tend to be very high in fat and calories, most of the fat is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated (e.g. almonds, pecans, walnuts). Nuts are high in vitamins and minerals and are an excellent ingredient for c-
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Blog Comments
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I asked a logical follow-up question to ChatGTP5:
Can you estimate what percentage of celiac hookworm hosts like myself achieve full remission from the disease?
ChatGPT said:
Great question, Pete. Let’s be very clear here:
There isn’t a single hard number published for “what percentage of celiacs with hookworms achieve full remission,” but we can triangulate from clinical trials and community data:
Clinical Trial Evidence
In controlled studies, 0% achieved true full remission when challenged with sustained moderate gluten (≥2 g/day or short bursts of 16 g/day).
Even with 20–40 N. americanus, villous atrophy still occurred under those challenges.
However, around 30–50% of participants did experience softer symptoms and improved quality of life at micro-exposures (≤200 mg/day).
Conclusion from trials: Hookworms help reduce symptoms and inflammatory markers at small exposures, but do not produce full clinical remission under regular gluten intake.
Community / Self-Reported Outcomes
Among self-treating celiacs, reports of “functional remission” exist — meaning hosts can eat gluten without noticeable symptoms.
Based on helminthic therapy support groups and survey-type accounts, this looks like a minority (maybe 10–20%) of long-term hosts.
However, these cases are controversial because:
Some people may be asymptomatic but still sustaining silent mucosal damage.
Community reporting tends to over-represent strong responders.
Putting It Together
Clinical remission (no symptoms + no villous damage on gluten diet): Essentially 0% proven in trials with 20–40 worms.
Symptomatic remission (no symptoms, but mucosal injury uncertain): Maybe 10–20% of self-reported hosts claim this.
Partial benefit (improved tolerance, less severe symptoms, better quality of life, but still need a gluten-free diet): This is the most common outcome — probably 30–50% of hosts.
👉 So if we phrase it plainly:
The average celiac hosting 20 hookworms won’t reach full remission. A small minority (≈10–20%) say they can eat gluten freely without symptoms, but this is not supported by trial evidence and carries risk of silent damage. For most, worms act as a safety net for cross-contamination rather than a cure.Would you like me to give you a visual chart (clinical trial vs. self-reports: full remission, partial, none) so you can see the proportions side by side?
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8 hours ago, miguel54b said:Thanks, I am desperate to find a cure too.
I should add that hookworms aren't a cure for celiac disease. Some people, and I couldn't tell you how many, stop evincing the symptoms of celiac disease while their hookworm colonies are healthy. Others have a reduction in the severity of their reactions to gluten, but should still stay well away from it. And other people don't seem to be helped much at all.
My theory all this is because of the different root genetics of the individual's celiac disease. My cousin is also celiac, and I'm highly confident he would be put in remission with hookworms like I was, but he has no desire to try them, so I'll never know if I was right.
- John Scott and Scott Adams
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