What if Fad Gluten-free Diets Aren't so Fad After All?

TEST Driven partly by a perception among consumers that gluten-free foods are healthier than their non-gluten-free counterparts, the global gluten-free packaged food market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6% between 2015 and 2019, according to a recent market report from Technavio....

I am one of those not diagnosed with celiac disease but have been gluten free for 19 years, since before it became popular. After a double round of antibiotics following a root canal, I developed diarrhea. When it didn't stop after going off the antibiotics, after a month I sought help from my GP. She was no help. I started experimenting with my diet. Finally I heard that wheat affected some people which I never would have thought. I went off, and bingo, the diarrhea stopped (by this time it was black), a rash that was climbing up my legs vanished and after a couple of months I realized I hadn't had a migraine, something that had plagued me once or twice a month for 30 years. I have a list of things that no longer happen, like canker sores, heart arrhythmias, esophageal spasms, twitching eye muscles, muscle spasms in my back, bronchitis after a cold. That´s what I remember off the top of my head. When I get gluten accidentally I get a migraine in a day or two and often get physically ill if something is going around. Otherwise, I don't get sick. I take no prescription drugs, only vitamins. So, I am one of those that Dr. Murray is talking about, though maybe I had undiagnosed celiac disease. I'll never know because I'm not tempted to go on gluten to get tested properly though I do miss chewy bread. As the article implies, we don´t need it. It's poor man's food. We eat like kings without it.

I avoid gluten because I was having digestive issues which subsided when I went gluten free. I have no need to get tested when the proof is in avoiding gluten. If I eat gluten I immediately have a reaction. Avoid gluten and I am fine. Celiac or not doesn't matter to me. I just avoid it altogether and I feel much better. Dairy products I avoid also due to mucus production.

I have Hashimotos hypothyroid (age 68) whilst suffering with intestinal problems I surfed the net for remedies, I found that a gluten-free diet was recomended for Hashi sufferers so decided to try it for a few days.....after 3 days my intestinal problems subsided, my lifelong migraines disappeared and I felt better than I had for months so I continued the diet. One year on I accidently ate something with gluten and had an occurence of Dermatitis Hepetiformis, after this my endocrinologist assumes I am celiac. I do not wish to have a bi-opsy and so am not officially Celiac but after almost 5 years on a gluten-free diet I have never felt better!

On 2/20/2017 at 9:30 AM, Guest Mary Thorpe said:

I am one of those not diagnosed with celiac disease but have been gluten free for 19 years, since before it became popular. After a double round of antibiotics following a root canal, I developed diarrhea. When it didn't stop after going off the antibiotics, after a month I sought help from my GP. She was no help. I started experimenting with my diet. Finally I heard that wheat affected some people which I never would have thought. I went off, and bingo, the diarrhea stopped (by this time it was black), a rash that was climbing up my legs vanished and after a couple of months I realized I hadn't had a migraine, something that had plagued me once or twice a month for 30 years. I have a list of things that no longer happen, like canker sores, heart arrhythmias, esophageal spasms, twitching eye muscles, muscle spasms in my back, bronchitis after a cold. That´s what I remember off the top of my head. When I get gluten accidentally I get a migraine in a day or two and often get physically ill if something is going around. Otherwise, I don't get sick. I take no prescription drugs, only vitamins. So, I am one of those that Dr. Murray is talking about, though maybe I had undiagnosed celiac disease. I'll never know because I'm not tempted to go on gluten to get tested properly though I do miss chewy bread. As the article implies, we don´t need it. It's poor man's food. We eat like kings without it.

Have you considered getting genetic testing to determine if you have a risk of celiac? Your comments, symptoms match my  experience, however, I didn't change my diet until my nephew convinced my to try it after getting a diagnosis of liver disease. All my lifelong illnesses improved,especially,bloating,edema, asthma,allergies, rash,brain fog,extreme drowsiness, etc. I wanted testing, however refused to eat anymore gluten. The test confirmed I had both Gene's that were tested and high risk.