Recovery time

[franklinsang]

Hey all,

I was diagnosed Celiac six months ago and I am now gluten free, and feeling really good. I've been a competitive endurance athlete for 10 years, and saw a huge crash in performance starting 4 years ago -- though the signs go back at least 6-7 or more years. I'm eating great and getting stronger again. yay.

My question is on recovery. Will years of being celiac and eating wheat damage my ability to generate energy permanently? Put differently, what are the chances that I will get all the way back to where I was before? I run every day with a GPS watch and have lots of data. I am doing a lot better than before the diagnosis, but I am still far from being in competitive shape again.

Can I get back there?

Thanks!

[Jmg]

37 minutes ago, franklinsang said:

Hey all,

I was diagnosed Celiac six months ago and I am now gluten free, and feeling really good. I've been a competitive endurance athlete for 10 years, and saw a huge crash in performance starting 4 years ago -- though the signs go back at least 6-7 or more years. I'm eating great and getting stronger again. yay.

My question is on recovery. Will years of being celiac and eating wheat damage my ability to generate energy permanently? Put differently, what are the chances that I will get all the way back to where I was before? I run every day with a GPS watch and have lots of data. I am doing a lot better than before the diagnosis, but I am still far from being in competitive shape again.

Can I get back there?

Thanks!

Hi and welcome

Here's a visual answer: 

At 6 months in you should be expecting more healing to come. Many see improvements over 12 months or longer after starting the gluten-free diet. Now your body is no longer under attack it can put its energies back into healing and improving. Eating well, making sure you don't have any other issues, some celiacs struggle with dairy for instance, taking supplements etc can all help. 

Stay positive, that attitude will help you so much as you recover further.

Cheers!

MAtt

[franklinsang]

That's very helpful. Thanks Matt.

I don't eat dairy (never could) and I do eat rice, corn and lentils, which seem to work. It's funny. I don't take any supplements now and feel good, and took a boatload before cutting out gluten, and felt terrible.

That, and a long list of seemingly unrelated problems all went away.

[Ennis-TX]

Took me a bit over 2 years to start doing 14+ miles a day, I mostly power walk but now been gluten-free for over 4 and am currently body building. I do keto/low carb myself, no dairy, sugars, grains, carbs. and some issues with meats still. Mostly a nut, seed, leafy greens, vegan protein powders, and eggs. I will admit still not my childhood energy level, nor can I actually run. But great on low impact endurance.