Member Poll - Who Abstains From Other Foods Besides Gluten?

[Jeepster]

Just curious, but knowing that many with celiac disease have problems with other types of foods such as dairy, corn, soy, (etc) - what other foods are you "free" of in your diet, and how did this choice come about? Are you as cautious about the accidental intake of these other foods as much as gluten?

[danikali]

So far I have taken out gluten (of course), dairy (casein-so that means non-dairy as well), soy, corn (for now), eggs, coffee (even decaf), non-herbal tea, and now I'm thinking citrus fruits because of these stupid knee pains that won't go away. I also don't eat anything processed anymore, not even candy. Not for a while anyway.

The gluten is obvious, most of my symptoms cleared up from that alone. The dairy gives me stomach aches, nothing else really. Soy also gives me stomach aches, but not the soy in my calcium pills for some reason...?.....the corn I'm am currently testing on because I had cornmeal, regular corn pieces, corn oil and buorbun derived from corn (of course), and each time seemed to bother me. But I haven't had the corn alone yet, with nothing else with it, so I will test that in about a week. Coffee and non-herbal tea give me a weird headache, where it even hurts to touch a piece of hair on my head. As soon as I took that out, the pain was gone. I'm thinking from dehydration? ......And I don't eat anything processed because it seems everytime I have tried recently, I get sick, and all of the artificial ingrediants in those foods, and candy just don't agree with me right now.

whew! haha, I have a lot these days, I know. But I'm still in the begining stages, so I'm thinking after a few years and things are given a chance to heal, I should be a little better! I hope!

[jerseyangel]

I exclude:

Dairy--I have since before my Celiac Dx. I feel better without it.

Soy--Gas and cramping.

Corn--Bloating. Hope to be able to eat it in the future.

Almonds--Cause the roof of my mouth to go numb.

Tapioca flour--Nausea, cramping, stomach pain

Caffeine & Alcohol--For now, at least until I'm completely healed.

Currently, I'm careful to avoid these things--not to the degree that I avoid gluten, which is totally, including avoiding cross contamination. etc.

Oops--how could I forget eggs! They give me the WORST nausea about 4 hours after I eat them.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I don't eat any animals because I think that is wrong. I rarely have anything with cheese or milk in it because it bothers my stomach and I avoid anythign with alcohol in it because I don't want it in my body.

[celiac3270]

Just curious, but knowing that many with celiac disease have problems with other types of foods such as dairy, corn, soy, (etc) - what other foods are you "free" of in your diet, and how did this choice come about? Are you as cautious about the accidental intake of these other foods as much as gluten?

You said member poll, so I guess I'll weigh in on the opposite side. I don't really abstain from any other foods; this diet is restrictive enough for me. I was tested for other allergies in the blood panel that also found my celiac, and I don't have any allergies to any foods I currently include in my diet. I am relatively cautious about dairy, but I don't read labels for it or abstain from anything; I just don't eat the whole carton of ice cream, etc. because it results in uncomfortable liquificiation of #2.

[lonewolf]

I also avoid eggs, soy, all dairy, (except a little butter now and then and a small amount of goat cheese or sheep cheese occasionally), peanuts, caffeine and alcohol. I also try to limit my sugar intake. I did an ELISA test about 10 years ago that scored high on wheat/gluten, eggs, soy, peanuts and dairy. I avoid soy almost as strictly as gluten - it just seems to mess up my stomach and aggravate joint pain. I will eat a tiny amount of egg baked in cookies (like one egg to 60 cookies and I might eat 4-5 out of the whole batch) or a couple of pancakes made with real egg, but only about once every month or so. Those of you that "only" have to watch your gluten don't know how easy you have it!

Liz

An edited addition here - I also avoid nutrasweet at ALL costs, since I had horrible headaches and felt like my brain was shaking in my head when I used to drink diet pop.

[carriecraig]

I'm only avoiding dairy for the time being - and I can't wait until I can bring it back into the mix of food. I'm doing this now because my doctor said it would be better to avoid it until I am healed. Also, from June to November, I didn't drink any alcohol. This was just a personal choice, and thought it would help with recovery, but Dr. said it wasn't necessary.

[danikali]

Oh yes! Forgot to add alcohol! Very very bad for me these days. Even a little bit! Think of how you used to feel drinking beer (from the barley). One sip made you want to die, right? Well, these days, that's how I am to ANY kind of alchohol. Hopefully I can have THAT in moderation one day. I'm not a big drinker, never was, and I don't like to drink to get drunk, but having a couple drinks with friends is FUN!!!!!

[Mango04]

it results in uncomfortable liquificiation of #2.

haha nice way of wording that....

[Guest nini]

I can't have any meats with antibiotics, hormones or nitrites or nitrates because of allergic reactions, I have begun eliminating soy because I have noticed a pattern of stomach upset after soy consumption, I don't eat shellfish anymore because I think they are dirty and nasty and we aren't supposed to eat scavengers, I'm also allergic to carraway seeds (related to rye?)

my daughter is only gluten free. she isn't restricted on anything else.

[Mango04]

I avoid soy - makes me feel like someone's choking me if I eat to much and gives me really itchy skin....and dairy (casein and lactose). I'm starting to notice weird reactions to yeast as well - so I try to keep that to a minimun...oh and I also avoid all red meat, just as a matter of preference.

[tarnalberry]

Dairy. My current testing (dietary testing) is making me thing: 1) it's primarily cow's milk that's a problem, 2) it's not as much of a problem as it used to be, and 3) this dietary testing stuff ain't so easy! ;-)

[frenchiemama]

Corn (for the most part), soy (for the most part), and milk and ice cream (but not other dairy).

Corn and soy make me feel ill; indigestion, headaches, etc. but I can tolerate them in small amounts (I can eat a little soy sauce, but not a hunk of tofu). Milk and ice cream upset my stomach, but for some reason other dairy like cheese and sour cream don't bother me a bit.

[Mango04]

Dairy. My current testing (dietary testing) is making me thing: 1) it's primarily cow's milk that's a problem, 2) it's not as much of a problem as it used to be, and 3) this dietary testing stuff ain't so easy! ;-)

Are you "testing" different forms of milk? I'm curious to know how that works out for people. I've been completely dairy free for many many years but gluten-free for only about two years. I'm thinking of trying dairy again now that I'm gluten-free but I'm kinda weary. I hear many people more easily tolerate organic raw unpasterized dairy? Maybe I'll try it one of these days just to attempt to widen my food options - but I'd be interested in hearing about other peoples experiences.

[JUDI42MIL]

I dont do meat or dairy.

About 8 years ago I was told I have lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue..... I heard it may be a reaction to animals. I couldnt even walk at the time. I stopped all meat and dairy and within two weeks I was off of 12 different meds a day.

I also cant do nuts due to diverticulitis( though some think thats a myth that nuts dont bother it)

[Nadtorious]

Dairy-gives me a gluten-ish reaction every time

Eggs-Make me toss my cookies

Soy in large doses-same as above

Nuts-Almost all seem to bother me

Meat, unless it's grassfed organic-Gives me a reaction, plus I don't like eating something that's been munching on all the foods I can't eat

[Rachel--24]

Well for me I'm pretty much off of everything right now. No dairy, soy, corn, eggs, red meat, yeast, sugar, addititives, food colorings, etc. I'm pretty much going to only eat rice, lamb, pears and some vegetables. I'm doing the strictest elimination diet so I can figure out what I really need to avoid. It should be loads of fun...

Tarnalberry,

You're testing dairy? What is it that makes the testing difficult? I'm going to have to test alot of foods....I was hoping it would give me definate answers. Is it not that straightforward?

[Rusla]

I do not do red meat, haven't for many years because of allergic reactions to what they were fed or shot-up with. Dairy is a major family problem, so that is out. No eggs when I am depressed because they make me want to jump off a bridge. The poultry I eat has to be range free, no antibiotics, corn fed, organic. I do eat some seafood. I quit caffeine the day I went gluten-free and limit my sugar intake and chocolate. In place of dairy I do goat cheese, but not a lot.

[Felidae]

Dairy, beef, meat with antibiotics or hormones, and artificial sweeteners. All of these items cause bloating, gas, nausea and diarrhea. I also avoid msg as it gives me heart palpitations.

[tarnalberry]

Are you "testing" different forms of milk? I'm curious to know how that works out for people. I've been completely dairy free for many many years but gluten-free for only about two years. I'm thinking of trying dairy again now that I'm gluten-free but I'm kinda weary. I hear many people more easily tolerate organic raw unpasterized dairy? Maybe I'll try it one of these days just to attempt to widen my food options - but I'd be interested in hearing about other peoples experiences.

So far, what I've done, after being CF for a year and a half, is to try water buffalo yogurt (as someone here recommended), and waited four days to see if I had any reaction. Then I tried goat's milk yogurt, and waited four days to see if I had any reaction. Then I tried cow's milk yogurt, and waited to see if I had any reaction. I may have had a bit of a delayed reaction with the cow's milk yogurt, but it's hard to say. Really, all I care about it yogurt and cheese, and after a few more weeks "down time", I'll be trying these again, including cheese (goat's, cow's, and buffalo mozerella if I can find it). The signs, in me, may be very subtle, so it can be hard to tell.

I haven't gone the raw, unpasteurized route, because I don't trust the processing. Some people may do fine on it, and I won't suggest that those who do should stop consuming it, it's just a risk that isn't worth it for me in comparison to what I'd get out of it. (Mammalian milk just isn't that important to me with all the alternatives out there.)

Is it not that straightforward?

Depends on your symptoms! For instance, I had my dairy test... a couple days ago. Two or three. And now I'm fighting a head cold (not bad, mostly congestion and post nasal drip). Did the dairy contribute to congestion which exacerbated this? Maybe. But maybe it's just getting back to work for the first time in a week and a half, and being around a bunch of other people who could be spreading germs. I also had a little bit of looser than normal stools, preceeded by a bit of BM difficulty. Dairy? Could be, as I suspect it contributes constipation in my case, but it could also have been the black eyed peas that I had recently, which I don't have often.

Honestly, I should do a real controlled test. Eat a planned menu for a week, then repeat the *exact* same menu the next week, adding in one of the testing items. Then go back to that exact same menu for the third week. Of course, the rest of my daily activities would have to be similar as well, since so many things can affect your system. It's just hard to do that sort of test... and requires more patience than I have. ;-)

[sillyyak]

I do not eat eggs. They make me sick. I also do not drink milk - just lactaid. I do eat plain yogurt though and put gluten free corn flakes in them or fruit. Otherwise I do not eat anything with corn. I eat a lot of bananas.

I thought bread would be a hard thing to give up but in actuality it is been easy. I try to think of people eating bread as only eating it for the gesture of eating it not because they need it or even like it. Plus I know how sick I can get if I eat a piece of it.

I try to think of the positive -- I am saving money by bringing my lunch to work everyday.

It is been hard.

I also have not eaten a piece of chocolate or hard candy for about 8 weeks now.

And no alcohol.

[CMCM]

Just curious, but knowing that many with celiac disease have problems with other types of foods such as dairy, corn, soy, (etc) - what other foods are you "free" of in your diet, and how did this choice come about? Are you as cautious about the accidental intake of these other foods as much as gluten?

I really need to do one of those elimination diet tests myself, there seem to be so many things I'm suspicious of. Right now, besides gluten things, I'm not eating dairy, corn, soy (I'll never eat that again, it really makes me sick), sugar, and I've switched to green decaf tea because the black tea w/splenda I was drinking was possibly a problem...don't know if it was the tea or the splenda. A glass of red wine doesn't seem to bother me. I limit red meats to grass fed organic.

[Guest nini]

I wanted to add also that I don't do any kind of alcoholic beverages either... reason? well... even a sip of wine makes me ill, I don't like the way alcoholic beverages react in my body. Even the gluten-free ones... (used to have "a bit" of a drinking problem so that might be part of it)...

[Rusla]

I only drink rum, vodka, or tequila only in sea level places because then I don't get bothered by them. As I don't get to sea level places much, I sure don't drink much, nor would I if I lived in a sea level place. I still have a bottle of Cuban rum from Cuba 2 years ago. Even though it is potent stuff, it does not bother me in Cuba. Wines are bad for me especially reds, I don't drink them at all.

[jenvan]

no dairy (constipation)

no caffeine or turkey (horrible abdominal pain)

no soy (gas)

no artifical sweetners or "diet" products (are very irritating to my GI)

no corn (only in very small quantities very infrequently --produces abdominal pain)