How will accidental glutening impact healing and long term health?

[Kyleweber]

Hi everyone,

I have been eating gluten free for about a month since being diagnosed with celiac. Despite being vigilant in reading labels, researching brands, and not taking any risks (no eating out or eating anything prepared by anyone but me), I've felt the symptoms of being glutened a few times now.

I have a lot of questions around how much contamination and gluten it takes to negate a gluten free diet. If I get contaminated once a month will my small intestine still heal? Or is that enough to undo any healing? How much impact will accidental glutening have on my long term health? Can I afford to trust gluten free food at a restaurant when there's a teenager in the kitchen focused more on flirting with the hostess than they are about gluten contamination?

Please don't confuse this with me saying I want to have cheat days or be lax in my gluten-free eating. Right now I have no sense of what constitutes a risk and whether or not it's worth taking. When I feel a symptom I can't help but feel like I'm taking years off my life.

I appreciate any insight you have. Thanks!



 

[GFinDC]

Hi Kyle,

I don't think you'll lose years of life by slip ups here and there.  The problem with frequent slip ups is the immune system never gets a chance to completely settle down and stop making antibodies against gluten.   Personally i wouldn't trust most restaurants for the first 6 months.  It is much safer to trust your own cooking, and generally cheaper.

[Kyleweber]

2 hours ago, GFinDC said:

Hi Kyle,

I don't think you'll lose years of life by slip ups here and there.  The problem with frequent slip ups is the immune system never gets a chance to completely settle down and stop making antibodies against gluten.   Personally i wouldn't trust most restaurants for the first 6 months.  It is much safer to trust your own cooking, and generally cheaper.

Thanks for the advice and response! 

[Scott Adams]

If you can't avoid eating out, consider GliadinX (a sponsor here), or another AN-PEP based enzyme. This may help mitigate small amounts of cross-contamination that can happen in restaurants.