Newbie Needs Advice Re: Diet!

[Calicat]

Hi. I'm very new to the whole Celiac world, and I've got a million questions! I've been on a pretty restricted diet (non-starchy vegetables, fruits, tea with milk and sometimes sugar) for the better part of the last 7 years due to what I thought were multiple food allergies. Now I'm not so sure except to say soy & i are definitely not friends.

After starting treatment for Hashimoto's last year, I started feeling really well and added fish and yogurt/cheese. And then, here's the real kicker...wheat. (At the time I didn't know I had Celiac). Now my labs are off the charts, so I started the gluten free diet April 1st but I'm still having all sorts of reactions that I don't think are from gluten b/c I haven't eaten/used anything 'processed' without first calling the manufacturer.

I was wondering if anyone else had developed intolerances or allergies after having a celiac flare-up. Any guidelines as to what I should eliminate beyond all gluten and starch? I'm worried that if I just go back to fruits&veg that my vitamin and protein levels won't get replenished. Any advice?

I'm so sorry that this is soo long! it's just such a relief to be able to ask someone who's got 1st hand experience, so thank you in advance for anything you can tell me!

Thanks again,

Cali

[GreySaber]

Sounds like you are looking for the place gluten is slipping into your system. If you aren't eating processed foods, have you checked your shampoo and other hygine products? Are you avoiding barley, rye, and oats as well as wheat?

And how much do you trust the manufacturers you've called?

Oh, on the milk. I hear some of us have short term lactose intolerance due to intestinal damage.

Brown rice is very safe, even if it tastes awful. (Now, I just know someone will pop up saying it's great. Lucky bugger.) White rice is grand. So is corn.

Now, we have a list of ingrediants where wheat hides, have you read it yet? It's one the celiac.com main page. In the FAQs I think.

Oh, Stay away from MSG, The Glutamate is often made out of gluten. Not to mention modified food starch, that can be anything. Anything with Malt in the title EXCEPT maltodextrin is going to be harmful.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Cali--welcome to the board!! I would suggest, for now, a diet of meat, poultry and fish--all prepared simply. Also, fruit, veggies (cooked), rice, olive oil, and pure water. At the beginning of a gluten-free diet, especially, dairy products can be hard to digest. I had to do this for a while while I was figuring out all of my intolerances. It's amazing how well you can eat using only those foods! Hopefully, you will begin to feel better--and this way of eating will give you lots of vitamins, minerals and protein. Do you take a multivitamin? I think that's a good idea. Just make sure it's gluten-free (as well as your shampoo, conditioner, lotions and lip products)! After a while, try adding in foods one at a time to guage your reaction to them. Hope you feel better soon!

[happygirl]

MSG in the US is SAFE. Although many people do not think it is healthy in general, in terms of gluten, it is a SAFE food.

[jerseyangel]

MSG in the US is SAFE. Although many people do not think it is healthy in general, in terms of gluten, it is a SAFE food.

Right on, Laura! Also, while it's true that modified food starch can be from wheat, a lot of companies will list any gluten ingredients clearly on the label. Kraft (Nabisco), Unilever, Hershey, Nestles, Con Agra--to name a few off the top of my head. With those companies, if it lists the MFS--and nothing else, you can assume it's safe. Of course, *when in doubt, always call the company and ask*. One product I ran into that had MFS from wheat is My T Fine Butterscotch Pudding.

[Laura]

It seems like everyone's adjustment period is different while their bodies heal. So the best thing to do may be to at least temporarily go to a really simple diet, and then after a little while add some things back in. But it may also not be really related to anything you're currently eating, just to your body refusing to let bygones be bygones. Hopefully soon you'll be able to eat most anything gluten-free.

[Ursa Major]

I want to add that rice may or may not be safe. While most people tolerate it just fine, people like me react to it almost the same as to gluten. The same goes for the nightshades or dairy, or any grains at all.

It's something you need to figure out by an elimination diet. The best way to do is go back to the very basics (meat, vegetables, fruit, even though of course you could be intolerant to some of those as well, as I am), and then try other things one at a time to see if they're a problem.

For lists of possible problem foods, follow the links in my signature.

[GreySaber]

MSG in the US is SAFE. Although many people do not think it is healthy in general, in terms of gluten, it is a SAFE food.

How do we know? All the Anti-MSG people maintain firmly that it's made of wheat sourced glutamic acid.

[Ursa Major]

I want to add that MSG is not a food, but an additive. And many people are intolerant to it, without realizing it. So, while it may be gluten free, it certainly isn't safe.

[Calicat]

Thank you all so much for your input. I can't tell you how much it helps to be able to talk to other people who have experience with this.

I've checked every single product I use and am avoiding all forms of gluten so it isn't that it's slipping in somehow. Just need to be extremely limited with my diet, I think.

Rice definitely does not work for me at this time, nor does any starch--all grains and beans are out. I guess mostly I'm looking for validation that it is possible to be intolerant of this many foods.

Thanks again for all of your help. I'm going to look into the salicylate and nightshade categories, and I'm taking out all dairy except yogurt, trying to hold on to that if I can! I'm questioning a fair number of fruits too. MSG isn't an issue b/c I already avoid it. Thanks for the heads-up though!

I really appreciate all of your responses. I don't know anyone else who has Celiac, and many of my family members don't really believe in it or think it's a choice (who would choose this?!), so it really helps to know I'm not alone.

[Laura]

I guess mostly I'm looking for validation that it is possible to be intolerant of this many foods.

As you can see from some people's signatures, it is possible. But you should also check, after your body has had time to heal, if you can then tolerate more foods than you can now. Because some things are just hard to digest when your system is down, but once it's running more smoothly they won't present a problem.

[Guinevere]

I became gradually lactose intolerant even after giving up gluten. My symptoms were similar in some ways, gas, diahrrea, bloating, etc. But were not as intense as gluten (similar to a Mac Truck). At present (2 years later) I can consume very small quantities of dairy (very small, like 1 t.).

[Calicat]

Thanks for all of your responses. I think dairy is definitely the next thing I'm going to have to address. Not looking forward to giving that up too, but it seems as though it does have a tendency to be problematic. Thanks again,

Cali

[Guinevere]

you've mentioned that you are having a hard time digesting. you might want to consider enzymes (read the lable make sure they don't have lactase if you're giving up dairy) and an enteric coated probiotic. these will help you loads in the digestion, fatigue, gas area. also put in some b6 & b12, which will be lacking if your gut bacteria is not in balance.

hang in there it will get better

[penguin]

you've mentioned that you are having a hard time digesting. you might want to consider enzymes (read the lable make sure they don't have lactase if you're giving up dairy) and an enteric coated probiotic. these will help you loads in the digestion, fatigue, gas area. also put in some b6 & b12, which will be lacking if your gut bacteria is not in balance.

hang in there it will get better

Lactase is the enzyme produced by the ends of your villi to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Lactase itself does not contain anything dairy, and is fine in supplements.

[Guest cassidy]

I highly recommend digestive enzymes as others have said. I started having reactions to all kinds of safe foods. I started the digestive enzymes and can tolerate them again.