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Vegetarian Diet/ Celiac Link?

lisaemu

By lisaemu
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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lisaemu Contributor
lisaemu
Posted

I've been reading through these message boards and a lot of people seem to be former vegetarian/vegans or currently are. I was just wondering if there is any kind of link between the two? I would love to be able to have a vegan diet because I feel its the ethical thing...but every time I do I end up extremely sick! Im not still not sure I have celiacs/ gluten intollerance (am not diagnosed as such, but feel best on the diet, and always have to come back to it after not eating meat for a while) Anyways..anyone have any thoughts about this, or notice this as well?

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BRUMI1968 Collaborator
BRUMI1968
Posted

My personal belief as to why you might be experiencing so many veggies/vegans on the boards are that lots of veggies/vegans are very aware of their own bodies (especially if you accidentally feed them bacon after 16 years of veggi-ism). Thus, they would be more likely to investigate digestive problems. I don't think that there is a connection between healing or causing the disease. another possibility is that there is a lot of focus on WHOLE GRAINS in "healthy eating". This may be healthy (may not) but certainly ins't healthy for those with Celiacs. Also, lots of folks have trouble with SOY, and if anyone uses soy as a meat substitute, they are asking for trouble.

As a near vegetarian for sixteen years (ate fish) and a near vegan for two years (ate honey, eggs, and fish and wore leather, etc.) I can say that I feel it is, if done intelligently, a healthy lifestyle.

That said, after stopping doing that about what, four months ago, I found that perhaps I hadn't been getting enough protein, and there are things in animal protein that aren't in other sources of protein, like trytophan, for example.

As to the ethics of eating...I think about this a lot. For a long time I felt it was unethical to eat meat because I don't have to eat meat. Cats do. Carnivorous and Ominoverous animals in the wild do. But humans don't have to. But lately, I've really been thinking about how we have a tendency to remove ourselves from nature - as though we are outside of it - when really, we are part of it. Therefore, it is natural for me to eat meat. It is NOT natural FOR ME to eat meat that is raised inhumanely, or if they're fed what they don't naturally at (i.e., corn fed beef), etc. I have found that by including myself in the nature, I can see how cooking some trout over the bbq is completely natural for me to. Did the trout have to die, probably while frightened and upset? Yes. Is that nature? Yes.

Of course, something being natural does not make it ethical. It's a complex issue.

The bottom line is: what makes you feel best? I've found lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and green tea work pretty well for me. I don't eat any grains or beans or dairy. I try to eat raw when I can (not the meat) and almost always organic. I'm still fidgeting with it, but I've got it close to what feels right.

Lauren M Explorer
Lauren M
Posted

The only way I could possibly see this link is that many vegetarians tend to rely more heavily on grain products, and therefore that "overconsumption" (or even just consumption in general) of gluten could bring about Celiac.

I have been a vegetarian since I was 4, so maybe I'm a bit biased! I certainly don't think it caused my Celiac!

- Lauren

lindalee Enthusiast
lindalee
Posted

Eating more meat just makes me feel better and I feel like I have more energy. I still eat a lot of veggies and fruit but I have cut out the soy, milk, corn , nightshades. The protein helps me not to eat ALL the time :)

lisaemu Contributor
lisaemu
Posted
  • Author

I defiantely did NOT mean to imply that simply being a vegetarian caused gluten intollerance..I

Whoa my computer just messed up and sent to early...I defiantely dont think being a vegetarian caused celaic/ gluten intollerance. It just seems a lot of people on here are former vegetarians. It probably does have something to do with the relience on "healthy" grains. I have read that eating too much of something can cause and allergy or intollerance to it overtime, is this true? This is all just so confusing, some times I just dread eating ebcause I dont know whats healthy for me/ what will make me sick! sigh...

MySuicidalTurtle Enthusiast
MySuicidalTurtle
Posted

So, you are not gluten-free while being vegan? That might be why you're sick. Being gluten-free and vegan will not make you sick unless you don't have a balanced diet. It's a good lifestyle.

AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

I ate way too much gluten and soy as a vegan. I think it progessed the celiac/gluten intolerance faster than if I had been eating in moderation.

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gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
I ate way too much gluten and soy as a vegan. I think it progessed the celiac/gluten intolerance faster than if I had been eating in moderation.

I rather think this may have something to do with it? I dunno, trigger or such .... I was a semi-vegetarian (at home) for 4 yrs or so and during that time I consumed large amounts of soy proteins....

Looking back my first digestive problems also started about the same time ....little things like I remember one night my dinner just didn't leave my stomach... I was just completely bloated until I volunterally emptied my stomach...

For a long time I felt it was unethical to eat meat because I don't have to eat meat.

This is one of those circular argumaments, the fact is someone has to eat meat ... because meat production uses less land and the world is quickly running out of land to use the inefficient method of growing grains to feed people.

Its basically a many vs individual arguament like vaccines or having 3 or more kids.

If noone was vaccinated then diseases like smallpox would still be killing a large percentage of the population but while most people are vaccinated the individual is protected by others who take the risk of vaccination. If everyone was against vaccination then these diseases would make a comeback and a critical percentage of unvaccinated people allows transmission through the general population.

The only way the whole world can be vegan is by getting rid of a large amount of the population and controlling births.

I guess its the same as eating beef but drinking milk..... many vegetarians drink milk but don't consider that the cow has to conceive to lactate and the fate of the calf is not their concern ... and so long as people are willing to eat that calf on their behalf then they don't need to worry but if noone was eating beef then we would have far more calfs and steers than we have room for.

Lauren M Explorer
Lauren M
Posted

I completely believe that it's a personal decision. I get asked all the time why I'm a vegetarian.

The truth is - the idea of eating the flesh of an animal disgusts me (sorry to anyone who is in the middle of a big juicy burger right now :P )

BUT this does not mean I force my beliefs on others. People have asked me, if I went out on a date and the guy ordered meat, would I be offended? Of course not. That's his personal preference. I work at Outback Steakhouse for pete's sake! But I know that for myself, being vegetarian is the right decision. For the same reason, I buy organic milk and cage-free eggs.

To quote George Bernard Shaw: "Animals are my friends.... and I don't eat my friends."

(disclaimer: the above quote was NOT a judgment on people who do eat animals! It simply sums up MY personal reason for being a vegetarian)

- Lauren

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