Cant Stop Eating Gluten

[TiffTiff]

i cant stop eating gluten no matter how hard i try, and its killing my stomach, does ne1 have any tips to get rid of gluten once and for all? im vegan so im worried its gonna make me have no food i can eat then: ( ty so much i want to stop eating it

[marciab]

You can always do this a little at a time. Start buying only gluten free foods, but still eat the ones you currently have in the house. Eventually, you'll run out of gluten foods ... OK, hopefully, you don't have a pantry full of gluten filled foods

Don't be hard on yourself. It's not easy giving up gluten, but you can do it.

I am just now in the process of giving up foods that probably ARE contaminated ... It sucks ...

marcia

[lorka150]

Do you mean you are eating it because you are really eating it? Or cross contamination?

If it's because you are eating it, you need to realize it's poison to your body. This is a disease - and you need to realize the damage you are continuing to do. Until you are ready to accept it, you won't. Only YOU can change this.

[tarnalberry]

If you're eating it on purpose, not from contamination, but you really want to stop, perhaps you want to talk to a psychologist about this? I mean, you seem to be describing an inability to control your actions despite a desire to do so, which first makes me think of OCD. Of course, you may not have meant to word it that strongly, but there's still the issue of figuring out why you *choose to hurt yourself*. You wouldn't pick up a pair of scissors and repeatedly stab yourself, even a little, would you? This is the same thing.

It may be that you need to develop coping mechanisms that work for you. Replacement foods. Backup plans. A general approach. But it kinda depends on WHY this is such a problem. Why do you think it is?

[Kaycee]

I agree it is not easy going cold turkey.

Marcia had a good point, only buy non gluten food and eventually you will run out of food containing gluten.

Also, make sure there is something nice in your pantry for you to eat that is gluten free, so that when you are desperate for something nice, you can eat it quite safely.

Being vegan probably narrows your choices when it comes to food. Have you thought of seeing a dietitian?

Have you got a support person who can help you through this? I sometimes liken giving up gluten to giving up smoking or drinking. It is hard and needs total committment. Usually when you have that first smoke it continues a downward spiral till you are smoking as much as before. I know it took me at least ten tries to give up smoking. But I got there and I am sure you will get there with going gluten free.

Going gluten free is a complete change in food to what you knew and of course it takes time but it is doable.

Cathy

[NoGluGirl]

i cant stop eating gluten no matter how hard i try, and its killing my stomach, does ne1 have any tips to get rid of gluten once and for all? im vegan so im worried its gonna make me have no food i can eat then: ( ty so much i want to stop eating it

Dear TiffTiff,

I just keep in mind that I am poisoning myself and do not get tempted to cheat at all. I was so sick from reflux before I went g.f. that I will never go back to feeling that way on purpose! When you are taking two doses of Prilosec daily and have to sleep practically sitting straight up, giving it up is not that hard. Emotionally it is difficult. However, when my parents bring home food I cannot have, I just think about how much I have improved since about 5 or more months ago. Once you begin to feel better, you will not want to go back to eating gluten ever again! It may taste good, but the joy is only temporary until it makes you violently ill. Plus, do not be so hard on yourself. You could actually be addicted to gluten because you are allergic to it! This is very common with any type of food allergy. Gluten withdrawal is something many of us have experienced. That is not your fault. Once you have not had it for a while, you will not crave it so much. There are some great things (like 3 Musketeer bars) that you can have. I am sure you could type in gluten-free vegan foods and get something. Google will find it for sure. I would never make it as a vegan! I get sick when I do not eat meat. Just resist it and go gluten free for a few days to see how you feel. Reward yourself with treats each day you stay completely gluten free. Eventually, feeling better will be the only reward you will need!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Guest cassidy]

The beginning is challenging but once I had a week where I felt great then I had no desire to cheat ever! If you have symptoms from eating gluten it may be hard to imagine how much better you will feel, but once you start to feel better it is amazing. Yes, purposely eating gluten is poisoning your body and not good for you at all, but tons of people smoke and are doing the same thing. For me it was feeling better that made everything worth it. You need to figure out your motivation.

There are things that you will be able to eat even if you are vegan. What do you like to eat? I bet there are gluten-free alternatives for most of it. It does take time in the beginning to read labels and figure out new "stand by" foods, but you will find them. After a year I have plenty of food choices and I really don't think about it unless I'm eating out. I'm not vegan but I don't eat meat and I'm very picky and I still don't starve.

Good luck and please try to figure out what exactly you are having a hard time with so you can address it and move on.

[kbabe1968]

It is hard - to fathom. We live in a world where it is EVERYWHERE - so, we know, it can be hard.

You have to think of it for exactly what it is...like posted earlier...POISON. It makes you sick. Think about it this way....if you saw someone about to drink cyanide, would you let them? NO, because it's poison. It CAN and WILL kill you if you keep eating it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow.

The hard part of changing a habit is in todays society we are taught about all that matters is NOW, whatever happens in the future is not important. BUT IT IS. VERY important.

If you need to wean yourself, i agree, do that....don't buy any more glutened foods....

Ya know, I walked by the Girl Scouts (rather the little green monsters pawning their wares) the other day. The realization came to me that I can never have one ever again. It made me sad FOR A MOMENT. But my next thought was "okay, so I need to figure out how to make gluten free Samoas, PB patties and thin mints" I'm sure it CAN be done.

[TiffTiff]

im eating it cause i just want it not due to cross contamination or nething. i have an eating disorder, i try to keep my calorie intake to a certain level, so before i even was diagnosed with this i had problems with food, it kind of put a wrench in everything, i dont have a support person or anything, people think its no biggie, they dont understand it i guess. noglugirl ty, i think ill get the hang of it, its just hard when noone here gets it, the poison thing is a good point and i like trying out new foods, ill look at it that way, whats the worse is i cant have have nemore tofu icecream lol, but ill look at the alternative its better than feeling ill later from eating it, because thats not a very good feeling ty all for the wonderful replies: )

[tarnalberry]

perhaps you're in the "I can't have" stage. where it seems like you can't have anything. tends to make even the best of us a bit rebellious.

instead, try to *specifcally notice* all the things you can have. this will not only help improve your outlook (because you'll be telling yourself through the day "I can have that, and that, and that") but will also help you keep an eye out for many new foods. (there are a lot of other vegan 'ice creams' that you can have. not to mention sorbet.)

[kbtoyssni]

It will be hard at first. Your body is likely addicted to gluten which means you're going to crave it and want to eat it. That's my best guess as to why you're having trouble giving up gluten. The only way this craving will go away is to go cold turkey for a week or two. You have to trust that the cravings will go away and stick with it.

[loraleena]

First off you can have Soy Dream ice cream - it is gluten free. I am concerned for you with your eating disorder. As a former sufferer myself I can relate. I am now on an even more restrictive diet that just gluten due to an Intersticial Cystitis flare up (a bladder condition). Watching and restricting food is not that great for my food issues, but if it is going to make me feel better than it is worth it. You are only going to make yourself sicker if you keep eating gluten. Have you considered changing your vegan lifestyle? Are you vegan in order to keep your weight low or is it personal beliefs? I hope that you are getting professional help with your eating disorder. I believe my own battle with this probably contributed to the many health problems I have now. I used to be a vegetarian, but abandoned this a few years ago when I found out I had thyroid disorder. Soy is very bad for that. I personally feel better with meat than without and it gives me more to eat. This was a hard decision, but I believe it was necessary. I hope things get easier for you. Good luck!

[burdee]

im eating it cause i just want it not due to cross contamination or nething. i have an eating disorder, i try to keep my calorie intake to a certain level, so before i even was diagnosed with this i had problems with food, it kind of put a wrench in everything, i dont have a support person or anything, people think its no biggie, they dont understand it i guess. noglugirl ty, i think ill get the hang of it, its just hard when noone here gets it, the poison thing is a good point and i like trying out new foods, ill look at it that way, whats the worse is i cant have have nemore tofu icecream lol, but ill look at the alternative its better than feeling ill later from eating it, because thats not a very good feeling ty all for the wonderful replies: )

Hi Tiff: I THOUGHT I had an eating disorder during the 35+ years I had undiagnosed and misdiagnosed celiac symptoms. Pain after eating made me afraid to eat or I sometimes threw up after eating because I felt so much pain. So I thought I was anorexic/bulimic. Learning I had celiac disease and then diagnosed food allergies went a LONG way toward helping overcome 'disordered eating' habits. I no longer throw up from pain and I eat when I'm hungry or have low blood sugar symptoms, despite painful reactions from gluten or other food allergy contamination. However doing whatever I could to prevent the pain from gluten and other foods gave me painfree days which helped me think more clearly about my eating habits.

When I first learned I had celiac disease I looked at every food and every brand in my house. If gluten (wheat, barley, rye) was on the label or the brand had possible contamination in their factory, I found replacements. I found gluten free breads, cereals, cookies, etc. I found brands I could trust. I was afraid to just cut out foods, because I feared deprivation would make me want to keep eating gluten. So I focussed on SUBSTITUTION, rather than abstaining. As I was diagnosed with other food alleriges, I also focussed on substituting safe ingredients or foods to replace those allergy foods.

I moderated a website for women with eating disorders for 2 years. Many of them had celiac disease or food allergies or at least lactose intolerance. Don't discount the influence of celiac reaction (stomach) pain on developing 'disordered eating' habits. Eating foods that feel good in your body and avoiding gluten is probably the best thing you can do to avoid returning to 'disordered' eating.

BTW after learning I have egg and dairy allergies, I also eat vegan meals at least once a day. I don't have allergies to meat, but I don't digest it as well when I'm having celiac reactions. So I know lots of gluten/dairy/soy/egg/cane sugar free recipes and sources for recipes. I will gladly answer your questions about my recovery experience or anything else. Write to me at penguinea@hotmail.com

BURDEE

[hathor]

I've been following a vegan diet for 6 1/2 years and just went gluten-free three weeks ago. It isn't hard, really. OK, I bought gluten-free bread and pasta, wheat-free soy sauce, etc. and drink wine and scotch (no beer, but I'm looking into trying some gluten-free stuff). Other than that, very little has changed, other than the time I spent on this forum and reading labels in the grocery story. There are lots of things to eat -- non-gluten grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, corn, beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc.

There is no reason to restrict your calories as a vegan in order to lose weight. Just eliminate added fat and avoid high fat plant foods like olives, nuts, etc. Assuming you DO need to lose weight. (Do you?) If you eat a healthy low fat (less than 10%) vegan diet, you can eat whenever you are hungry and still lose.

I speak as someone who used to have an eating disorder. Restricting your calorie intake just makes you obsessed with food; not eating when you are hungry is not something that leads to long term weight success. You end up ravenous and binge on the stuff you were denying yourself.

I urge you to go to www.drmcdougall.com. This healthy vegan diet is explained in detail and really is easy to follow. You don't portion control or go hungry. Since you are already vegan it shouldn't be difficult to go that added yard. There is a discussion board there with lots of supportive people and even a few of us on the gluten-free forum. You can get meal ideas, etc.

There is also a Yahoo group called "Vegan-and-Gluten-Free" with 829 members.

If you post a typical day's menu here or one of the other forums, you can get suggestions as to what might be spurring your desires to eat. Perhaps you just aren't eating enough or you aren't eating enough fiber.

[NoGluGirl]

im eating it cause i just want it not due to cross contamination or nething. i have an eating disorder, i try to keep my calorie intake to a certain level, so before i even was diagnosed with this i had problems with food, it kind of put a wrench in everything, i dont have a support person or anything, people think its no biggie, they dont understand it i guess. noglugirl ty, i think ill get the hang of it, its just hard when noone here gets it, the poison thing is a good point and i like trying out new foods, ill look at it that way, whats the worse is i cant have have nemore tofu icecream lol, but ill look at the alternative its better than feeling ill later from eating it, because thats not a very good feeling ty all for the wonderful replies: )

Dear TiffTiff,

My parents and a lot of other people do not get it, either. I was always having stomach aches as a child. I never ate much because of it. Eventually, when I was about 9 years old, my parents thought I may be anorexic, so they took me to counseling. That did not do any good. My stomach problems got much worse as I got older. When I was 13 years old, I probably had what you would call exercise bulimia, where I would watch every calorie and fat gram obsessively, and workout extra out of guilt from eating cookies if I baked. It was crazy. I would rollerblade or go swimming for two hours or so, then workout on a trampoline doing aerobics for 1 hour, then workout on my Gravity Rider for another hour. I also did sit - ups. My stomach problems worsened yet again, and I had to quit doing all of that. Now that I am 24, I feel balance is more necessary. The most intelligent diet out there is The Zone, and it is so easy to do on the gluten-free diet. This plan is not obsessing over calories and fat grams. There is 30 percent of your food at each meal to consist of protein, 30 percent to consist of fat, and 40 percent is carbohydrates. The diet is a low - fat diet, and has a moderate amount of carbs.

Jennifer Aniston does this plan. She is skinny, but has muscle too! I think she is a great role model for women, especially when it comes to fitness. Her approach is sane and doable. We are all happy to be here for you and help. We know where you are coming from. It is a very dark, dreary, scary place.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Looking for answers]

I recommend reading "The Diet Cure" by Julia Ross. I think the book contains information and advice on supplements that will help you get through this.

Best of luck!

[brendygirl]

I can totally relate. I was a vegetarian who ate fish (pescatarian) before celiac.

It was SO TOUGH to give up my vegetarian foods (due to HVP in them)

I used to walk into FarmerBoys and they'd be like, "Gardenburger to go, right?"

When I started the diet, I'd contaminate myself accidentally so often, that I'd eat a regular donut once every few weeks, since even tho it's not gluten-free, I don't react to donuts or the soy milk that has gluten...

People on this board told me I was going to die. haha

Guess what? I'm alive!

And I don't eat donuts or any gluten anymore. But it took me a good 9 months to get here. I've read it takes 3 years to get completely comfortable with the diet.

SO, Don't be so hard on yourself.

You don't have any mental dysfunctions. You are SO normal and SO special.

Try one thing at a time. You'll do fine.

You rock!

P.S. On my blog I have a list of NEW foods I'd never tried until celiac as well as other goodies I've incorporated into my new diet.