Wondering What This Could Mean

[daltons]

When my step son was diagnosed with Celiac, my husband and I decided that we were going to try the gluten free diet to see what effect it had on us, so we tried last week. My husband was unable to stick with it for one day, but I ate gluten free for about 4 days. Over the weekend we went out to eat and I ate a very small amount of gluten on Sat. night, and then a little larger amount on Sunday afternoon (Superbowl....). I had horrible stomach cramps all night Sunday night and a little diarrhea late Sun. night and Mon. morning. I've since gone back to eating gluten free. During the four days I was gluten free, after the first day or two, my stomach felt much better and I did have more energy. I have no idea if that had anything to do with going gluten free, but it seemed to. Could this mean that I have a gluten intolerance, or is this something that would happen to anyone? I don't think that I have Celiac disease, is gluten bad for pretty much anybody?

[darlindeb25]

Of course it could mean you have a gluten sensitivity. Eating gluten-free can't hurt you and if you feel better eating gluten-free, then you should do it. Now my mom eats gluten-free with my dad, yet when they go to Senior Dinners and the like, she eats gluten and it doesn't effect her, so I would say, you just may need to be gluten-free.

[daltons]

Of course it could mean you have a gluten sensitivity. Eating gluten-free can't hurt you and if you feel better eating gluten-free, then you should do it. Now my mom eats gluten-free with my dad, yet when they go to Senior Dinners and the like, she eats gluten and it doesn't effect her, so I would say, you just may need to be gluten-free.

Well, one of the reasons I ask is because I have read so many conflicting things about going gluten free when you don't have celiac. I've read that it can be harmful to your body, but then I've read that about 99% of people should eat gluten free. I think I am going to continue with the diet and see if there are any other improvements. Anyway, thanks for the reply.

[happygirl]

Eating gluten free, even for someone who does not have a gluten problem, is NOT unhealthy. As long as they eat a well rounded diet and are getting similar nutrients from other sources, most people will be fine. There is nothing that gluten has in itself that you cannot get from another product.

However, some doctors think that the diet is restrictive and don't think people should be on the diet unless they have a reason to be.

If you want to be tested for Celiac, you must continue eating gluten. Otherwise, the tests will not be accurate (i.e., a negative won't really tell you if you are really negative).

All that being said, you don't need a doctor's diagnosis to eat gluten free. Many on this board feel better on a gluten free diet, whether it is due to Celiac, non-Celiac gluten intolerance, gluten allergy...and many others have never been tested or have had inconclusive results.

[blueeyedmanda]

There are so many foods that are naturally gluten free so I can't see why people say the diet is unhealthy for non-celiacs. I do believe that our diet does lack some nutrients so as long as you are getting a balanced diet there shouldn't be a problem.

If being gluten free is making you feel better all around, well thats enough of a reason to keep going.

[CMCM]

I've done a LOT of reading on gluten and celiac disease, etc. and one thing is emphasized over and over: There is ZERO need to eat wheat/rye/barley...the main gluten grains. Wheat is actually POISON....if you put gluten into a petri dish with human tissue, the gluten attacks the tissue. Gluten containing grains have only been eaten for a small part of human history...enabled by the development of agriculture, cultivation, and with the advent of processing machinery....all fairly recently. Therefore, humans had a very LONG history of eating no grains. The agricultural/advertising folks want to convince you that these grains are necessary to get adequate fiber in your diet, but actually, more than enough fiber can be eaten via vegetables (particularly raw ones) and fruits.

New research is pointing to the idea that at least 80% of Americans are gluten sensitive, and a smaller amount...perhaps 3 to 5% are celiac. Gluten sensitivity causes an unbelievable number of symptoms, many of them unrelated to the digestive system.

I suggest getting the very readable book called "Dangerous Grains" (on Amazon, about $10). It will really open your eyes to the whole thing. It lists over 200 symptoms/conditions that can be/often are related to eating gluten.

From your description, you certainly sound gluten sensitive at the very least. My feeling after all the reading I've done is this: People would be much better off not eating wheat/rye/barley at all. I think our daily gorging on gluten containing foods is largely behind the very recent epidemic of diabetes and overweight among children, and the general overweight condition of Americans. Remember that gluten is also very very addictive, and most people are eating in in all sorts of products multiple times per day. This keeps the body in a continual state of inflammation as the body tries to deal with this poison inside the digestive system.

[lonewolf]

It's very possible that you could be gluten sensitive. And I agree that you DON'T need gluten grains to be healthy. I've been off wheat (and eaten very little gluten) for almost 11 years now and am healthy. If you feel better gluten-free or gluten "lite" then stick with it. It will help your step-son too to see that he's not the only one eating that way.

[CMCM]

I might add that my celiac mom was diagnosed in 1969...not a single intentional gluten grain has passed her lips since then...and she's a very healthy, happy, young looking 86 year old! So 37+ years without grains hasn't hurt her a bit!

[Guest happynwgal]

I might add that my celiac mom was diagnosed in 1969...not a single intentional gluten grain has passed her lips since then...and she's a very healthy, happy, young looking 86 year old! So 37+ years without grains hasn't hurt her a bit!

Wow, what a great thing to hear about your mom - 37 years on gluten free! Good for her. Just goes to show that grains are NOT needed to be healthy.

[Guest happynwgal]

When my step son was diagnosed with Celiac, my husband and I decided that we were going to try the gluten free diet to see what effect it had on us, so we tried last week. My husband was unable to stick with it for one day, but I ate gluten free for about 4 days. Over the weekend we went out to eat and I ate a very small amount of gluten on Sat. night, and then a little larger amount on Sunday afternoon (Superbowl....). I had horrible stomach cramps all night Sunday night and a little diarrhea late Sun. night and Mon. morning. I've since gone back to eating gluten free. During the four days I was gluten free, after the first day or two, my stomach felt much better and I did have more energy. I have no idea if that had anything to do with going gluten free, but it seemed to. Could this mean that I have a gluten intolerance, or is this something that would happen to anyone? I don't think that I have Celiac disease, is gluten bad for pretty much anybody?

I was just diagnosed with gluten intolerance and I am SURE that you will NOT get hurt being on a gluten free diet if you are not sensitive to gluten.

Sounds to me like you might be, though. Somebody else suggested you continue eating gluten and get diagnosed - it is just a simple bloodtest that comes back in just a few days. It will tell you if you are gluten intolerant. If the answer is yes, then you can discuss with your doctor if you should go on to the biopsy to see if the villi inside your gut has been damaged. I chose not to do that, because it is enough for me to know I should stay off gluten. Celiac/gluten intolerance is same treatment - my nephew is diagnosed Celiac, so I probably am, too. Runs in families... My brother, whose son is celiac, is probably an undiagnosed celiac - but refuses to have it looked into.....

Good luck! And welcome to this friendly community... I am thrilled with what I am learning here. Gives me hope that I will be able to live gluten-free for the rest of my life.

[daltons]

I was just diagnosed with gluten intolerance and I am SURE that you will NOT get hurt being on a gluten free diet if you are not sensitive to gluten.

Sounds to me like you might be, though. Somebody else suggested you continue eating gluten and get diagnosed - it is just a simple bloodtest that comes back in just a few days. It will tell you if you are gluten intolerant. If the answer is yes, then you can discuss with your doctor if you should go on to the biopsy to see if the villi inside your gut has been damaged. I chose not to do that, because it is enough for me to know I should stay off gluten. Celiac/gluten intolerance is same treatment - my nephew is diagnosed Celiac, so I probably am, too. Runs in families... My brother, whose son is celiac, is probably an undiagnosed celiac - but refuses to have it looked into.....

Good luck! And welcome to this friendly community... I am thrilled with what I am learning here. Gives me hope that I will be able to live gluten-free for the rest of my life.

Wow, thank you for all the replies. I am very health conscious, so I want to be sure I'm not harming myself in any way. I have noticed though, that since going gluten free that my face has been breaking out pretty badly. Anyone else have this problem? I'm sure it's just the change in diet and hopefully once my body gets used to it, it will go away.

[TygerCubs]

Wow, thank you for all the replies. I am very health conscious, so I want to be sure I'm not harming myself in any way. I have noticed though, that since going gluten free that my face has been breaking out pretty badly. Anyone else have this problem? I'm sure it's just the change in diet and hopefully once my body gets used to it, it will go away.

My face broke out too. It seems to be clearing up now.

[TestyTommy]

I agree that there is NO downside to eating gluten-free, even if you have don't have celiac.

When I was being diagnosed, I remember reading how doctors insist that everyone get a biopsy before they take the "extreme" step of going gluten-free, and I couldn't figure out why they thought it was such a big deal. Compare to how sick I was (and how many weird things I had tried in desperation) eating gluten-free seemed pretty trivial.

What I've realized (and confirmed by conversations with doctors) is what a warped view of humanity doctors have. Doctors spend the overwhelming amount of their time with people who are trying to kill themselves -- smokers, drinkers, drug addicts, morbidly obese people. Doctors assume that everyone who sees them is stupid, lazy and uncooperative. That's why many of them don't bother telling diabetes patients that their disease can be managed thru diet. Why bother? Patients are all non-compliant whiners

I think the doctors who think eating gluten-free is extreme or dangerous say that because, for the 'typical' patient, trying to eat gluten-free would be impossible. Doctors don't have any first-hand experience with people like us who actually WANT to be healthy and will work to do so.

[sfm]

Wow, thank you for all the replies. I am very health conscious, so I want to be sure I'm not harming myself in any way. I have noticed though, that since going gluten free that my face has been breaking out pretty badly. Anyone else have this problem? I'm sure it's just the change in diet and hopefully once my body gets used to it, it will go away.

Just a note - my face broke out when I first went gluten free - but since has gotten better, and is much less prone to breakouts. I've been gluten free since just before Thanksgiving.

I hope that helps.