Other Sensitivites

[SunnyDyRain]

I have been gluten free now for 17 days (yay!) and i'm starting to notice that my diet is sucking ( I eat more chocolate than willy wonka) and that i may have some issues with corn and artfical sweeteners.

I was wondering if anyone knows if it's a big problem to eat corn even if it goes right though you. I know with gluten, it's damaging to the intesines, so even if you have no symtoms, you still hurting yourself. But is the same thing true for Corn? I LOVE LOVE LOVE tacos. I am willing to eat tacos at home and deal with a night on the potty to be able to add some variety to my diet. I am just worried by doing that i'm hurting my all ready beat up intestines more? I also have similar problem with most raw veggies(can't stand many cooked veggies)... they have a short stay in my body. With not eating corn, veggies, gluten and MSG... Chocolate, steak, potatoes and rice are my diet!

Artfical sweeteners I'm trying to avoid also. I have never been able to tolerate Splenda, now i'm finding sweet and low and nutrasweet are giving me problems. However they are in everything! Ican't drink regular soda, just too sweet, and I'm trying to give up diet soda due to nutrasweet... but going from 3-4 cans a day to water all the time.... so sick of water! I don't like juice much, trying to like tea, but then it's either sweetened with nutrasweet, or sugar and very sweet!

Bah, this is turning into a rant fest.. sorry. Basically just want to know if i'm Damaging my intestines by eating things other than gluten that my belly rejects.

[CarlaB]

It's certainly not helping you any to eat foods that go right through you.

Are you sure your taco shells and all the ingredients are gluten-free? Some seasonings have gluten.

I think pretty much everyone sees corn a second time unless they chew it really well ... Some celiacs do have other food sensitivities, corn is relatively common. Even more common is dairy.

As far as the chocolate, chocolate cravings can be indicative of a magnesium deficiency, which is common with celiac. Chocolate is high in magnesium. You might try a magnesium supplement, I know it's helped my daughter with her chocolate cravings. Then at least you're eating it because you want it, not because you need it.

When I first started the diet, I couldn't handle raw vegetables either. I needed overcooked ones, not my favorite, so I usually made a lot of homemade soup.

It's a good idea to get off the soda. Propel has only 2 grams of sugar per serving, but has flavor to it. It may be a nice break from regular water for you. Also, try squeezing lemon or lime in your water, not only does it add flavor, but it's good for you. Instead of drinking fruit juice, use it as flavoring for the water. I did all these tricks in the beginning to get off the soda ... that was years before I knew about my gluten intolerance.

In the beginning many of us need a very mild diet, like what you'd eat after having a stomach bug. Then you can start adding things back in as you start to feel better.

[TinkerbellSwt]

I have been gluten free for over a year and a half now, and I just am seeing a sensitivity to dairy, in large quantites. I am able to eat a few pieces of cheddar cheese.. but I have to limit that to my only dairy intake, otherwise I am in the bathroom. I was told on here that it is making me sick, but it isnt harming my body like gluten does.. so, I still wont eat much of it, but at least when I do get some it isnt hurting my body.. I think corn falls into that category..

[SunnyDyRain]

I have been gluten free for over a year and a half now, and I just am seeing a sensitivity to dairy, in large quantites. I am able to eat a few pieces of cheddar cheese.. but I have to limit that to my only dairy intake, otherwise I am in the bathroom. I was told on here that it is making me sick, but it isnt harming my body like gluten does.. so, I still wont eat much of it, but at least when I do get some it isnt hurting my body.. I think corn falls into that category..

That is what I was worried about, hurting myself. I won't be eating tacos daily...or weekly even. Just when I reallly need a fix. I feel so deprived already, I'm trying to pin down my "look-forward-to" meals. If I have some meals I LIKE, it makes eating all this other bland stuff not so bad.

[jerseyangel]

Sunny,

You won't actually damage your intestine with corn the way you would with gluten. It may give you unpleasant symptoms, but it won't cause the immune reaction. Is that what you are concerned about?

I will add that while healing, it's a good idea to refrain from eating things that are irritating.

[Jestgar]

I will add that while healing, it's a good idea to refrain from eating things that are irritating.

You might find that once you're healed you won't have as much of an issue with other things.

[Jestgar]

I also wanted to add that for the first 4-5 months I pretty much lived on cheese and chocolate. At some point I just stopped wanting those things. Don't stress about not eating perfectly right now, listen to your body.

[SunnyDyRain]

Sunny,

You won't actually damage your intestine with corn the way you would with gluten. It may give you unpleasant symptoms, but it won't cause the immune reaction. Is that what you are concerned about?

I will add that while healing, it's a good idea to refrain from eating things that are irritating.

That is exactly what i'm worried about! I don't plan on eating the corn stuff often, I don't like the digestive troubles, but If I get all down about the diet, or I need to just feel able to eat something "comfortable" (emotionally, not physically) I would rather turn to big old taco than a big old gluten filled bagel.

[jerseyangel]

That is exactly what i'm worried about! I don't plan on eating the corn stuff often, I don't like the digestive troubles, but If I get all down about the diet, or I need to just feel able to eat something "comfortable" (emotionally, not physically) I would rather turn to big old taco than a big old gluten filled bagel.

I hear ya!

[JNBunnie1]

Sunny, I would try to eat as much fat as possible. I know it sounds strange, but it will help heal your insides, presuming you don't have a gallbladder isssue. Try avocados if they don't piss off your stomach, lots of eggs, chicken with the skin on, lots of raw olive or coconut oils that you put on the food after its cooked. And some probitotics and enzymes might help you digest that corn a little better!

And your absolutely right, it's much better to turn to a taco than a bagel! If you like, I can throw some of my easy gluten free recipes on here that are easy and NOT bland.

[confused]

Sunny, I would try to eat as much fat as possible. I know it sounds strange, but it will help heal your insides, presuming you don't have a gallbladder isssue. Try avocados if they don't piss off your stomach, lots of eggs, chicken with the skin on, lots of raw olive or coconut oils that you put on the food after its cooked. And some probitotics and enzymes might help you digest that corn a little better!

And your absolutely right, it's much better to turn to a taco than a bagel! If you like, I can throw some of my easy gluten free recipes on here that are easy and NOT bland.

I would love to see some of ur gluten free recipes, of course if they are casein free to. I need more of an variety in my eating lol

paula

[JNBunnie1]

I would love to see some of ur gluten free recipes, of course if they are casein free to. I need more of an variety in my eating lol

paula

sure! What I'm planning to do is start a bit of a project and put a bunch of stuff on my profile. I'll start a new thread too once I get some stuff together. My dad's a professional chef (when he's not fighitng leukemia) and he's always willing to answer my questions, and I've come up with some great stuff lately. My honest favorites are roasted chicken legs and meatloaf.

Chicken legs are easy, you just take however much you're making, and put it in a casserole dish. I spread out the skins as much as possible, so the seasonings get all over the skin. I tend to use only organic chicken. Then I just sprinkle lots of salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, parsley, and basil on top and pour some water in the bottom and bake it at 375 for at least 45 min, and the length of time will depend on how much you make. Make sure the water doesn't evaporate.

For meatloaf:

1lb ground meat

1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs

Salt, pepper, garlic, dry mustard, whatever cranks your tractor

1/2 diced medium onion

big huge squirt of ketchup

sometimes I add minced garlic

and you just mix it all with your hands and pat into a loaf. I squirt more ketchup on top and cook for 50 min at 375. I'm big on easy!

[SunnyDyRain]

Sunny, I would try to eat as much fat as possible. I know it sounds strange, but it will help heal your insides, presuming you don't have a gallbladder isssue. Try avocados if they don't piss off your stomach, lots of eggs, chicken with the skin on, lots of raw olive or coconut oils that you put on the food after its cooked. And some probitotics and enzymes might help you digest that corn a little better!

And your absolutely right, it's much better to turn to a taco than a bagel! If you like, I can throw some of my easy gluten free recipes on here that are easy and NOT bland.

I totally would love for more recipies! I have an idea making meatloaf with rice instead of bread crumbs. Kinda like Piggies! (A polish dish... yummy!)

I have been eating alot of fat... it was kinda worring me. I guess when you have celiac your prioties are different... fat = good, raw veggies, corn, bread = bad. The good news is most of the fat is unsaturated and almost no trans fat. Chocolate is still my main craving.

I found the best recipie this weekend, I made it in my rice cooker..so easy!

3 cups rice

4 1/2 cup water

1 stick butter

3-4 cloves garlic crushed

1 tablespoon ginger

Chili powder or red pepper flakes to taste (I like spicy so I used 3-4 tbs of chili powder)

1 package of cooked frozen de-tailed shrimp.

I combined it all in my rice cooker (except shrimp) when it switched to warm I put in shrimp and let them heat up for 20 minutes.

If you leave out the shrimp, it makes a great side also!

[Guest AlabamaGirl]

Uh, I'm gonna politely disagree with a few of you here. Now I may be wrong, but I'm thinking that you should not be eating something that causes intestinal distress. Intestinal distress could be a sign that some kind of damage is occurring. I quote Dr. Samuel Gee ...

"We must never forget that what the patient takes beyond his power to digest does harm."

Could definitely be wrong, but seems the jury is still out on this. I love how celiac.com sums this up ...

"In any case, as far as we know, corn does not seem to cause harm to celiac patients. Corn has not been studied in the extensive way that wheat has in relation to celiac disease, but for 40+ years patients and their physicians have seemed to agree that corn is OK. ... There have been no modern biopsy-based studies of the effects of purified corn proteins on the celiac intestine as there have been for wheat, but the mass of evidence still seems to point in the direction of corn being safe for celiac patients.

[Emphasis mine. -- See https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=189]

It looks okay, but how many celiacs were once told that gluten was okay and not the problem?

[miles2go]

I am one of those who skin-tested highly allergic to corn who also wonders about the effects of such and agrees that there is certainly not enough testing by the FDA or the other powers-that-be about this particular foodstuff. It peeves me that it isn't listed among the 8 most common allergens that are now required to be on food labels, because it is quite a pervasive allergen. That said, I do on occasion indulge and usually don't have any trouble with it, if I've been good about other food sensitivities and the little planties aren't bloomin' their hearts out in the spring.

That said, I still don't have any great advice other than try to keep your body in balance and if you do such, a little cheating that doesn't involve gluten may (?) not kill you. We do need to feed our minds after all, too. I do avoid high-fructose corn syrup as much as possible; that will nix out a whole lot of corn-products for you to enjoy your tacos if you can manage.