Celiac Markers Are Good But Still Feeling Blah!

[good4something]

10 months into being diagnosed and only 60 days of feeling good. Back to being tired, brain fog, etc. Doc checking liver functions. Any thoughts?

[AliB]

It could be that you have either developed an intolerance to another food or that an existing underlying tolerance has become manifest. Have you tried avoiding dairy for a while to see if that makes any difference?

It could also be due to a Candida infestation. Whilst the initial response of your body is relief and a detox of the gluten, it seems that a lot who suffer with gluten intolerance, because they then feel 'deprived' tend to start eating gluten-free baked goods in earnest. I have found commercially made gluten-free goods to be very loaded with sugar in general, and this would exacerbate bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

Candida feeds on sugar. We may not think that we are eating much sugar, but we forget that carbohydrate in any form turns to glucose in the body, dairy provides lactose and we also get maltose, dextrose, fructose and several other 'oses' from our food. If we overconsume sugar, the yeasts like Candida get out of control and overwhelm the gut causing major problems like Leaky Gut Syndrome, where the mycelial fungus penetrates the gut wall and allows toxins through into the bloodstream, setting the stage for any kind of allergies, illness or disease.

Whilst there are medications and natural aids to controlling it like Nystatin, or Caprylic Acid, Pau D'arco, and garlic, used on their own they are merely sticking plasters and the only sure way to control it is to starve it by not eating sugar. Sugar in its refined form is evil and insidious. Whilst it should be regarded as an occasional treat it has become an everyday monster. We have such a sweet tooth and commercialism continually panders to it.

It is hard, I know. I have cut out Gluten, Dairy, most carb and most sugar with sweet things as an occasional treat rather than a continuous indulgence. It is beginning to work and I am getting my energy back but it will take a while to get it fully under control as my body will still be full of residual sugar for a while (I am diabetic which makes the sugar problem even more difficult).

By not eating it though, I am no longer craving it and am happy now to just have one occasional biscuit or a square or two of very dark, dairy-free chocolate. It is surprising how quickly your taste changes when you stop eating the stuff!

Checking your nutrient levels would be a very good idea if you have a doc who is happy to do that, but as Candida certainly causes fatigue and lethargy, it is a good place to start. Be aware though that most doctors do not consider Candida as a problem, unless they are holistic or alternative.

[gfpaperdoll]

How much gluten-free grain products are you eating? have you tried cutting out dairy? are you taking B12?

are you anemic? had all your vitamin & mineral levels checked? blood pressure checked?

[AliB]

What I have learnt since my last post is that apparently, whilst 20% of the population can tolerate carbohydrate, 80% can't.

Gluten intolerance may actually stem from an inability to process carbohydrates per se. Whilst gluten based carbohydrates may be the major antagonist, it is likely that all carbs will have a detrimental effect sooner or later. Sugar is also included in the carbohydrate group.

I have found carb intolerance to be my main problem. I know that the two times in my life when I went low carb I was a lot better, so have started to do that again but without gluten now. I have dropped dairy, virtually all carbs apart from a little occasional gluten-free and the small amount of natural carb from fruits and veg, and make sure I get plenty of protein and fats and water. The only sugar I have is a little in the occasional gluten-free and some fruits.

This not only helps with weight-loss, as the body will not burn fat whilst it is being fed carbohydrate as fuel. Carb is meant as an occasional short-term fuel burst, but if we eat it continuously the body has no need to use fat and actually ends up storing any fat we are eating adding to what it already has. Our society is absolutely dripping with carbohydrate. It is no wonder that obesity and diabetes are on the increase.

I know going low-carb is hard but it does get easier. The longer we go without it the less we actually want to eat it.

Protein regulates the blood sugar, keeping it stable. It avoids the tiring constant peaks and troughs of hyper and hypoglycemia that many people often experience. It helps diabetics as it does not raise the blood sugar as much or as radically as carbs do and it, along with fat is much more filling and keeps the digestion satisfied for much longer.

It means a whole new mindset and thinking outside the box. It means thinking more about eating savoury things rather than sweet, although fruit is fine - high carb fruits like bananas need to be limited but others can be eaten fairly freely.

Those that can tolerate dairy, can have unsweetened fruit with cream which is very satisfying as a sweet treat. I find that I tolerate dairy better if I do not eat it with any carb or sugar, but am limiting it at the moment until my gut has healed and I have got the Candida under control.

We are always urged to go low-fat by the so-called experts, but it is not fat that is the problem it is carbohydrate. The only time you see a fat Eskimo is when he (or she!) eats a high-carb, high sugar western diet! Their diet consists of predominantly fish, meat and fat and they are extremely healthy with little or no incidence of any of the diseases of our carbohydrate-ridden society.

I was thinking that maybe, whilst you had an initial spurt with the gluten-free and felt better, it possible that lately, as you have become more confident with the diet, you may have unwittingly been introducing more carbs, even though they are gluten-free, than you had initially and it is the carbs in general that you are not actually coping with.

Yesterday I had a carb-free cooked breakfast. I felt so well most of the day and had loads of energy (although I got tired by the evening after a swim). In the evening I had chicken curry with rice and a piece of gluten-free cake. This morning I could not wake up and have been tired and sluggish all day. I felt as though I had been 'glutened' but I am sure it was simply the fact that I had had more carb than my body could cope with. Now I have had the experience of having energy and feeling better, I have realised just how much the carbohydrate was making me sluggish and constantly fatigued.

Tomorrow I will stay low-carb all day and see if it makes any difference. I don't know if it is worth you trying the same, but it seems to be why I am finding that gluten-free is not enough.

[happygirl]

What I have learnt since my last post is that apparently, whilst 20% of the population can tolerate carbohydrate, 80% can't.

FYI---this is a theory. There are many, many Celiacs that do just fine with other foods.

good4something: I would definitely explore other possibilities for the reasons behind not feeling well. I certainly hope you find some answers.