What Did I Do Wrong?

[Gluten=bad]

OK, so I started eating gluten free as of Sunday (2-24-08) and this evening I had some really bad stomach upset. Here is a list of what I've eaten today. Where did I go wrong?

Breakfast: Gluten free rice cereal w/2% milk, strawberries, and sugar

Lunch: Corn tortilla w/Hormel honey ham and sliced cheddar cheese. Crunch 'N' Munch

Snack: Gluten free pretzels

Supper: Gluten free cheeseburger macaroni mix, salad with cheese, real bacon bits, and Kraft ranch dressing

Snack: Laura Lynn corn chips (gluten free by their website) with Kraft bacon cheddar cheese spread (no offending ingredients listed)

Oh and I also had one piece of dubble bubble gum original flavor.

Please help, I'm trying to do right. Where did I go wrong?

Thanks.

[kbtoyssni]

None of those foods jump out at me as being not-gluten-free, although I'm not familiar with a lot of the brands you posted. I'm guessing it's because you're so new to gluten-free. You gut is irritated so for a while you might feel sick even when you don't eat gluten.

The dairy could easily be the culprit - many people have trouble digesting dairy while they're healing. Lactose is digested by the tips of your villi so if your villi are worn down, you'll have trouble with this digestion until you heal.

There's also a number of gluten-free substitute products. It seems like many people have trouble with those at first, too, which is unfortunate because it's early on in the diet that people most rely on these products. After a while you'll probably learn to "think outside the box" and start eating naturally gluten-free stuff instead of these substitutes. Not sure why people have problems intially - they're very dense and maybe that makes them hard to digest. I think grains in general might be harder to digest, too, and your gut certainly isn't working at full strength here.

The other thought I have is maybe one of your ingredients was contaminated prior to you going gluten-free or by a family member who didn't realize.

[Gluten=bad]

Thanks. I guess it's just going to take time and trial and error to find out what I can and cannot eat.

[Mom23boys]

It took my tummy a while to get used to the gluten-free subs. Getting used to some is worse than a reaction. Even now I don't dare overdo it.

[njbeachbum]

My bet is that all of the dairy that you had that day is the culprit. I've been on the gluten free diet since December 3rd, so it's been almost 3 months for me. I still have good days and bad days. I was misdiagnosed for many years, so my gut is a mess from being symptomatic for so long. I usually limit my dairy intake to just a pat of butter in my cream of rice cereal to just a few slices of cheddar cheese on a burger or with some gluten-free crackers. You may want to consider going light on the dairy at the beginning too. I enjoy almond milk with my dry cereal.... it's very tasty. (oh yeah, i also added a calcium supplement since i was going light on dairy... nature made vitamins are great)

i also agree that the gluten-free products can be a little hard on the tummy.... i remember in the first few weeks i gorged on some gluten-free pretzels a few times and had a pretty rough time with it. they are very dense and in many cases a lot higher in natural fats that regular grain products.

hang in there though... it gets much easier once you learn what you can tolerate and what you can't. for me, that first trip to the grocery store was a nightmare, now i fly thru the aisles b/c i know specifically what i can and can't have. one thing i will say is thank GOD for the gluten free labeling on perdue short cuts chicken. that has been a huge lifesaver. it helps so much in making meals in a snap

good luck and keep the questions coming!

-Joe

[Darn210]

Did you use an old strainer to drain your macaroni? Did you use your old pasta pot? (You really have to scrub that ring of starch/gluten off) Were there any shared (used prior to gluten-free) condiments/ingredients? . . . butter in your pasta dish? mayo with your ham?

[Wonka]

For the first few months I have stuck to a simple protein, fruit and vegies. No grains, no dairy, no soy (I reacted to it) just naturally gluten free food. I feel wonderful. I am slowing introducing other food. I can not tolerate dairy in small amounts and I can now tolerate the gluten free flours so I can have gluten-free bread and goodies (these infrequently).

Give your gut a break and keep it very simple at first. It does get better.

[tarnalberry]

what jumps out at me is that it's a lot of carbs - lots and lots. that would cause (an hour after eating), a pretty big blood sugar drop for me, and I'd feel quite nauseous. for me, I need much more balanced meals than that, but again, that's me. it's also a lot of processed foods, which may offer a potential for contamination, or other ingredients your body doesn't like...

[Gluten=bad]

Thanks everybody, I think maybe the cheese spread was cross contaminated as I had eaten it with wheat thins before going gluten free. Limiting the dairy is a good idea too and also I know I need to eat better. Old habits are hard to break.

[flourgirl]

Hi! Just wanted to chime in with my 2 cents. I've been eating Gluten free for a while now. It takes some doing, but I've learned that I have to think about everything that goes in my mouth. Nothing touches the counters, unless they get scrubbed first. Since my husband still eats gluten, we have seperate toasters, seperate PB & J, only clean utensils get put into anything, never twice after they've touched any other food. There's so much to think about! We learn as we go. I'm still at a point where almost everything I eat causes bloating....most foods and liquids cause burping and often nausea. Does not seem to matter what it is. In time it'll be better....I have to hang on to that thought.

You may want to take another look at you gum.....is it dusted with a powder....maybe flour? Look over lists online for additives that may be in the foods you are buying. Gluten is often hidden..it's not going to be listed as gluten on the label (oh, if only). Hope things get better for you soon!

[Darn210]

You may want to take another look at you gum.....is it dusted with a powder....maybe flour? Look over lists online for additives that may be in the foods you are buying. Gluten is often hidden..it's not going to be listed as gluten on the label (oh, if only). Hope things get better for you soon!

Double Bubble is OK . . . it's part of Tootsie Roll Industries and all of their stuff is gluten-free.

[AliB]

Hi.

I have gone gluten-free, dairy free and low carb, low sugar. My gut is reacting to all sorts of things since it collapsed and carbs and sugar in general seem to be the biggest culprit.

I am veering now from just gluten-free/DF to mainly very low carb as the 2 times I have done low carb in the past were good for me (stupid me for not keeping it going!)

Apparently 80% of the population cannot process carbs properly, and due to the amount of carbs and sugar we eat, bacterial overgrowth (candida) is a huge problem now and certainly likely, along with gluten, to behind a lot of the illness, allergies and diseases we are suffering. At the end of the day, by going low carb it is much easier to avoid the gluten and dairy as I am not so likely to eat the foods that might give me a reaction or give me any 'accidental' gluten.

I just have to ignore all that 'poisonous' food out there and what the advertising and stores are shoving in my face constantly, and just concentrate on good, plain, wholesome foods that will make me well (and help shift the weight!).

So many people are suffering - if only they realised that so much of it is all down to what they are putting in their mouths.................