Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Can't Sleep...!


Lux

Recommended Posts

Lux Explorer

So I've been gluten/dairy/soy free for one month now...and, for some reason, my sleep appears to be completely affected by it (it, or something else??) I lay awake for hours, and when I finally do drift off, have been having the most intense, disturbing dreams for which I have no real explanation...the weird thing is, I haven't had probs with sleep for years. Since going gluten-free, my GI problems have been clearing up nicely, and I'm not even that tired during the day (oddly).

In terms of diet, yesterday I had:

Breakfast - banana, blueberries, dates, peppermint tea.

Mid-morning - black coffee.

Lunch - steamed brussel sprouts, beans, broccoli, tuna, 1 Tbs flaxseed oil.

Dinner - Steamed pumpkin, carrots, courgette, spinach, flaxseed oil, garlic.

Snack - raisins, banana.

At first, I thought maybe it's the coffee? But I've been sleeping like this for the past few days and the day before yest I didn't have any (coffee, that is). Plus, I've been a fairly regular coffee drinker over the past few months and the problem has only just started this past week (since I cut out grains, interestingly).

Any suggestions would be gratefull received! Thanks ya'll! :-)


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



YoloGx Rookie
So I've been gluten/dairy/soy free for one month now...and, for some reason, my sleep appears to be completely affected by it (it, or something else??) I lay awake for hours, and when I finally do drift off, have been having the most intense, disturbing dreams for which I have no real explanation...the weird thing is, I haven't had probs with sleep for years. Since going gluten-free, my GI problems have been clearing up nicely, and I'm not even that tired during the day (oddly).

In terms of diet, yesterday I had:

Breakfast - banana, blueberries, dates, peppermint tea.

Mid-morning - black coffee.

Lunch - steamed brussel sprouts, beans, broccoli, tuna, 1 Tbs flaxseed oil.

Dinner - Steamed pumpkin, carrots, courgette, spinach, flaxseed oil, garlic.

Snack - raisins, banana.

At first, I thought maybe it's the coffee? But I've been sleeping like this for the past few days and the day before yest I didn't have any (coffee, that is). Plus, I've been a fairly regular coffee drinker over the past few months and the problem has only just started this past week (since I cut out grains, interestingly).

Any suggestions would be gratefull received! Thanks ya'll! :-)

Its possible that the dried fruit might be causing a problem. For me it stimulates a fungal reaction. If this is the case you might want to cut down on the amount of fruit you are eating.

It also may be your body is in part detoxing. The coffee too might now be a little more of a problem since it is very stimulating. Instead you could try detox teas such as roasted chicory/dandelion root. It tastes good while helping out your liver rather than stressing it.

I take it you are a vegetarian. However it may be you need a little more protein than what you are getting. Can you eat beans without them bothering you? Or would you consider eating small amounts of meat like chicken or fish? It could be very balancing. Sometimes cooking the chicken with the beans balances the two. A slow cooker works great. Then add a bunch of vegies.

Are you also reactive to all grains? If not you might want to introduce some (washed) quinoa, corn, teff, amaranth etc. and maybe some rice occasionally. You also might need to eat more starchy vegetables.

You might too need to be taking some supplements. Usually with the celiac we need vitamin D (I like the cod liver oil but you can get a tablet instead), a good B complex, sometimes magnesium (this last can help with sleep and settle the nervous system but don't take too much or you will get D!), a good form of calcium and some liquid sea minerals, maybe some kelp.

Valerian, chamomile and mint can also help one sleep at night.

Lux Explorer

Tbankyou so much for this!! I'm definitely taking your advice on board...can I ask, how do you know if you are experiencing a fungal reaction...? What are the symptoms, and how do they differ from the usual Celiac problems?

Thanks again!!

xo :-)

mftnchn Explorer

Insomnia seems a common issue for celiac disease. If you search the forum for insomnia, you'll get lots of posts with ideas.

I agree with the ideas offered. I'd eliminate the caffeine first. Also you could have your vitamin, minerals, etc checked.

I tried L-tryptophan, and other similar things like HTP5 or whatever it is called. Tried melatonin. Tried cortisol. Went on hormones (HRT). The last helped somewhat, but I still was dependent on Ambien to sleep a lot of the time.

Recently I started something that is really helping though. It is a neurotransmitter support supplement. Since starting that I haven't taken Ambien.

Insomnia is also a common issue with lyme disease which I also have. Hopefully yours will be easier to find the solution!

itchygirl Newbie

Some people also find that the fatty acids in flax make them sleepless. I switched to Expecta for that reason. If you want endless discussions (and knock down drag out fights) over the various Omega 3's possibly keeping you awake (or even potentiating mania) search for that topic on crazymeds. I'm warning you though, its a lot like the wheat glucose, vinegar issue in this universe :(

YoloGx Rookie
Tbankyou so much for this!! I'm definitely taking your advice on board...can I ask, how do you know if you are experiencing a fungal reaction...? What are the symptoms, and how do they differ from the usual Celiac problems?

Thanks again!!

xo :-)

Well, for me I get a white coating on my tongue which is obvious in the morning before I brush my teeth. It also can cause a lot of farting and bloating--despite being on the gluten free diet. Sometimes my fecal material has white mucousy junk on it. All signs of a fungal infection. Sometimes too one can get jock rot or nail fungus. I have found fungus/candida contributes to excessive tiredness and inflammation in general.

If I avoid eating much fruit and do anti fungals it really helps. Dried fruit is really a no no since it has a lot of yeast already in it and seems to stimulate a fungal response in the body.

If you can handle having a couple of cloves of raw garlic each day that helps, or you can take the capsules etc. The ones that are enterically coated are best, however you have to make sure they have no gluten. Pao de arco helps a lot for keeping the infection down; it also helps a little with regularity. Taking caps I hear is more effective than the tea though I do both. If you make the tea slow boil it for 15 minutes. Black walnut is a good idea as is Baberry. Barberry in fact is very anti candida specifically. Can only take these for 10 days max at a time however and then a week off--otherwise there is a toxic build up. I would alternate black walnut with barberry and then let a few days go in between unless the fungus (if you have it) is bad. With them I would get powdered barberry. You can then just pour boiling water over a half teaspoon and drink. Or take caps. With the black walnut usually you get the leaf. So you pour boiling water over it and let sit 15 minutes.

For those that can handle it (which I can't since I am sensitive to citrus) 3 to 5 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract will really go a long ways to killing of fungal infections etc. Do this twice a day in plenty of water. Its very bitter. Also taking oregano caps regularly helps keep the fungus down too. You could alternate this with the grapefruit extract, say a week on and a week off for each.

Just eating lots of vegies really helps--and less in the way of carbohydrates which does include fruit. I find one needs a certain amount of carbs. to be OK--so its best if you use ones that are slower to digest or low on the carb. index. So certain roots and squashes are a little better in moderation though with potatoes you need to not get overly carried away since they convert to sugar fairly quickly. However I have found them balancing for the celiac, so go figure? And whole grains are better than ground up flours. You get the picture.

Teff however seems to digest pretty slowly for a grain however in case you want to make some pancakes or something... I make them half and half with quinoa or amaranth flour (i.e., one cup each), half a cup of tapioca and half a cup of amaranth flour or gluten free cornmeal, a tablespoon of potato flour, sift in two teaspoons of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt, and then add mixed 1/2 cup oil and 2 cups water, mix in between one and two cups of already cooked quinoa. This makes enough to last a few days. You may need to add a little more water. I use a little butter in the frying pan so the pancakes won't stick. I often make an extra pancake to have around for later in the day.

Quinoa by the way needs to be washed before cooking (I use a small meshed sieve) since it has some kind of growth inhibitor on its uncooked surface that is harmful to us humans.

Lux Explorer
Well, for me I get a white coating on my tongue which is obvious in the morning before I brush my teeth. It also can cause a lot of farting and bloating--despite being on the gluten free diet. Sometimes my fecal material has white mucousy junk on it. All signs of a fungal infection. Sometimes too one can get jock rot or nail fungus. I have found fungus/candida contributes to excessive tiredness and inflammation in general.

If I avoid eating much fruit and do anti fungals it really helps. Dried fruit is really a no no since it has a lot of yeast already in it and seems to stimulate a fungal response in the body.

If you can handle having a couple of cloves of raw garlic each day that helps, or you can take the capsules etc. The ones that are enterically coated are best, however you have to make sure they have no gluten. Pao de arco helps a lot for keeping the infection down; it also helps a little with regularity. Taking caps I hear is more effective than the tea though I do both. If you make the tea slow boil it for 15 minutes. Black walnut is a good idea as is Baberry. Barberry in fact is very anti candida specifically. Can only take these for 10 days max at a time however and then a week off--otherwise there is a toxic build up. I would alternate black walnut with barberry and then let a few days go in between unless the fungus (if you have it) is bad. With them I would get powdered barberry. You can then just pour boiling water over a half teaspoon and drink. Or take caps. With the black walnut usually you get the leaf. So you pour boiling water over it and let sit 15 minutes.

For those that can handle it (which I can't since I am sensitive to citrus) 3 to 5 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract will really go a long ways to killing of fungal infections etc. Do this twice a day in plenty of water. Its very bitter. Also taking oregano caps regularly helps keep the fungus down too. You could alternate this with the grapefruit extract, say a week on and a week off for each.

Just eating lots of vegies really helps--and less in the way of carbohydrates which does include fruit. I find one needs a certain amount of carbs. to be OK--so its best if you use ones that are slower to digest or low on the carb. index. So certain roots and squashes are a little better in moderation though with potatoes you need to not get overly carried away since they convert to sugar fairly quickly. However I have found them balancing for the celiac, so go figure? And whole grains are better than ground up flours. You get the picture.

Thank ya'll for your advice! I'm digesting (hehe) it all, and will keep you posted on how it all goes.

I must admit, I have developed quite the obsession with dried fruit and had, in the past, suspected I may be suffering from Candida. I will take out the caffeine and the fruit and see what happens...I would never have considered the flax oil, the so-called "wonderfood" could be responsible for sleeplessness! Sigh.

One odd thing I often experience (which I haven't yet known anyone else in this forum to report) is a tummy tightness after I go to the bathroom (number 2 ;-))...I find this quite strange, because most people I know that talk about GI/C probs will claim for the discomfort to ease after they've gone, as opposed to worsening. What could possibly be the explanation for this? Perhaps I should start a new thread to ask this question??

Thankyou all again for your wonderfulness!!

xo


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



sickchick Community Regular

I either am like you and lay awake all night and then crash about 8 or 9 am 'or'

I sleep HARD for about 14 hours straight.

A meteor could land outside my bedroom and I still wouldn't wake up.

Sleeping every day until AT LEAST 12 pm

drives me bonkers!

good luck! B)

Lux Explorer

I found a glass of red wine has a certain...lulling effect ;)

YoloGx Rookie
Thank ya'll for your advice! I'm digesting (hehe) it all, and will keep you posted on how it all goes.

I must admit, I have developed quite the obsession with dried fruit and had, in the past, suspected I may be suffering from Candida. I will take out the caffeine and the fruit and see what happens...I would never have considered the flax oil, the so-called "wonderfood" could be responsible for sleeplessness! Sigh.

One odd thing I often experience (which I haven't yet known anyone else in this forum to report) is a tummy tightness after I go to the bathroom (number 2 ;-))...I find this quite strange, because most people I know that talk about GI/C probs will claim for the discomfort to ease after they've gone, as opposed to worsening. What could possibly be the explanation for this? Perhaps I should start a new thread to ask this question??

Thankyou all again for your wonderfulness!!

xo

Well everybody is different concerning flax. I find it helps me sleep though I need to limit it to 1 tablespoon a day freshly ground usually at night. I also use cod liver oil in the AM. Maybe these help balance each other?

Lux Explorer

What are the benefits of cod liver oil, yolo?

Lux Explorer
I either am like you and lay awake all night and then crash about 8 or 9 am 'or'

I sleep HARD for about 14 hours straight.

A meteor could land outside my bedroom and I still wouldn't wake up.

Sleeping every day until AT LEAST 12 pm

drives me bonkers!

good luck! B)

What do you attribute your insomnia to, sickchick? How long have you experienced it, and do you think that whatever sleeping pattern you fall into for any one night is a result of something you've eaten?

Thanks!!!!! :)

AliB Enthusiast

I was just thinking about the tightness you experience after the toilet - I wonder if it might be your bowel going into spasm? How long does it last? Perhaps it is still inflamed a bit and reacts when you have a motion.

As for the sleep, how long have you been gluten-free? I have been sleeping better since I went gluten-free/DF in January and latterly SCD two weeks ago although I am still tired at the moment. I suspect my body is still detoxing and it could be a few weeks before I see any real result, although my stomach has settled a lot and I am not reacting to nearly so many foods now as I was. I think dropping so much food and going back to basics is really helping my gut to heal quicker.

I didn't just drop the gluten and dairy, but also most carbs and sugars also. Within a few days I stopped getting the restless and aching legs which were very contributory to my poor sleep. Interestingly my husband is doing this with me although he is still having some dairy. We usually sleep in separate rooms as between his snoring and my thrashing we were keeping each other awake all the time! On Sunday we had to travel for a funeral service and stayed in a guest house overnight. We slept in the same room and I didn't hear him snore once! Wow!

YoloGx Rookie
What are the benefits of cod liver oil, yolo?

Cod liver oil has both very absorpable vitamin D and A as well as Omega 3's. If you are of Scandanavian descent its particularly apropos since its kind of hard wired in--since our ancestors relied on it.

Some people have difficulty digesting it however due to lack of enough stomach acid. If so, try taking some HCL with it. There are also some (expensive) capsules you can take that deal with this digestive difficulty. Or you could just take the (cheaper) concentrated fish oil vitamin D & A capsules and again rely on flax seed more for your Omega 3's.

However my thinking is that if its that hard on you, you could also just take 1000 IU of the vitamin D tablets and rely more on fresh ground flax seed for your Omega 3's--maybe take 2 tablespoons of the stuff each day rather than one.

Again using 1/4 teaspoon of the powdered apple pectin put in with the flax seed before the grind makes a nice soothing bulking mixture --gives you lots of fiber as well as Omega 3's.

My theory why some people experience sleep difficulties with it at first is that it is pulling out a lot of toxins in the intestines which their bodies are not used to. If this is happening use some of the detox herbs perhaps (dandelion or milk thistle, oregon grape root or yellow dock or burdock--not in alcohol tinctures however!), exercise if you can, drink lots of water and eat lots of vegetables and use valerian and skullcap to help you sleep at night with maybe additions of melissa, lavender and rosemary.

If its still not working, then go off the flax. And hope the cod liver oil in some form or other works for you.

  • 2 weeks later...
Beagle Newbie

I have celiac disease and had a problem waking up 2-3 times a night. Have not narrowed it down to any food yet, but I have found a fabulous solution - melatonin. I take 2-3 mg before I go to bed and get wonderful sleep! My husband takes the same amount, but his daughter takes 6mg, so everyone is different. It is a natural hormone & anti-oxtidant (no other hormone in a persons body is both) produced in the pineal gland, located in your brain. The fact that it is also an anti-oxident means it helps build the immune system, not just aid in sleeping. Some people produce less of this hormone than others, therefore getting less sleep. I don't know if this low production is caused by celiac/gluten intolerance problems, but I do know it helps me sleep.

My husband went without melatonin for two nights in a row and realized it was because he had forgotten to take melatonin. He hasn't forgotten since. I buy it at my local health food store, but it is available at grocery stores as well. I buy 1mg tablets (it also comes in 3mg & 5mg) and for 120 it costs me just under $7.00. I believe it would be well worth the money, considering how much time and effort it takes to narrow down what it causing it. It may just be a low melatonin production due to our problem and not any food item at all, but I am not ruling out the food option either.

Please read the book, "Your Body's Natural Wonder Drug - Melatonin" by Russell J. Reiter Ph.D. and Jo Robinson. It retails for about $23. A friend of mine, who is a fellow celiac, suggested it to me and I will be forever grateful.

Please consider these options. You will notice a difference the very first night. Some people require more than others, so exiperiment on what works for you. Oh yeah, there is no toxic amount of melatonin, so don't worry about how much you have to take.

Good luck & sweet dreams!

Soonerman Rookie

Celiacs are commonly low and/or deficient in a few vitamins/minerals, such as B12, D, K, Magnesium... Having low magnesium levels can severely disturb sleep. I have been taking Magnesium Citrate pills for my magnesium levels and the sleep is amazing. This was mentioned above and is a big problem that is never really dealt with, especially since there aren't really accurate tests for magnesium levels. It can't hurt to take magnesium supplements, as the extra is excreted through urine, and it would help many of us not only with sleep, but also with relaxation and energy. Good luck and hopefully goodnight!

Joni63 Collaborator

Soonerman,

I'm curious how much magnesium you have to take to sleep better? Do you balance that out with calcium supplementation?

Thanks!

YoloGx Rookie
I have celiac disease and had a problem waking up 2-3 times a night. Have not narrowed it down to any food yet, but I have found a fabulous solution - melatonin. I take 2-3 mg before I go to bed and get wonderful sleep! My husband takes the same amount, but his daughter takes 6mg, so everyone is different. It is a natural hormone & anti-oxtidant (no other hormone in a persons body is both) produced in the pineal gland, located in your brain. The fact that it is also an anti-oxident means it helps build the immune system, not just aid in sleeping. Some people produce less of this hormone than others, therefore getting less sleep. I don't know if this low production is caused by celiac/gluten intolerance problems, but I do know it helps me sleep.

My husband went without melatonin for two nights in a row and realized it was because he had forgotten to take melatonin. He hasn't forgotten since. I buy it at my local health food store, but it is available at grocery stores as well. I buy 1mg tablets (it also comes in 3mg & 5mg) and for 120 it costs me just under $7.00. I believe it would be well worth the money, considering how much time and effort it takes to narrow down what it causing it. It may just be a low melatonin production due to our problem and not any food item at all, but I am not ruling out the food option either.

Please read the book, "Your Body's Natural Wonder Drug - Melatonin" by Russell J. Reiter Ph.D. and Jo Robinson. It retails for about $23. A friend of mine, who is a fellow celiac, suggested it to me and I will be forever grateful.

Please consider these options. You will notice a difference the very first night. Some people require more than others, so exiperiment on what works for you. Oh yeah, there is no toxic amount of melatonin, so don't worry about how much you have to take.

Good luck & sweet dreams!

Sounds like I great idea. I will go get some today since sleep problems have resurrected themselves for me. I notice now that taking the co-enzyme B vitamins helps me sleep--but I must take them before I go to bed rather than just after...though I also seem to need the nerve building herb skullcap and the relaxing herb valerian.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,294
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Dianr
    Newest Member
    Dianr
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • max it
    • cristiana
      My chest pain has been caused by costochondritis, as well as times when iron supplements has given me such bad bloating it has put pressure on my back and chest, and reflux can do the same. Also, along the lines of Wheatwacked's suggestion above, is it possible you had an injury to your chest/ribs way back that is being set off by either some sort of gastrointestinal bloating/discomfort? I distinctly remember really hurting a rib over forty years ago when I misjudged a wall and thought it was just behind me but in fact it wasn't.  I fell badly against the wall and I think I cracked a rib then.  For some strange reason I didn't tell anyone but I think had I gone to hospital an X-ray would have revealed a fracture. I think that rib has not been right since and I am sure that bloating makes it worse, as well as heavy lifting.
    • Dora77
      Sorry for the long post. I’m 18, and I was diagnosed with celiac disease and type 1 diabetes (T1D). My transglutaminase IgA was >128 U/mL, EMA IgA positive twice, and I’m HLA-DQ2 and DQ8 positive. I’ve been completely asymptomatic since diagnosis, even when I cheated with gluten sometimes in the past and used to eat out(2-5 years ago) I don’t get the typical celiac reactions, which makes it really hard to know when (or if) I’ve been glutened. But for the past year, I’ve been the most strict with my diet, and that’s also when a bunch of new issues started. I eat completely glutenfree, never eat out, dont eat food that says „may contain gluten“.   Current Health Problems • Floating, undigested stools for over a year now. Dont think its related to celiac as it was like this since im 17 and not 13-16( i got diagnosed at 13). • Chronic back pain started gradually, worsens with movement, lots of cracking/popping sounds. Been ongoing for a year now. First noticed in the gym. • Abdominal bulge on the right side, not painful but seems to be getting slightly bigger. Doctor didn’t find a hernia on ultrasound, but it was done lying down (I’ve read those can miss hernias). Noticed it like 6 months ago, couldve been there longer. • extremely dry and mildly swollen hands (this started before I started excessive hand-washing), and bloated face. • Signs of inattentive ADHD (noticed over the past 3 years), now combined with severe OCD focused on contamination and cross-contact. • Growth/puberty seemed to started after going gluten-free. Before that I was not developing. Dont know if any of these are because of celiac as my dad doesnt have those and he is a lot less strict gluten-free then me. I also had pancreatic elastase tested four times: values were 46 (very low), 236, 158, and 306 (normal). Gastroenterologist said one normal value is enough and I don’t have EPI. Family doctor prescribed Kreon anyway (after I pushed for it), and I just started taking 1 capsule (10,000 units) with meals 2 days ago, but couldn‘t see effects yet because I’ve been constipated the last few days. Maybe because of thyroid. I don’t have Hashimoto’s. No thyroid antibodies. But I took levothyroxine for slightly low FT4 levels. My thyroid levels fluctuated between borderline low and low-normal. And recently lowered my dose so that may have caused the constipating. I probably didn’t need it in the first place, and am thinking about stopping it soon.   Current Diet Right now, I only eat a very limited set of “safe” foods I prepare myself: • Gluten-free bread with tuna or cheese • Milk and cornflakes • gluten-free cookies/snacks • Bananas (the only fruit I trust right now) I rarely eat other fruits or vegetables, because I’m scared of contamination. My dad, who also has celiac but doesn’t care about CC, buys fruits, and he might’ve picked them up right after handling gluten bread. That makes me feel unsafe eating them. Even fruit at stores or markets feels risky because so many people with gluten on their hands touch them.   My Home Situation (Shared Kitchen) We’re a family of 5. Only my dad and I have celiac. He eats glutenfree but doesn’t care about CC and sometimes (but rarely) cheats. My mom and siblings eat gluten bread at every meal. My mom is honest (so if i ask her to be cautious, she most likely would try to), but doesn’t seem to understand how serious celiac is. She: • Stopped using gluten flour • only cooks gluten-free meals (but they still heat up gluten bread and also cook gluten noodles) • Keeps separate butter/jam/jars for me • Bought me a stainless steel pan Bu we didn’t replace old wooden utensils, cutting boards, or other pans. The new they bought me pan was even carried home in a shopping bag with gluten bread in it, which triggered my OCD. It also has a rubber handle and I’m scared it might still hold onto gluten. Even if it’s washed well, it’s stored next to other pans that were used for gluten food/bread. Our kitchen table is used for eating gluten bread daily. My mom wipes it but not with soap. I’m scared tiny particles remain. If she made gluten-free bread dough on a board at the table, I’d still worry about cross contmaination contamination even with something under the dough and on the table as at one point the dough would probably touch the table. So I stopped eating anything she makes.   I know OCD is making it worse, but I can’t tell how much of my fear is real and how much is anxiety. Examples: • I wash my hands 20–30 times a day — before eating, after touching anything at home or outside, after using my phone/laptop. • I don’t let others touch my phone, and I’m scared to use my laptop because friends at school or my brother (who eat gluten) have touched it. And it annoys me a lot when others touch my stuff and feels like it got contaminated and is unsafe instantly. • I stopped eating while using my phone or laptop, afraid of invisible gluten being on them. • I wash my hands after opening food packaging (since it was on store cashier belts where gluten food is placed). • I avoid sitting anywhere except my bed or one clean chair. • I won’t shake hands with anyone or walk past people eating gluten. • At school, when switching classes, I wash my hands before getting out my laptop, again before opening it, etc. • I open door knobs with my elbows instead my hands   Job Concerns (Powder Coating, Sandblasting, Etc.) I’m working a temporary job right now that involves: • Powder coating • Sandblasting • Wet spray painting • Anodizing There’s also a laboratory. I don’t need this job, and my OCD makes me believe that dust or air particles there might contain gluten somehow. Should I quit?   Doctors Haven’t Helped My family doctor told me: “Asymptomatic celiac isn’t serious, if you have no symptoms, your intestines won’t get damaged, so you don’t need a gluten-free diet.” I knew that was wrong, but he wasn’t open to listening. I just nodded and didn‘t argue. My gastroenterologist (who’s also a dietitian) said: „If your antibodies are negative, there’s no damage. It might even be okay to try small amounts of gluten later if antibodies stay negative.“ Also said, pepper that says “may contain gluten” is fine if it only contains pepper. She was more informed than my family doctor but didn’t seem to fully understand celiac either.   Questions I Need Help With 1. Is it realistically safe to eat food my mom cooks, if we get separate pans/ and boards even if gluten is still used in the same kitchen? There will always be low risk of cc chances like that she will still touch stuff that was touched by her and my siblings after they ate gluten. And as there are gluten eaters in the house and she also prepares and eats gluten. So would opening the fridge then getting the food and touching the food be okay? So basically what i am doing, washing my hands multiple times while preparing food, she would only wash it once before, then touch anything else (for example water tap or handles) that were touched with gluteny hands, then also touch the food. I dont know if I ever could feel safe, I could try telling her how important cc really is. And I trust her so she wouldnt lie to me then be careless about cc, but idk how safe it really can be if she and everyone else keeps eating gluten and touching stuff in the house after eating. 2. Do I need to worry about touching doorknobs, fridge handles, light switches, etc. that family members touched after eating gluten? What about public places like bus handles or school desks? Or like if i went to the gym, I would be touching stuff all the time, so there will be small amounts of gluten and those would get transferred on my phone if I touch my phone while in the gym. But I want to knos if it would be enough to do damage. 3. Is an endoscopy (without biopsy) enough to tell if my intestines are healed? I’d pay privately if it could help and if i dont get a refferal. Or do i need a biopsy? 4. Could my job (powder coating, sandblasting, etc.) expose me to gluten or damage my intestines through air/dust? 5. Do I need certified gluten-free toothpaste, hand soap, shampoo, or moisturizer? (For example: Vaseline and Colgate don’t contain gluten ingredients but say they can’t guarantee it’s gluten-free.) 6. Is spices like pepper with “may contain traces of gluten” safe if no gluten ingredients are listed? Or does everything need to be labeled gluten-free?  7. Is continuing to only eat my own food the better choice, or could I eventually go back to eating what my mom cooks if she’s careful? 8. is cutlery from dishwasher safe if there are stains? Stuff like knives is used for cutting gluten bread or fork for noodles etc. I often see stains which i dont know if its gluten or something else but our dish washer doesnt seem to make it completely clean. 9. I wash my hands multiple times while preparing food. Do i need to do the same when touching my phone. Like if i touch the fridge handle, I wash my hands then touch the phone. I dont eat while using my phone but i leave it on my bed and pillow and my face could come in contact with where it was.  10. Do i need to clean my phone or laptop if theyve been used by people who eat gluten? Even if no crumbs fall onto my keybaord, i mean because of invisible gluten on their fingers. 11. Does medication/supplements have to be strictly glutenfree? One company said they couldn‘t guarantee if their probiotics don’t contain traces of gluten.  12. I had bought supplements in the past, some of them say glutenfree and some of them dont(like the brand „NOW“ from iherb). I bought them and used them when i wasnt washing my hands so often, are they still safe? As I touched and opened them after touching door knobs, water taps etc. It was like a year ago when i bought those and even though i was eating gluten-free, I never worried about what i touch etc. I know this post is long. I’m just extremely overwhelmed. I’m trying to protect myself from long-term health damage, but the OCD is destroying my quality of life, and I honestly don’t know what’s a reasonable level of caution anymore. Thanks for reading.
    • lmemsm
      I've been making a lot of black bean brownies lately because it's one of the few gluten free dessert recipes that actually tastes palatable.  I've also seen chocolate cake recipes with black beans.  Someone mentioned a cookie recipe using lentils in place of flour.  Just wondering if anyone's run across any tried and true recipes using beans, lentils or peas for desserts?  I've seen a lot of recipes for garbanzo flour but I'm allergic to garbanzo beans/chickpeas.  Was wondering if adzuki or pinto beans might be useful in replacing some or all of the flour in baking.  Since gluten free flours can be crumbly was hoping the beans might help produce a better, less crumbly consistency.  Any recommendations for recipes?  Thanks.
    • lmemsm
      I've seen a lot of recipes for chia pudding, so I decided to make some with chia, water, cocoa and honey.  Didn't like the taste, so I added ground sunflower and ground pumpkin seed to it.  It tasted okay, but came out more like frosting that pudding.  I used to make pudding with tapioca starch, milk powder, water and sugar.  It came out very good but I haven't figured out what to use to replace the milk powder to make it dairy free.  Most starches will work in place of tapioca starch but quantity varies depending on the type of starch.  If I didn't add enough starch to get a pudding consistency, I'd add gelatin as well to fix it.  Avocado and cocoa makes a good dessert with a pudding like consistency.  Unfortunately, I have a bad reaction to avocados.
×
×
  • Create New...