Fiance, Celiac?

[minton]

Okay so afer talking with my future mother in law and observing her family's dietary habits as well as my fiance's symptoms, I think he might have Celiac.

Here is what I've noticed. His family eats organic, non-genetically modified wheat and other gluten products. They drink raw milk, and his mom's cooking is mainly gluten free (she's Italian and makes most stuff from scratch from organic non GM foods). I have actually found I can eat regular spaghetti at their house with almost no symptoms as long as I'm gluten-free for a long time before that. but, with the downturned economy, they have been purchasing less organic and more regular store bought glutenny products. And his symptoms have increased, I downright can't eat at their house anymore. The only organic food they are still able to buy (because they won't touch regular milk, it makes the whole family sick) is the raw milk. *sidenote: they turned me onto drinking this lovely white miracle and I'm telling you, it's AMAZING and I won't switch either.*

His family has various symptoms. His younger brother is in remission for luekemia, his sister is relatively healthy but pale. She was a difficult delivery from what I'm told. His mom has fibromyalgia and she told me she thinks she might be sensitive to gluten because her symptoms improve on the non GM foods and worsen when GM foods are introduced again. She has not tried a gluten-free diet. His stepfather is fairly healthy. I know nothing of his biological father.

His symptoms more perfectly match mine prior to diagnosis. He has varied bathroom trouble and it's always painful. He gets severe acid indigestion (especially after gluteny meals), gas, stomach cramps, and he has muscle weakness, fatigue, and anemia. He has no growth problems but he simply can't gain weight. He is a walking toothpick at 6'1 and barely 130 pounds!!!!

Am I wrong in thinking he might benefit from trying a gluten-free diet for a bout 2 weeks? My symtpoms cleared up in a week so we should know something within 2 weeks right? Any other suggestions?

[RiceGuy]

I think your observations are sound, and the possibility that he has Celaic, or at least gluten intolerance seems likely. The health problems he and others in his family have can all be attributed to Celiac.

However, for some it can take months to see improvements, so I wouldn't draw any conclusions after just two weeks. For example, I saw almost no change until about six months totally gluten-free.

I encourage you to encourage him to go gluten-free with you, at least for awhile, and see what happens. Nothing to lose, and lots to gain!

[minton]

RiceGuy-I've been trying...it's really hard to get guys to change their diet. It was pulling teeth to get him to drop the cigarettes (the smoke aggravates my allergies). I will try for longer but 2 weeks may be all I get. Unless of course he feels like a new man...It would almost be a blessing in every way for me, though a curse for him. He'd have to change everything in his diet almost. Me, I get a gluten-free husband to join me, get to cook for him, and he will feel so much better if I'm right...

Anyone have ideas for sneaking gluten-free foods in his diet? Maybe he won't say yuck to something he doesn't know is gluten-free, then when he knows he will like it...

[RiceGuy]

Anyone have ideas for sneaking gluten-free foods in his diet? Maybe he won't say yuck to something he doesn't know is gluten-free, then when he knows he will like it...

Well, most foods are naturally gluten-free, so I guess you mean a food which traditionally is wheat-based. Pasta is one which often works on the unsuspecting. Get some Tinkyada rice pasta. This stuff is very good pasta, and personally I think it is every bit as good as any pasta I've ever had. Back in the days of gluten, I used to eat an entire pound of pasta per day, and it had to be good quality. Tinkyada surpasses wheat pasta IMO, especially when it comes to texture. As I'm sure you know, most pasta goes from al-dante to mush very quickly, but I find that Tinkyada holds up well by comparison. They have lasagna noodles too, which might help if you find the spaghetti or some of the others a little tricky to cook right. Some people don't get the knack of it right away. I'm not sure why though, as it always works for me. It does take a bit longer to cook, but not much else is different I think. If you make some a few times to practice first, you'll know when you're ready to sneak it on him.

Another one which is even easier, is gravy. Though I've always used cornstarch for gravy, it seems there are a lot of people who have only made gravy with flour Anyway, in case you've never tried it, you first mix some cornstarch with cold water, to make a slurry, then slowly add it to the broth while stirring constantly. cornstarch thickens more than flour, so you'll use less.

There are some good prepackaged items too, such as Van's gluten-free waffles. Though I've ever tried them, many on this board seem to like them.

When baking gluten-free from scratch, start with things which don't have to rise, such as cookies. I also find cakes and muffins easier to get to turn out right than breads. I suppose an easier sort of bread would be cornbread. You can use sorghum or millet flour in place of the wheat flour. Some others would probably work fine too, like maybe white rice flour.

[minton]

Well, I approached the subject with him...guess i'm sneaking it cuz he gave me quite the emphatic "NO."but then again, he might just like being sick Can't force him to stop destroying himself if it is celiac.