Caveman?

[weeza]

I wont bore you all with how I got here. Been yrs developing. I have been gluten-free for about a month although I know I had a couple slipups the first couple weeks. My stomach pains are gone, I have more energy, still have some bowel problems with carry over hemmeroinds. Going in for scope for that next week. Anyway.... My biggest problem is distention of stomach and bloating. I am never hungry and have to force myself to eat. I eat small amts. so I don't get too uncomfortable. I was always a big carb eater and still have been eating brown rice and a few other "OK" grains. I have lost 10 lbs, could stand to lose another 30 but my stomach is huge, tight and uncomfortable. My question after further investagating over the weekend is....Would it benefit me to cut out grains and basically do caveman diet? Have any of you done this and seen improvement in distention, and if I eat a wide variety can I meet my nutritional needs this way? Thanks

[wschmucks]

Hi there-- Welcome to the world of Celiac and to the website. I had/ have terrible stomach distension too. When i first started noticing symptoms i thought I was just gaining weight. I started dieting, working out hard, etc and I couldnt understand why i wouldnt loose my gut! I am 5'7, 115 now but was 126 at the time. I have a small frame so 10 pounds is alot on me. I noticed it was all in the stomach too...that followed by other terrible symptoms is what got me to my Celiac diagnosis. I would eat a very small amount of food-- half cut of lintels and rice toast for lunch and feel disgusting-- like i had eated a big mac and fries. This GOES AWAY :-) YAY! BUT-- it takes time. I am only 3 months gluten free and I was able to start eating larger meals probably about a month and a half in or so. It depends on how often you get accidentally glutened. Even now revert to that old feeling at times so its not completely gone, but its getting alot better.

Bloating still bothers me but not any where near like it used to. I take a digestive enzyme (super digest away), Fennel seed pill, probiotics and liquid fish oil (about 10 times more potent than the pills) and those have really helped bring down the inflamation (which is what usually causes the bloating). I also drink alot of apple cider vinegar tea, but i suffer from C so im not sure if it is good to raise the aciditiy of your stomach if you have D. Keep working at it and be patient. It takes a while for us to get all fixed up!

As for the diet-- do whatever makes you feel best. Maybe try out the paelo diet and see if you feel good. I was vegan for a whole year (before diagnosed) and it made me feel alittle bit better, but didnt help with my symptoms over all. If you cant eat alot of food, it might be a good diet just to make sure that what you ARE eating is high in nutritional value. Good luck.

[weeza]

Wschmucks-Thanks for the info. I have been hesitant taking enzymes and such because I am so new at reading labels but have found and very knowlegable natural store that my be able to double check ingredients with me. I feel like I look like a turtle with the shell in front. This is a new "adventure" for me but spending 45 yrs just doing whatever, I am now learning how to read my body. Can you imagine never paying attention to your body for 45 yrs. Well live and learn. Thanks again for your help.

[chasbari]

  weeza said:

Wschmucks-Thanks for the info. I have been hesitant taking enzymes and such because I am so new at reading labels but have found and very knowlegable natural store that my be able to double check ingredients with me. I feel like I look like a turtle with the shell in front. This is a new "adventure" for me but spending 45 yrs just doing whatever, I am now learning how to read my body. Can you imagine never paying attention to your body for 45 yrs. Well live and learn. Thanks again for your help.

I too am newly diagnosed. Have been gluten free since right before Thanksgiving but was still having problems with foods that are supposed to be safe. Grains and things. I also would eat only because it was time even though I had that bloat all the time. Went Paleo last month and cannot believe how much better I am feeling. I had forgotten what it meant to actually be truly hungry. I am finding that chicked is the only thing that seems to be problematic thus far and I am following it very strictly as I also have rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogrens...which have responded incredibly well to the paleo diet. I find I have to guard vigilently against any soy as well.

Good luck!

Chuck

[wschmucks]

  weeza said:

Wschmucks-Thanks for the info. I have been hesitant taking enzymes and such because I am so new at reading labels but have found and very knowlegable natural store that my be able to double check ingredients with me. I feel like I look like a turtle with the shell in front. This is a new "adventure" for me but spending 45 yrs just doing whatever, I am now learning how to read my body. Can you imagine never paying attention to your body for 45 yrs. Well live and learn. Thanks again for your help.

It is definetly trial and error, but you can always call the company or look it up online. I google products on my blackberry in stores ALL the time. Let me know if you have luck with the Paleo diet-- I was recently thinking about it too, I just dont know if I could do no sugar or grains...I think I would need one or the other. But if it really helps I'd do anything!

[YoloGx]

I have found the paleo diet to be very helpful over the years especially when I don't feel well, although I would also add root vegetables to it...

Bea

[Jestgar]

I'm pretty paleo. I eat rice crackers occasionally, and I won't turn down sushi, if offered , but I don't prepare other grains for myself.

I eat root veggies in the winter (I'm not as interested in them in the summer), but I aim for the weird ones - parsnips and rutabagas and maybe beets. Minimal potatoes.

[jerseyangel]

I most definately feel better eating Paleo-ish. Over the holidays, I upped my consumption of grains and sugar and in addition to gaining weight and feeling bloated, my digestion suffered. I had more D and lower abdominal discomfort.

I've gone back to meats, poultry, veggies (except legumes), fruits and nuts (walnuts and almonds), and tea and feel so much better already.

I also limit white potato to once a week or so.

[WW340]

My stomach didn't start getting flat until I gave up grains almost entirely. I am not on a particular named diet, but I mainly eat meat, veggies - cooked and raw, fruit, eggs, cheese, and nuts. I occasionally have rice or a potato. I feel much better eating this way.

I never really had to eliminate dairy. It doesn't seem to bother me. I use dairy based dips with my raw veggies. I rarely eat grain based foods anymore. Once in a while I will treat myself to just a few gluten-free crackers or waffle.

[oceangirl]

Hi!

I eat pretty Paleo as well and whenever I have symptoms again I revert to it religiously. My diet primarily consists of: Fish, meat, chicken, nuts, greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, (not so Paleo) veggies and fruits and I can eat raw sugar in tea; it doesn't seem to bother me.

I eat sweet potato quite often and white potato very rarely. I can tolerate Tinkyada but not rice. (Makes no sense, I know...)

Most common veggies and herbs that work are: swiss chard, romaine, garlic, basil, sweet potoatos, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, butternut, winter, and acorn squash.

Most common fruits: BANANAS! I've introduced oranges and grapes and cherries are very good. Strawberries and blueberries which I tend to make into homemade jam. I can also tolerate V8.

All this after almost 4 years and 2 years of that being gluten, soy, dairy, egg, legume, nightshade and citrus free! Now I am gluten, soy and legume free.

Hope this helps!

lisa

[YoloGx]

  oceangirl said:

Hi!

I eat pretty Paleo as well and whenever I have symptoms again I revert to it religiously. My diet primarily consists of: Fish, meat, chicken, nuts, greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, (not so Paleo) veggies and fruits and I can eat raw sugar in tea; it doesn't seem to bother me.

I eat sweet potato quite often and white potato very rarely. I can tolerate Tinkyada but not rice. (Makes no sense, I know...)

Most common veggies and herbs that work are: swiss chard, romaine, garlic, basil, sweet potoatos, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, butternut, winter, and acorn squash.

Most common fruits: BANANAS! I've introduced oranges and grapes and cherries are very good. Strawberries and blueberries which I tend to make into homemade jam. I can also tolerate V8.

All this after almost 4 years and 2 years of that being gluten, soy, dairy, egg, legume, nightshade and citrus free! Now I am gluten, soy and legume free.

Hope this helps!

lisa

How nice you can eat tomatoes again! Shows you can get better after a while...

Wish I could have cheddar cheese! but it seems to still not be got for me. However yogurt I could almost eat all day...

Bea