Hunger Spiked Again And Getting Worse

[CGally81]

I'm one of those people who gets hungry all the time after going gluten-free.

I stopped eating dairy products two Saturdays ago, and I now wonder if that was the right decision. I never got any "glutening" reactions from casein at all, yet removing it caused a slight relapse in gluten withdrawal symptoms (which may actually be a function of my autism/Asperger's rather than Celiac, as autistics are known to have withdrawal symptoms from gluten/casein as well), but a much bigger one in hunger.

To deal with it, I returned to eating peanut butter, and bought trail mix and raisins. The peanut butter doesn't seem to help as much as it should. I feel like I'm eating more calories from the peanut butter, but not feeling satisfied, and the hunger seems to return more quickly than I'd like after having a lot of it.

I just had 2 cans of tuna fish and what is probably about 700 calories worth of peanut butter, and it's only less than an hour later and I'm still hungry. It's like things sometimes get better, then MUCH worse. Since I never got glutened from casein, could this really just be a general hunger relapse that'll go away?

Seriously, are there supplements I can take to deal with this? Christmas vacation is coming up, and I'll be away from home for 10 days. I don't want to have to go buy health stuff while I'm up there. This is seriously a miserable experience, and I hate it and want it to end as soon as I can. It's interfering with my sleep too.

Should I put some dairy back in? It never seemed to "gluten" me, so do you think I was too quick to just yank dairy out? Might this help the hunger, to get the nutrients dairy products such as yogurt contain? (In the past, I would sometimes get headaches from milk, but NO other dairy products)

[JillianLindsay]

I think it's great that you've added more protein and good fats, but are you still keeping a balanced diet? Fibre also helps us feel full so you need to keep eating LOTS of fresh veggies with that peanut butter, tuna, etc. Instead of just eating tuna, try making it a tuna salad with gluten-free pasta and lots of raw veggies. Try the peanut butter on an apple. You may have already tried this, but I just wanted to make sure you're not overlooking other elements of a balanced diet

I added almond slivers to my salads (plus I

[CGally81]

I think it's great that you've added more protein and good fats, but are you still keeping a balanced diet? Fibre also helps us feel full so you need to keep eating LOTS of fresh veggies with that peanut butter, tuna, etc. Instead of just eating tuna, try making it a tuna salad with gluten-free pasta and lots of raw veggies. Try the peanut butter on an apple. You may have already tried this, but I just wanted to make sure you're not overlooking other elements of a balanced diet

I added almond slivers to my salads (plus I

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Cgally, please be careful with your tuna intake, as tuna is very high in mercury, and mercury toxicity is a big problem for many autistic people and for many, seems to be a significant cause of autistic symptoms.

Please see Open Original Shared Link, which contains a comparison chart of symptoms of mercury poisoning and symptoms of autism--they are nearly identical.

That was from 2000. Since then, I have read many studies showing that many with autism are unable or less able to self-chelate mercury out of their system, due to

In 2005, the Boston Globe published this article by Robert Kennedy: Open Original Shared Link

Here is an abstract from 2009: Open Original Shared Link

This explains mercury levels in tuna: Open Original Shared Link and (from 2002) Open Original Shared Link

As for suggestions on what to eat to help feel full, nuts are a good start, as, in addition to their nutritive value, they also contain fat, which is necessary for brain function, and helps you to feel full!

If you like salads, consider adding avocado, which also has some good fat. Canned salmon tastes much like tuna, but with much less mercury. Have you replaced milk with milk substitutes? Coconut milk is very filling, and yummy, too.

If you are eating anything containing aspartame or high fructose corn syrup, both of those increase one's appetite--something good to know!

Good luck!

[CGally81]

Cgally, please be careful with your tuna intake, as tuna is very high in mercury, and mercury toxicity is a big problem for many autistic people and for many, seems to be a significant cause of autistic symptoms.

Please see Open Original Shared Link, which contains a comparison chart of symptoms of mercury poisoning and symptoms of autism--they are nearly identical.

That was from 2000. Since then, I have read many studies showing that many with autism are unable or less able to self-chelate mercury out of their system, due to

In 2005, the Boston Globe published this article by Robert Kennedy: Open Original Shared Link

Here is an abstract from 2009: Open Original Shared Link

This explains mercury levels in tuna: Open Original Shared Link and (from 2002) Open Original Shared Link

As for suggestions on what to eat to help feel full, nuts are a good start, as, in addition to their nutritive value, they also contain fat, which is necessary for brain function, and helps you to feel full!

If you like salads, consider adding avocado, which also has some good fat. Canned salmon tastes much like tuna, but with much less mercury. Have you replaced milk with milk substitutes? Coconut milk is very filling, and yummy, too.

If you are eating anything containing aspartame or high fructose corn syrup, both of those increase one's appetite--something good to know!

Good luck!

I wish I liked the taste of nuts more, but I can tolerate them. And isn't store-bought fish removed of its mercury?

What are the health benefits of coconut milk? I'm not a big fan of the taste of milk. I'd only added it to my diet because I believed it was good for me.

I tried an avocado, but hated it! I couldn't keep going and finish the thing. A real shame, since the nutrition information on it looks pretty good.

I'm going to see a doctor today, and I intend to ask him about a referral to a nutritionist in my area, as well as possibly checking my vitamin, nutrient and mineral levels. The only two blood tests I had came back "disgustingly normal", but a full vitamin or nutrient check wasn't done. My calcium was normal, my potassium (on the lower end of normal), sodium (higher end of normal), etc. My second blood test couldn't find HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genes, or problems with the two vitamins that were checked (A and D), so it was considered normal, although the doctor said something was slightly off, but I forget what. Something having to do with gliadin or something like that. I should have asked for more info, or for the paper (I actually have the paper showing the results of my first blood test).

Negative for diabetes and pre-diabetes, but slightly elevated fasting blood sugar.

I can't stand this constant hunger. I ate 5 bananas, a bunch of raisins, 2 pieces of chicken, and am having nuts right now. Breakfast was 2 tuna fish and peanut butter. I was able to eat noticably less a week ago. If I'm not glutened by casein, should I reintroduce dairy and hope that helps the hunger? I'm really tempted to.

[Jestgar]

tuna can be high in Mercury and it's recommended that you eat it no more than once a week:

Open Original Shared Link

[CGally81]

tuna can be high in Mercury and it's recommended that you eat it no more than once a week:

Open Original Shared Link

"For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern."

"The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury."

It sounds like it's aimed more at people in those groups, but the rest of it seems to indicate that eating too much fish is bad for anyone.

However, I found this on another site:

"For the vast majority of people, it's not a real issue, because the vast majority of people don't eat fish more than once a week," says Dr. Michael Gochfeld, professor of environmental and occupational medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. "It's for those people that we call the high-end consumers that we're most concerned with."

Also, from another site, listed as a possible mercury symptom:

headaches right after eating

Wow... right after eating? I've been getting that.

I think I'll cut back on tuna fish for a while and see if it helps the headaches.

I just went to the doctor, and he wants me to get an appointment with an endocrinologist. As for my doctor's own advice, he admits to being baffled, but says that if I appear to have no reaction to casein like I do with gluten (and my gluten reaction is very severe and quick), then I should probably reintroduce dairy into my diet, at least lightly. I was planning on doing that myself. I'm upset at the increase in hunger, and it would be nice to have more varied foods.

Anyone know what supplements I can take that would help? Any kinds of probiotics that specifically help with hunger? I take a nutrient and mineral-filled multivitamin that this site sells that some people said helped with hunger. I'm hoping it'll help. (I cut back on it at the same time I reduced dairy, due to thinking I might have too much calcium, but I'm reintroducing the multivitamin again)

[ravenwoodglass]

I can't stand this constant hunger. I ate 5 bananas, a bunch of raisins, 2 pieces of chicken, and am having nuts right now. Breakfast was 2 tuna fish and peanut butter. I was able to eat noticably less a week ago. If I'm not glutened by casein, should I reintroduce dairy and hope that helps the hunger? I'm really tempted to.

I am glad you have increased your protein, that should help a bit. I think your body is craving nutrients as much as it is calories. If it isn't getting those nutrients from food it is going to keep signaling you to eat more. Your diet is not very varied. You really should think about adding more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet. If you look at what you are eating it is pretty monocromatic. One easy key to helping make sure your nutrient levels are good is how colorful your diet is. Bananas are great but instead of 5 bananas one banana, an apple, a peach, a handfull of blueberries and a few strawberries would ensure you are getting a balance. Most grocery stores will sell cut up fruit packaged if you don't have time to prepare it yourself.

The same applies for your veggies, eat a mix. Along with the carrots cut up some green peppers and celery and then dip them in some dressing or hummus. Broccoli is a great veg if you like it. Green beans or peas and corn are good to mix at dinner also. I think between your increase in your protein intake and getting some good fresh produce into your diet you will finally find your hunger abating.

[CGally81]

I am glad you have increased your protein, that should help a bit. I think your body is craving nutrients as much as it is calories. If it isn't getting those nutrients from food it is going to keep signaling you to eat more. Your diet is not very varied. You really should think about adding more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet. If you look at what you are eating it is pretty monocromatic. One easy key to helping make sure your nutrient levels are good is how colorful your diet is. Bananas are great but instead of 5 bananas one banana, an apple, a peach, a handfull of blueberries and a few strawberries would ensure you are getting a balance. Most grocery stores will sell cut up fruit packaged if you don't have time to prepare it yourself.

The same applies for your veggies, eat a mix. Along with the carrots cut up some green peppers and celery and then dip them in some dressing or hummus. Broccoli is a great veg if you like it. Green beans or peas and corn are good to mix at dinner also. I think between your increase in your protein intake and getting some good fresh produce into your diet you will finally find your hunger abating.

I tried carrots today. I think I'll be having raw baby carrots as part of a snack.

Also, it seemed that my hunger went down somewhat when I had yogurt today. I hope that doesn't mean anything bad (i.e. that it's somehow addictive, like gluten. Again, I don't get glutening symptoms from casein). I'll keep having dairy products - besides milk, which has caused me headaches in the past even before I had celiac - and see how it goes. I don't want my hunger to be really high during Christmas vacation, when I'll be away from home.

If nothing else, I might take digestive enzymes before dairy products, just in case I do have a slight problem with casein, before cutting them out later if I have to.

[Jestgar]

I would say add more veggies. You are eating a lot of fruit which breaks down to sugar and can cause hunger spikes.

Try going a couple days with no fruit at all, especially no grapes or raisins or bananas.

Open Original Shared Link

[CGally81]

I would say add more veggies. You are eating a lot of fruit which breaks down to sugar and can cause hunger spikes.

Try going a couple days with no fruit at all, especially no grapes or raisins or bananas.

Open Original Shared Link

For what it's worth, my hunger went down much more than I expected after dinner. I had chicken, potatoes, apple sauce, and carrots. And I hadn't had carrots in a long time.

Before that, I reintroduced yogurt, which I had 2 of before dinner.

I had a headache after dinner and some fatigue... but that could be caused by my excessive consumption of tuna (i.e. too much mercury). I'll see if that symptom goes away by removing tuna instead of dairy.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I would say add more veggies. You are eating a lot of fruit which breaks down to sugar and can cause hunger spikes.

Open Original Shared Link

I do agree with this, but still think that you might be hungry due to little fat in your diet, which, as I said, is necessary. If you stick with the yogurt, you might consider a high-fat version. Also, it's important to look for organic dairy products, as non-organic dairy products come from cows who are on constant low-dose antibiotics, hormones, and eat pesticide-laden feed, ALL of which ends up in the milk).

Stonybrooke Farms makes a range of organic yogurts, including "cream top," which has cream on top--yummy!

Do you like salad? Would an olive-oil-and-lemon-juice dressing sound appealing? (I mix the two together with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sometimes I add dried dill and/or parsley.) The olive oil is "good fat."

Eggs are also a good source of both protein and some fat.

My son dislikes avocado, too--but he does like it mashed with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, as a kind of guacamole dip for chips--and you can have chips, too. Target sells some really nice blue-corn-and-ground-flax-seed chips that are gluten-free and totally addictive.

Do you like hummous dip? That can also add "good fat" and help fill you up, giving you a bit more protein at the same time.

Black bean soup is also something he likes, especially with a bit of cheese or sour cream floating on top. Does that sound at all appealing to you?

As far as mercury in fish goes, no, there is no way to remove the mercury from the fish, either in the store or anywhere else. Mercury is problematic in that there is no way to "break it down."

[psawyer]

As far as mercury in fish goes, no, there is no way to remove the mercury from the fish, either in the store or anywhere else. Mercury is problematic in that there is no way to "break it down."

Mercury accumulates in creatures at the top of the food chain, as they acquire it from the things that comprise their diet. Mercury is an element, and can not be broken down. Some large atoms can be split (nuclear fission), and some very small atoms can be combined (nuclear fusion), but mercury is mercury forever.

[CGally81]

I do agree with this, but still think that you might be hungry due to little fat in your diet, which, as I said, is necessary. If you stick with the yogurt, you might consider a high-fat version. Also, it's important to look for organic dairy products, as non-organic dairy products come from cows who are on constant low-dose antibiotics, hormones, and eat pesticide-laden feed, ALL of which ends up in the milk).

Stonybrooke Farms makes a range of organic yogurts, including "cream top," which has cream on top--yummy!

Do you like salad? Would an olive-oil-and-lemon-juice dressing sound appealing? (I mix the two together with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sometimes I add dried dill and/or parsley.) The olive oil is "good fat."

Eggs are also a good source of both protein and some fat.

My son dislikes avocado, too--but he does like it mashed with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, as a kind of guacamole dip for chips--and you can have chips, too. Target sells some really nice blue-corn-and-ground-flax-seed chips that are gluten-free and totally addictive.

Do you like hummous dip? That can also add "good fat" and help fill you up, giving you a bit more protein at the same time.

Black bean soup is also something he likes, especially with a bit of cheese or sour cream floating on top. Does that sound at all appealing to you?

As far as mercury in fish goes, no, there is no way to remove the mercury from the fish, either in the store or anywhere else. Mercury is problematic in that there is no way to "break it down."

I know the brand Stoneybrook Farms. They sell them at a local store here.

As for mercury, that is a shame. I just have to wait it off and hope that the overall headaches, and headaches/fatigue after eating go away. The headache/fatigue combo returned today after having dinner, but I had 2 cans of tuna fish as part of breakfast today, and 2 yesterday, and 3 on Saturday. I'm really hoping that it's mercury, not casein, that's causing both the headaches and headache/fatigue after eating combo. Then again, I read that "headaches right after eating" is a symptom of excess mercury, so it may not be casein after all.

I don't know hummous dip, and I don't think I'd like it or black bean soup. But I rediscovered carrots, which can taste great.

I may have eggs occasionally. I like omelets, ever since I tried them (hey, a food I tried that I DO like).

I'm surprised that after the past few days of drastically increased hunger, my hunger is noticably lower today. I wonder if the yogurt somehow did something to it? Again, is that good or bad? Does that say the nutrients from it are very good (or it could be the carrots with dinner that really lowered it, as THAT was when the real hunger drop occurred), or something else?

Also, reintroducing yogurt made it easier to - pardon me - have a large BM, which I've noticed tends to reduce headaches and sometimes hunger too. Is this also a good thing? It had better not be a "caseining" symptom! I know what being glutened feels like - horrible, and very quick to feel that way - but I've never felt "caseined" before. I'm really hoping that reintroducing dairy is a good thing.

Either way, I'm keeping dairy in my diet for quite a while, until it's proven to be bad for me. At least until after Christmas vacation, since I really don't want heavy hunger when I'm going to be having fun with my family.