Thermoregulatory Improvements With gluten-free Diet?

[BigDogz]

I was diagnosed in May '09 so this is my first Winter on a gluten-free diet. My question is so ridiculous that I'm almost embarrassed to ask...

Did any of you notice that your ability to regulate body temperature has changed since going gluten-free?

Before I was diagnosed and knew to avoid gluten, I was finding that I sweat my way through the warm months. I'm not talking about your usual it's-105-and-humid-as-a-jungle type sweating in July and August. I'm talking about dripping in sweat when the temps were barely in the 50's. Then, in the cold months, I couldn't stay warm no matter what I did. The first cool breeze in Oct. and I was absolutely freezing and no amount of heavy winter clothing seemed to make even the slightest difference. I was also finding that I would go to bed and shiver like mad for the first hour or two (summer or winter) but then I'd wake up around 2 AM or 3 AM soaked in sweat and feeling like I was roasting alive. Since I'm 41 I had started assuming that it was due to the hormonal changes of perimenopause. It just seemed like there was a very small window of temperatures that I could tolerate and feel comfortable in.

We had a relatively cool summer this year so I thought my sudden new ability to tolerate the summer weather was due to that. Now that the cold weather's here, I've started thinking that going gluten-free has "re-set" my body's thermoregulatory abilities because I'm finding that I'm tolerating our unusually cold, snowy December much, MUCH better than I can remember since I was a kid.

Before going gluten-free I would have had a thermal undershirt, a sweatshirt, 2 pairs of knit gloves, a knit hat, a scarf and a down-filled LL Bean coat on just to run from the heated car, across the parking lot and into a store in 30 degree weather and shiver uncontrollably for an hour afterwards.

I spent 2 hours outside today in 20 degree weather with nothing more than a thermal shirt, a sweatshirt and just a zip-up hoodie as a "coat" (no gloves, no hat and no scarf) and was perfectly comfortable. I'm also finding that I'm sleeping through the night now instead of waking up boiling hot and drenched in sweat. Can going gluten-free really make someone who was heat and cold intolerant suddenly able to tolerate much greater extremes of both? Has anyone else noted that they've been less intolerant of temperature extremes since going gluten-free?

[Wolicki]

I was diagnosed in May '09 so this is my first Winter on a gluten-free diet. My question is so ridiculous that I'm almost embarrassed to ask...

Did any of you notice that your ability to regulate body temperature has changed since going gluten-free?

Before I was diagnosed and knew to avoid gluten, I was finding that I sweat my way through the warm months. I'm not talking about your usual it's-105-and-humid-as-a-jungle type sweating in July and August. I'm talking about dripping in sweat when the temps were barely in the 50's. Then, in the cold months, I couldn't stay warm no matter what I did. The first cool breeze in Oct. and I was absolutely freezing and no amount of heavy winter clothing seemed to make even the slightest difference. I was also finding that I would go to bed and shiver like mad for the first hour or two (summer or winter) but then I'd wake up around 2 AM or 3 AM soaked in sweat and feeling like I was roasting alive. Since I'm 41 I had started assuming that it was due to the hormonal changes of perimenopause. It just seemed like there was a very small window of temperatures that I could tolerate and feel comfortable in.

We had a relatively cool summer this year so I thought my sudden new ability to tolerate the summer weather was due to that. Now that the cold weather's here, I've started thinking that going gluten-free has "re-set" my body's thermoregulatory abilities because I'm finding that I'm tolerating our unusually cold, snowy December much, MUCH better than I can remember since I was a kid.

Before going gluten-free I would have had a thermal undershirt, a sweatshirt, 2 pairs of knit gloves, a knit hat, a scarf and a down-filled LL Bean coat on just to run from the heated car, across the parking lot and into a store in 30 degree weather and shiver uncontrollably for an hour afterwards.

I spent 2 hours outside today in 20 degree weather with nothing more than a thermal shirt, a sweatshirt and just a zip-up hoodie as a "coat" (no gloves, no hat and no scarf) and was perfectly comfortable. I'm also finding that I'm sleeping through the night now instead of waking up boiling hot and drenched in sweat. Can going gluten-free really make someone who was heat and cold intolerant suddenly able to tolerate much greater extremes of both? Has anyone else noted that they've been less intolerant of temperature extremes since going gluten-free?

Yes! I was frozen solid for about 10 years. I wore coats in So Cal summer, always had a jacket in the car, along with an assortment of hats and gloves. air conditioning became my arch enemy. Within a week of going gluten free, I wasn't cold anymore. I used to sleep with an electric blanket all night, all year and now not at all. I've had to relearn how to dress in winter! Our coldest days here are generally in the 50's, but I used to wear a turtleneck, sweater, coat, scarf and mittens and now sometimes wear a light jacket with short sleeves. Isn't it great? Very liberating!

[BigDogz]

Yes! I was frozen solid for about 10 years. I wore coats in So Cal summer, always had a jacket in the car, along with an assortment of hats and gloves. air conditioning became my arch enemy. Within a week of going gluten free, I wasn't cold anymore. I used to sleep with an electric blanket all night, all year and now not at all. I've had to relearn how to dress in winter! Our coldest days here are generally in the 50's, but I used to wear a turtleneck, sweater, coat, scarf and mittens and now sometimes wear a light jacket with short sleeves. Isn't it great? Very liberating!

I thought I was the only person on earth who considered air conditioning to be a menace!!! LOL. My co-workers would laugh at me for wearing long sleeves with a zip-up sweater over top at work, but I always felt like the air conditioning gave the place a glacial feel.

In fact, I didn't have air conditioning in my home for the first 39 years of my life because I froze to death anywhere that had it. I only got air conditioning put in for the sake of my dogs - St. Bernards don't do well in extreme heat - and people still think I'm weird that I keep it set no cooler than 78 degrees. Before going gluten-free even that 78 degrees would have me putting on a light sweatshirt! Gotta say it's nice finally being able to be comfortable in the same environments as everyone else.

[Wolicki]

I dont have AC in my house either. The heater used to get a HUGE workout! I uese to keep the heat at 75! I went gluten-free in July. In September, my younger son, 9, started begging me to turn on the heat! He also was quite chilly. That's one of the things that prompted me to have him tested. He was positive. Now he keeps a jacket tied to his waste, "just in case." He used to wear jammies, robe and slippers all the time, and now it's undies for him.

I have to say though, I do hate to be hot! I hasve rediscovered perspiration and I don't think I like it much!

[BigDogz]

I have to say though, I do hate to be hot! I hasve rediscovered perspiration and I don't think I like it much!

My biggest problem right now is that I literally have to re-learn how to dress! I've found myself dressing in the same weights and layers as I always have and I start sweating. I had to run to the ladies room a LOT lately and strip off a layer at work because I was steaming hot dressed like I always had. My co-workers have jokingly told me that I must be practicing to be a stripper! I've told 'em, in this economy, it never hurts to have a secondary job skill!

[momxyz]

Its funny, I had a very similiar conversation with a coworker just yesterday. She has been gluten free for many years, while I have only been about 4 1/2 months. She was asking me if my body temperature regulation was better - she had experienced improvement with this herself.

My coworkers have always kidded me because I have always been cold, whatever the season. I have always regarded air conditioning a menace and secretly rejoiced last summer when it was broken here at work for two days. When menopausal symptoms started occurring, I didn't mind my "warm overs" at all.

I have noticed that I am much more comfortable now. I had attributed this to those hormonal changes going on... on the other hand that was happening before I went gluten free, and I was still always cold.

[BigDogz]

Its funny, I had a very similiar conversation with a coworker just yesterday. She has been gluten free for many years, while I have only been about 4 1/2 months. She was asking me if my body temperature regulation was better - she had experienced improvement with this herself.

My coworkers have always kidded me because I have always been cold, whatever the season. I have always regarded air conditioning a menace and secretly rejoiced last summer when it was broken here at work for two days. When menopausal symptoms started occurring, I didn't mind my "warm overs" at all.

I have noticed that I am much more comfortable now. I had attributed this to those hormonal changes going on... on the other hand that was happening before I went gluten free, and I was still always cold.

This just might be one of my own personal "weirdisms", but I've also found that my fingernails have improved since going gluten-free. I've always been plagued by short, ragged, easily peeling fingernails - a fact that was only made worse by a truly uncontrollable compulsion to chew on them. I tried all sorts of things to stop - applying bitter tasting stuff, capsacin that burns like crap in your mouth, chewing gum constantly, snapping myself with a rubberband every time I felt the need to chew, etc. Nothing worked.

I know it sounds strange, but I swear to God that I've always felt that the reason I gnawed on them nearly non-stop was because my body was looking for something in the composition of the nails that it was lacking from my diet. You can think me an idiot, but I'm even more convinced that my theory was right. Now that I'm gluten-free, I have absolutely NO desire to chew my nails whatsoever, they're growing fast, are hard as forged steel, don't peel and look nice and pink and healthy!!

[breavenewworld]

me too!!

i used to lay down at night and the MINUTE i'd drift off to sleep i'd wake up- FREEZING! no matter how many layers and blankets i had on. my roommates thought i was crazy because i kept asking if someone gets up around 11 or 12 and turns the air down - but now that doesn't happen to me any more! so it must have been the gluten. or, someone decided to stop pranking me right when i went gluten free

[momxyz]

This just might be one of my own personal "weirdisms", but I've also found that my fingernails have improved since going gluten-free. I've always been plagued by short, ragged, easily peeling fingernails - a fact that was only made worse by a truly uncontrollable compulsion to chew on them. I tried all sorts of things to stop - applying bitter tasting stuff, capsacin that burns like crap in your mouth, chewing gum constantly, snapping myself with a rubberband every time I felt the need to chew, etc. Nothing worked.

I know it sounds strange, but I swear to God that I've always felt that the reason I gnawed on them nearly non-stop was because my body was looking for something in the composition of the nails that it was lacking from my diet. You can think me an idiot, but I'm even more convinced that my theory was right. Now that I'm gluten-free, I have absolutely NO desire to chew my nails whatsoever, they're growing fast, are hard as forged steel, don't peel and look nice and pink and healthy!!

I can't say I don't still chew mine, but I will ditto your comments about how quickly they grow now!

[DaffodElle]

My jaw just dropped when I read your post, I thought I was crazy to think that my temp regulation issues related to gluten, although there is a pretty strong correlation! My husband makes fun of me because I'm constantly cold or hot, never just right!

It was one of those things that I didn't realize that it got better until it gets worse every time I get glutened (which is pretty often, unfortunately).

How weird. Thanks for posting!