Question On Going Gluten Free

[Nen]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but this seems like the most correct forum.

I was wondering something pertaining to trying the gluten-free diet.

If I were to try gluten-free eating, and did NOT have any trouble with eating gluten (as in the diet would do nothing), would I then be able to resume eating gluten after a time and not have any bad reactions?

Wouldn't you only have trouble resuming eating gluten foods (after not eating gluten for a time) if you had celiac or a sensitivity to it?

I guess what I am getting at is, it is not possible to make your body become intolerant to gluten (if you have previously eaten it just fine) just by cutting it out for a time, is it? Either your body has trouble with it or it doesn't.

I guess what I fear happening is that say now I have no trouble with gluten and it isn't the reason for my issues, then I stop eating gluten, after a time try to eat it again, and my body be like "I don't think so!"

[WheatChef]

Your fears are unneeded. It is true that if you do not have a preexisting problem with gluten that the gluten-free diet will not cause one to show up. Basically you go gluten-free for a while and then "test" it by eating a bit/bunch of gluten. If you have reactions or unfavorable changes then you need to stay gluten-free, if not then enjoy a loaf of sourdough.

[ravenwoodglass]

Your fears are unneeded. It is true that if you do not have a preexisting problem with gluten that the gluten-free diet will not cause one to show up. Basically you go gluten-free for a while and then "test" it by eating a bit/bunch of gluten. If you have reactions or unfavorable changes then you need to stay gluten-free, if not then enjoy a loaf of sourdough.

I agree. Also if you don't have an issue with gluten and your problems stem from something else then chances are the diet won't help you feel better.

It is a good idea to at least get a celiac panel done if you can before you go gluten free. If you do have issues with gluten and eliminate it and then decide later that you want testing you need to go back on gluten for 2 to 3 months before testing. If you have an issue with gluten those months back on it for testing will likely make you feel pretty lousy.

[Nen]

Thank you very much for your responses. This does help me! Good to know, I was fearful that stopping gluten could do something odd like that!

So I could safely stop eating for a trial period, and my reaction to starting it up again would show if I had a problem with it or not.

[Darn210]

Hi Nen,

Just thought I would through in my own experience . . .

Three years ago, I did a 6 week trial diet to see if I noticed any difference in my health. My daughter was diagnosed and my screening was negative but I thought what the heck, the house is mostly gluten free anyway. There a loads of people on here that had negative screenings and had symptoms (that they thought was how everyone felt) disappear once they went gluten-free. Also, if anything, it was an experiment in walking in my daughter's shoes. Personally, I didn't notice a difference and I was also paying close attention to when I went back on gluten to see if I had some sort of reaction . . . but nothing.

Now, three years later, I'm doing a 6 month trial diet. I've got joint pain issues that have been getting worse the last year that I don't think are normal for a person my age. (Had a bunch of testing that showed up with nothing but a high ANA). I just want to point out that some people see immediate improvement (within days) of going gluten-free. Others take months. If you are going to the trouble of trying the diet, make sure you give it enough time to make a difference.