Why Do We Get More Sensitive To Non-Gluten Foods After Going gluten-free?

[GFshay]

I'm nearly at my 3 month mark of the gluten-free diet and have ended up cutting out all the predictable foods because I realized I was more sensitive to them too: dairy, eggs, coffee & black tea, some soy.

My question is this: Why is it so common that we end up realizing we have sensitivities to other foods after taking out gluten? Is it because the gluten was masking it in the past? I guess I'm just surprised because I used to think I could digest dairy as long as I took a Lactaid pill, but since going gluten-free that has completely changed. I'm curious about your opinions about this.

Also, how long did it take to start re-introducing some of those foods into your diet, if ever? I know most people recommend 6 months to a year, but I miss dairy more than gluten!

[mushroom]

Yes, I think it is just a case of the body having such a hard time dealing with the gluten,and being so busy trying to process it, it doesn't have the energy to protest all the other stuff. Once it gets a respite from the gluten, then it can gently poke you in the ribs and say, "What about soy, eh?"

I wouldn't dream of trying to reintroduce a food before six months; I think a year is better. I waited longer than that for ice cream although I was tolerting milk in capucchinos before then. I have tried citrus after a year and it was still a problem. I have tried potatoes after a year (taking some Lecin Lock with them - kinda like Lactaid for milk) and that was okay, but I had just a taste. I plan to do it very gradually, not an all-out onslaught. It may end up that I will be all right having a little once or twice a week. I am hoping because I look at all the great gluten free recipes, and I can only do about 5% of them I would like to get some tomato back sometime too.

[dilettantesteph]

My personal experience is that a lot of foods have gluten cc. When I look for other sources or grow it myself, I find that I can eat it after all.

[Kimbalou]

I'm nearly at my 3 month mark of the gluten-free diet and have ended up cutting out all the predictable foods because I realized I was more sensitive to them too: dairy, eggs, coffee & black tea, some soy.

My question is this: Why is it so common that we end up realizing we have sensitivities to other foods after taking out gluten? Is it because the gluten was masking it in the past? I guess I'm just surprised because I used to think I could digest dairy as long as I took a Lactaid pill, but since going gluten-free that has completely changed. I'm curious about your opinions about this.

Also, how long did it take to start re-introducing some of those foods into your diet, if ever? I know most people recommend 6 months to a year, but I miss dairy more than gluten!

I have noticed the same thing:( As far as milk goes, try Vanilla Almond Milk! I really like it, it's in the regular milk refrigerated section. I like the Silk brand. I don't miss regular milk at all! I use the Almond milk in cereal, too. It lasts longer and is a lot healthier. I'm new to all of this too, and I'm finding out that my stomach is more sensitive than ever. Let me know if you like the Almond milk, I liked the vanilla better than the plain one.

[Rowena]

I have noticed the same thing happen to me. What I think it is is that we spent so much time reacting to gluten and everything that we didn't know which end was up. And the symptoms of a lot of allergies are similar, but doctors think first, gastrointestinal problems? Test for Celiac. And then when they find that they stop. So then the gluten problem diminishes, and the other allergies or just gluten when we accidently ingest it appear more now that one problem is solved. So yes, they were always there, but it was harder to tell when they all were acting up at once. Remove one, and hey look, I still got problems... hmmm somethings fishy. Better figure it out.

[Cypressmyst]

Do some research into a leaky gut, or leaky gut syndrome. Until the cracks in your intestinal wall are closed you will just keep getting more and more food allergies. Once healed you can likely get everything but gluten and dairy back.

Gluten is such a bear that it masks the other problems going on. Once removed we can "hear" our bodies for the first time.

You and everyone else on this forum could benefit from finding a competent Dr. who knows how to heal a leaky gut. I am in process now.

I'm sure there are articles on this site about it. There is also a lot of bad info out there. There is no pill to take to cure this. It is cured with good diet, supplements and time, 1-2 years.

Here is a Open Original Shared Link to get you started. Dr. Vikki also happens to be my Doctor.

You may also find this Open Original Shared Link helpful!

[julandjo]

Do some research into a leaky gut, or leaky gut syndrome. Until the cracks in your intestinal wall are closed you will just keep getting more and more food allergies. Once healed you can likely get everything but gluten and dairy back.

Gluten is such a bear that it masks the other problems going on. Once removed we can "hear" our bodies for the first time.

You and everyone else on this forum could benefit from finding a competent Dr. who knows how to heal a leaky gut. I am in process now.

I'm sure there are articles on this site about it. There is also a lot of bad info out there. There is no pill to take to cure this. It is cured with good diet, supplements and time, 1-2 years.

Here is a Open Original Shared Link to get you started. Dr. Vikki also happens to be my Doctor.

You may also find this Open Original Shared Link helpful!

I couldn't love this post more. THANK YOU for the links to those articles; this explains so much and gives me so much hope!!

[GFshay]

Thanks so much for your responses. If anyone else has info on newly discovered sensitivities, please share!

I do like Vanilla Almond milk... although I almost put it in mashed potatoes the other day before realizing that would probably be terrible. Maybe I'll need to keep some original on hand for cooking etc.

I tried Aloe Vera Juice recently and found that helps settle my stomach if it's acidic, gurgly, or just hurts a bit. I've only been brave enough to try a small sip, since people say it can have laxative effects. But I'd recommend that for anyone needing help to heal better!

Something I really miss recently is coffee. I am a grad student and occasionally NEED a boost in alertness to keep going. Any recommendations? I've tried drowning a 1/4 cup of coffee with almond milk. One time it was successful, the second time my stomach was a little angry at me.

[Jestgar]

I take a B-complex for a boost of energy.

[over50]

I'm nearly at my 3 month mark of the gluten-free diet and have ended up cutting out all the predictable foods because I realized I was more sensitive to them too: dairy, eggs, coffee & black tea, some soy.

My question is this: Why is it so common that we end up realizing we have sensitivities to other foods after taking out gluten? Is it because the gluten was masking it in the past? I guess I'm just surprised because I used to think I could digest dairy as long as I took a Lactaid pill, but since going gluten-free that has completely changed. I'm curious about your opinions about this.

Also, how long did it take to start re-introducing some of those foods into your diet, if ever? I know most people recommend 6 months to a year, but I miss dairy more than gluten!

OVER 50

I can really relate to this question, as I am going through the same issue. I have been gluten-free for nearly 7 months and am experiencing more pain, bloating than when I was eating a gluten diet! It seems totally outrageous that one can be totally diligent to sticking to the diet and then find out that the body is still not happy. My dietician says that it can take up to 2 years to see relief, I am 64 nearly 65 and feel that I don't have the same amount of time that a younger person would have for healing. I am taking Motilium because my appetite had diminished so much (feeling too full too soon when eating) and of course the weight had dropped too. 106 lbs when diagnosed. The Ttg results had been going down really well until the last one this month which was much higher than it had been for months. I have started to suspect soy, since the dietician suggested using it 'cos it has more protein content than Almond Milk, which I actually prefer. Sigh...I hope I am not going to also be another person cutting out all soy, of course all gluten already, I don't consume dairy at all, and then maybe nightshade family, corn....oy oy...what is left to enjoy, and chocolate seems to give me Globus which I think is related to reflux. I'll stop here, so you aren't the only one finding this difficult...keep smiling one has to believe it will get better.

[Takala]

Over50,

Ditch the soy milk.

$%^&*(*(%^##$%%^ "nutritionist" should know that an awful lot of celiacs also react to soy. You might be okay with small amounts of soy lecithin in some items.

A lot of times a person just tries to blame additional sensitivities, when it is really cross contamination from a source that is not really gluten free. The Dream brand drink line use barley enzymes in the processing even tho they are labeled "gluten free." See here on their rice drink: Open Original Shared Link

There are also some types of rice syrup that use it, then some brands use that rice syrup as sweetener.

[mushroom]

am taking Motilium because my appetite had diminished so much (feeling too full too soon when eating)

I was prescribed this at one point too as it was thought that my food had too long a transport time (though I had never found this to be a problem ). What I found a lot more helpful was to take digestive enzymes to help my body digest the food so that there was not so much gas in my GI tract, thereby leaving more room for food The reason I could not eat much was that the gas was occupying all the space. Celiacs and gluten intolerants often seem to have trouble with low output of digestive enzymes, and the tummy needs a hand in breaking the food down.

[bridgetm]

Thanks so much for your responses. If anyone else has info on newly discovered sensitivities, please share!

I do like Vanilla Almond milk... although I almost put it in mashed potatoes the other day before realizing that would probably be terrible. Maybe I'll need to keep some original on hand for cooking etc.

I tried Aloe Vera Juice recently and found that helps settle my stomach if it's acidic, gurgly, or just hurts a bit. I've only been brave enough to try a small sip, since people say it can have laxative effects. But I'd recommend that for anyone needing help to heal better!

Something I really miss recently is coffee. I am a grad student and occasionally NEED a boost in alertness to keep going. Any recommendations? I've tried drowning a 1/4 cup of coffee with almond milk. One time it was successful, the second time my stomach was a little angry at me.

The plain almond milk is really good for mashed potatoes! (I wouldn't recommend using the vanilla though). I had been using coconut milk for any cooking or baking but when we made Christmas brunch the almond was on sale so we gave it a shot. We used that in all our baked egg dishes and have been using it since for any baking or cooking.

I also had to give up coffee. A few months before going gluten free, I could drink 3-5 cups before my stomach started to flip. I cut way back for a bit when I started the diet just because I wasn't eating enough to cushion the acid. Finally found plenty of foods that would work and grabbed a cup on my way to class... I drank less than 1/2 before my stomach went crazy. I was chugging water all day to push it out of my system. For a while I substituted Gatorade just for a kick start in the mornings, especially for an 8 am class, but I had to cut back on that also over the summer because of the sugar. All of my replacements have been replaced at least once.

I keep telling myself that I don't miss it, but then I sit down in a lecture and someone walks in with a cup... You know those cartoons where you can see the trail of steam coming off of a plate and threading its way through the air to a dog's nose who has to follow it? That's me.