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Husband Going Gluten Free In Support Of My Celiac

Brigit

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Brigit Apprentice
Brigit
Posted

Hi,

I just want to know if anybody is aware of their being any health risks involved with somebody who is not gluten intolerant or who doesn not have celiac, choosing to go gluten free? My husband has in the last year cut down on his wheat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol intake in an attempt to be super healthy before we have a baby, so he's health and nutrition is rather good, but since I've been gluten free, he wants to make things easier for me, and go gluten free as well. Would there be any risks involved with him going gluten free? Would he go through the same withdrawal symptoms and have the same negative affects if he was to eat gluten after being free from it?

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Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

I wouldn't think a person who is not celiac or gluten intolerent would have withdrawl and negative effects from cutting out gluten nor would have problems when they reintroduce it. But if he does end up with symptoms, perhaps he had a problem with it and was unaware? Either way there isn't any health risks going gluten free. People for ages have survived quite well without wheat or gluten. Sounds like you got a good man!

ciavyn Contributor
ciavyn
Posted

I agree with Roda. As long as you are getting the required nutrients for good health, it doesn't matter where it comes from. Good for him!

alex11602 Collaborator
alex11602
Posted

My husband went gluten free for my daughters and I and he is fine. Also he is fine the few times that he decided he wanted a "real" sandwich. That is really great that your husband is so supportive of you.

nikki-uk Enthusiast
nikki-uk
Posted

I went gluten-free in support of my hubby and son.

No problems at all smile.gif

Kate79 Apprentice
Kate79
Posted

My fiancee has gone almost totally gluten-free (he splurges occasionally at the office or with friends). He's found he actually feels better without the gluten - less tired and more energy. We eat a pretty healthy diet anyway (fruits, veggies, whole non-gluten grains, grass-fed beef & pork) so it's not like fewer processed foods is the reason or anything. Definitely no ill effects!

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

Not a risk that I know of, if he is already eating in a healthy style. My husband is gluten free at home, and may go days sometimes on weekends or vacations without gluten, then eat a regular sandwich out if he feels like it, without effect. He probably eats more vegetables than the standard American Male of the Species, as a result, knows what "sorghum" is, and can identify rice flour by texture in restaurants, which cracks me up. :P

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T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

Good news is that gluten isn't a required nutrient in our diet, so there's no issues there.

The gluten withdrawal typically doesn't effect anyone who doesn't actually have some gluten issue to begin with, so that's good there, too.

If your husband eats a lot of cereal and grain products in his diet, though? He may want to either be aware of his vitamin intake in his foods, or to take a multi-vitamin. Unlike gluten bread and cereal, gluten free bread and cereal isn't vitamin fortified.

One semi-health risk, however, is only one if he has food issues that he is currently not aware of.

As a personal example, I was SO sick going gluten free it was unbelievable. One reason was that I'm allergic to sugar cane (didn't know this before). In a lot of the gluten free foods (like cookies and cereal) they use evaporated sugar cane juice, which isn't processed as much as plain sugar. It had more of my allergen as a result and was making me really sick because of that.

One of my daughter's friends got sick every time she had a sleep over at our house, and her family finally discovered she reacts to xanthan gum - which she would only get at our house with our gluten-free food.

So if your husband has a food issue with some of the foods that are more common in gluten free foods, he might feel crummier. But...then he'll know there's an issue and could go track it down, yes?

Some common ingredients that are in elevated levels in processed gluten free foods:

corn

potatoes

gums, especially xanthan gum or guar gum

eggs

sugar cane

There might be others, depending on his usual diet. But again, for a healthy human being, there shouldn't be a risk. :-)

Brigit Apprentice
Brigit
Posted
  • Author

Good news is that gluten isn't a required nutrient in our diet, so there's no issues there.

The gluten withdrawal typically doesn't effect anyone who doesn't actually have some gluten issue to begin with, so that's good there, too.

If your husband eats a lot of cereal and grain products in his diet, though? He may want to either be aware of his vitamin intake in his foods, or to take a multi-vitamin. Unlike gluten bread and cereal, gluten free bread and cereal isn't vitamin fortified.

One semi-health risk, however, is only one if he has food issues that he is currently not aware of.

As a personal example, I was SO sick going gluten free it was unbelievable. One reason was that I'm allergic to sugar cane (didn't know this before). In a lot of the gluten free foods (like cookies and cereal) they use evaporated sugar cane juice, which isn't processed as much as plain sugar. It had more of my allergen as a result and was making me really sick because of that.

One of my daughter's friends got sick every time she had a sleep over at our house, and her family finally discovered she reacts to xanthan gum - which she would only get at our house with our gluten-free food.

So if your husband has a food issue with some of the foods that are more common in gluten free foods, he might feel crummier. But...then he'll know there's an issue and could go track it down, yes?

Some common ingredients that are in elevated levels in processed gluten free foods:

corn

potatoes

gums, especially xanthan gum or guar gum

eggs

sugar cane

There might be others, depending on his usual diet. But again, for a healthy human being, there shouldn't be a risk. :-)

That's super helpful! Thanks Shauna.

BillJ Rookie
BillJ
Posted

Now that is a good man you have there ! I have to admit my wife is trying ...We are eating gluten free as a family at meals ...They still eat gluten stuff but in support of me we have started having a gluten free dinner ! It really does put some normalcy in your life when you can sit down to dinner and not feel left out as you are not eating the same stuff that everyone else is ! And it sure means a lot to me that she is willing to do this for me ... I

  • 2 weeks later...
WhenDee Rookie
WhenDee
Posted

This post gives me the weepy glees. What a GREAT HUBBY you have.

W

Brigit Apprentice
Brigit
Posted
  • Author

This post gives me the weepy glees. What a GREAT HUBBY you have.

W

:) Yeah he is amazing!!!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Hi Brigit!

Good hubby indeed! ;)

My big guy went gluten-free with me, of his own accord-- and he feels great. He even gave up his beloved Guinness. He knows how to read labels and grocery shops for us...and he makes awesome gluten-free bread. Took him 4 months, but it's the perfect loaf now :D

he lost the last 10 lbs. he had been trying to lose and his cholesterol went down and he requires no medication. He feels energetic, he says. :)

He did have some gluteny foods one day when he was stuck and had no choice and felt none the worse for it.

He felt it made it easier for the whole house to be gluten-free and to avoid CC. HE insisted we change the cutting boards, the baking pans, utensils. I am grateful for his loving support --not only during the awful 3 years when I was sick and incapacitated by pain ---but since diagnosis and his willingness to do whatever it takes to get me well. I cry when I think of how amazingly patient he has been. I have met many others whose spouses were not so understanding.

Our husbands are "keepers" and I wish you well.

Take care!!

krystynycole Contributor
krystynycole
Posted

My husband went gluten free with me because he didn't want to eat things I love around me or even have them in the house. He indulges when he has a guys night at his friends house with no ill effects from the gluten. It's actually been much healthier for him and he has lost weight as a result.

domesticactivist Collaborator
domesticactivist
Posted

Our whole family changed our diet to support our son and make it easier to prepare meals and keep things gluten free. It was hard at first and we experienced withdrawal, sensitization to gluten, and candida die-off, which all brought on symptoms early on. Now we all feel healthier than ever before. I'm starting to believe grains aren't actually good for most people.

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    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

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    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

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    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
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