New At This And I Have A Couple Questions

[AlwaysByHisGrace]

After struggling with fatigue and depression, this past summer I decided to go gluten-free and dairy free. I heard this could help my Hashimotos or a form of hypothyroidism. I seemed to be doing a lot better, I had more energy and my overall outlook was better. I am only 20 years old and I couldn't understand why I felt so bad. It would take me forever to wake up in the morning and finally get going. Recently, about the past 3 months I have let myself have a splurge meal on saturdays, I can have anything including things with gluten and dairy. I really didn't notice any problems until recently and now when I have something I have a bad reaction, even more so than before. Does anyone know why, is it because my body got used to not have gluten. I also wanted to know if symptoms got worse as a person got older because when I was a kid I don't remember have symptoms like this. I have not been diagnosed with celiacs, I don't have the outright symptoms like diarrhea but I do suffer from constipation and have to take miralax everyday. I eat clean throughout the week mainly just lean protein, fruits, vegetables and some grains, mainly brown basmati rice. But sometimes I just feel overwhelmed and struggle with this, mainly because I am not 100% sure I have to go gluten free. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Bubba's Mom]

It's hard when you don't really know if gluten is an issue for you or not?

If you eat "cleanly" during the week and then splurge on the weekend you would be keeping the inflamation of your immune system active by doing so. That's enough to make a Celiac continue to have symptoms.

It's also possible that you are gluten intolerant, or gluten sensitive. It's hard to test for those.

The best test for any of them aside from going on a full gluten diet and getting celiac testing, is to cut them from your diet 100% and see how you feel?

*there are numerous posts here on how to be sure you are 100% gluten-free, so I won't list them here.

Is testing important to you? Could you stay gluten-free without a diagnosis? You have to decide that.

Gluten light doesn't really tell you anything. It's also possible you have an issue with dairy or soy?

If you keep a log of everything you eat and note any symptoms you have it helps figure these things out. Many times food intollerance have delayed symptoms so if you have a record you can see if you eat____it gives you achy joints, or tiredness, headaches, whatever.

Sadly, it's the only way to find some food reactions.

Good luck in your detective work. I hope you find what's "getting" you, so you can get feeling better!

[pricklypear1971]

You're having a "bad reaction" because your body is becoming used to not having something (gluten, dairy) and then getting a dose of it.

This is very normal for someone who has a food intolerance. In your case, it looks like its gluten, dairy or both.

Think of it as your "antibody army" resting for 6 days. On day 7, they fight. Used to, they fought every day and were exhausted.

[AlwaysByHisGrace]

Great thanks for the advice. I am really going to give it 100% and go gluten and dairy free. Today is day 1!

[Takala]

Try taking a gluten free B complex vitamin and a calcium, D, magnesium supplement. And eating more "good" fats such as olive oil, nuts, coconut milk, avocado, plain dark chocolate. There's plenty of ways to splurge without eating gluten, including things like coconut milk "ice cream."

A normal person can eat gluten free for days, and then eat gluten without consequences, like my spouse. It looks like you may be one of us.