How Do You Nurse Your Gut Back To Health

[Bette]

Hi everybody,

I know there is another topic right now about how you deal with the emotional aspects of being glutened. What I need to know is how and what do you eat for the physical symptoms of the gut after you have been glutened?

I am cramping and bloated and constipated. Along with trying to figure out what the culprit was,are there comforting and mild foods that you revert back to while you are getting your stomach to calm down?It seems like no matter what I eat at this point my stomach is not too happy, I really would rather not eat, but then I deal with hypoglycemia and get sick in another whole way if I skip meals.

The strange thing, I am now going into my fourth month gluten-free. I have so many symptoms and many other ailements that early on in the diet I couldn't distinguish off the bat when I had been glutened. I now definatley know ! Isn't that strange? or is that just progress?

Thanks,

Bette

[aikiducky]

I think it's progress.

I eat what I normally eat when I've been glutened, I just avoid a few things that seem not to go down too well then, onions for example. Extra bananas, I love bananas. And last time I added cardamom to my tea and that seemed to soothe my tummy a little bit, so I'm going to try that again next time. But generally nothing seems to make a huge difference, the reaction just has to run it's course... I'm grateful that my last glutenings have been relatively mild ones.

Pauliina

[blueshift]

Every celiac does not react the same way to foods. You are going to have to experiment..In my condition...celiac with past bowel obstruction surgeries, I can become constipated..unless I eliminate ALL flour from my diet...

I find east Indian food to agree with my gut quite well...

I have cantelope and orange for breakfast...I mix either curry or garam masala with the cantelope..Two hours later I will have a cherry/banana/red grape juice shake...At lunch I will have chicken or tofu with some lettuce...Carrot juice one hour later...Water is going down me most of the day...Supper is a veggie stir fry seasoned with curry or garam masala..Potato can be included..Carrot juice again--an hour after..

Later is almonds and raisins for a snack

To find comfort from cramps I lie down on the floor with a medicine ball and roll partway onto to it with the medi-ball at my side between my left hip and left rib cage right after a meal or on the right side hours later..

If cramping turns into an obstruction, I stop eating solid food for one day and eat nothing but shakes and water...

I also tend to be a little low in my sodium intakes so I add some salt to each meal, using potassium salt at times...

Be careful..You are the judge..

[GlutenFreeStudent]

When I've been glutened, one thing that helps me a lot is a jar of baby food, usually peas or carrots. Also, a strong cup of hot peppermint tea helps with bloating, gas and constipation. Hot liquids usually make me have to visit the restroom. I put the heating pad on my stomach for cramps and it helps tremendously.

[burdee]

Hi Bette:

I can soooo relate to that feeling of not wanting to eat at all but fear that I'll get low blood sugar symptoms (especially one of those killer headaches). I also fear getting constipated if I completely stop eating. So I try to consume a lot of soft but high fiber fruits and well cooked, high fiber vegies. Some people (including me) mentioned some physiological strategies for coping with contamination episode in the other "100 ways ..." topic.

I also can relate to your experience of "I have so many symptoms and many other ailements that early on in the diet I couldn't distinguish off the bat when I had been glutened. I now definatley know." However, when I thought I had eliminated all my gluten sources and still was having 'symptoms', I did Enterolab tests which showed I STILL had gluten antibodies as well as casein antibodies. When I tried to substitute soy products for dairy products I discovered soy intolerance. 8 months after I first went gluten-free, I discovered the digestive enzyme recommended to me by a naturopath for my 'malabsorption' symptoms contained Malt diastase (BARLEY or GLUTEN). So you might find you have other food intolerances or you have overlooked a source of gluten.

Also after abstaining from gluten for a while, you will be much more sensitive (experience even more severe reactions) to even a speck of gluten, because your body is healing and doesn't want gluten. It's kinda like when you stop drinking alcohol, after drinking a daily glass of wine. After not drinking for awhile, you may find that first swallow really hits you hard, because your body has adjusted to NOT having that toxin.

BURDEE

[Rachel--24]

  8 months after I first went gluten-free, I discovered the digestive enzyme recommended to me by a naturopath for my 'malabsorption' symptoms contained Malt diastase (BARLEY or GLUTEN).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What exactly is Malt diastase? The reason I ask is because its in the vitamins I've been taking...thing is the label clearly states GLUTEN FREE. I wasnt too concerned because of the gluten-free status but I wasnt sure if the vitamins were causing me problems so I stopped taking them just this week. Are you sure it contains barley or gluten?

[Bette]

Thanks for all the ideals everybody. This is day 2 and I am still having waves of cramping(the only way I can describe it , is like the same cramping and pain that comes on right before you have diarreaha). The crazy thing is that I feel like I need to run to the bathroom, then nothing!! Its as if I have no ability to have the bowel movement, everthing has just stopped!!!!

I am finally beginning to connect the dots though on other symptoms that I have had for years that I have never really had an answer for. For example, in the first 24 hours I had predominately stomach distress. But today, the brain fog disconnected feelings are starting, my fibromyalgia symptoms are flaring, and I get extremely dry mouth, extremely thirsty. Does anybody have similar symptoms?

The teas sound great, especially the peppermint tea, but I can't have the peppermint due to my reflux disease-(I definiately understand how that would be soothing for the cramps, I've been told by my g.i. that peppermint also relaxes the lower esphogeal spinchter-hence causing the reflux).

I guess I have to let things run their course, any other ideals though of what helps regarding the stomach let me know. Like a lot said, it sounds like trial and error on what helps each person.

Bette