Going Gluten Free ?

[SteveW]

HI

I've been gluten free for 1 month now and in some ways I feel much better.

Stomach and intestinal track have stopped hurting and I feel like I have more control over my need to use the bathroom. I still have bad day's but that's to be expected.

The thing is my bowel movements returned to normal( solid-formed stool) after 1 1/2 week being gluten-free. Since then I could feel things getting worse again(diarrhea) and I'm not sure why. I know that I had a reaction to a Calcium Sup I was taking so I stopped that. I took the pill for 5 days and stopped on Sat(1-3-04) so its been 4 days and I still don't feel right.

Is it normal when in the recovery phase for diarrhea to come and go regardless of accidental ingestion of Gluten?

I'm eating a very very very limited diet right now. If I am getting gluten I don't know what else I could elimanate?

Thanks

Steve

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve, would you mind posting a list of what you do eat so we can scratch our heads together ? Possible non-gluten culprits that come to mind immediately are lactose and fruit sugars. These can be impossible to digest through a damaged bowel, but you don't notice that they might be a problem until you have eliminated gluten!

[SteveW]

Ok,

Meats-Chicken, Steak, Fish and Eggs-All fresh cooked in olive oil or butter.

Salt is the only seasoning I use at this time.

Grains-Jasmine Rice or Sweet Potatoes

Veg-Frozen mixed veg, carrots, and onions. I tried fresh steamed Broc and it sent my system into overdrive, so no Broc.

Fruits-Apple, Oranges, and Bananas(Although I've believe the Bananas are giving me heart burn)

Peanut butter(with the apple)

2 cups of home brewed coffee(Starbucks )

2 Pepsis a day

3/4 gallon of water daily

1 Freeda Multi Vit

All my pans are new along with cooking utensils.

Tom's of Maine Soap and Toothpaste. Dishwashing liquid is on the safe list.

Things I know I can't handle right now are:

Soy

Most Milk Products

99% of the supplements I tried

Any Spice including Pepper

Thanks

Steve

[JsBaby-G]

Steve,

Eliminate the Pespis. I found that drinking Coke or Pepsi gave me the runs too. Other than that, everything sounds ok. It is possible sometimes that it takes your body a while to adjust and since you are so used to being sick after you eat for example your body goes through the motions without good reason for it. Do you get the same pain with your bowel movements? I know these are personal questions but we all go through the same thing.

Hope you feel better!

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve,

Yes, broccoli can be extremely hard to digest and cause a lot of gas and other discomforts--or is that what you meant? I find that oranges and tangerines give me heartburn, and bananas cause intestinal cramping for me. I am mostly eating apples and pineapple (canned in juice, NOT syrup--the syrup may not be gluten-free!) right now, but since these are quite sugary fruits my stools are often on the loose side. I bet I would do better with grapefruit and frozen blueberries!

I don't know how sensitive you are to lactose right now, but butter definitely contains small amounts. Clarified butter (ghee) does not and is excellent for colon health, but it is rather expensive.

I second JsBaby's suggestion to ditch the Pepsi, as well. Not only is it nutritionally vacuous, carbonated beverages of any kind can also seriously impair your body's ability to digest protein. It depends on how much gastric juice your body produces in the first place--if you produce very little, carbonated beverages reduce the amount even further, and you end up with heartburn and other troubles! (I have read that heartburn is usually NOT related to an excess of acid, as is widely believed, but rather to a deficiency of acid causing food to sit undigested in the stomach until it ferments--yuck! I have certainly noticed that I have no heartburn at all after eliminating from my diet those foods that I knew "sat around" in my stomach for a while.)

Another question: I assume that the Starbuck's coffee is unflavored, right? I believe that flavored coffees often contain gluten (to make the spray-on flavoring stick to the beans). Even if you are using unflavored coffee, you may want to call the company to inquire about potential cross-contamination on the conveyor belts. Washing the lines between products may not be sufficient; dedicated lines are really the only way to go (well, a dedicated facility is best, but most companies can't afford that!).

The rest of your diet looks excellent--especially the quantity of water you drink. Hydration is still one of my biggest stumbling blocks! I hope you track down the culprit soon!

[SteveW]

JsBaby,

Anything but the Pepsi

I love soda.

Oh well I'll give it a shot without the fizzy stuff.

Not really having pain like I use to. Just the loose stool and the constant urge to move my bowels.

Seeking Wholeness

The Starbucks is Regular.It's on a gluten-free list that I read.

But I will check with the company.

Yes Broccoli gives me gas and gets my bowels a movin'.

Can I get Clarified butter in a regular Supermarket?

Brand?

Thank you both very much.

Steve

[wclemens]

Steve, it took me a long time after going gluten free to realize that butter, egg whites, and yeast were poison for my system (as well as all milk and dairy).

You could go to a meat and vegetable diet for a couple of days, then start adding back foods and see how you react. I've done that, and it is a real eye-opener.

Steve, you might want to try Imperial Margarine if you are trying to find a replacement for butter. I use it all the time and feel great, and all other

butter substitutes have not been as effective. It is even great to use with

lobster, in place of butter.

I switched from Pepsi to Diet Rite Raspberry, Caffeine free diet Dr. Pepper, diet A&W Root Beer, and a wonderful diet soda called Canfields' Chocolate Fudge. It is so good, and I really enjoy it because I am allergic to all milk and dairy, so chocolate is usually out, but this is easy to digest and tolerate.

Good luck! Welda

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve,

I use Purity Farms ghee. I buy it at my local health food store or Whole Foods Market, but I MAY have seen it (or another brand) available at the "higher-class" regular supermarket in my area--I can't remember, since it has been awhile. Good luck finding it!

--Sarah (Don't know what happened to my sig last time!)

[Guest LisaB]

Just want to add that I get sick everytime I have Starbucks coffee, don't think it is gluten, I think they treat their beans with something chemical...I feel so terrible for several hours and it puts a damper on the whole day.

I love coffee, but always had some bad effects if drinking reg. coffee, but I decided before giving it up I would try organic...I did and all my problems went away. The jitters, ect. people get from coffee isn't from the caffeine folks! I can drink organic all day long and not a jitter now!

Lisa

[JsBaby-G]

Steve

I can totally sympathize. I love Coke too, at least give it a shot for awhile to see if you feel better. I'm ok with 7 up or Sprite. I think it's the colouring especially caramel color. Think about it, what's Pepsi even suppose to taste like? All other soda is made to imitate a flavor found in nature, but Pepsi?? If it's it own flavor probably not the best thing to put in your body.

[Lily]

Hi everyone,

I too am a Pepsi lover but am giving it up. I read somewhere that colas have gluten in them. My nutritionist said I must also give up coffee of all kinds. It's hard on everyone, but especially those with a sensitive system. Here's something I had posted about supplements on another message.....

PS.........I just wanted to let everyone know to be careful of the supplements you buy. My nutritionist says she has only found 4 or 5 brands that are safe for gluten allergies. Many supposed gluten free products still dust their lines with flour. The following products are what she has deemed safe for me as far as supplements go....

Tyler Products

Metagenics Products

Oregon Health

KTS Liquid Minerals

My P-5-P I can't find the company on, but this is a start if you are interested. I realize everyone may not be as sensitive as me, but she has told me if it is processed, be suspicious! She only recommends Knudsen fruit juices, etc.. Once I totally detoxify myself I'll have to see what I'm truly allergic too.

All of this is costing a small fortune, but I am excited to find out what it feels like to be healthy.

I also hear keeping a food diary helps when adjusting. Peanut butter would bother me, so maybe that is bothering you too?

Good luck,

Lily

[SteveW]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

I've decided to cut out the Eggs,Soda, and Coffee for a week and see if that helps.

It's only been a month and my system feels better in many ways except for those 2 or 3 Bad days a week.

That's an improvement from the 2 months of pain,weight loss(25 lbs) and constant trips to the bathroom.

Thanks Again

Steve

[bigapplekathleen]

Hi Steve...

Have you thought about contamination from your pots/pans/toaster/bread board/cutting board/colander? What about lip things (like chapstick, which is indeed gluten-free) or hand lotions (since you can ingest hand lotion without realizing it) ?

You might want to keep a food diary and symptom diary to see if you can completely narrow things down.

Have you seen a nutritionist who specializes in Celiac?

I wish you the best -

Kathleen

[aldociao]

Steve (and all other coffee users)

I hesitated to post this information when I came across it in a book a couple of weeks ago because I know how strong feelings can be about "our daily coffee." But what I read caused me to eliminate coffee from my diet. (I've been gluten-free, except for the occasional accident, for 6 wks.) But that's not important, but I think it's important to say that there has not been any noticeable difference in the way I feel since I've stopped. That could be because I've not been a heavy or even a moderate user of coffee. Could be because I am one who doesn't have severe or even many symptoms, and yet, as many on this board stress, damage could be going on nonetheless. And, of course, it could be there is no validity to what I read. But that is for you to decide.

Like most things in this very confusing field of nutrition, health and disease, and especially with celiac disease, it's difficult to know for sure what is the truth. And because of what has been called our biochemical individuality, what holds true for one might not for another. So, before posting this information I wanted to go back to the book where I read it--a library book--and quote exactly. Each of you can then come to your own conclusion about whether it makes sense to act on the information given.

The book: "Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition," by Paul Pitchford, 3rd Edition, published 2002. It is a massive book, obviously the work of a lifetime, by a very caring and knowledgeable researcher--these qualities are evident on every page of this book. It is stunningly comprehensive and, for me, much of what Pitchford says resonates with what I've read and accepted from other alternative approaches. The quote is from p. 208:

The acid in coffee eats away the villi of the small intestine [can't be more direct or blunt than that for the CDer], reducing their effectiveness in supporting nutritional assimilation....to aid in restoring a coffee-ravaged small intestine, use nettle leaf (urtica urens) [i bought urtica dioca from Whole Foods--they determined that it is the same plant, only one is a dwarf species; chemically they are identical, they said.] tea, two or more cups daily, for at least six weeks. "

He goes on to say that de-acidified ground coffee is available. (This was news to me, and may not be easy to find.) Also he mentions that coffee makers which use a cold-water method to remove the harmful acids can be found in kitchen supply stores.

I have mixed feelings about posting this. Please know that I hope the information is not correct. But until I know for sure that something is not going to harm me, whether gluten or not gluten, I will avoid it. Perhaps some of you are already familiar with this charge, and may be able to throw more light on it, hopefully dismissing it as untrue. --Aldo

[SteveW]

Well I stopped the Soda and Coffee for 4 days and I feel even worse.

Not to mention what a nut job I was at work.

I'm reall frustrated.There are so many things to look out for.It's overwhelming.

Does anyone know of a good Brand Name gluten-free hand lotion?

It's so cold and dry outside my hands are cracking/bleeding but I'm afraid to use any lotion without knowing if it's gluten free.

Soap too?

Thanks

Steve

[ROYAL BLUE]

Lubriderm hand lotion is gluten-free. Be aware of which one you buy because I noticed they now have one containing Oatmeal.

Tracy

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve,

Oops! It sounds like you are going through caffeine withdrawal. I forgot about that possibility! Options at this point include 1.) resuming your former beverage consumption habits (probably not the wisest choice, at least at this time); 2.) toughing it out for a week or two, but getting ALL the caffeine out of your system; or 3.) consuming small amounts of caffeine (maybe green tea, as long as you verify that the teabags are gluten-free) until you reach a level where your withdrawal symptoms abate, then tapering off from there if you desire to.

As for lotions, I have been using Johnson & Johnson 24-hour soothing body lotion (or something like that--I can't remember the exact name) and have had no trouble with it. It did great things for my hands in short order, too! I don't know about soaps, though.

I hope you start feeling better soon!

[SteveW]

Here's an update:

I've been feeling better for the past 5 day's.

Here is what I believe was causing me problems:

-Eggs-I can have them once and a while with no problems but I had been eating 4 a day-so I've cut that way back.

-Freda Vitamins-They are free of everything(so they say) but for now I'm staying away from any supplements.

-Chicken!-This is a shock to me.Chicken has been a staple to my diet forever but most of my stomach pain and diarrhea is directly caused by eating Chicken-Is that possible?I've tried whole chickens,boneless breasts and different brands....No luck

-Meals that are Too Big-I lost another 4 lbs(total of 25) and I'm really trying to get my weight going in the right direction so I try to over eat and that overtaxing my system.

-Fiber-I was getting Too Much Fiber-Cut back Peanut Butter-Nuts and Veggies

That's It. Still a work in progress.

I just wish my weight would come back up.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

Steve

[tarnalberry]

I have no clue why, but chicken cooked in olive oil in a skillet has always bothered me. Makes me feel icky in general - even before any celiac disease symptoms. I can have grilled chicken, stir fried chicken, baked chicken, and olive oil up the wazoo, but the whole "pan fry the chicken in the skillet with some olive oil thing" always makes me nausous and not feel well.

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve--I assume you've tried Perdue's chicken, which is gluten-free and available everywhere. Have you tried organic free-range chicken? It may be too expensive to eat every day, but it might be worth checking out whether you can tolerate it, just for the sake of narrowing down the specific problem. (You're not blood type B or AB, are you? I am a proponent of the Blood Type Diet, and chicken is supposed to be one of the most problematic foods for these types.) It sounds like you are on the road to figuring out the reasons for your troubles, and that is great news!

tarnalberry--That is absolutely fascinating! Do you think it might have something to do with heating the olive oil, or can you eat anything except chicken sauteed in it?

I hope you're both doing well!

[dclark519]

Hi , centrum one a day is gluten free, as is Jergens, if this is wrong someone let me know. seeking wholeness, i am blood type o negative. could you e-mail me the info. on that blood type diet? my e-mail is dclark519@insightbb.com. I would really appreciate it. also if anyone has a woodmans grocery store near them, they carry a wonderful choice of gluten-free foods! thanks and hope everyone is doing great. Also wondering, I have been eating reg. food for a week for an accurate biopsy, and cried alot today, do the foods cause the emotional trouble too? My biopsy is tomorrow, I have felt absolutely hoorible on a reg. diet and cannot wait to resume gluten-free weds. ! never thought I'd say that!! e-mail and let me know please! I have only been diagnosed 5 weeks and am 35. so I need all the help I can get! thanks again! dawn

[seeking-wholeness]

Hi, Dawn!

My computer is having virus trouble and I don't want to infect your computer, so I'll just reply on the board for now. The website for the Blood Type Diet is Open Original Shared Link, although the detailed food lists are not included on the site for copyright reasons. (Isn't it crazy that the author of the book has to ask the publisher for permission to reprint his own work?) You can probably find the introductory book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, and the more in-depth follow-up book, Live Right 4 Your Type, at your local library. Read Eat Right first, then Live Right. If you choose to go with the basic diet rather than the more specific one for your particular subtype, keep in mind that A FEW of the food values have changed since the publication of Eat Right due to new discoveries and improved testing methods (they are NOT expected to change again). The most up-to-date summary of the basic diet will be found in the "little book" for your type, which is conveniently small enough to fit in your purse. I hope you find that the Blood Type Diet meets your needs!

Oh, and yes, gluten-containing foods can certainly provoke an emotional reaction! Just read my posts in the thread entitled "Coping with Kids' Gluten Accidents..." over in the kids/babies forum and you'll see....

I hope you're having a great day!

[SteveW]

Sarah

I'm not even sure what blood type I am.

I'm not sure if Perdue was one of the brands I tried.

I assumed that all fresh whole chickens and boneless breasts were gluten-free.

Am I wrong?

If yes, how is Gluten put into the chicken?

I'll try out some Purdue this weekend and see what happens.

Thanks

Steve

[seeking-wholeness]

Steve,

Because mass-produced chickens cook up rubbery and tasteless, many manufacturers inject the flesh with either a brine solution or chicken broth to improve their flavor and texture. These may contain gluten, especially the broth. I'm not sure how the label must be worded, but I know I have seen "with natural flavors added" or some such phrase on packages of poultry. This doesn't necessarily mean that the product contains gluten (Shady Brook Farms poultry says this but is gluten-free, for instance), but it is a red flag to contact the manufacturer about the product. I hope you can find a brand you can tolerate!

[SteveW]

Sarah,

Wow. That