Those who are living gluten free/reduced gluten-?'s

[dae_tona]

I made the decision to go gluten free the other day based on my own experiences of being intolerant to wheat. I know I'll feel much better off of it.
Here are my ?'s:

When you went gluten free or reduced your gluten, did you noitce any results or improvements in how you felt or your body? Maybe not weight loss per se but did you feel better & lighter?

Also, I have a list of gluten-containing items & gluten-alternate items. But I am wondering-what about sweet potatoes? (they're not on either lists) They have never bothered me & I never bloat if I eat a small one. But it is gluten-containing?

Thanks for your help!

Dyan

[fawn]

Hey Dyan
I'm gluten free. Based on all of the negative reactions out there, I have chosen to leave it out of my diet. The only grain I currently consume is Quinoa. I haven't had a slice of bread in over a year and make my own crackers.

Sweet potatoes and yams are safe on a gluten free diet.
I make sweet potato and yam chips dice them and bake in coconut oil, sprinkle with a good sea salt.....

[dae_tona]

Wow. A year without bread? That's my goal-to go a year without bread. If I can go one week, two weeks, three weeks, etc. - then there's no reason why those can't turn into a year and then a lifetime!

Thanks for the information on the sweet potatoes and yams. Those will be part of my Saturday higher carb/higher calorie day. I love those two things but really try to limit them to once a week & am glad to know I can have them. Those chips sound awesome! Might have to try making some of those.

Dyan

[aim in Fla*working]

fawn...could I make fries out of those sweet potatos?

[fawn]

Definitely amy!

[aim in Fla*working]

YUM!
I am getting some TONIGHT
Thaks fawn...
p.s.
Quit date is 1/15/07

[fawn]

Originally Posted by aim in Fla*working

YUM!
I am getting some TONIGHT
Thaks fawn...
p.s.
Quit date is 1/15/07

Your liver will thank you amy! I've been very quiet about this one because I know the addiciton of cigarettes too well but your little liver is processing over 3000 chemicals with those things and you can't afford it my beautiful frend!

[teaandcakeordeath]

I know from my own experience within a few days I would notice that my joints were not constantly achy, I don't feel as bloated as I usually did and the rashes that I would get on the back of my knees and my hands cleared up almost over night. There was also a bit of a fog that was lifted mentally too. Oh and I stopped taking Imodium Advanced after just about EVERY meal!

It's been a huge change in how I feel day to day...although I did gain some weight back experimenting with all the gluten free pastas (corn and rice), breads (I have yet to find a good one), oh and mashed potatoes So I have been back watching my carbs and focusing on leaner meats, organic veggies, and just better foods that I make and have control of. I think that for the first time, my body is feeling the benefits since being GF I healed some of the damage and can absorb the nutrients. I would hate to see how malnourished I was.

[Alcmene]

Hi

I have been wheat free for over 5 years now!

It gets a LOT easier the longer you do it.

I suffered terrible bouts of water retention and IBS, and going wheat free cleared it up with no medication whatsover.

[anniemo]

i'm gluten free and my joints feel much better and i have more energy.

[3leggedtable]

When my husband went gluten free he felt better in one week. He has Celiac Sprue.

[fawn]

Yes and gluten intolerance can turn into leaky gut whereas your nutrients are being absorbed wihtout the benefit of proper digestion.

Are you on any probiotic therapy Kate?

[teaandcakeordeath]

I just started them about 3 weeks ago oddly enough. I have been doing a lot of reading and researching and everything I have read about them sold me to try them. My best friend is a DC and she highly recommended them too. Since I have been taking them I just 'feel' better...and a happy tummy is a glorious thing

[Dharma]

I am gluten-free except for the very occasional low-carb tortilla. Gluten containing foods make me retain water, make my joints ache, and cause gassy bloating. No thanks!! The more whole grain a food is, the worse it is for me. White flour stuff isn't as bad, but since it's not really even food, I don't eat it either (with the above exception!).

[NoSugarShell]

I have been gluten free now for 70 days. It broke my stall, my face cleared up, my knees stopped hurting, I sleep alot better. I just feel better.

I have to say that I am also soy and dairy free. So I am sure that contributed as well.

The bad part is if I eat gluten now I feel REALLY, REALLY bad.

[fawn]

Originally Posted by NoSugarShell

I have been gluten free now for 70 days. It broke my stall, my face cleared up, my knees stopped hurting, I sleep alot better. I just feel better.

I have to say that I am also soy and dairy free. So I am sure that contributed as well.

The bad part is if I eat gluten now I feel REALLY, REALLY bad.

Wow! I commend you! Dairy, soy and gluten free are not easy, take diligence and planning. In my personal opinion, it is in fact the best way to lose weight quite honestly. Are you incorporating sunflower and pumpkin seeds into your wol Shell? They are wonderful foods for many different reasons.

[lwcrbldy]

Originally Posted by fawn

Hey Dyan
I'm gluten free. Based on all of the negative reactions out there, I have chosen to leave it out of my diet. The only grain I currently consume is Quinoa. I haven't had a slice of bread in over a year and make my own crackers.

Sorry to be off on a minor tangent, but it caught my eye cause I'm always looking for new recipes on here, lol:

What's your recipe for your crackers, Fawn?

[NoSugarShell]

Thank you Fawn...I do have to plan ahead for this to work but it's worth it. I have not incorporated sunflower or pumpkin seeds but I am going to. I need some new things in my diet.

I have a tendency to eat the same things over and over and I really need to expand my horizons.

Fawn, what do you think of corn? It seems to be in everything and I am not sure how I feel about it at this point. I avoid high fructose corn syrup but that is all I avoid right now as far as corn.

[fawn]

Shell
I only eat (and very little of it) organic white corn non gmo. DH will get a couple of ears in the summer and other than that, I buy organic frozen but don't buy products that have any corn at all.

What kind of product are you referring to?
lwcrbldy: I'll dig up the recipe for you. I"m in my office right now and my recipe is at home.

[Mommy2aCutie]

Hi, Can anyone tell me where to get a list of the foods that are safe to eat on this woe? Thanks so much!

[dae_tona]

I've been told that corn is a gluten alternative.

On my higher carb/higher calorie days, I will sometimes eat a gluten-free Amy's product that contains corn & have found no side effects & no bloating. So is corn safe or not? Or is it a YMMV thing?

Haven't tried Quinoa yet but am planning to.

Dyan

[fawn]

Or is it a YMMV thing?

I think this is the case Dyan.

Check out that quinoa girl! I think you're going to love it at 22% protein!

[Stellar]

If you are truly gluten intolerant ( as opposed to doing this by choice) then there is a range of things that you may or may not be able to have. TVP is one (though in my opinion no great loss); soy sauce can be another. My FIL loved my flax muffins, but MIL can't make them all the time becasue they kind of...build up on him, I guess is the best way of putting it. He starts to hurt again. Of course, his diagnosis was so late in life, that may be a factor as well. You will have to read labels VERY closely. AND understand what every last one of those weird sounding ingredients really is. For instance..."natural flavor". Sounds good, yes? Wrong. That's our old friend MSG. And celiac patients usually cannot tolerate that either. (This one made me very angry when I found out. Taking a word like"natural" and doing something so...unnatural with it. Used to be you could trust that word.)

The chalenge for MIL was relearning how to make some of her recipes so that FIL could still have some of the old favorites and still stay healthy. He ended up in the hospital a couple of times with heart-attack-like symptoms. I believe he has never been formally diagnosed, but his doctors have given him dietary advice of this nature and MIL has done a ton of research online on the subject. He eats a lot of rice-based things, but there is a lot of experimentation that has to take place and a willingness to just toss something out if it is just plain gross. (In my house the line is: "If this totally sucks, hamburgers are always an option.") A lot of rice pasta has gone into the trash, but they eventually found one that is edible. They served it to guests once, and they couldn't tell the difference. MIL has gotten better at the gluten free baking too. She has even made a few things that were both sugar free and gluten free, so FIL and I both got to have dessert!

Corn has been so messed-around-with that it is hard to be sure if what you are getting is any good or not.

[uniquelymade]

I am gluten free too.
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease 7/24/07.
I also have had to remove dairy, soy, corn, nuts, chocolate.
It's been very difficult but I am getting better.
I have terrible aches and pains from gluten.
I am still trudging along trying to find my way in this new world.
Best wishes to you.

[Marlee]

I don't have Celiac Disease but was genetically tested and have the gene for it. So, I keep an eye out. I try to go as gluten free as possible.. with a few exceptions on holidays

I too get relief of joint pain from not eating gluten also have more energy and my whole mood is lifted. I also have an easier time breathing.

I also have chronic constipation problems so my gastroenterologist has me on Miralax daily I'm hoping after being off gluten long enough maybe it will clear up that problem too

[dae_tona]

If you type in gluen-free diet, you should be able to find a list somewhere on the internet. Gluten can hide in some of the most unlikely of places - i.e. - ground beef, (that's why I buy mine organic), processed meats, etc. So I am always being on the lookout.

Fortunately, there is chocolate out there that is gluten free so I enjoy that on occasion.

I am also dairy-free but not soy-free (but very rare I ever use it with the exception of soy milk now)

Dyan

[speedymagee]

There is an interesting blog some of you might like to check out.
it's by a girl who discovered she has celiac and has been gluten free ever since. There's also a book, which I hope to buy.

glutenfreegirl.com