What do you all think about gluten...sensitivity? intolerance?

[andee]

Hi Everyone,
I'm starting to worry again...as usual. I'm wondering if I may be starting to have some sensitivity to gluten. I eat a lot of carbs, breads, cereals, pastas, etc. and never had a problem, except for the constipation I've had for ages and ages. But now, sometimes after I eat pasta, I will get kind of full feeling, a little nauseous, just vague feelings. Freaks me out, of course. It doesn't happen with all carb stuff, just certain ones and not even all the time. I'm not sure if this gluten thing is just a fad or what...no offense to people who actually have issues with it. But it's just everywhere now!

But the thought of changing my diet and eliminating or even reducing carbs seems impossible. Mostly because I am underweight as it is and am very careful of what I eat. So I feel like I can't really eliminate things or I will lose weight. How do people do it??? And they always say they've lost weight when doing it? How do you do it WITHOUT losing weight? Help????

[Felle]

Truth be told, theres a "diet" (lifestyle) which involves eating next to none carbs, and absolutely zero gluten. It's a weight stabilizing diet, so it will actually more than likely up your weight instead.

Source: parents and friends who has been both underweight and overweight.

[andee]

Oh Felle, do tell!!

[NaiveAndTrue]

It's mostly BS. Celiac is real, but it is very very rare. So are allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities. They all also mean different things, depending on your body's response.

For example - I'm ALLERGIC to blueberries. IF I eat them or sometimes even touch them, I will break out in hives.
I have a intolerance to soy protein - If I eat it, no hives, but I will fell VERY uncomfortable with really painful stomach cramps and gas. It took me about a year of random suffering to nail it down, symptoms usually appear about 4-6 hours after I eat it.

Spaghetti tends to be REALLY heavy, and that could be more the issue than just 'carbs' or wheat. You can try eliminating gluten or wheat for 2 weeks, then eat a bit, and see how you feel. I did, only because I was doing a sugar detox and had to cut carbs too - after day 17 I ate some bread and felt fine. So I know I don't have any issues with Wheat.


Sorry this is underlined - I have no idea why, and it won't turn off. LOL

[Syrup]

^^^^^^ Yes to what NaiveAndTrue said! ^^^^^^

'Gluten intolerance' is rare. I have a lot of friends who say that their kids have Celiac, but then I see their kids eating sandwiches, cookies, etc. I've asked in the past if they are the 'gluten free' kinds. Nope, they just limit their gluten. Ummmmmm, that's not how it works! I do have a friend with real Celiac and if she has ANY wheat she is doubled over in pain.

[andee]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking. I'm fine with pretty much all wheat, etc. Just every once in a while I get issues. But they say you can acquire it at any age. I also have some of the other effects that they say come with it, like eczema, hypothyroidism. So I am wondering if it really is inflaming my body like it is known to do. I get soooo overwhelmed with all the health, alternative, organic, no hormones, etc stuff that is out there now. It's bad enough that this fear makes me be soo careful with what I eat. Gosh, sometimes you just want a bagel, or cookies, or whatever....but I overthink everything. Anyone else???

[mdgirl1977]

I also eat a very heavy carb diet (bread, cereal, crackers, chips) and sometimes do get the feeling you describe. I just chalk it up to being backed up and lay off for the day on heavy breads and stuff. I do not think it is an intolerance at all. I eat what I want and am fine. I am tall and thin and healthy. I am also a very picky eater (I eat like 15 things). But whatever, I am alive and kicking.

[stopthissong]

This is pretty much me in a nutshell! I have always eaten carbs and gluten foods my whole life, I'm not 21 and in the past few months have noticed that n* feeling after eating pasta or toast or cereal. Yet these are the things I love! I too am underweight and have no desire to cut these foods out unless I know for sure I have an intolerance. I suggest seeing your doctor about it. I spoke to mine and she tested me for celiac disease, which I didn't have, and told me to write the specific foods I ate that made me n* or full/heavy right after I ate them so we can start eliminating what I potentially could be intolerant to. Maybe keep a diary and track what you eat and if it made you feel strange and bring it to your doctor. Good luck!

[andee]

Thanks all. Yes, I see a naturopath who tested me. Neg. But he still thinks avoiding gluten is a good idea for all the inflammation it causes in the body. But the thought of it overwhelms me! I see so many people on here who eat everything and it doesn't worry or bother them. And also eating a lot. I wish I could!! I'm too caught up in how foods make me feel, if they are too sweet, too much, if foods "go" together, etc. I have wayyyy too many rules and restrictions. No wonder I don't ever gain any weight. It's so hard trying to be healthy but eating "normally" and having this fear on top of it all....sighhhhhhhhhh.

[Felle]

Oh Felle, do tell!!

Cant really explain it as I've not researched it very well, but apparently it's the carbs that make us fat, combined with bad fats and sugar. Those 3 equals weight gain. Basically, eat as clean as possible etc. Like, meat, veg, butter (not margarine), high fat cream. No fruit either as its got fructose and thats not very healthy apparently. Ha! IF you want to know more, google it, cos I dont think I can be of more help here :P x

Oh also, people have reported their upset tummies have gotten sOO much better after switching to LCHF. Ibs barely flares up, they dont get uncomfortably full, dont bloat as much and they feel more energized and stuff. You should deffo try it. Research a bit more at first! There are groups on Facebook (just search Low Carb High Fat, or LCHF eating or such) and it should pop up groups you could join. Its really simple. A piece of meat with a salad. Eggs, bacon etc. The only thing that could be "bad" about it is that you can feel a bit sluggish with a head ache when starting it as the body is clearing out all the bad stuff youve put in yourself. And the cravigs for sweets and stuff. :P

[Sjg333]

Hii I briefly read through some of the replies on this thread and they are all really helpful but I would also advise being re-tested for ceoliac even though the first one came back fine.... My mum and sister both have ceoliac disease and my mums sensitivity is rated literally off the charts, she was undiagnosed until just last year and had symptoms similar to yours, she wouldn't be suffering everytime she ate gluten foods but ocasionally it would flare up... Same with my sister, anyway their first tests both came back negative, my mum insisted on a second test which came back positive, it was only the third attempt that came back positive for my sister! (I have no idea how that worked honestly lol) they're both now on a strict gluten free diet and rarely suffer from flare ups now my mum was also tiny and actually underweight and found with the gluten free diet she's actually gaining more weight :P
Just worth a thought to be re-tested if you try alternate diets and find you're still suffering

[dancer]

There is a lot of talk in the alternative medicine community about "gluten intolerance" but as NaiveandTrue said, it's not as common as people would have you think and it is not the same as celiac disease. If you are concerned about true celiac, I would get a blood test from a real MD, not a naturopath to rule it out. Make sure you are eating a good amount of gluten for several weeks before the test or the results will not be accurate. Is pasta the only food that bothers you? If only some gluten foods bother you and not others, it could be something else as others said. Make a food journal and track how you feel after eating and see if you notice any patterns. Also consider that with something like pasta it could be the sauce or something see that doesn't agree with you, you never know. If you feel like gluten in general doesn't agree with you, this doesn't have to mean low carb! I am gluten free but still eat a high carb diet. There are gluten free breads, pastas, cookies etc, also potatoes, rice, starchy vegetables, fruit etc that are all gluten free. Also, do you eat dairy? Dairy (more commonly than gluten) can be a cause of GI upset so I would look into that if you do eat it. Hope this helps!

[andee]

Thank you! You know, just yesterday I tried a Gluten free cereal, Live G free flax crunch or something...it was pretty bland and I mixed it with Corn Flakes. Anyway, all morning my stomach and intestines were gurgling like crazy. I also had coffee with Miralax cuz I'm usually constipated. Well, later on I went for a walk with hubby after lunch. At the end of the walk I had to go to the bathroom bad. I drove home quickly and went, a lot (sorry for tmi). After that I just felt off, still gurgly, getting nervous and a little nauseous....didn't eat much after that.

Anyway, I was wondering if gluten free items can cause some digestive stuff. Or if it was the combo of that, coffee, miralax, etc. I'm almost afraid to eat the cereal again. I'm not totally gluten free at all, just maybe trying to decrease it. Today, thankfully, I felt okay.

Just wondering and trying to put all this together. No, nothing else seems to really bother me so I think if anything I may be slightly sensitive to some stuff, or it's just my silly digestive system, which is never perfectly running. SIGHHHH.....

[dancer]

Coffee is one of the worst things on the GI system, do you drink it regularly? Being constipated and taking a laxative can definitely make you feel that way too! Honestly, from what you said there I think it's the coffee, the miralax and the fact that you were constipated that made you feel that way, although I obviously don't know you body and can't know for sure. If you feel that way when not constipated and not drinking coffee as well, it may be another story, but I know that I would feel exactly as you did if had those 3 factors in play. Not that there is anything wrong with the Miralax per se, but laxatives can definitely trigger GI upset. Coffee makes me nauseous after even a few sips, so try cutting it out if you drink it regularly. Do you know why you're constipated so often, do you have IBS? Fixing that might help your issues.

[andee]

Hi, I've had constipation issues for many years, and have tried everything...miralax is the only thing that helps and is gentlest of the bunch of laxatives. I was reading up on flaxseed and it says that flaxseeds can cause lots of GI upset, gas, bloating, loose stools, lots of stuff. I thought it was so healthy and good for you...there was flaxseed in that new cereal. It probably was a combo of everything. I had a little of the cereal yesterday and felt off that night again...I think I'll test it on my hubby and see how he feels, LOL...thanks for all the info.