posted
I have been trying a dairy free and gluten free diet for one month now as I have read that some people can have sensitivities-not necessarily allergies which can cause neurologic problems. I was wondering if other people have tried this and gotten relief of ANY symptoms. This diet is very difficult to maintain.It is nearly impossible to eat out and most of the gluten free food tastes like cardboard. In addition when you buy a food that you think is safe to eat the package sometimes says "Product was made on equipment shared with wheat.,milk,etc ." so you never really know if it's OK. So far I haven't seen any major improvements so I may discontinue this. It is hard to give up so many real foods especially pizza. Thanks!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
I have been dairy and gluten free for quite some time, with the exception of a few attempts to see if I was 'still' sensitive or allergic to a specific food.
I can't eat any dairy or grains or pretty much anything that contains more than water, sea salt, or ascorbic acid. I also discovered that root vegetables were a big problem with me.
It is working though - I was skeletal for a while there at 88 lbs and am up to about 106 to 108 lbs now.
My only suggestion is to eat single ingredient foods until you know what you are dealing with and which foods are problematic with you. Get used to eating 'lunch' food for breakfast.
And that Welch's Grape Juice and most WHITE grapefruit juices are gluten free - though some meds CANNOT be taken along with grapefruit juice.
Also, the only oil I can tolerate is grapeseed oil - olive oil was a health nightmare for me, so don't believe the press. Coconut oil, too - ditto - probably because my liver was not working.
I don't know if I was helpful or not.
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On Cobweb's thread, several people posted their favorite brands for pasta and bread. I like the Kinnickinnick Yeast free bread. It's a mix that you bake.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
Yes, it takes a whole lot of discipline to be on this diet. I am dairy free, wheat free, and sugar free for about two years now. It has not been easy.
I don't remember how long it took for me to see relief of my symptoms, however each different food caused different reactions.
Some of the reactions include joint pain, headaches (migraine), inflammation, heartburn, nausea, and bloating. Depending on the food the reaction was different. I found out based on an elimination diet. Anyway, I have been much better overall with my inflammation and joint pain. I found out later the bloating was caused by H.Pylori.
Don't give up yet. It can definitely be worth it. Hang in there.
Posts: 49 | From Grass Valley, CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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posted
amkdiaries, I just found the greatest book "Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife. He uses coconut milk as a replacement for dairy. I had already made up a recipe for coconut/almond muffins that we really like, but this book has already widened my 'legal' goodies list.
First, he explains how to work with coconut flour because it acts so different from wheat flour, and other flours. Then there's recipes for baked goods, desserts, and savory dishes too.
It was really hard at first for me, but I've got some good recipes now--I even serve it to company and haven't gotten a negative response yet. Actually, I use cream and butter, because it doesn't bother me. I think the problem is with the protein or carb part of the product.
But I have to be very strict with the gluten. Even wheatgrass and oatmeal reacts with me.
I found some very good recipes in low carb cookbooks. Some do use flour, but there's some books that teach you how to use groung nuts, etc. and are very useful.
I couldn't tell gluten was hurting my health until I got off it. Now one tiny grain of it causes spasms, and later, pain in my knee joints--an autoimmune response.
It's worth it to hang in there. It gets easier as your pantry and fridge are cleared of the other stuff, and you have several good menus to use.
Posts: 552 | From New Mexico, USA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Thanks for your responses-especially Lymetoo for the links. I have tried this for 30 days so far and wonder if I should continue for another month to see if there are changes in my symptoms. I was always under the impression that people with celiac disease have gastrointestinal problems only but now I know better. It is interesting that of the 150 doctors I have seen during the last 10 years, only one ever tested me for it. Just another piece of the puzzle!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Thanks for your responses-especially Lymetoo for the links. I have tried this for 30 days so far and wonder if I should continue for another month to see if there are changes in my symptoms. I was always under the impression that people with celiac disease have gastrointestinal problems only but now I know better. It is interesting that of the 150 doctors I have seen during the last 10 years, only one ever tested me for it. Just another piece of the puzzle!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Thanks for your responses-especially Lymetoo for the links. I have tried this for 30 days so far and wonder if I should continue for another month to see if there are changes in my symptoms. I was always under the impression that people with celiac disease have gastrointestinal problems only but now I know better. It is interesting that of the 150 doctors I have seen during the last 10 years, only one ever tested me for it. Just another piece of the puzzle!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
My computer went haywire-Sorry!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
AMK-Yeah, I got lots of good information in that thread Lymetoo brought up.
But I have to tell you that this need for my daughter to go dairy free/gluten free was from a blood test which also showed us she needed to keep away from lots of other foods, too.
At least for a month, and then she may be able to put some things back in. Meanwhile, no peanuts, corn, bananas, chicken, odd stuff besides the dairy and gluten.
So if we had just tried the gluten/dairy elimination on our own-we never would have realized it was these other foods that were upsetting her.
If you aren't seeing any improvement it may be that there are foods you wouldn't even suspect upsetting your system.
Which brings me to a question for Lymetoo-you cautioned us about the sugar content in Rice Milk. I already bought some-Vanilla flavor, and I think it's deeeelicious. Too good to be true perhaps.
I did read the ingredients and didn't see anything I could relate to sugar, and the package says no added sugar, but now I see there are 13 grams of sugar.
Tomorrow I will google the ingredients to see which one is sugar related.
I have decided to tell my daughter to pretend we're on Survivor-and consider ourselves lucky that we have won the rewards challange and can now eat all sorts of goodies like almonds and rice cakes and apples and olives and shrimp!
I was surprised by the foods Carolyn shouldn't be eating -besides the gluten and dairy and sugars.
quote:Originally posted by Cobweb: If you aren't seeing any improvement it may be that there are foods you wouldn't even suspect upsetting your system.
Or you are ingesting hidden gluten you "missed" in searching for things you can eat.
quote:Originally posted by Cobweb: Which brings me to a question for Lymetoo-you cautioned us about the sugar content in Rice Milk. I already bought some-Vanilla flavor, and I think it's deeeelicious. Too good to be true perhaps.
I did read the ingredients and didn't see anything I could relate to sugar, and the package says no added sugar, but now I see there are 13 grams of sugar.
Also make sure it doesn't contain gluten. Seems I found one that contained gluten. I'll look at the store next time I go.
Yeah, the sugar is a killer for me. ..sigh..
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I had to reply to you...we have similar screen names! Anyway, I was gluten-free for awhile because I had a positive blood test for Gliadin (gluten) sensitivity. It did not help me at all. Then, last year I went for a colonoscopy/biopsy and another celiac bloodtest. Both were negative. Go figure. I tortured myself and went broke buying gluten-free foods for nothing!
Forgot to mention, I had a test for "hidden" food allergies of which mine included milk, soy, peanuts, cranberries, bananas, almonds-I also cut these out for 6 months w/no improvement in symptoms.
Posts: 418 | From NJ | Registered: Sep 2007
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
amk33
I hope last year when you had your GI scope for gluten that you had been eating at least two pieces of bread a day for a couple weeks. My doctor told me that would be required and because I had been basically gluten-free before on of the tests that it was not valid. (This info. was from a few years ago, things may have changed.)
She did genetic testing as there's no way I could eat bread more than for one day. Genetic test results showed a 90 + % chance of celiac.
I have a friend who seems be be able to eat breads when she goes to Europe, but not here. For some, maybe finding flour that is not as processed as what most American food is might make a difference.
Good luck finding what works for you.
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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I hope last year when you had your GI scope for gluten that you had been eating at least two pieces of bread a day for a couple weeks. My doctor told me that would be required and because I had been basically gluten-free before on of the tests that it was not valid. (This info. was from a few years ago, things may have changed.)
That is true! I actually heard that you had to take the equivalent of 5 slices of bread for 90 days. I think I would be dead by that time.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
FIVE pieces of bread ? - Oh, my! and for that long ? -
thanks for the additional info. to consider , TuTu
I was back on gluten for quite a while when I had the endoscopy. It showed gastritis, but no evidence of celiac disease. I really feel for celiacs, knowing firsthand what they have to go through. Add food allergies into it, and you are left w/very little to eat!
Posts: 418 | From NJ | Registered: Sep 2007
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quote:Originally posted by amk33: I really feel for celiacs, knowing firsthand what they have to go through. Add food allergies into it, and you are left w/very little to eat!
You got that right! Lyme disease restrict our diets so much already and then to have the gluten issue, it's a PAIN.
I don't even know what other foods I'm sensitive to, but I'm sure there are several.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
I second getting a bloodtest for food allergies. That way you know exactly what to avoid. Be warned though that food allergies can come on you at any time. I tested negative to any milk allergies in 6/06 and then in 6/07 tested positive to cow protein.
The best way to avoid developing a food allergy is to not eat it every day.
Also, has your doctor checked you for Helicobactor Pylori? That is a bacteria in your gut that can cause ulcers and stomach cancer. It may be the source of your pains.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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