Posted on 02/06/2013 6:51:45 PM PST by nickcarraway
Eat no wheat.
That is the core, draconian commandment of a gluten-free diet, a prohibition that excises wide swaths of American cuisine — cupcakes, pizza, bread and macaroni and cheese, to name a few things.
For the approximately one-in-a-hundred Americans who have a serious condition called celiac disease, that is an indisputably wise medical directive.
One woman’s story of going gluten-free.
Now medical experts largely agree that there is a condition related to gluten other than celiac. In 2011 a panel of celiac experts convened in Oslo and settled on a medical term for this malady: non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
What they still do not know: how many people have gluten sensitivity, what its long-term effects are, or even how to reliably identify it. Indeed, they do not really know what the illness is.
The definition is less a diagnosis than a description — someone who does not have celiac, but whose health improves on a gluten-free diet and worsens again if gluten is eaten. It could even be more than one illness.
“We have absolutely no clue at this point,” said Dr. Stefano Guandalini, medical director of the University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center.
Kristen Golden Testa could be one of the gluten-sensitive. Although she does not have celiac, she adopted a gluten-free diet last year. She says she has lost weight and her allergies have gone away. “It’s just so marked,” said Ms. Golden Testa, who is health program director in California for the Children’s Partnership, a national nonprofit advocacy group.
(Excerpt) Read more at well.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Thanks for posting this. I am experimenting with a free wheat-free diet right now also.
Well, at least “11 million” illegals have no worries. ..
Oddly enough, one of my dogs was just diagnosed as being allergic to wheat, and I’m trying to figure out a gluten free diet for her-—there is gluten free dry food for dogs, but there’s gluten in a lot of other things like milk bones, etc, and most “treats” that we have been giving her.
I’m highly allergic to gluten and feel much better when I stay away from it. Thanks for the post!
Nobody lives forever. Be darned if I'll be miserable during my time on this mortal coil.
/johnny
It’s my own anecdotal, personal, experiential, non-scientific, worth-what-you-paid-for-it opinion that for most adults 40+ who are not skinny as rails: the deliberate, conscious (not absolute) removal of carbs, bread being the absolute worst offender, will cause you to lose 10-15 pounds in 45 days. With ZERO other changes, meaning exercise.
Just do what you can to get rid of bread. Little rice is OK, potatoes are OK, but I like the idea of having very low carbs with meals. Steak, veggie, no potato. When I look at pizza (and don’t get me wrong, I love the stuff) I think about cutting it into long strips and just pasting it around my waistline. It has exactly the same effect as eating it.
I wouldn't care but it is annoying how much shelf space gets allocated to gluten free stuff that really tastes like crap. Even if you think you are sensitive to wheat (whatever that means), it isn't worth eating garbage for the rest of your life.
I don’t have celiac disease, nor does anyone know (very few people actually do), so I’ll eat all the gluten I want.
I'll spare everyone the details but the benefits are definitely there.
However most people don't have this problem.
Gluten free is become the peanut allergy of this decade. It is a real problem for some but for most people they are just being fashionable.
I have a big problem with gluten. Meat veggies and fruit are not garbage. I'll take a good steak, fresh veggies, and baked potato every night.
Yes, it is. My husband's friend felt lousy and sick for years. He had been sick so long that he didn't realize he was sick. His daughter started experiencing similar problems and got tested. She's got Celiac. The friend started eating a gluten-free diet and was amazed by how good he feels now. IF you've got a problem, it can really be a huge quality of life issue.
My son is autistic and has been gf for years. Last year, I gave it up for Lent, just for Lent. My headaches cut in half, but not only that, my prematurely always swollen ankles disappeared. My husband noticed and said, “don’t go back.” Less brain fog, more energy, and I lost about 5 lbs without trying (this was not my goal.) When I have accidentally had gluten, I get stomach problems, a headache, and yes, cankles.
Gluten-free helps some people, but not all. If you have health problems, it’s worth trying it for a few weeks.
I tried it, and it made no difference other than making it harder to order at restaurants. On the other hand, my cousin tried it, and the first day she was amazed that she didn’t feel sick after eating. She’d always felt nauseous after eating, so much so that she thought it was normal.
To each their own.
Some of the subs are garbage but a few are ok in moderation. I didn’t miss it after a few weeks. I honestly feel so much better that I don’t miss bread. I cook without gluten and rarely use the expensive subs. Some of them are filled w soy (yuck). However, I had a gluten free pizza in Rome, that was indistinguishable from regular pizza. Yum.
I was talking to my allergist about this yesterday. He’s involved in some research studies for gluten.
My husband has been having some gut problems and went to a new primary care physician, and she told him to go gluten free.
I told my allergist this, and he knew which doctor I was talking about.
He referred me to a reputable gastro doctor.
He also said that his office is part of a study about an enzyme that will help with digesting wheat. He says it’s the first promising treatment option for celiacs.
I went paleo (caveman diet) last May. Best thing I’ve ever done. Dropped 30 pounds, stopped have to sleep sitting up at night because of heartburn.
And I just feel better, even my arthritis feels better. If I try eating anything like bread or pizza or pasta, i end up feeling so miserable that it just isn’t worth it.
Gave up all soda, diet and otherwise, too.
I really recommend eating simple stuff, no processed foods. Meat, eggs, fish, poultry, veggies, fruit, seeds, nuts and good fats, And drink water.
I don’t think hamburger has gluten in it. Give it a try. My dog has been eating meat.
Oh, I do give them meat, too—but the bulk of their diet is kibbles. The vet says too much meat is not good for domesticated dogs, and they need the crunchy food to help keep their teeth clean and sharp.
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