Giving Gluten Free a try

weedeebee · 04-24-2009, 03:52 AM

I'm new to soulcysters.net, and I read some really old posts on gluten free diets. I read how gluten can block insulin.
Is anyone trying gluten free, and if so how were the results.
I'm starting on Sunday.

lucy07 · 04-27-2009, 02:56 AM

Keep us updated.
I would like to go gluten free, but everytime I give it up, I get terribly sick. Like fainting, throwing up, sick. I am planning on going to a nutritionist to help me figure out what i can do.
i would love to find out if all the trouble is worth it.

Eva37 · 04-27-2009, 08:45 AM

welcome to sc

ive been wheat/gluten free for 2 half years. It takes some getting used to, with having alternatives to bread (wheat free pasta/bread etc), but it really helped with my weight. I lost about 2 and a half stone (er....... about 35 lb) once i stopped eating it. Found i am intollerant to wheat/gluten.
eva

Eva37 · 04-27-2009, 08:47 AM

here is a link to another thread at sc about gluten free that i 'googled' for you

Gluten Free Diet/Low Carb works for me and others!

arcticslug · 04-29-2009, 12:21 AM

i started gluten free about 5 years ago and will never go back. i feel 10X better and lost about 20lbs. it was hard, but if you stick with it, after awhile you won't notice it! i suggest telling yourself you'll do it for a month and see how you feel. if you don't notice anything, then you can stop!

bkb2008 · 04-29-2009, 01:31 PM

Just curious, does anyone know if gluten-free promotes fertility?

weedeebee · 04-30-2009, 03:55 AM

That's exactly what I have been telling myself: try it for a month and see. I need a measurable and finite goal.
I am on day three, and I have felt a little ill/weak, but I am 99% certain that it's because I am coming down with a bit of a cold from people at work.
Cooking/Eating at home as been bearable so far...good even. So far my only slip up (that I know of) is soya sauce: it has wheat!
I'll keep you posted. I am (patiently) looking for signs of weight loss off my back and waist and cleared up complexion.

Ange7894 · 04-30-2009, 09:27 AM

For the women who have gone gluten free is it by choice or do you have Celiac Disease? I myself was diagnosed with celiac 3 years ago, so have been gluten free since then. I can safely say that going gluten free does not help much with insulin resistance unless you're still eating low carb, low sugar. I eat plenty of gluten free versions of things and they have just as many carbs and sugar content as regular versions. Gluten is just a protein found in wheat, rye, barely and oats (through cross contamination) so eating other grains like rice, quinoa, or corn are still high in carbs. If you're just avoiding breads and things and eating healthy other ways, then this would be why it's working for you.

Anyone who's interested in trying this I would go to your local health food store and check out some of the gluten free versions of things and you'll see not only are there just as many calories, carbs, and sugar, but it's also very expensive. I would give anything to be able to eat regular versions of things because having Celiac is extremely challenging.

I will say this though, Celiac has many many symptoms, including infertility. At first when I was diagnosed i thought this was why my cycle had always been off. Turns out it was from PCOS, and not from Celiac. But I would recommend reading up on it if anyone's curious.

Avoiding breads and pastas, and things would not technically be going gluten free as there is gluten in so many other items. check the labels of non-bread items and you'd be amazed at how many things have wheat or barley in them.

I hate living this lifestyle but I don't have much choice. I'm amazed anyone wants to do it voluntarily. I just recommend doing some homework on the topic before going down that route.

Eva37 · 04-30-2009, 09:29 AM

glad you are getting ok so far, wheat free. here as some websites i use for recipes

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_coeliac1

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

Eva37 · 04-30-2009, 09:31 AM

ange- i dont have 'proper coeliac' but am intollerant to wheat/gluten. So thats why i dont eat it, personally. Since stopping wheat/gluten i dont have such bad stomach pains, upset stomach.

Ange7894 · 05-01-2009, 08:57 AM

Eva,

Glad to hear you're doing better off gluten. I would get really sick if I ate anything with gluten (stomach pains, gas, belly bloating out like I was 6 mos preggo... don't I wish...) it's awful. I'll only get an attack now if I eat something I didn't know had gluten, or if I somehow get a stray crumb in my food or something. (Yes, I'm THAT sensitive). Usually people who have an intolerance to gluten, or have celiac have trouble with their weight because of how food is absorbed in the intestines, so either they have trouble gaining weight or losing it. Once they go gluten free, this problem is usually solved. Well, that is unless they're pigging out on gluten free cookies, and cakes, and pastas. Then that wouldn't make a difference.

I'm finding it hard to avoid the gluten free cookies and things (which I should be doing if I want to get the IR under control), but my food choices have already been limited extensively due to the Celiac that to be deprived of more things is so depressing. So almost out of defiance I want to eat the gluten free junk food just because I can. Does that make sense?

arcticslug · 05-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ange7894

I can safely say that going gluten free does not help much with insulin resistance unless you're still eating low carb, low sugar...

...eating other grains like rice, quinoa, or corn are still high in carbs. If you're just avoiding breads and things and eating healthy other ways, then this would be why it's working for you.

I agree with you that overeating on anything will make a person gain weight...however I believe that I used to binge on things made of wheat, and after cutting out wheat, I can't eat a lot of crappy foods that pack on the pounds like pastries, muffins, cookies, pasta etc. I also cut out sugar 100%. This is likely why I lost weight. Today I'm also careful not to overeat

Besides the weight loss though, I feel much better. I don't have official celiac, but giving up wheat resulted in my depression going away, my joints not hurting anymore, and having so much more energy.

Ange7894 · 05-02-2009, 09:34 AM

That's great that it's helped you. Giving up wheat though, like I said isn't technically going gluten free, as gluten is in many other things. But wheat itself can be a huge problem for a lot of people who don't have Celiac. Many have benefited from giving it up.