Can we talk Gluten free diets?

[MyBlueLobsters]

If your kids (or you) have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, can you please tell me what their (your) symptoms were? Did you discover this with tests or just removing gluten and seeing symptoms get better?

 

If you have gluten allergies, what do you eat?? I'm finding that eating gluten free is very daunting! TIA!

[bettyandbob]

We've been gf for 8 years. My dd had blood test and biopsy--she is a confirmed celiac. B/c she was young, we made the house gf and immediately notice a difference in our oldest ds. Both boys have had genetic testing. One (oldest) has both genetic markers, one has only one genetic marker. It is really much easier if everyone is eating the same dinner.

 

You have to change the way you cook. You need to completely drop processed foods. Shop the outside aisles at the grocery store fresh produce, fresh meat, frozen produce. You can add rice and dried beans to that. We eat a lot of vegetarian now, there are vegetarian gf cook books and vegetarian times now has an index telling which recipes are gf in each issue. BUT in the beginning I was cooking basic meals that included meat. You can broil grill or roast any meat. Add to that rice or baked potatoes and a good serving of steamed veggie and bagged salad and you have a good dinner. Make enough dinner to make leftovers for lunch.

 

We dropped bread from our diet for at least a year. By then the kids forgot what bread tasted like. So, things like tuna and chicken salad were eaten with a fork. The kids eat store bought gf bread now, but they really like a bread I make from Betty Hagmans bread book.

 

Anyway, when you are starting out stick with basics. Vary what you eat by trying new vegatables and fruits or use dried black beans and make a meatless dinner of black beans and rice.

 

Cooking and shopping take longer for the first year. But then it becomes second nature.

[MyBlueLobsters]

Thank you Betty! Do you mind my asking what your DD's symptoms were, or what made you suspect Celiac?

 

I appreciate your info!

[forevergrace]

http://glutenfreegirlrecommends.blogspot.com/

http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/recipes/glutenfree.html

 

I love the first site (Gluten Free Girl), fantastic recipes. I've been gluten free for about one-year. I'm not as strict as I was in the beginning, but, when I do eat bread, wheat, red meat, etc. I feel it right away. Amazing how your body begins to tell you things once it's cleared out. Also check out Trader-Joe's, they carry many gluten free products, all tagged w/cute G-Free signs.

Forevergrace

[Lisa in Jax]

He has behavioral (and digestive) reactions to gluten and dairy. His symptoms were constipation, problems going to sleep, hyperactivity, and slow growth. He was LOUD (and I mean LOUD), talked or made noises CONSTANTLY, and thought he was the funniest kid ever -- when he was being obnoxious. He had tantrums a lot. He wet the bed, and he was physically awkward (sensory seeking, clumsy, accident-prone, etc.).

 

Once we went gluten-free, he stopped all of those behaviors. He's still on the high end of normal for activity levels, but he's not WILDLY hyperactive. He's no longer constipated. He sleeps. He can be quiet when he needs to be. He doesn't have tantrums. He's not as clumsy.

 

My husband (who's not genetically related to ds, b/c ds was adopted from India) found that going gluten-free helped him, too. He lost about 10 lbs (he isn't overweight, but he lost those "last" ten pounds), and he stopped having runny noses after every meal. He said that he just feels better now.

 

I agree with Betty about shopping the outside aisles in the store. Cook old-fashioned meals -- bake a chicken, and have a salad or green beans. Make a roast, or meatloaf (without bread crumbs). Serve "roll ups" of sliced lunch meat (check for gluten fillers before buying!) and skip the bread. Make rice instead of pasta, make tacos with corn taco shells.

 

You can do it. The learning curve is daunting, but once you learn how, it's not hard.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[forevergrace]

One more concindental outcome, headaches, adhd symptoms, pms (still have it, but not like before), all mellowed out. Again I'm not saying it was all gluten, or that it was diet. Before we eliminated the gluten, due inflammatory issues, we were eating organic, sugar-free, etc. I just think of it as an extra, good-luck!!

Forevergrace

[forevergrace]

His symptoms were constipation, problems going to sleep, hyperactivity, and slow growth. He was LOUD (and I mean LOUD), talked or made noises CONSTANTLY, and thought he was the funniest kid ever -- when he was being obnoxious. He had tantrums a lot. He wet the bed, and he was physically awkward (sensory seeking, clumsy, accident-prone, etc.).

 

Once we went gluten-free, he stopped all of those behaviors. He's still on the high end of normal for activity levels, but he's not WILDLY hyperactive. He's no longer constipated. He sleeps. He can be quiet when he needs to be. He doesn't have tantrums. He's not as clumsy.

 

Lisa,

You must of been writing while I was!!!!

[MyBlueLobsters]

Thanks guys! How do you know if stuff has gluten fillers? Nothing says "gluten" in the ingredients, so what are the 'trigger' words, if you will. We don't have a Trader Joes... :crying:

 

My son has been having migraines, constipation, stomach pain (he says it feels like someone is stabbing him) and leg pains/weakness in legs.

 

His thyroid tested abnormal (we don't know high or low) too, we are taking him back in today to re-test that. We will be asking about Celiac too.

[melissel]

I haven't read all the replies, but in my case, I'm the one with the intolerance. I basically had raging, horrible heartburn and an "upset stomach" (indigestion, stomach cramps, stomachache, etc. on a daily basis, literally) for the past several years. I chalked a lot of it up to eating poorly and gaining weight (and yes, some of it is related to that), but when the light bulb finally went on and I started experimenting with getting rid of gluten, the change in my body was immediately noticeable. For example, yesterday I avoided wheat all day until DH and I settled in to watch some TV after the kids went to bed, and I decided to treat myself to Girl Scout cookies (our house is full of them at the moment *sigh*). Within 20 minutes, I was practically spitting stomach acid.

 

I haven't noticed a decrease in any other symptoms, but then again, I haven't managed to go completely GF either. I've cut back a lot, but when I was working and while my mom was cooking for us, there was no hope of getting rid of gluten. Now that I'm doing all our shopping and cooking, I'm working my way toward taking us all mostly GF (and myself completely GF). I'm hoping I'll notice a spike in energy when that happens, but I'm also pretty out of shape, so that probably plays a big part too :D I'm working on it!

[bettyandbob]

You should check out one of Danna Korn's books from the library. There is one about raising celiac kids and another called Wheat free Worry free. I believe they both have a chapter which lists symptoms and another which lists names of gluten or possible gluten containing ingredients.

 

My dd's most troubling symptom was seizures. She had absence seizures. First I notice every few weeks and thought that's weird b/c my dd couldn't possibly have seizures even though that is something I was trained to recognize years ago. Over months it became daily and then several times a day--we had a long wait for a neurology appointment and were told the possibility of seizures couldn't get her in sooner (b/c a mom can't really know what a seizure is--thus began the period where I went from second guessing docs to truly distrusting).

 

A friend mentioned celiac after the seizure disorder was dx. I'd never heard of celiac, but going through Danna Korn's book showed me a lot of other symptoms both in my dd and my older ds. It took a while to convince her ped to do the celiac blood screen.

[Ellie]

Thanks guys! How do you know if stuff has gluten fillers? Nothing says "gluten" in the ingredients, so what are the 'trigger' words, if you will. We don't have a Trader Joes... :crying:

My bff, who is a worst-case celiac, found lists of things on the Internet, plus she found out some things the hard way.:glare: She cannot tolerate any vinegar except Bragg's cider vinegar and Heinz distilled white vinegar; she can also only tolerate Heinz ketchup and canned tomato products. Some vanilla extract is problematic, and hydrolized vegetable protein, found in many seasonings, will put her on the floor in minutes, writing in pain.

 

IOW, gluten isn't always a *filler.*

 

Anything made with wheat will have gluten, at least in my bff's experience.

 

Between celiac, severe dairy allergies, and allergies to some food colorings, it's amazing she can find anything to eat at all, poor thing.

[melissel]

Thanks guys! How do you know if stuff has gluten fillers? Nothing says "gluten" in the ingredients, so what are the 'trigger' words, if you will. We don't have a Trader Joes... :crying:

 

My son has been having migraines, constipation, stomach pain (he says it feels like someone is stabbing him) and leg pains/weakness in legs.

 

His thyroid tested abnormal (we don't know high or low) too, we are taking him back in today to re-test that. We will be asking about Celiac too.

 

Oh, poor kid! That sure sounds like it. Someone here pointed out to me that people who have trouble with gluten often have trouble with soy and dairy too. I'm not too bad with dairy, but I didn't recognize until she pointed it out that soy was creating major stomach issues. Until then, it was all mixed together.

 

Gluten is in many grains (including rye and spelt). Oats are often cross-contaminated, and they contain a protein that is similar to the one in wheat, so many people who can't tolerate wheat also can't tolerate oats. I am one. Even certified GF oats give me near-instant, raging heartburn.

 

Here's a good starting point, but your best bet is to research research research. There's so much information out there right now. Most people who live GF cook from scratch, I think. It's just easier than having to scrutinize every list of ingredients. I make my own sandwich bread with alternative flours, and supplement with Pamela's baking mix when I'm not up for the whole shebang.

 

You'll also need to look at the ingredients in all the personal care products you use. Many lotions, shampoos, etc. contain wheat and oat extracts these days.

 

:grouphug: I hope you find out what's going on so he can feel better. Going GF is difficult, but it's not impossible. As long as I can still have rice and sweet potatoes, I'm happy, and quinoa pasta tastes exactly like regular pasta, IMO!

[mchel210]

My dd was tested last year and again this year...and thank God it was Negative. I just did the IGg testing through the blood for myself. My dd had to have endoscopy since she was so sick. My dd had high IgG but nothing else marking Celiac. BUT...we did try a gluten free diet for about 2 months. I realized I have a sensitivity to Gluten, not an allergy or celiac. I get horrible gas everytime I eat Gluten.

 

Forget regular breads, pastas etc. I cut MOST gluten from my diet.

 

Gluten is in sooo much food, though. I switched to Tikiyada Rice pasta...someone here recommended it. Wonderful. I still eat regular bread, but not very much. I dont eat whole grain cereals ever. If I do eat cereal...I eat rice chex or something like that.

 

Here is a list ...(i just did a quick search...so it might not contain all)

http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/List_of_Foods_Containing_Gluten

There are so many names that you will need to avoid that you wont realize have gluten.

 

I use pamelas flour in place of regular flour. I found it the lowest price on amazon. It makes good pancakes and breads.

Edited March 8, 2010 by mchel210

[AnneGabe]

b

Edited September 6, 2023 by AnneGabe
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[athena1277]

My dd was diagnosed with celiac disease just before she turned 2. Her biggest symptom was chronic diarrhea. She was also clingy and had stopped gaining weight. She had the bloated belly and wouldn't eat much. If you look up the definition of a "classic celiac" that's what was wrong. She has been GF for 5 years now and is very healthy.

 

Also - someone mentioned genetic testing. Just because you have one or both genetic marker for CD, does not mean you have it. It only means that you could have it one day or you may never develop it. My ds is in a research study for CD, so we know that he has one of the 2 genetic markers for CD. At 2.5 years old, he does not have CD and eats a normal diet. The study is to look for triggers/causes of CD in children, so hopefully if he does develop it, we will catch it early and he won't be as sick as dd was before her diagnosis.

[Lisa in Jax]

Thanks guys! How do you know if stuff has gluten fillers? Nothing says "gluten" in the ingredients, so what are the 'trigger' words, if you will. We don't have a Trader Joes... :crying:

 

My son has been having migraines, constipation, stomach pain (he says it feels like someone is stabbing him) and leg pains/weakness in legs.

 

His thyroid tested abnormal (we don't know high or low) too, we are taking him back in today to re-test that. We will be asking about Celiac too.

 

Get a copy of "Living Without" magazine. In the back, there's a tear-out sheet with a list of ingredients that mean gluten, and another for dairy/casein.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[mchel210]

If your kids (or you) have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, can you please tell me what their (your) symptoms were? Did you discover this with tests or just removing gluten and seeing symptoms get better?

 

If you have gluten allergies, what do you eat?? I'm finding that eating gluten free is very daunting! TIA!

If you do test for Celiac...make sure you are NOT gluten free prior to testing!!

[Pamela H in Texas]

A HUGE percentage of people are gluten sensitive. The test for Celiac almost NEVER comes up even when someone actually has Celiac (and doesn't come up for sensitivities). Even the gold standard test often doesn't show positive for a person with Celiac.

 

Stop gluten for 2 or 4 weeks, see what issues go away (even issues you didn't notice when you had them). Then when you restart it (if you decide to), notice what issues come up.

[melissel]

A HUGE percentage of people are gluten sensitive. The test for Celiac almost NEVER comes up even when someone actually has Celiac (and doesn't come up for sensitivities). Even the gold standard test often doesn't show positive for a person with Celiac.

 

Stop gluten for 2 or 4 weeks, see what issues go away (even issues you didn't notice when you had them). Then when you restart it (if you decide to), notice what issues come up.

 

This is so true, and so frustrating for people who suffer. My friend's SIL had a growing amount of trouble for years, and it took a year (maybe even longer) for doctors to finally diagnose her. I don't think she ever tested positive, but she clearly has CD. It even affected her fertility. So scary!