"Should We All Go Gluten-Free?" - 18 Million Americans have gluten sensitivity

[cbdo2007]

Should We All Go Gluten-Free?
By KEITH O’BRIEN
Published: November 25, 2011

The singer was a no-show. The Gluten Free Expo in Sandy, Utah — one of the nation’s largest events dedicated to foods untainted by wheat — was going to have to start without the national anthem. But Debbie Deaver, the expo’s founder, didn’t have time to worry about that. The song, to be honest, was the least of her problems.

Deaver had slept four hours in the last three days. The 34-year-old woman — who has celiac disease and therefore must avoid eating gluten, a key protein in wheat — was running on prayer and Diet Dr Pepper. She needed sleep, and syrup.

A day earlier, a shipment of maple syrup failed to arrive, forcing her to scramble to find a topping suitable for the expo’s enormous gluten-free pancake breakfast. A last-minute donation of 35 cases of marionberry syrup would have to do. And then there was the issue of actual attendees. With the sky spitting rain outside and temperatures hovering around 40 degrees on a dark October morning, Deaver was becoming convinced that no one was coming to her expo in suburban Salt Lake City. “I’m getting nervous,” she admitted as she scanned the empty concourse of the sprawling, glass-walled South Towne Exposition Center just 30 minutes before the show started. “People aren’t showing up.”

But seemingly all at once, they did. When Deaver opened the front doors at 9 a.m., she was stunned by the huge crowd waiting to get inside. At the sight of these people — her people — Deaver stopped cold in her Puma sneakers and began to cry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/Should-We-All-Go-Gluten-Free.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I got a better question, how much of this

is directly related to HIGHER levels of GLUTEN in genetically modified wheat? I know I am not the only one wondering that.

[October]

3. Many in my husband's family have Celiac -- before gm foods.

/nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yeah but it has gone up

according to my brother who actually specializes in this crap.

And they are not sure how much it is the food modification, and how much it is actual diagnosis, Chicken, egg kind of a thing,

[October]

9. True enough.

My husband's family members (aunt/uncle) were diagnosed in their 60's (early 2000's). Prior to the international symposium being held on US soil for the first time EVER in 2001 (I think), doctors said Celiac Disease was RARE. Dr. Fassano proved otherwise -- thanks to international attention/embarrassment. Europe is WAY more advanced in this field -- with labeling, awareness, etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. And that is what raises concerns

my sis has wheat sensitivity since she was a toddler almost, Those were the rare cases. The 60, 70 and 80 somethings are raising concern.

It is also an autoimmune disease, and all those are also on the way up... and part of the adult metabolic syndrome. Lucky me... I got it... and that includes the wheat sensitivity. I am too chicken to go a month of eating wheat so they can do the test to confirm it, Diet is fine thank you very much.

The other thing that seems to be related to our obesity crisis is CHFs...

And I mean SEEMS, the actual will stand in a scientific study.. link, is not there yet.

[October]

29. Pardon me. I wasn't clear.

They were diagnosed in their 60's... but had suffered with Celiac Disease most of their lives. Like my husband -- diagnosed in his 30's, but knew he had it since boyhood. Symptoms are difficult, nebulous, or non-existent. Also, there is often a disconnect between cause and effect -- when symptoms appear 24-48 hours later, it is hard to realize what it comes from.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Back in the sixties is was different

As to symptoms yes, I know they are.

But as brother put it, they are seeing people who NEVER had symptoms who suddenly develop them in adulthood, after one or two other diagnosis of auto immune diseases. that is what is raising all kinds of alarms.

[October]

35. Not in the 1960's. This was in the 2000's...but relatives were AGED in 60's. lol.

[haikugal]

27. They still say the same thing for what I have...and it isn't rare.

It's undiagnosed and poorly understood.

[SidDithers]

13. Yup, it's a genetic disorder. You often see groups of family members with it...

as soon as my daughter was diagnosed, the rest of us all went through screening. There are members of my wife's family that I'm convinced are undiagnosed celiacs, but they wouldn't get tested.

Sid

[October]

30. Most won't get tested. We have found the same to be true in our family.

/nt

[cbdo2007]

43. My wife and her mom both failed the tests for celiac....but the diet works in both cases.

Many doctors won't allow screenings for it as well because they know how unreliable they are.

[a la izquierda]

52. A bunch of my blood relatives have it...

I tested negative, but show many symptoms. My doctor wants me to have an intestinal biopsy because she's pretty sure I've got it. I'm going to continue to blame the giardia I got in Mexico several years back. Celiacs would really screw with me being a vegetarian (and yes, I know that is completely illogical thinking).
Gluten-free pasta is just wrong. I'm part Italian. I mean, come on. Just wrong.

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. The quinoa pasta is really good

the rice one, not so much.

But quinoa, can't tell it appart.

That is what we have here these days. And hubby has semolina pasta when we go to restaurants and truly he can't tell a difference

[a la izquierda]

100. The quinoa pasta isn't so bad, you're right...

but corn and rice, barf.

[SidDithers]

60. And I would feel the same way about beer..

Gluten free pasta (corn or rice) is pretty awful. For pasta, Asian rice noodles are about as good as we can do for my daughter. Kinda Pad Thai Bolognese.

I would strongly, STRONGLY, recommend to anyone eating gluten-free that wherever possible, choose items that are mainstream food items that happen to be gluten-free, instead of special gluten-free items made to do the same thing as mainstream food item. The exception being baked goods.

Sid

[October]

90. I've become quite a baker. ;) My pies -- wouldn't trade them for anything.

Sorry to toot my own horn... but the cakes, pies and cookies I bake are delicious. Made with 3+ flours instead of one (wheat) flour... delicious!

Betty Crocker now has GF choc chip cookie mix that is good. The baking products are improving, as are the ready-made treats.

Back when we had our first diagnosis, I baked bread every other day. It was very difficult, but now we manage very well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

95. My chocolate chip cookies are to die for

and like mom used to bake.

:-)

We really do not do pies... and bread, I can live without it, We do quite a bit of rice, potatoes and quinoa

[a la izquierda]

98. Thankfully, I really like certain ciders...

and I always have. But I would really miss beer if push came to shove and I had to quit the gluten. I can do wine from time to time, but wine during a football game is just not happening.

I've baked gluten free before and it's okay. The texture's not the same, but the taste is pretty good. But the pasta...bleh. Quinoa pasta is about the only one I could stand.

[Warpy]

63. Corn spaghetti and macaroni are just fine

but you really have to watch it carefully because it goes from al dente to mush in a nanosecond.

It's not wrong for me. I'm a speshul li'l snowflake and I break out in a rash if I eat wheat and damn, if that wasn't pure hell to track down. No insurance = no allergist, so it took about 5 years of itching to nail down what was causing it since wheat allergy is so incredibly rare.

Other things got a bit better, too, but the most dramatic difference was no more itchy, sandpaper like skin with a tiny, pinprick rash all over it.

[October]

88. I prefer the rice-based pasta. Trader Joe's has nice rice pasta!

[a la izquierda]

99. Yikes!

And you're right, it does go from okay to trainwreck in a second.
Two cousins has horrible celiacs, the others range from mild to moderate, to as-yet undiagnosed (my Grandpa and me).

Didn't mean to offend, I just can't do the pasta. Of course, if my doctors said I'd do permanent damage, then I would. I haven't been put under since I was 18 mos., so I'm a little nervous about a surgery- this is irrational, I know. I'm trying to go as long as I can.

[Mendocino]

5. I wonder that myself.

Due to problems, I recently gave up wheat products. Problems went away, but why did I have this problem now?

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Of course the safety of the food supply is none of

our concern

Take some soma and go to sleep.. preferred state for you anyways.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dixiegrrrrl]

53. I was wondering too.

Hard to tell. Adult symptoms are so different then the more easily recognized symptoms of children.

[bengalherder]

55. I've been wondering that myself

I had no problems with wheat until a few years ago when the GMO stuff appeared on the market. Perhaps it was just coincidence, but the timing seems signifigant.

[Major Nikon]

76. I reckon pretty much zero

I'm not even sure if your premise is correct, but even if it is, the gluten content of processed flour is very tightly controlled in the production phase to achieve a product that behaves consistently. So even if it were true that genetically modified wheat has a higher gluten content, this doesn't necessarily translate to higher gluten content in the finished product.

[WildNovember]

93. Probably zero, as according to this source no GM wheat is being grown anywhere in the world.

Right now, no genetically modified wheat is being grown anywhere in the world. Plans to introduce GM wheat in North America were abandoned in 2004. Nevertheless, scientists are still exploring ways of improving wheat using genetic engineering.

http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/22.genetically_modified_wheat.html

http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/plants/78.wheat.html

Although I have heard of university test crops, but can't remember the specifics.


The big GM crops in the US are corn and soy, neither of which have the gluten which triggers celiac.

If you see the term soy gluten or corn gluten, it is referring to the vegetable protein. These proteins do not have the same amino acid sequence as the true gluten protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Only true gluten proteins found in these three grains will trigger an a immune response in someone with Celiac disease.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_soy_beans_have_gluten#ixzz1eymu1Jor

[SpiralHawk]

102. Occult mutant GMO corporate wheat probably is a huge factor in this

But Big Ag corporations (R) do all they can to obscure the reality of what their genetically mutant crapola is doing to the land, plants, animals and human beings.

[Odin2005]

2. I highly doubt that that many really have sensitivity to gluten.

This is just another obsession of hypochondriac food-faddists that think they have coeliac disease

[October]

6. 1 in 133 have it, and 95% of THOSE don't know it.

In our family...

Husband, children -- and aunts/uncles of husband. Also, husband's cousins.

ALL were in denial... but... once you go gluten-free, you feel better.

My husband was in his 30's when he went gluten-free. His comment after a few days: "I've never felt this good in my life."





Edited to add: The 1 in 133 statistic comes from University of Maryland research -- from 2006.

[SidDithers]

8. The sad thing is, you can't confirm the Celiac diagnosis if you start eating gluten-free...

You have to continue with your normal diet, and then have an intestinal biopsy to confirm the effects of gluten on your body. Only after the biopsy can you go gluten free.

That's if you're trying to confirm a diagnosis of Celiac, of course. If you suspect, and want to start eating gluten-free, eat away!

It's a huge, life-changing dietary adjustment though, and I wouldn't suggest it to anyone unless they need to be gluten free.

Sid

[October]

34. I know!

We are all used to the GF diet. Plenty of things we can eat. I'm not CD, but often eat that way. I bake GF, and it's delicious! Store bought goodies not as good, but getting better.

Expensive, though!!!!!

With the kids, we went gluten-free for 21 days... and when gluten was reintroduced, we KNEW! They were too young for an intestinal biopsy, and the blood test wasn't yet developed.

[SheilaT]

51. I was under the impression that there were certain

clear symptoms of celiac disease, and that going gluten free and those symptoms going away was a pretty clear indicator of the disease.

Not an expert, not someone with any food sensitivities of any kind, so I realize I have zero expertise and less knowledge of these things.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Here is the problem

if you got it, or just the sensitivity and go gluten free, they go away... I mean the blood test antibodies disappear within four to six weeks. And the effects in the intestinal tract also go away. Why it is best to do both tests when you are eating wheat for at least a month.

You could not pay me enough to put myself through that by the way. The blood test was borderline, but the doctor and I decided it responded to diet... that is fine with us. But I do not have a 100% diagnosis, and we really do not know if this is full blown celiacs or just bad sensitivity to wheat.

I can live with that.

[Odin2005]

17. 1 out of 133 would be something like 2.25 million, not 18 million.

18 million people do NOT have gluten sensitivity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. You'd be wrong on that

it ranges from sensitivity, where you can tolerate some of it, all the way to Celiacs. Celiacs, is about two million

And it has NOTHING to do with foodies, take my word on it. None wants to voluntarily have to read every damn label at the store, and I mean EVERY DAMN label.

[Odin2005]

31. Based on my experience I would guess about 6 million, IMO.

I do not mean to knock people that actually have sensitivity to gluten, but there is a lot of woo-woos using the gluten thing to make money when it's just as likely that the tiredness and "brain fog" often chalked to "mild gluten sensitivity" is the result of undiagnosed thyroid problems or some such.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, it's just that I'm inherently skeptical whenever a certain disease is "popular".

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Well pardon me, for metnioning Adult metabolic sysndrome

which may include diabetes, thyroid, gluten and a slew of a few other things.

Not to be a jeck but mind fogginess has little to do with gluten sensitivity, tummy ache. diarrhea from unknown etiology, and other gastric issues are more like it.

Yes I get the woo, but the US is also pretty bad about educating MDs on it... since the solution means a diet, not a pill, that is the cynic in me.

[Odin2005]

41. Sorry, I hear the gluten-brain fog claim often, MY BAD!!!

:blush:

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Well I got the real deal

and concentration issues are reported, (why kids with ADD are at times put on the diet), but the real issues are really bad gas, diarrhea and tummy aches.

Mine is so bad that when I bake bread for husband I have to clean the kitchen carefully. I get ANY, and I mean ANY... and I will get a bout of diarrhea and gas, oh and there goes the afternoon... since exhaustion comes too.

Oh and I got the fogginess, but that is the ADD.

The problem is that it can come with a slew of other things... why it is so damn difficult to diagnose,

Other common symtoms, where it really gets hard for doctors to nail down.

Weight loss,

Dehydration

Really bad cramps

Osteoporosis (from the mal absorption of food)

What looks like milk intolerance....

In some cases comes with it as well.

A slew of vitamin and mineral absorption problems.

Those are the major ones.

[Odin2005]

47. The son of a co-worker of mine has Celiac and...

he had many of those issues before she put her son on a gluten-free diet.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. There you go

and it also comes in family clusters, The concerns some are having is the late adulthood diagnosis... and GMO

[SidDithers]

24. I think the 1 in 133 is the frequency of Celiac Disease...

not the measure of those who have gluten sensitivity.

Sid

[WildNovember]

97. ...edit because someone already said it elsewhere.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. And you'd be wrong

sensitivity is quite obvious to those who have it. TRUST ME on this.

Nor is it an "easy" lifestyle in the US. In Mexico it is a walk in the park, enough alternatives and they don't hide wheat in almost everything.

[The Traveler]

10. Evidence, please.

That's a pretty bold statement. So ... where's your evidence? And, do you even know how many different kinds of gluten sensitivity diseases have been identified?

I have a close friend who is a celiac. So ... I do actually know a bit about the subject. Like there are specific blood tests for this sort of thing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. And a biopsy, don't forget about that one.

:-)

[Odin2005]

20. another poster mentioned that 1 in 133 Americans has Celiac disease.

That's just over 2 million, NOT 18 million.

[The Traveler]

42. Looks like about 3 million

http://www.celiac.com/articles/1164/1/Celiac-Disease-Statistics/Page1.html

About as frequent as epilepsy.

And celiac is just one form of gluten sensitivity.

[haikugal]

40. You can be sensitive and suffering effects without testing

positive for Celiac..there are other types of disease such as Micro Colitis that is the result of gluten, soy, dairy etc. but always Gluten. This is not accepted but is true none the less. I plan to look this doctor up. You have to have a biopsy to identify the problem...it can be in the large or small intestine and many suspect that these other sensitivities are precursors to Celiac. I never knew what caused my rashes, why I felt achy all the time and had head aches. I had other symptoms but all of a sudden at age 63 I started with horrible diarrhea (sorry folks) and after a biopsy was diagnosed with micro colitis...if I'm careful I don't have symptoms but I do still have to take medications. I hope to improve with time.

It isn't a fad and it isn't in our imaginations.

[bengalherder]

50. You know I used to think that way.

When I began to experience uncontrollable liquid diarrhea/incontinence when I ate wheat, I began to reconsider.

[SidDithers]

11. No, I wouldn't recommend going gluten-free unless you need to...

changing to a gluten-free diet is a life-altering decision.

Sid

[cbdo2007]

14. Many people don't know they have the sensitivity until they try it.

Of all the things to try, this one doesn't seem like that big of a deal. For some people like my wife it has made her feel better than she's ever felt before but it doesn't do anything for me so I still eat gluten, though less cause I eat gf with her when we eat meals together.

[idiotgardener]

12. 30 to 50 million are lactose-intolerant

but all the attention is on the current fad, gluten.

I'm NOT saying gluten intolerance doesn't exist; I know it does. I just think it's odd it gets so much attention compared to other dietary issues.

[cbdo2007]

15. Milk is already listed in the allergy listing on millions of labels.....

gluten just started getting mentioned over the past few years.

The problem is that they put wheat in EVERYTHING, even things you would never imagine have wheat in them so I applaud the companies who are correcting this by switching around a few simple ingredients.

With lactose intolerance, you eat milk products or you don't....it's actually much easier. I have a wife with a gluten intolerance and a daughter with a milk allergy so I read every label of everything we buy.

[idiotgardener]

21. They put milk in lots of things you'd never suspect too...

but yeah, I know what you mean.

Right now I'm shopping for someone on a special diet and it's virtually impossible to find lots of items without added crap - salt, chemicals, etc. Our food supply is a mess.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. and for lactose intoleratnce you can also

take a pill

[SidDithers]

23. And it's not just wheat...

gluten is in barley and rye as well. So beware anything with malt flavouring, 'cause that malt is made with barley.

I'm truly happy to see more and more people eating gluten-free. It's created a market for companies to sell to, and it's contributed to the improvement of food labeling in the last 5 years. Ten years ago, when my daughter was diagnosed, we had to go to specialty food stores to buy gluten-free foods. Now, every major grocery store has a gluten-free section, and we've had a gluten-free bakery open about 10 minutes from our house.

That said, going gluten-free is like being pregnant. You either are or you aren't. Just like you can't be a little bit pregnant, you also can't really be gluten reduced. At least that's how it is with Celiac. :hi:

Sid

[haikugal]

25. Thanks for posting this article and link.

I have to avoid gluten and dairy in order to stay healthy and finding products is a nightmare. Even when I find them they are very expensive. Thanks again this gives me hope.

[cbdo2007]

45. Don't know how long you've been gluten free....

but the more you get used to shopping for it the better you'll get at finding deals and what not. Unfortunately it is more expensive though than gluten products.

I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon such as rice noodles, Chebe mix, etc.

[haikugal]

110. 1 year and yes it's getting easier.

I live in a small town and my grocer just started to carry gluten free and vegan foods. I'd like to know what Chebe mix is, I've never heard of it before.

[cbdo2007]

112. You can find it on Amazon....

our two big local grocers have began carrying it as well in the gluten free section. Basically it's just a flour mixture that you can use to make rolls with and we use it to make pizza crust with. It's really good!

[AnnieBW]

36. I know someone who was diagnosed in 2001

He's an actor in a sci-fi show that I like. (Wayne Pygram from "Farscape"). Wayne told us that he was constantly getting sick in early 2001. After doing multiple tests - thanks to the wonderful Aussie health care system! - he was diagnosed with celiac disease. For him, the worst part was giving up beer. I did mention that he's Australian, right? :beer:

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. Tell him to find RICE beer

they do make it... (yes there is a GF beer)

I don't drink any so that was not an issue.

[cbdo2007]

46. There are a handful of different GF beers out there....

the most popular is Redbridge by Annheauser-Busch(sp?) but he should call some local liquor stores and see what else they've got. We've found 5 at least in the Kansas City area so any other large city should have some good options.

[October]

84. My husband brews his own - delicious craft GF beer. But Sapporo is delicious, too!!!

Red Bridge is a Budweiser product... not as good. Several others.

[madmom]

38. Thanks for posting this. My daughter has just started with a gluten free diet, about

1 week into it. She said she can't believe how much better she feels. Also much more energy. We weren't sure this was the problem, but decided to try and whether it is or not, it is helping her.
BTW, Kroger grocery store has a nice supply of gluten free products.

[cbdo2007]

48. Your welcome. Good luck to your daughter...and you.

I know it can be difficult but have her stick with it and it just takes time to figure out how to make all of your old favorites and have them be gluten free. There are a lot of good mixes out there, but also I just buy some of that celiac flour (Diamata?? or something???) and make all our normal recipes but substitute the flour and they usually turn out fairly decent :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Let me tell you one product that was wheat as a second

ingredient. SOY SAUCE.

So if she likes it, they make ONE brand I found that is what free. Problem is teriyaki and a slew of other sauces use soy sauce as a base. Yup, that one threw me for a loop.

[madmom]

59. Yep, she loves soy sauce and was growling about that, but we did find a gluten free

soy sauce at Kroger.

[SidDithers]

64. We use VH soy sauce, but I think that's a brand available in Canada only...

even though they're owned by Con Agra.

Not sure if your daughter is a sushi fan, but my daughter loves it. We always take a traveller of GF soy sauce if we go out for sushi, because the soy sauce at the restaurant is rarely GF.

There are a few Celiac families at DU. Search on Celiac and they'll pop up. Feel free to pm if you're daughter gets stuck on something, or is looking for something. Starting out on a GF diet can be very overwhelming at first.

Sid

[October]

94. LaChoy was GF at one time. Haven't checked it in a while.

[NMMNG]

57. I don't see why

Going gluten-free because some people have a sensitivity makes no more sense than banning from our diets all the things some people are sensitive/allergic to. Imagine living gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, etc, just because other people are sensitive/allergic. What would be left to eat?

[MindMover]

61. Wanna make a million or two, dollars that is....

go sell gluten free products to the pizza franchises......

millions, and that ain't no lie....

[LeftyMom]

62. I'm horribly allergic to bananas, so nobody should eat them.

Aside from the fact that a lot of those people have sensitivities diagnosed by quack tests or self-diagnosis, even very real sensitivities are no reason for people who aren't allergic to avoid gluten. It's an excellent source of protein- three ounces of seitan (seasoned and braised gluten) provides 20 grams of protein and only 130 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. It is real, live with it

just like your banana allergy.

[LeftyMom]

67. Of course some people have a real gluten sensitivity or allergy.

But a lot of people have self-diagnosed themselves (or been diagnosed by dodgy allergy tests) with the disease of the week.

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. You realize the diagnosis of this is not a dodgy allergy test

Your banana it is. This is not.

Get educated

[LeftyMom]

69. Don't tell me to get educated. Celiac is diagnosed by biopsy.

"Gluten sensitivity" is often self-diagnosed, or diagnosed by dodgy tests, or by quack medicine people. It's the fad diagnosis of the week. If you don't know that you certainly aren't in any position to lecture me.

[nadinbrzezinski]

70. and blood tests

two specific antibodies...

It is not the fad disease of the week... but whatever...

It also comes in clusters... as in familial clusters.

What else do you want me to go through?

I guess your banana allergy is also the weekly fad.

(Yes personal gripe people who go like this as if these things were not real)

[LeftyMom]

72. It's a fad diagnosis in many cases with diagnosis from muscle tests, quack practitioners,

self diagnosis, and poor medical advice. Many people on GF diets are using them to treat conditions for which they are not useful, such as autism spectrum disorders.

As I said, there are plenty of people who have a legitimate reaction to gluten, but I'm addressing the significant number who are badly diagnosed with the present fad diagnosis. Of course plenty of people legitimately need to avoid gluten. But many more are hypochondriacs or the victims of poor medical advice.

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. And according to my brother, a specialist in the field,

one reason the diagnosis is going up is not fad, but simply better primary health care provider education. Better education means MORE diagnosis... see how that works?

As to Autism... whatever. Yes SOME people do things that you might consider crazee... Personally I'd like to see the ACTUAL RESEARCH... not that I personally believe it would help... but if it does, after actual research... it would be a GOOD thing,

[LeftyMom]

77. There's been research. It doesn't help.

If you've got an expert in the family you should know that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

78. Yes I got an expert in the family

I really do... and as I said, LET THE RESEARCH BE DONE, no study has been that conclusive,

Me, PERSONALLY, believe it is worthless, but no definite anything...

Me PERSONALLY will find that it does not help... but let the research be done.

ME PERSONALLY cannot fully say without all the research protocols, which so far have come pretty not clear...

So my PERSONAL belief is let this be repeated a few more times. In other words, that is HOW this shit works.

[LeftyMom]

79. A LOT of research has been done. Here's one review. There are more.

http://www.edb.utexas.edu/education/assets/files/ltc/gfcf_review.pdf

[nadinbrzezinski]

80. Yes, but my understanding is that it has not been iron clad

on one side or the other...

But that is just me...

As I said I don't think it will help, or at least not in 99% of cases... but they still have some more work to do.

And there is no harm in doing it.

As is our understanding of ASD is like really not good still and still evolving.

[FLAprogressive]

74. +1

[October]

86. You're just throwing around your own assumptions.

I hate that particular grammar error. :(

[LeftyMom]

89. You're. The word is you're. nt

[October]

91. I know. I know. It's a contraction, btw. /nt

[October]

85. WRONG! There is a blood test, as well, btw.

Look up the research facility at University of Maryland in Baltimore.

You have no idea how awful your glib remarks "sound."

[LeftyMom]

87. The blood tests are not reliable enough for diagnosis. A proper diagnosis involves three biopsies.

Blood tests are useful for screening prior to the more invasive biopsy.

[October]

92. Again, I know.

[soleiri]

66. We're starting tomorrow

My oldest son has been having severe pain in his arms and legs for about 2-3 years now, and last year started having stomach aches. It finally got to the point where they had to do a esophagogastroduodenoscopy and a biopsy last Wednesday. We get the results on Tuesday, but we aren't waiting. If the test comes back negative, then we'll try being gluten free for a month, and see if anything improves. It's going to be a challenge for us, especially since we are vegetarian, but it's better than being in pain every day.

[FLAprogressive]

71. No, in fact, going on a gluten-free diet if you don't have celiac disease is dangerous.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/diet-myths-debunked/

And once you go on the diet, you can't go off, or you will get sick.

The whole gluten-free craze is based entirely on pseudoscience and placebo "natural health" shit.

My mother is gluten-free, but she has celiac disease. Honestly, the food doesn't taste all that great.

[nadinbrzezinski]

75. Wrong...

on the you will get sick if you get off it and you did not need it.

Talk about quak science

Oh and tell me exactly how is it dangerous? I mean Mesoamerican cultures survived gluten free for over 20K years before contact with Europe gluten free.

[soleiri]

83. Your link

Nothing in that article had anything to do with what I wrote about.
We aren't going gluten free to lose weight, and I'm quite sure we don't have to worry about him having a heart attack or
of having a baby with a birth defect because he's missing out on breads fortified with folate.
We are trying to prevent my son from having severe pain.
The kind of pain that keeps him up all night, and is making him miserable.
If this doesn't work, we'll try something else.
It's been almost 3 years of going from specialist to specialist and so far,
none of the medication that they've prescribed has worked.


And if he gets sick if he goes off the diet, doesn't that prove that he needs to be on the diet?

[laundry_queen]

81. Interesting stuff.

In reading on the celiac.org website, about 1/3 have the genetic predisposition to the disease but there is no way (yet) of knowing who will develop the disease. An absense of the 2 known genes rules out CD completely, but having them does not mean you have CD. Perhaps they will discover that there is a continuum of the disease - for instance, some people don't have symptoms and some have severe symptoms. 97% who have it are not diagnosed. That means there are millions out there undiagnosed, which means there is a much larger problem than is acknowledged.

I think with a lot of food sensitivities, intolerances and the like there is still SO much research that needs to be done. For instance, technically I have lactose intolerance. If I drink large quantities of liquid milk, I'm in severe intestinal pain for a few hours afterwards. However, I'm able to eat certain cheeses or other dairy with no problems. Certain things - like ice cream or whipped cream - cause me severe problems. It seems to be highly variable. Sometimes I am fine, and sometimes I'm chained to the washroom for hours afterwards. Since I've gone low-carb, I've been eating whipped cream (no sugar) and cream cheese - things that used to cause me severe intestinal issues - a lot and have had zero problems. ZERO, as in, not even a teeny bit of gas. I'm stumped as to why this is now happening. One thing about low-carb is I don't eat any grains right now. I'm beginning to wonder if there is some kind of connection.

Nadin - interesting thing you said about GMO. My mom and her family (and I) are convinced there is something going on with wheat. This is a family that was raised on bread made from their own wheat from their farm. Ate bread at every meal. No one had intestinal problems. There are 8 siblings total and numerous cousins. In the last 10 years or so, one by one, everyone - cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents - all developed heartburn, GERD and excess acid problems concurrently. That means the 90 year olds, 60 & 50 year olds, and 20 & 30 year olds all developed it at the same time. If it was just some kind of 'thing' that was hereditary, you would assume that the problems wouldn't have developed at the SAME time, but instead around the same ages (like everyone around 50 tended to get it). We have all pinned down that we feel like crap after eating bread or flour. We are convinced that something has been introduced into the food supply that is causing our symptoms.

I personally think I may have a mild wheat allergy, since as a child I was very allergic to grass (I still can't sit on it without breaking out in a severe itchy rash) and I used to try to follow my friends into the wheat field adjacent to our backyard but would go running back home covered in red, itchy blotches. No one else had that problem. I did have allergy tests but that was 20 years ago and because we were dealing with asthma, I'm not sure they tested foods - it was mostly environmental things I was tested for (dust, mold, dander). I reacted to many things but can't recall any but the most severe reactions. My brother was 'mildly' allergic to peanuts as a kid (allergy tested). My mom didn't know till his test. He still ate in on occasion, but it would result in eczema breakouts some days later and dry coughing. I don't doubt there are people walking around everywhere with these 'mild' allergies, unable to make the connection between the bread they ate yesterday and the rash they will get tomorrow. I'm not convinced it's all gluten either - there are many other compounds in grains that could be a culprit. (I can't eat oats either, gives me the worst heartburn that even my GERD meds can't control).

I know this is all anecdotal, but hopefully the research will follow. I do believe there are many people who have symptoms of intolerance or even mild allergy but dismiss it because there is no guidelines or research. But maybe, just maybe, 1/3 of the population would do better on a gluten free diet.

[nadinbrzezinski]

82. There is a continuum of intolerance

ranging form mild intolerance, where you can eat ome of it, to more severe to Celiacs.

[McCamy Taylor]

96. No, 18 million of us should. Some folks were meant to eat corn or rice. Their ancestors

probably ate corn or rice. Just as some of us were not meant to eat sweets or fat or meat. People evolved all over the world to thrive on regional foods. Wheat and its cousins is only one of the three major grains in the three cradles of civilization---China, Mexico and the Middle East. Then there are the descendants of nomadic hunters who only recently began to farm. A high carbohydrate diet gives them obesity and diabetes.

Know your roots and you know what foods are best for you.

[LWolf]

105. That idea intrigues me.

If you know your roots, how do you know which foods are best?

[eridani]

101. Well, no. We shouldn't

18 million should, and it doesn't make any difference to the other 290,000,000.

[Obamanaut]

103. No, just the ones who have a problem with it. Some people are allergic to peanuts, and they

should avoid peanuts/peanut products - but not all of us should avoid such.

[lynne]

104. Uh, NO. Feel free to do so if you're bothered by gluten -

- but keep your hands off my wheat products.

[LWolf]

106. I'd just like some gluten-free recipes,

since I have one family member who has celiac disease.

For example...my family loves stuffing at TG. How do you make gluten-free stuffing?

[lynne]

107. I just googled "gluten free recipes" = about 21,800,000 results

Gluten free stuffing can be found > http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/sidedishes/a/top5glutenfreestuffingrecipes.htm

[LWolf]

109. I'll have to check them out before the next holiday dinner! nt

[astral]

108. There is quite a learning curve to going gluten-free.

I tried it when I thought it was the cause of my sudden-onset serious skin problems, and stuck with it totally (as best I could!) for about six months. I took a gluten blood test along with my other tests but I had no faith in the doctor I had at the time who didn't even know you have to be consuming gluten in order to get an accurate reading on the test. I tested negative for gluten sensitivity and haven't been trying to go back to it since, because it does require an effort of thinking about every single item you pick up to put into your grocery cart or into your hand to put into your mouth. If it comes in a package, beware. If it comes in a can, beware too. If somebody else made it, well, forget it, they wouldn't have a clue as to whether it was gluten-free or not.

If it's a fruit, a vegetable, a gluten-free grain, you're good, nuts are great. Wheat-free tamari sauce is way better than soy sauce, but the price can very and of course you'll never find it eating out.

There are many phrases and words that describe ingredients that are gluten, so it takes a little research to learn even how to read a label.

I learned alot from my experience:
--- Eating gluten free forces you to eat healthier, fresh, less-processed or un-processed foods
--- Eating gluten free does not have to cost MORE, it can in fact cost LESS because you are so conscious of everything you eat you have t plan ahead, which means buying more plain, simple, wholesome food.
--- Eating gluten free helped me feel better, more energetic, and from that I draw the unproven conclusion that avoiding gluten can benefit everyone, but who knows.

Now after reading this thread and getting REMINDED of my experience, I want to get myself to get back on the bandwagon. I of course, won't do it until I can commit myself to go ALL THE WAY with it, no 'exceptions' to whether or not I am going to ingest it.

And while I am at it, how about that other demon in our diets that is very hard to avoid: high fructose corn syrup(!) Again, going back to nature, non-pre-packaged food will make that pretty simple.

Reading labels: don't just READ them, find out what the ingredients are that you don't have a clue about, if it's got a lot of them, well, why would you want to buy that and eat it anyway?

REMINDER: Bring your reading glasses with you to the grocery store :smoke:

[murray hill farm]

111. I have been lactose intolerant for 20 years of so, but...

only recently became aware of my reaction to gluten. Interestingly, when I lived in Mexico between 2001 and 2005, I could drink milk, eat ice cream or cheese, etc. with no reaction at all. None! I thought perhaps I had outgrown it..and was pretty happy about that development. When I returned to the USA to live, my lactose intolerance returned immediately and was much worse than it had been in the past....and continues. On return vacations to Mexico, I can drink milk there with no reaction. When I lived in Mexico, I ate also traditional Mexican food, bought often from street vendors..and never got sick..not once. It was when I first returned to the USA (Brunswick, Georgia), I began to notice also that I would react with rash on my feet if I even walked a little on the grass with bare feet. An uncomfortable and itchy rash that would show up in minutes. I blamed it on ground contamination that I knew existed in the area of the city. When I moved to Arkansas and began to raise goats, I then noticed that I reacted the same way here to grasses, but even more quickly to hay..which I handle every day. If I touch the hay directly, I will have an immediate skin reaction. Easily to solve by covering up..and also wearing breathing mask when I am cleaning the barns and moving hay beds around, which causes coughing, itchy eyes. At the same time, I had the same the return of the intestinal symptoms that had been caused by drinking milk even though I did not drink any milk or milk products. Decided that if I reacted so severly to hay with my skin and respitory symptoms that it may, that it might, even probably be causing the intestional problems as well. I started the gluton free diet as a personal test of that theory. Within days all symptoms were gone. It is my personal conclusion, but I believe that there is something very, very wrong with the food supply here in the USA.