The FastDay Forum

I've been gluten free for 6 years. Falling to sleep now but will post later with my favorite substitutes.

@GoLinda did you have to give up gluten? and what benefits have you found from giving it up please?

Hi Auriga,

I was diagnosed with Celiacs so had to go GF. My symptoms were mainly intestinal and they improved about three days after eliminating gluten. On the rare occasion I accidentally ingest gluten I know it within about 1-2 hours...restroom bound.

Going GF does not necessarily aid in weight loss. If one plans on eating clean or natural and staying with mainly meat, veggies, and fruit, it can assist with weight loss. But if one replaces typically gluten containing products with gluten free substitutes they often contain twice the amount of sugar and fats as the regular product.

A big challenge going GF is learning to watch for it as hidden ingredients. Wheat is typically the first ingredient in soy sauce and barley malt is often found in many seasonings.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend a GF diet unless you really do feel better on it or for medical reasons like myself. It can be very hard to get enough daily fiber without wheat, barley, and rye. I did discover quinoa since going GF and fortunately/unfortunately there is a wealth of pasta and baked goods available now days in bigger cities like where I live...but again, very high in calories.

I do think a contributing factor to all the problems with wheat tolerance is the genetic modifications we have made over the years to make the crops generate more and resist pests. So I have adopted eating organic as much as I possibly can with most food choices. Eating GF substitutes is also 2-3 times more expensive. I believe these prices will continue to reduce over the upcoming years.

My daughter is dairy free as well so cooking during the holidays takes on new complexities but we manage. Are there certain meals or foods you are trying to substitute GF? Lettuce leaves are your friend for sandwiches, but there are some decent tasting breads available now, although high priced, high in calories, and most often no or little nutritional value.

So I've talked your ears off, but holler if you have any questions:)

Hi Auriga. It's interesting that we are all different. I'm the opposite to @golinda, with gluten, everything grinds to a complete halt for me, so I have started to think about it like wallpaper paste. I don't want to be gummed up Did I have gluten today? - yes in a breakfast burrito as I was working at 5am. Do I regret it? - absolutely because I can't get my rings off tonight.

I everybody

I read Wheat Belly and was fascinated by it all. I had blood tests last year - the tests didn't show up any problem however I still get very bloated after eating bread, cakes, biscuits, etc.

I feel a whole lot better without wheat products and my body knows - I suffer terribly with IBS symptoms - rushed toilet trips, etc. It's still trial and error for me though as I try and work out what still might be the cause for a lot of bowel problems.

I wrap ham and turkey slices and other foods into lettuce leaves as an alternate 'sandwich' when I am home and if I eat out I might ask for a burger without the bun!! I get some strange looks, but they do oblige!

Also being lactose intolerant I have to watch for cheese fillings, etc. - it's easier to go without.

Thanks for the great subject @Auriga.

cheers Maggie

Oh thank you all for posting...I am learning such a lot. I made a second wheat free loaf today, the recipe is out of 'Wheat Belly'....it should have had apple sauce in it (I actually had some low sugar home made sauce in the fridge!) but then forgot to put it in.
The one I made with carrot and walnut oil was very nice but cakey, so I tried today to make it with butter instead. So I can see why things might be a bit calorific!!! I don't intend to buy ready made stuff. However, all those nuts in the bread certainly don't bung me up.
I bought the book you recommended @rawkaren....just waiting for it to come now. I hope you're having a better day today my buddy?

Hi all...

I'm gluten free also - although it's really wheat that gives me the issues, so I can tolerate barley malt in seasonings etc. I also had IBS like symptoms and tested negative for celiacs. So I did my own investigations.

I knew before that eating a sandwich at lunch made me feel sleepy and sluggish all afternoon but since cutting out wheat altogether all my symptoms are gone. Years ago I was back and forth to hospitals and docs and all sorts because I was sleeping pretty much 16 hours a day- ie. coming in from work and sleeping right though till morning! I also had terrible anxiety and depression (or so they said) and they thought it was my thyroid, and I was on stomach tablets and anti-d's for years.

Well since i've cut out wheat I sleep a normal amount, on a fast day, even less, I have so much energy. I also have no IBS symptoms, and no anti depressents anymore. I am still a naturally anxious person, but I dont need the tablets. I've got back to my exercise, i've lost weight and I feel like i've got my life back!

I now know that a lot of the other symptoms I had were wheat related. For a while I tried introducing it back in after about 8 weeks wheat free, and I used to fall asleep within about 30 mins of eating wheat. Now if I accidently eat it, I get terrible anxiety, moody, "brain fog" and just generally slow and horrible, plus all the IBS symptoms.

Its not easy, eating out it a bit of a nightmare, and all my "accidental" glutenings have happened outside the house. So if it's an intolerance I always advise people to work out their safe levels so that they can maybe have a little bit... makes it much easier.

For me, anything wheat is a no and it will be forever. The horrendous symptoms I get now have lead me to feel so bad that I am sure wheat especially is causing more issues in people than any of the research suggests - although with things like "wheat belly" and other books it's definately getting a lot more mainstream and also the resturants are developing their GF menu's, although after a few issues recently i'd just check that they really are GF!

I hope you can work out how/what is the way forward for you, in my experience people have been very confused, and the doctors downright rude about the whole thing. But I feel I can manage it myself, and I'm sure you can too....

I'm a bit of a lurker here, but always feel like I should support anyone who has to go through this as well....

I also echo what others say, the substitue GF products are loaded with sugar, fat and salt, and are really no substitute at all. You can live a perfectly happy, healthy life without any GF specific products with natural state, healthy foods

Good luck!

Thank you SO much for your reply @rebelsue2 I am most grateful. Your comments are just strengthening my resolve.

No Problem good luck!

My assistant thought she was being kind to me today by running out and getting me a sandwich as she realised I had not eaten. So lovely of her and did not have the heart to tell her

Shame Karen, weirdly enough my boss is Gluten Free too, so it works out well.. espeically since he always knows if i'm booking a meeting for him or anything I remember to tell them, I suspect if I wasnt also GF i'd probably forget!

My pal offered me toast last week, i said no thanks, then she offered me a biscuit and I said no thanks, prompting her to then remember that I couldnt eat either of those things

I guess it's the same as being vegetatian or vegan or raw, or anything like that, if you're not also in the same boat you tend to forget.

It was a nice thought tho

My assistant thought she was being kind to me today by running out and getting me a sandwich as she realised I had not eaten. So lovely of her and did not have the heart to tell her

I think you need a sign on your desk @rawkaren...."Please don't feed me..I am fasting today!" I guess she was trying to be kind though.
I made myself a beetroot, flourless, sugarless chocolate cake this morning, going to have a very small slice later with a cup of Lady Grey tea! Yummy....it's not my fast day today.