Hi. I am over-posting as I'm new to this site, but finding it really helpful. Another query I have is for those of you who are coeliac but have also become allergic/intolerant to dairy. I have osteopena (poor bone density). Since cutting out gluten I have been taking a vitamin D supplement and was prescribed Calcium D3 by GP. No one reviewed that, and I've heard calcium supplements can be dangerous as the body does not absorb large amounts of calcium well (can build up in arteries/liver). I'm aware vitamin k and magnesium help with that. I opted instead for soya milk and soya yogurt. Recently have been told to cut soy out by a nutritionist. I've switched to coconut milk (fortified) but it contains dodgy ingredients including emulsifiers, etc. Just wondering how other people have managed the bone density issue if also allergic/intolerant to dairy. Thank you.
Calcium sources if also intolerant to... - Gluten Free Guerr...
Calcium sources if also intolerant to dairy?
Hi mise, i also have osteopena and still taking steroids daily. I am intolerant to lactose but due to having 2 autoimmune liver diseases the doctors have taken the option not to put me on meds to try and prevent osteoperosis as of yet. I use almond milk as an alternative which is high in calcium.
I suppose only time will tell if it is the right thing.
Best wishes
Angela x
Hi Angela. Thanks for posting that. That's really helpful. I've tried almond milk a few times and wasn't crazy about it, but might give it a go again. Osteopena is a worry, particularly when you are still young as people think crap bones are for older people. I'm trying quite a bit of weights work at the gym as apparently weight trainings/resistance training good for building up bone density. I'm not sure if you've opted for that, or have the health to tolerate gym work. But the almond milk sounds a good option, as coconut milk very hit and miss.
I have done the weights in past, unfortunately i have osteoarthritis and both shoulders at the moment are the worst, waiting to hear about operations. I am walking though,sometimes have to strap up knees but its good for me.
I get the age thing, im 45 and right now husband has to help with some of my clothing, 5 years ago i was hill walking , at gym and spin.
Same age as me, and with a similar host of decrepitude! I have hip osteoarthritis but have really turned it around with stretches and building up glute muscles and quadriceps. Had dodgy knee as well which strengthening quadriceps helps. Cycling is good for quads if you can manage that. Seems counter intuitive to cycle if your knee is packing in, but is actually really good. Thumb joints falling apart also. I refuse to believe it is age as 45 is young in the grand scheme and I see lots of old grey haired grannies running around. No one in my family is falling apart like this either at this age, so I put it fairly and squarely at the door of coeliac, inflammation from that and nutritional deficiency. We're designed to last a lifetime. Doctors say osteoarthritis is wear/tear and won't fix itself, but lots of info out there on people turning it around if caught early enough.
I don't have your issues.
But I do know that sesame seeds and flax seeds with shell, other seeds, nuts, chickpeas, spinach, seaweed and sardines are high in calcium too. (as other shrimps and shellfish too)
Sesame seeds are great, because you can use them anywhere. Really to anything. You can even get it as tahini, but not everyone likes tahini (great in sauce made with beans)
Sardines are often used as seasoning, especially in tomato sauces.
Sprinkle all your cooked dishes with spinach (and black sesame seeds), to get nutrients and because the food looks delicious.
Use almondbutter instead of peanutbutter.
Make snacks out of chickpeas, dry them in oven with seasoning. Or make sauce, hummus. Or beefs. Versatile pea.
White beans does not contain as much calcium, but it's great to make garlic sauce on. And you can still sprinkle your food with sesame seeds, or mix with almonds 
just mix the beans with oil, garlic, salt n pepper. Eventually lemon juice if you want.
If you are afraid of CC, it's really easy to make your own nut or seed butter.
Just mix. First it crumbles, then the oil separates, then it becomes butter.
Hi Suit. Thanks for that. My mouth is watering just reading your post! Yes, I always associate calcium with dairy/soy based, but forget that seeds, etc. are a good source, as well as sardines. The nutritionist I went to seems to have an issue with chickpeas those and apparently have compounds which can cause inflammation, so she said to avoid hummus (which I love), but did recommend tahini. Similarly with almonds - needs a bit of soaking to breakdown compounds also. But I will definitely be stocking up on the seeds and attempting my own nut butter.
Oh, didn't know chickpeas can be inflammatory. Just that some people have a hard time digesting it due to gasses.
I hope I won't get any issues from them. I feel sorry for your hummus loss.
But there's plenty of other sources 
Ye, apparently seeds and nuts have a compound which protects them until they need to starting sprouting and growing. Not sure if it's the same compound in pulses/legumes. It tends to breakdown when exposed to water, so that's why steeping things overnight helps. Otherwise the body doesn't break it down very well and can lead to digestive issues and inflammation. I do think most people are fine with it, but nutritionist felt it was one to avoid from my perspective. The compound in nuts is called phytic acid, but not sure if that is the same one that chickpeas have. Nuts and chickpeas do have a lot of nutritional benefit, so if no issues they are probably ok.
Thanks
It sounds like the same compound I was thinking about. Just that I didn't know about the inflammatory effect of them.
I have never had a reaction to beans n stuff myself... not even if eating them completely raw before soaking them..(it's actually really tasty).
Hi Mise
Glad to hear that you’re finding the site useful. I’m lactose intolerant, so can eat some cheeses and lactose free yoghurt, but not too much. I don’t bother with milk, having tried all the non-dairy milks and not found any that agree with me.
Along with the great list from Suit, I’d add kale, sweet potatoes and butternut squash to give you even more options. We put pumpkin and sunflower seeds on salad, and incorporate them into home made granola.
Sesame seeds can go into any home baking. Use tahini and lemon juice to make a salad dressing.
Doing exercise is essential, so it’s good to hear you are able to do it. If you think about countries where dairy doesn’t form part of the diet, it is possible to maintain bone health without it, but having coeliac disease makes it that bit more difficult.
Good luck with managing your bone density. Try to get out in the sun to top up your Vit D while you can and remember that you need fat in your diet to make sure your body absorbs fat soluble vitamins.
Perhaps have a look on the Healthy Eating site on HU for some delicious gluten-free recipes from Jerry.
Hi Penel. That's good advice. Yes, you can't beat a bit of sunshine. I was looking at Tahini the other day in Tesco but none of the brands had any GF indication - is there a brand you use specifically (if you use tahini)?
Meridian brand is good. I think you can find it in H&B.
I tend to buy a lot of my gf products on line.
healthysupplies.co.uk/?gcli...
I'll seek that out. I've tried their nut butter in the past. Thanks for the tip.
My daughter who is now 39 is dairy and egg allergic. There's a huge amount of misinformation about dietary calcium around - the vast majority of available calcium in our diet is in green veg and nuts and seeds. In fact there is some evidence that milk is actually bad for our bones. I fed DD a 'normal' dairy free diet without any consideration for calcium. I did use some soy milk because it was before it was realised that soy could be problematic, but it was at least unfortified or sweetened. I am sad to say I didn't know about the other nutrients she might need for good bone growth. But I did avoid all processed food, and bought organic where it was available.
And somehow she grew to 5'10" without any problems at all!
What you do need for good bones is plenty of magnesium (which you absolutely have to supplement because our veggies no long have enough), boron and Vitamin D! As a population we are now D deficient, and doctors no longer seem to know what is optimal, as opposed to how low you can go without developing rickets! Aim for 150-180nmol/l vitamin D. Take at least 400mg elemental magnesium in supplement form, and 3 mg boron and 200mg vitamin K2 to help use what D you have. If you are D deficient and need to supplement then you need more mag and K2 too. There is an excellent Vitamin D deficiency group on Facebook (the UK one) that gives good information about the replacement protocol. Your GP will only prescribe low doses of D to avoid high calcium in the bones - but that simply prolongs the sub optimal state.
Hi Ruthi. Many thanks for posting. Again, that's good advice. I take the vitamin D liquid for Holland and Barratt, and have recently started the Calcium with vitamin D and K, but wasn't aware of boron. That's a new one to try also. I've been told on here to be aware of maltodextrin in supplements as hidden gluten potentially, so now need to reassess the brands I'm using. The magnesium I've found is sea salt based/derived. Good to know your daughter made 5'10'' without milk! That's an impressive height, so clearly the diet worked.
Hi Mise, it is complex taking vitamin D and calcium because the majority of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate which's chalk and chalk molecules are 100,000 bigger than calcium in foods like sesame seeds. So by taking calcium supplements our bodies have to work harder to get rid of the majority of the chalk as we only absorb up to 3% of the calcium.
Many people are magnesium deficient and we need magnesium to adsorb calcium and the same goes with folic acid. Taking vitD can trigger a headache if your'e magnesium deficient so its keeping the balance right.
I have borderline osteopenia and have had for nearly 20 years and my bone density remains constant and I don't take supplements.
Here's a couple of links with calcium rich foods for vegans:
thefullhelping.com/15-calci...
naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/c...
Good luck with this,
Jerry 😊
Hi Jerry. Thanks for updating on that. That's helpful info. It does seem that calcium supplementation can cause more harm than benefit. I've been told on here to look for calcium citrate which is easier absorbed/assimilated by the body. As always, dietary sources are probably the best, so back to the drawing board on that one.
Tinned salmon with the bones still in, only once or twice a week though, almonds, don't forget to soak and dry them though which makes them better for getting the nutrients out, almond milk as previously mentioned, I have porridge every morning with the almond milk and it's fine.
Thanks for posting Sotonowl. I've been doing sardines recently with bones still in (I use to remove them....), but hadn't considered salmon also. Almonds I like, so that's good. I am reading more about fact we need to prep almonds before eating, so good advice from you there. I'm not sure how almond flour pans out in terms of GF cross-contamination, but seeing some grain-free recipes for bread made with almond flour which looks quite nice. Almond milk - again, not crazy about it, but looks like a goer for now.
I only just read up on the preparation of almonds recently myself. I wasn't aware that they came with some natural chemicals which inhibit the absorption of the vitamins their packed with. It got me to thinking about blanched almonds which I've seen in some shops and wondering if they've already been soaked and dried, I'm going to visit Mr Google and ask him I think.
Just had a look at blanched almonds, they have just been dropped in boiling water and had the skin removed, not sure how that effects the acid present in the almonds, never mind, back to the drawing board.
It was a good plan though! The nutritionist I went to recently had a nice explanation - she said the humans and animals have ways to protect themselves (fight, flight, teeth, horns, claws, etc.). Plants don't have that, so they developed ways to protect themselves from insects and fungus - so all seeds, nuts, etc, will have an element of protection built in as a chemical of some sort, so that's why we need to prepare them in ways to break that down. I've heard that some of these compounds count as anti-nutrients, so that means they will prevent us absorbing nutrients from the other foods in our diet. Spinach apparently is a classic one of those as it's good source of plant nutrient but has built in compound that prevents us absorbing nutrients! I think a lot of this is just about the good old fashioned house keeping people use to do years ago - steeping things overnight, and then boiling to buggery! Oats are another one - they need steeping overnight to break down a compound also.
I'll probably do some almonds but it's the 12 hours of backing that puts me off.
Time to join the 'slow cooking movement'. Very slow cooking movement.....
Looks like you and me are similar in that we don't have a diagnosis, both had blood tests which don't indicate Coeliacs Disease but both feel better on a GF diet. I'm not sure what a positive diagnosis brings to the party to be honest, I know it makes me ill so avoid it like the plague.
I suppose where we are falling down is having this detailed on our medical records, and getting the input and support of NHS dietitian, bone scans, etc. that diagnosed coeliacs get. I'm 45 and got invited for an NHS health check as a standard offer. Went there and got so pissed of with the nurse telling me I need to be substantially heavier in my body weight. Told her it was because I keep getting glutened, but of course it's not on my medical records so she didn't listen/take it seriously. I have joint problems at moment and having to go back yet again to demand referral to a dietitian. Absence of diagnosis means we're being short-changed on the health care front. But as you say, makes no difference on diet - all the same outcome. I have read on here, and been told that if you have coeliac symptoms but negative blood test, you should still be referred for biospy. GP'S not doing that.
Well, to all intents and purposes, I just got fed up with the GP's. Over the past 20/25 years I've been going to my GP and they've fobbed me off with IBS diagnosis. Over the last 3 years I must have been in the Doctors 30/40 times with over 25 symptoms. I came to the opinion that their hopeless, If I looked at the individual symptoms of someone what I presented to my GP I'd have a good idea what was wrong with them, through reading this forum. These people are supposed qualified but they can't put 2 and 2 together.
I saw one GP and started rattling off my symptoms, got to the third or fourth one and he's says, "hold on, one thing at a time, if you have more than one thing wrong with you, you need to book an appointment for each illness". LOL.
I said "I believe I have one thing wrong with me and I'm giving you all my symptoms so you have a chance of diagnosing my illness accurately". He didn't like that.
I just finished up thinking that the best way to get well would be to try and sort myself out. The GP's I've dealt with just treat symptoms, they're hopeless, that's the ones I've seen but there must be some good ones about.
I had the joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome as well, they sent me to the physio for 5/6 sessions. Had depression and anxiety, they gave me anti depressants. Had terrible dry nose and rhinitis (I wouldn't wish that on anyone, absolutely terrible) they gave me sprays, told me to try nasal rinse and finally sent me up the ENT a couple of times and to the allergy clinic, my surgery is full of comedians.
The private Doctor I saw set me off with a diet which she emailed me and slowly but surely I've started to feel better.
Tips I've picked up from on here and the thyroid site I've stuck with. I take a good probiotic everyday with selenium, I take milk thistle now as my bilirubin is slightly high and I take magnesium every night, oh and a capsule of fish oil, I can't swallow the capsule so I just bite it and swallow the contents, LOL. I might be able to swallow the capsule but I daren't try, there the size of a coke can,LOL.
Sorry for the rant, I'm just so disappointed with my GP's.
Why do you keep getting glutened? I'm not sure I want a diagnosis now, I just wouldn't want to put myself through what was necessary, eating gluten again.
Sotonowl, I hear ya! This is like a catalogue of my own GP trips since age 28 until I figured out gluten in my mid/late-30's. My main challenge was persistent dull tummy pain, and neuropathy/nerve pain in hands. Also low vitamin D, osteopena and low body weight. A clued up GP early in the game did the coeliac blood test as I went to her about low body weight, but blood test was negative, so disregarded coeliac after that.
Was investigated for the hand problem as a joint issue. Even had a test where I was injected with a radioactive substance for a scan and was not allowed to share a bed with anyone or be around small children for at least 48 hours! Asked a consultant if there was maybe a link between my hand/joint/nerve pain and my tummy issues - he said no. Another consultant gave me a leaflet on homeopathy. If I could go back in a time machine I would to that moment and slap him around the head with that bloody leaflet! Patronising fecker!! Ever since then I now know to believe the opposite of what any consultant says.
More recently having increasing joint issues. GP disregarded my stating coeliac/gluten issue and told me to take painkillers when I asked for dietician referral.
This is why I get so annoyed with Coeliac UK. They are not hammering GPs enough with this. They should be providing direct resources to GP surgeries with checklists of symptoms that span the range of complexity, not just to focus on gastric issues. Even a basic little card/leaflet would be something.
As to why I keep getting glutened - trusting restaurants that state gluten-free and trusting packaging that states similar. I was on top of it for a long time, but past 6 months have been quite poor and entirely confusing at times, as things that use to be ok, no longer are. I think possibly my tolerance to even the standard 20ppm amount has dropped to zero tolerance. Beyond that, no other explanation really. The last occasion was roasted nuts (put a post on here) that Tesco have on their list of safe foods for coeliac. I've had gluten free beer in the past which was great, but tried it a few months ago and had a reaction.
LOL, I drink cider and wine now with a Rhubarb Gin and tonic on Occasion, but I haven't had a drink for a couple of weeks, I want to get the bilirubin back in range. I had tingling in my finger ends as well. I don't eat out now, just don't trust them. Went to Tenerife in January whilst I had a new bathroom fitted and chose the hotel because they had loads of GF options and everything was labeled up.
I'm a curryholic and cook my own Indian food so I know exactly what goes in, it's the Naan bread I miss. I cook all my own food from scratch but I've yet to turn a decent GF loaf out, it's edible but not as good as the Tesco's own brand.
You can't beat that gin! That's now my drink of choice. Cider can you keep though!
Curry is excellent and great that it's pretty much naturally GF.
Hungry now from reading that - gin aperitif and a nice curry! Nom nom.
I have the Whitely and Neill Rhubarb Gin when I'm on it. Small tin of Schweppes Tonic, ice and a slice, it's lovely.
Do you cook tour own curry or get a take away?
It has been known I believe that the manufacturers of pre ground spices to bulk them out with heaven knows what and I've heard of people getting glutened from them. I err on the side of caution and grind and mix my own.
The poppadoms are enticing, surely they don't have wheat in them do they? Their not supposed to do but I haven't chanced it yet.
The cider by the way i'm not over keen on it myself but my traditional beers have bitten the dust now, the Henry Westons Cider is good though but I seem to keep falling down after 8 pints of that, wonder if that's got gluten in it, LOL.
Falling down on 8 pints is definitely gluten - it's a common issue with cross contamination! Rhubarb gin is lovely. Edinburgh Gin do a little premixed can of rhubarb gin with ginger. It's dangerous as it just tastes like a really lovely drink with no alcohol. I like the sharpness of the traditional tonic with ice and slice. We can only be grateful that there are still lots of good drinks beyond beer.
Pataks poppadoms are gluten free and safe for cross contamination. I use the spice mixes but now you've got me thinking about those. Just seems to be safest bet is to cook/prepare from scratch. Coconut milk gives a really nice richness to curry which is lovely. I don't chance takeaway curry. Quite a nice Indian takeaway where I live that has dedicated gluten free menu but each time I've had food from there it's got gluten in it. I think takeaway is the riskiest food option more so than sit-down restaurants.
Definitely going to have some gin this weekend. Hope your indulging as well!
I'm working tomorrow, don't know about Sunday yet. If i'm off i'll try a fewSaturday night. Good to hear about Pataks, is that the pre cooked ones or both of them?
I've only ever tried the pre-cooked ones, and seem fine.
I'm on it, just had a bottle of wine and now on the gin, no work tomorrow as the children are on holiday now, I drive for an independent school, woo, woo.
OK, on your head be it,LOL, I'll get some next week, I have a recipe for the yellow mint sauce stuff and I've got some home made onion Bhajis in the freezer. That'll be a nice lunch for next week as the kids have 2 months off school now.
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