Hi all.
Whilst I'm in a period of wellness I have decided to get on the healthy bandwagon. I have started a healthy eating programme and polishing off my running shoes next week.
The main thing im wanting to do is kick the gluten. I've read a few things that suggest gluten is not great for auto immune conditions. so for those that are gluten free did it make a difference to your symptoms? Obviously I know it's only a tiny factor but wanted to see if it's worth a go.
Highly recommend going gluten free. Amazed at how much better I feel, so much more energy. Shop bought GF products are costly though. New EU laws from October will ensure that all allergens are shown on food labels which will help.
Gluten free or not? Is a really good question. You may revert to the word "Whole Foods". This is a process of eating healthy without the over processed mass produced products. You can be gluten free and the mass produced products still have a lot of sugars and fillers. Look at alternative sugars such as Coconut Palm sugar (not to be confused with palm sugar) and rapadura (sugar prior to heat treatment and removal of the essential minerals and vitamins). As for Gluten free are you allergic to gluten or just the bloating, maybe look at a more unprocessed/modified form of grain such as Kumat or Spelt. These are on the list of ancient grains. Maybe avoid the common Yeats that are in bread making and also brewing manufacture. Yes some of you may also disagree to avoid this one, the almighty Soy the cheap extender of breads and baked products.
Enjoy the research into the world of Whole Foods.
A gluten free diet changed my life. In so many ways. My blood work was crazy before the diet:all my rheumatoid tests were sky high, I was anemic, osteopenia ( lost 2"s of height,), and low energy.
Then I tried a gluten free diet. I was extremely skeptical and I planned to just give it a whirl for a week or so. But for me, the results were immediate and dramatic! Within 48 hours my house was clean, I was only sleeping 8 hours as night, ( with no naps!) and I was back to hiking and biking up 1000' mountains. and within 1year all my blood values went from " crazy" to " boringly normal.". I like boringly normal!
Good luck. For most people gluten seems to not be an issue. But with me, gluten was apparently aggravating my immune system with every bite.
( and despite the arrival of menopause, I got 1" of height back!)
I feel much better gluten free too, as do 3 of my kids. I have been GF for over 2 years now and would not go back. Sadly, my house still isn't clean though. I wish that were a side effect for me! 
I always wish people could see me next to my sister. We've both had big genetic work ups, and both of us have one risk allele (SNP) flagged as "gluten intolerant" in 23andme AND Johns Hopkins (other things flagged as well that are autoimmune). We look like twins and genetically are almost identical. But she "only" has bipolar disorder, whereas I have 2 autoimmune conditions and possibly a third. She refuses to give up grains. She weighs 220 lbs and has had breast and cervical cancer. I weigh 140 lbs and have had bladder cancer. She lives with constant skeletal pain from arthritis and is showing signs of Alzheimer's at 62. I also have arthritis, but very little pain. We both have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, known to be painful, and I have more serious symptoms, but less pain.
I was sent to Mayo Clinic and was told by an immunologist there to eliminate all grains, no exceptions. She went to the Cleveland Clinic and was told the same thing, but went back to bread and pasta after a month. She's in HORRIBLE shape now. She has Hughes, same as me, but says she doesn't "believe the doctor" who diagnosed her! "Doesn't believe" bread could be bad, staff of life and all that....
All autoimmune conditions are improved by eliminating grains. If I were doing it again, I would eliminate ALL of them at the outset. Especially corn. In the US corn doesn't have to be on food labels. There are over 200 corn derivatives in use in food world wide. Don't assume that only gluten protein is the problem! Bits and pieces of the protein strands cause the same problems as whole glutens. Be ruthless in getting your body "clean". It will amaze you!
Hi, it has made a huge difference to me, my own perspective is that it takes one layer of irritation out of the equation, those who are on Thyroid medication often notice a difference also, it only does not make a difference if not strictly adhered too, and you may feel slightly worse as you adjust. So many people appear to lose their stomach upsets, and also IBS when kicking the habit, just be aware that gluten lurks in many things including chocolate powder the cheaper ones put on top of frothy coffee and of course in soy sauce, best of luck, many of us on here are gluten free. MaryF
Joint pain...
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