Starting to make a change

[StormIstalri]

Just spent a few hours last night reading up on this site and trying to find ways to improve my health.

I have a blood test in the morning (early and no thyroxine 24hrs before).

Appointment to see dr after blood test to ask for all other tests needed (fingers crossed they will!)

Going to avoid fluoride now after my reading (no tea, tap water and changing toothpaste) and looking into if we have any aluminum cookware.

I do have digestive/stomach issues and had a food intolerance test (sent hair strands away) which said some things that made sense. I've cut out egg whites, peppers and peas but still have bad days.

So my question is, can I just start going gluten free or do I need to speak to my dr first?

Where's a good place to start as I'm finding the idea of going gluten free a bit daunting if I'm honest!

Thanks

[Marz]

Have just written a long reply to you but it has disappeared. Here in Crete we are enduring the most horrendous thunderstorms - almost a week now - and the power is on the flicker constantly. I am beginning to think like the locals - what have we done to upset the gods ? Will reply again later

[greygoose]

Just for your information, the fluoride you find in tea is totally different to the fluoride in water and toothpaste. What they put in water and toothpaste is industrial waste, it's not naturally occurring fluoride such as you find in tea. I'm not convinced the odd cuppa is going to do you that much harm - goodness knows you're cutting out enough stuff as it is! - we have to have some pleasures in life. As long as it's one hour away from levo, of course.

[StormIstalri in reply to greygoose]

Thanks. I did wonder about that.

Still think I'll cut it out for now. Don't drink very much (usually just weekend mornings) but can feel a bit off afterwards.

[greygoose in reply to StormIstalri]

[Justiina in reply to greygoose]

Fluoride is used in pesticides so tea can contain both. Organic tea would only contain natural fluoride and therefore like you said is safe to use. Same applies to coffee.

[humanbean]

For gluten-free help I would suggest joining/following this community on HealthUnlocked :

The Gluten-Free Guerrillas : healthunlocked.com/glutenfr...

You can read all the posts that interest you, and also ask for help if you need it.

If you live in the UK you could join the coeliac society :

coeliac.org.uk/home/

They have a section on their site for members only which lets you access their directory of gluten-free foods and products. But if you don't join (I always intended to but never did) you can still learn a lot from their site.

I'm sure there must be coeliac societies with similar info in many other countries.

If you type "gluten-free" into the search box at the BBC Food Recipes site you'll get back over 3000 recipes :

bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/

*****

When I went gluten-free I was intimidated by it. I actually hoped that it would make no difference and I could go back to eating "normally". But I got quite a few benefits from going gluten-free despite testing negative for coeliac disease so I had to learn to live with it. I was actually really annoyed that I got some benefits, which is a bit weird.

I prefer not to make use of ready-made gluten-free food most of the time because it is often packed with loads of sugar and other additives that I wouldn't voluntarily choose to eat.

****

Do you have a Kindle?

You can get quite a few gluten-free cookbooks in the Kindle section of Amazon that are completely free or cost less than £1. But the better books are more expensive (naturally).

If you don't have a Kindle you can download an app for free that allows you to read Kindle books on a Mac, a PC, an Android phone or an Apple gadget. Just download the appropriate app from this link :

amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp

I do have a Kindle. But I have also downloaded and installed the Kindle app for PC and I can read books I've bought on either my Kindle or my PC - you don't have to buy books twice!

****

Whatever happens, just remember that getting it 100% right from day one isn't something many people achieve. Mistakes and accidents happen, but don't beat yourself up over it. It becomes easier as time goes on, and you do adjust.

However, if you have had no benefits from going gluten-free within 3 - 4 months I would suggest going back to normal eating. I got my first benefits within a week so I was stuck with it!

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

Oh, I forgot to say... You don't need to speak to your doctor about going gluten-free. It is entirely up to you!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to humanbean]

Snap.

I tried gluten free out of desperation, hoping/assuming it would make no difference.

Within 24 hours noticed a slight difference, & by 2-3 days a huge difference. If you get such a positive response it makes it easier to accept.

Only very occasionally do I long for fresh white bread and marmite .....

The most difficult thing is eating at friends or family .....can be tricky!

[Marz]

I very much doubt your GP or the lab will be able to do all the required testing - costs ?? Are you able to have tests done privately ? - see below.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

There are many companies mentioned in the above Thyroid UK link. The tests required - TSH - FT4 - FT3 and Thyroid Anti-bodies - TPO & Tg. Also the following - B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD.

Don't forget to obtain your results with ranges. Do you have any thyroid results you could share with us ? - so people are able to comment. There are T3 receptor cells in the gut lining and make huge demands on a supply of T3 - so am suspecting your result will be low. The brain has the most T3 receptors ...