GF - to include personal care items?

[Daffers123]

HI - I am recently GF but have been reading that it is necessary for shampoo, body lotion etc. etc. to all be GF. I am not celiac, this is purely to lower my hashis anti-bodies (which have fallen from 125 to 82 since going GF a couple of months ago).

So do I need to check out all my personal care items in case they contain wheat ?

many thanks

[shaws Administrator]

I am gluten-free now but only to food. Not for anything else.

[Daffers123 in reply to shaws]

Shaws, Music to my ears ....are you feeling better without the gluten ?

I have been pleased as my anti bodies are down, my thyroid numbers are better and I have more energy. I have started LDN now, to see if I can get the AB right down. I really dont want to give up dairy as well...

[shaws Administrator in reply to Daffers123]

I felt fine before but I have lost weight - even though I eat sweets. I don't know why weight is lost as I eat well and I did try gluten-free bread but that only lasted three days I thought it was awful. I have just avoided anything with gluten in it.

I have a good all-round diet but have had to go to weight watchers in the past - before diagnosis of hypo so it could have been the hypo which caused it.

I don't want to lose too lose too much as I dont want to be scrawny.

[Daffers123 in reply to shaws]

yes agree about the scrawny looknow on women of a certain age (me, not you) as I too have lost weight and not sure why either. I thought it must be eating less cakes and biscuits but I still do eat GF biscuits from M&S as they don'the taste too sugary. Found their bread to get better than other GF stuff too

[shaws Administrator in reply to Daffers123]

me too - of a certain age

[Babette]

I generally avoid gluten-containing products, especially things like lip balms and lipsticks.

[Daffers123]

thanks Babette I didn't even think of lipstick but must be quite an important one to consider ...

[Fruitandnutcase]

I went totally GF a few years ago for the same reason as you have done. I haven’t done anything about personal care items though. Must go check out what I’m using.

My antibodies have gone from

400.1 (0-115)Anti thyroglobulin and 31.3 Anti thyroidperoxidase (0-34 )

Down to

27.1. (0 - 115)For Anti thyroglobulin and <9.0 (0-34)for Anti thyroidperoxidase

So going GF can make a difference.

[Daffers123 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

that's fantastic news . how long did it take to get them down so much ?

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Daffers123]

I started testing with BH in July 2015 and my most recent tests were last month but they reduced steadily right from the start. When I went GF I thought I would give it three months and if nothing had changed then I wouldn’t bother but when I saw my results go down I was hooked.

[Newhyp1]

I also had this thought this week after noticing my shampoo and conditioner had a big label on the front stating no parabens etc and gluten free. I read that it might be sensible to use gluten free lip, eye and hand products. I have discovered that there is wheat products in my lip care and some other products and is used a lot in anti aging products. I think when they are used up I will replace with gluten free ones after all the effort to eat gluten free would rather not risk it.

[Saggyuk]

Yes I have to check everything as both me and my daughter are both really sensitive but is not so easy with these types of items as lots hidden and not clearly labelled like food items. The herbal essences shampoo mentioned above states gluten free on some of their range so I'm hoping this is an indication that this will change at some point soon. I suppose it depends on how sensitive you are but I suppose you wont know that unless you've had a period of having none at all and then adding them back in to see if makes any difference??

There are lots of nice GF products to eat but it's just a case of finding them lol!