Going Gluten Free

[nessa263]

Hi,

Looking for some moral support and success stories. I am about to embark on a gluten free diet. Anyone else on this journey or able to offer positive encouragement?

Thanks.

[NWA6]

I think it’s easy peasy 🥳 I have eaten low carb for about 5yrs so I’d rarely eat gluten as a rule. But I’ve been completly gluten free for 2mths. I didn’t really have any overt symptoms that impacted my daily activity but I was very ill from improper medication and so in order to help my body as naturally as possible I went 100% gluten free added vitamin supplements and within that 2mth cycle I also got the right thyroid medication finally so I’m can’t be 100% sure which or of all have helped me feel fabulous 😀

If you do like your carbs there is soooo much gluten free out there that it’s easy to carry on with whatever diet you like. The only thing I missed was a delicious cold beer on the hot summer says we had 😬

[dodge1979 in reply to NWA6]

You can by gluten free stela from Tesco

[Widawake]

Hi, I have been trying gluton free since December. There are tons of gluton free products out there. Shar products are my favourite to date. Sold in most supermarkets. I experiment with different flours in baking. Gram flour is great. Sold in the Morrison superstores. It makes great Yorkshire puddings, great batter mixed with spices and baking soda. The main problem has been to find gluton free and no sugar. Possible but limited

[Peanut31]

Hi

I’ve been GF since November 2017, at first I found it hard, as although I didn’t have a lot of bread etc, there are a lot of hidden wheat in things you wouldn’t expect, gravy, soups etc.

At first I went mad buying loads of gluten free products, I brought some pretty awful tasting stuff, but, I soon found my favourites and adjusted well. Be careful some have loads of sugars added to make it taste nice.

Nowadays I tend to stick to freshly prepared foods.

I found schar bread the best, if you fancy crisps, seabrooke or Pom bears. Lots of GF products in free from sections in supermarkets now, plus many are amongst normal products as well.

It definitely helped me going gluten free, I’m no longer bloating or have terrible tummy pains.

If you join celiac uk

coeliac.org.uk/home/

they have lots of ideas/ recipes and also a barcode app for your mobile phone, if you scan the barcode on the product it will either give you a happy face or sad, as to whether it is safe to eat.

When I go out for a meal, I have steak and salad or salmon and salad. Many tea rooms cater for gluten free as well. If they don’t then jacket potato’s or omelettes are a good option.

Good luck

Best wishes

Peanut31

[Widawake]

Hi, I have just read a link about gluton effect on the thyroid. You may find you will need less thyroxin as gluton hinders your absorption. It happened to me and I was wired and couldn't sleep. When I got tested my tsh was low. Forewarned is forearmed if you start to have similar problems go and get a blood test done. I am feeling much better and sleeping since my dose was lowered. Good luck

[galathea]

I’ve had a pain in my left hand lower abdomen for quite a while. Its been scanned and nothing showing. Then i gave up gluten and the pain went after about 3 weeks. I got lazy and had a battered fish from the chip shop. The pain on the left hand side all started again and its taken a few weeks to get it right. I dont generally eat carbs, but i havenow replaced the stock, cubes, thrown away the wheat flour and am not remotely interested in the chocolate buscuits my other half has in the cupboard. The chip shop does gluten free batter if you phone in the order. Pain or gluten, its an easy choice.. i feel tons better for it, Good luck.! Xx

[nessa263]

Thank you everyone. Did anyone find that being gluten free lifted their mood and reduced anxiety?

[Mrsbuns in reply to nessa263]

Hi me again - I have been using CBD oil for around 6 weeks and it has worked wonders on my anxiety - the doc gave me antidepressants but I hated taking them and I find this a much better alternative. You have to do your research - a reputable source and purity - many of the cheaper ones are not reccommded on the forums. But it cert has made a huge difference for me 😆

[NWA6 in reply to Mrsbuns]

Yes that’s what i want to start using, my friends daughter suffered with depression and anxiety and she started using it and has been greatly improved 😀

[Mrsbuns in reply to NWA6]

I find the pain of my fibromyalgia becomes unbearable when I'm stressed so I use this twice a day and then if I am in a stressful situation I take extra - really really helps

[nessa263 in reply to Mrsbuns]

I know you probably can't say too much but where did you even start when doing your research?

[Mrsbuns in reply to nessa263]

Hi I found this site most helpful

marijuanabreak.com/best-cbd...

But also looked at lots of forums - selected from here as wanted one I knew came highly reccommded. I use the most reccommded one 😆 good luck hope it makes a difference

[Harper in reply to Mrsbuns]

Yes i use CBD oil. It is very good for sleep, anxiety and many other things. Go to the hempworx site it's good stuff.

[Mrsbuns]

Hi nessa263 I'm just about to embark on the same journey 😄 I'm seeing a nutritionalist on Friday. I have hashimotos but also been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. At this point I would rather try anything 'natural' than the list of drugs the doctor wants me to take. She keeps trying to get me to take steroids and I refuse to try the - take it and see what happens - route! So will keep in touch and let you know 😆

[Kipsy]

I went GF two years ago exactly and my thyroidglobulin antibodies have dropped from above 1000 to around 250 gradually.

[bolney78 in reply to Kipsy]

That's really good to know, that's exactly why I've gone GF and started Brazil nuts for selenium. I'm only 6 weeks in but feeling great and will be retesting again in a couple of months.

[Kipsy in reply to bolney78]

I’m delighted to hear you’re feeling better. Don’t be disappointed if there’s not a huge drop in antibodies after two months as that’s quite early to test. I didn’t notice a decent fall for over a year of being GF and it was when I’d been GF for almost two years that they dropped dramatically. There’s a lot of discussion on here about Brazil nuts not providing much selenium due to depletion of nutrients in soil. I supplemented selenium for about a year then stopped. I also tried going dairy free for a few months but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference to me. We’re all different though.

[suebob59]

Hi Nessa, Ive been GF for 8 months now. Found it a bit difficult at first, as there are so many horrid ready made products on the market. But I've started baking my own again and it's much better, less sugar too.

You also learn quickly too eat more fruit & veg to make up for lack of quick sandwiches & biscuits, added bonus I've lost about 8lb since🙂

Just look closely at labels on things like stock cubes, gravy etc. And Pringles my downfall😱

[Donnaca]

I’ve now gone grain free and feeling so much better, I can’t believe I didn’t do this before. I’ve done gluten free but personally didn’t feel much better because I used gluten free products and they made me bloated too.

It’s a bit easier in warmer months doing grain free because you can eat more salads and fruits without feeling cold.

[genileris]

I found that elimination of all grains, wheat, rice, etc made a huge difference. No more joint pain or migraines. It’s not just the gluten, it’s the whole process of production including the use of pesticides that can effect people with thyroid issues.

[gigitheweegie]

I went gluten free at the end of last year.

On the odd days where I miss glutinous products I buy gluten free options but I do try to stay away from them. A lot are full of sugar and chemicals to try and replicate the real thing. I’d personally rather do without most of the time.

The biggest difference I noticed was in my skin. It had gone greasy yet flaky in my eyebrows and nose. all this has gone as has the mild swelling in my face which I didn’t really notice until it went.

Also (excuse the too much info) but poos are now a more solid consistency and smell like they should (or like they used to before my body went wrong!)

Give it ago and see what difference it makes to you.

[Gilbo72]

I’ve been gluten free for years. The hardest part for me was getting over the feeling i has to justify why i are gluten free when i was not a celiac. Now I just say I have an autoimmune disease and gluten exacerbates it.

When I started GF there wasn’t much out there, and what there was was pretty disgusting.

Now there is loads out there, but generally, I substitute pasta for rice ( but now there are some fab ‘brown rice’ pastas from all the supermarket brands which is lovely.) I tend to avoid bread now, I don’t particularly like GF bread which for me causes other digestive problems. So I only tend to have GF bread occasionally in the form of the toasted sarnies as a treat whilst out if I really fancy it. Lunches tend to be a range of salads, vegan stuff, sushi (without the soya sauce) instead of GF sarnies which I find horrible. Going GF I think actually makes you healthier and try other foods that you wouldn’t have considered before, like beans, pulses, quinoas, lentils etc. For a treat I might have a GF biscuit. And like a previous answer I prefer the GF brand Schar, who do great pizzas.

I used to get flu-like aches all the time whilst on gluten, they have gone. On occasion I may lapse and immediately regret it, mild flu-like aches and my husband can tell when I’ve been glutened as I get grouchy!.

I think the secret is to not substitute like for like, but explore new things and avoid processed foods. Don’t eat GF stuff substitutes you don’t like it, just because they are GF!

Good luck!

Ps, I’m know embarking on dairy free on top! Asked me 10 years ago, there is no way I could have imagined going both GF and dairy free, but my diet has changed from gf and dairy free seems quite easy now!

[cabro2]

I went gluten free in October. It has been a big and positive change. The brain fog is SO much better, as well as fatigue and bloating. I have fibro, so not such a big change in joint/muscle pain but yes, some improvement there. And the cravings are greatly reduced, so it is much easier to lose weight. I’ve lost 15 lbs. I am so motivated by the lack of brain fog - that toxic, cloudy, sleepy, drugged feeling - that I find it easy to say no to gluten now and continue to seek out GF products and gluten free foods. Best of luck to you! I hope you get the same benefits.

[Mrsbuns in reply to cabro2]

Hi Cabro2 - I was really interested in your post as I'm about to go GF and dairy free for my Hashimotos and fibronmyalgia - was hoping to dramatically reduce if not get rid of this debilitating pain as at the moment unable to work. How much improvement do you feel GF has made to the fibromyalgia - I know that's hard to quantify but I just need to feel I'm going to get my life back 😆

[WestBurrafirth]

Yes, I've gone gluten-free with occasional lapses (which are not helpful but when away it's difficult sometimes!). But it's not that difficult.

Been experimenting with different flours and now making pastry which my partner says is the best! Trying to make my own bread as the ones the supermarkets sell are pretty awful. There are lots of gluten free products like soya sauce. Also now making my own granola, and have bought some good gluten-free cookery books with interesting recipes (am not that interested in cooking so it's broadening my repertoire) . The thing I really miss is good pasta.

Have also been trying to avoid high histamine foods (have been getting hives which is a result of your body's overload of histamine; again linked to thyroid) - but this is really really difficult!

have also cut out milk and using oat or almond or cashew milk. haven't gone to full non-dairy path though - I love cheese too much and don't eat meat.

Go for it!

[Kipsy in reply to WestBurrafirth]

WestBurrafirth have you had a look at the recipe for Michael Moseley’s Breakfast Bread? I make a couple of batches every few weeks, slice it and freeze it. It’s almond based so very filling and great toasted in the morning with some nice jam. If you have a food processor it’s very easy. I substitute ground flax seeds for buckwheat flour if I can’t be bothered to grind the seeds.

[WestBurrafirth in reply to Kipsy]

Oooh - looks good and not much prep! Thank you for the tip

[Naomi8]

Thank you for posting this.I have been GF for 5 weeks.I do not have any gut symptoms for gluten,as far as I am aware.Finding it much easier than expected because i am not socialising or eating out due to fatigue.

No reduction in fatigue bouts so far.

[Naomi8]

Thank you to everyone who replied from me too!All very helpful & encouraging!

[nessa263 in reply to Naomi8]

I know.....isn't it amazing. I don't think I could have coped without this site. So much expertise. X

[Naomi8 in reply to nessa263]

I joined TUK pre forum days,when it was just a quarterly magasine(I was diagnosed in 1998)

This forum has got me through some very difficult times.The worst was when I had very bad brain-fog & also a 2 year depression with panic-disorder.

There's nothing like a support group of fellow travellers sharing their strength,hope & knowledge.

[Hidden]

Hello

I have been gluten free since June 2010. Best thing ever. I was in and out of hospital with anaphylaxis (not that any of the UK doctors recognised it as such, on all 4 occasions, thank god for German GP's), and the last time was blue lighted ambulance where I went into cardiac arrest on the way.

There is so much choice now for gluten free eating and lots of baking books from places like Amazon. I quite like the NOSH collection of gluten free books, but have plenty of others, in fact a whole cupboard full, I love baking so any excuse to buy a new gluten free cooking / baking book😉

There are a lot of online gluten free bakery's you can even order from and have stuff delivered.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure.

CatPaws🐾

[nessa263 in reply to Hidden]

Wow, sounds like you had quite a scare. Thanks for the advice. X

[Hidden in reply to nessa263]

Any time.

Par for the course where my health is concerned. I never do things easy.

Lol😉

Good luck

CatPaws🐾

[CarmenML]

I have been trying to follow the keto diet, and stopped eating gluten. No more brain fog, and much less inflammation in my body. I gave up refined sugar as well, and just use stevia products as a sweetener. I probably do not read the labels as much as I should, but I feel better.

[nessa263]

The amount of replies I got to this post has been amazing and really positive. I am already starting to feel better although it is going to take some time to figure out what I can and can't have. Thank you everyone.

[humanbean]

All the recipes on this website are gluten-free :

dietdoctor.com/

I use it all the time and most of the recipes are a doddle to make.

It is worth reading the comments with each recipe (if there are any) because they highlight any difficulties that people have, substitutions they've made that were successful (or not), and just general info on getting the most successful result.