Hi, lots of times I see advice here to go gluten free. Be really interested to hear what people think. Is it’s really worth it and is it achievable?
At the moment I’m far from gluten free. I love wholewheat pasta and sourdough. I tested negative for celiac disease but my genes were analyzed as part of a research project and they told me I have genetic markers for possible increased susceptibility to gluten sensitivity. I did the ZOE thing and that says I’m great at processing carbs but terrible with fat so anything low carb would be bad for me. I get the idea gluten free might be useful in calming my gut and improving a range of symptoms but I wouldn’t know how to start or how long to do it. I can see there are some bean based pasta but most gluten free bread I see on shelves is low fibre, ultra processed and packed full of gut harming emulsifiers and stabilizers to compensate for the lack of gluten. Rice has a very high GI and is terrible for blood sugar and removing wholewheat would take tonnes of B vitamins out of my diet I’m stuck for what to eat if I remove gluten. Am I over thinking it? Is it really worth it and is it really realistic?
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Hashiboy
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I've been gluten free for 9 weeks and have felt much better for it - less inflammation in hands and feet and face and overall more clarity and energy. There have been a few slips, however I'm determined to keep going.
I told myself I'd try it for 2 weeks at first and see how I felt. I could tell by then that it suited my body and I have carried on.
I don't bother with buying gluten free anything - as you say, they are so full of other ingredients I don't want to eat, and so I just eat protein, vegetables, nuts and seeds, cheese and yoghurt, and berries. If I want carbs I eat sweet potato fries or new potatoes in their skins.
I don't miss wheat, or any grains. If I want something sweet I eat cakes made with ground almonds, dark chocolate with nut butter, dark chocolate covered nuts, or berries.
It's worth a try - I'd definitely recommend giving it a go for 2 weeks and seeing how you feel.
I’m really glad I started this thread and found the replies so helpful, thanks HotelHurricaine Blissful Lalatoot Jaydee1507 SlowDragon Recon BenHall1 CaroMaxx Lynneypin Chockyuk Suzanneharb I’m still GF curious Once I’ma but less busy I’ll get organized and try a GF ten days and see how it goes. I think I need to set aside time to learn a bit about GF options like rice or pulse pasta, as I mentioned I did ZOE so I’ll use their app to check out how some GF foods score for me and pick the best ones. It was really interesting to hear that so many people feel there’s a genuine benefit. Finally just wondering if there are any good recipe websites for GF eating?
I have to say it does take a huge leap of faith initially and also a fair degree of planning. Gluten gets slipped in to so many processed foods that cooking from scratch is probably the easiest way to begin.
You will need to learn the different terms used for gluten. Mainly look for words in bold (which are allergens) on processed food packaging.
Hashi going gluten free may seem daunting but I found it fairly easy if you just take the plunge. Though it does depend on where you live and how good you are at cooking.I live in a small town in the north east of Scotland so I have to rely on the internet for supplying staples I use such as millet flour . I have failed more times than I care to mention making gf bread but find that both Tesco, Asda and marks and Spencer do very good brown or seeded sliced bread if you know which one to buy .
There is plenty of choice out there and yes there is a lot of cardboard and polystyrene masquerading as gf goodies but once you know what's what it is fine
There are plenty of good cookbooks too if you are able to cook.
The best gf bread I have found is Promise+can get multiseeded, sourdough and a Chia version. I must say toast or sandwich it works for me. Available@Saibsbury's but not cheap - £3.60 a loaf but it's quite a substantial loaf+doesn't break up like some.
Thanks Lottyplum really appreciate the tip. Here's my dilemma. I just did the ZOE thing and they strongly advise against ultra processed food and say emulsifiers are pretty detrimental to gut health. So one of my problems with going GF is that lots of the GF foods are not great for gut health.
Here's the ingredients list for Promise seed bread, you can see that it’s an ultra processed food with lots of emulsifiers and stabilisers.
I think HotelHurricaine s advice to just think healthy GF carbs like sweet potato or rice and forget about finding substitutes for wheat might be the way to go.
Hashi boy looking for substitutes for wheat gets you nowhere. You would waste a lot of money and eat a lot of additives and be disappointed if you just bought gf versions of what you would have normally eaten. The only gf substitute I regularly buy is gf bread as I do like toast.
The bread you mention above does seem to have a lot of ingredients in it but they are not all bad. Xanthum gum and physillis husk are essentials in gf baking as the hold things together. The starches and the flours are commonly used too in gf baking. A combination of potato and tapioca starch mixed with things such as sorghum flour, millet flour, buckwheat flour, maize flour are used to make gf cake, pastry etc. I mix my own combo to use. Spirit vinegar is needed in bread to give the chemical reaction
Hi Lalatoot I totally agree if I’m going GF I should forget substitutes after all the posts here and a bit of googling I can see there’s loads of gluten free carbs.
And I know you’re right, emulsifiers are fantastically useful and widespread in all kinds of foods , but Not all of those emulsifiers are totally innocent - my husband has a full on blue light anaphylactic reaction to guar and zanthum gum. Not just intolerant, he has to scrupulously avoid them or he ends up needing an epipen or a trip to A&E. I nearly killed him with some gum loaded Coleman’s mustard when we first met. ZOE is more concerned with gut impact. But the jury is out. Here’s an article if you’re curious.
It's the only processed gf I have. Everything else cooked from scratch. I have to say though that after 42 yrs of Hashi I do believe I have got off so lightly after reading so many horror stories here. Trust you get all the help you need from so many people here who are so knowledgeable.
HotelHurricaine has the right idea. It's not simply about a straight swap for gluten containing bread to gluten free bread. You need to be a little creative with how you replace the carbs and that can even be in vegetable form.
I have a mainly protein breakfast with eggs, some carbs at lunch - could even be a jacket potato with protein + salad Then in the evening I have meat + lots of veg, no added carbs in the form of potatoes.
I do keep some GF bread in the freezer then I can easily make a GF sandwich to have on the go if I'm out for a while.
It's a whole different way of eating that will take time to get used to.
Reluctantly went gluten free in 2016. Astonishing improvements in symptoms, and I would never go back.
Yes initially it’s daunting, but once you get use to it, it’s no issue. The trickiest is eating at friends or family, but often they love to get involved and are keen to help
If Travelling abroad get a Coeliac travel card in relevant language. Again most hotels/restaurants are extremely helpful
Now dairy free too, and similar astonishing improvements
Eating out dairy free there’s usually something vegan you can add chicken/steak etc too
I'm with SlowDragon on this. I resisted the gluten-free way until last October, in a last-ditch, I really need to lose weight or be morbidly obese the rest of my life like my mom moment (I was stuck at 250# after instantly losing a 10 pounds a year earlier after being dx with hypothyroidism - and trying, trying, trying but not making any dent in my weight). So, big benefits: I didn't realize how much inflammation I had in my body - as it was just what I was used to - and since eliminating gluten, my joint pains, weight and inflammation numbers have diminished greatly (and I know there are definitely other benefits). I am dairy "light" in the sense that I did remove it, too - and came to realize I can not eat cheese, with the exception of an occasion hard cheese, no milk, no ice cream, etc., but I do use a little butter a few times a month. I read food labels, tried the gluten-free breads, as I was a big bread eater, but have found I prefer other sources of complex carbohydrates instead. My taste has changed, too. I am healthier, and my numbers - thyroid, cholesterol, standard metabolic blood test, as well as vitamins & mineral, all reflect that improved health.
Why don't you consult a Nutritionist and seek professional advice. I did this years ago in order to address my Atrial Fibrillation ..... never looked back. She firstly put me on a course of Probiotics, then got me gluten free, wheat free and oats free .... which I still am. But this process then led me to address all other foods I ate and was able to widen my diet to include stuff I'd never thought of. I'm fine now, and the AF is highly, highly controlled.
Great question Hashiboy and exactly the debate I’ve been having with myself for years. I’ll go gluten free for a few days then fall off the wagon 🤦🏽♀️ but usually because I’ve not been organised or thought ahead with meal planning. I’m awaiting my Zoe results and suspect very similar to you good blood sugar but poor blood fat. I agree with all the other comments that being creative with substitutes and cooking from scratch is what’s worked for me when I’m winning! Then there are days when I’m inflexible and that’s where I get myself stuck
Bottom line / it’s expensive. They basically test your ability to process carbs and fat and check out the health of your gut microbes and then give you access to an app that scores food in terms of how good it is for you as an individual given your results. There’s then a three month guided mini course on the app to get you to learn to eat optionally in terms of your ability to process carbs, fats and in terms of optimizing gut health. The idea is to hit a score of 75 out of 100 for each meal (the app works out a score). So for example brown rice gets me a score of 40, brown pasta gets me a 70 and chickpea flour pasta gets me over 80+ (because it has more fibre for my gut and the sugar peak is lower). By adding extra Virgin olive oil to brown rice the score goes to 75 because the fat slows down the sugars from the rice peaking and provides some polyphenols for my gut. The idea is that following a high score diet reduces insulin peaks and troughs, reduces blood fat spikes, reduces inflammation and makes you feel good.. I enjoyed it. It’sa bit hard at first but once I stopped eating it like a diet I learned to recognise what scores well for me and how to combine foods to boost scores it was easy. That’s why I asked about gluten because in terms of fibre and blood sugar I score well for wholewheat pasta, bulgur, barley and freekah but much less well for rice. ZOE is also very against additives like emulsifiers or stabilizers. So I’d be concerned that removing gluten would involve removing foods that gives me a good blood sugar response and replacing these with GF foods that give me a poorer blood sugar response or contain lots of gut damaging emulsifiers.
I definitely understand where you are coming from. I look at the junk they put in gf bread and worry about it but at the same time I feel so much better being gf. I sometimes treat myself to bulk buying artisan gf bread from gf bakers, much less fillers and gorgeous bread. We sold our tumble dryer and bought a small freezer so I could do this!
Interestingly I think I’m struggling with rice now ……
As well as a underactive thyroid (I’m on Levothyroxine) I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis and am on Methotrexate and Sulphasalazine. I decided to go on the Paleo diet about 2 months ago. This does cut out quite a few things such as gluten, refined sugars, starchy vegetables, legumes, no dairy. I thought I’d really struggle, but it hasn’t actually been that bad. I’ve lost over a stone in weight which is great for my joint problems, also I have much more energy, fatigue has been my most problematic symptom. I’m not sure how long I can do it, but I’m hoping it can become a lifestyle change, as I am feeling so much better. It’s difficult though when my son comes to stay and he’s eating a bacon sarnie! 😂
My biggest regret is not getting a coeliac test before going gluten free as I strongly suspect I am coeliac. I now urge others not to make the same mistake.
It was easy being gf 12 years ago, but I’ve found it so much more difficult to eat out in the last year plus shop products I use to enjoy eating now have added gluten (for no good reason). Lots of restaurants taking gf off menus etc. it’s such a pain and I can’t risk it by having a bit of gluten (I get ill, but also then not knowing if I’m coeliac and the damage that could be happening). So it gets frustrating on a practical/choice level.
I know that’s not totally what you’re asking here, but still worth considering a test first. Once you’re gf you can’t get a test and may feel stuck gf forever.
As for me, I was so ill I had to go gf, so no regrets there. Just the test regret! All the best.
I have found it difficult to bite this bullet too, even although I have noticed when I do not have bread or pasta, I definitely feel better. I am not organised enough, too tired etc, no matter the perceived benefits! I would like to make an additional observation. I am so used to feeling bloated over too many years to count, that actually, I miss the bloating after a short period of feeling pretty well. Before hypothyroidism was diagnosed I had all sorts of theories about that but now I am thinking it’s a bit like addictive behaviour and I pretty much ‘need’ to feel bloated!?! It’s what I know but don’t actually love! There is some elusive sort of comfort in feeling Sh1t. I can hardly believe I have voiced this.
Some time ago someone did an experiment (sorry no references) that children could feel comforted and soothed by cigarette smoke if their Mother’s had been smokers. This I think shows the power of ‘comfort’ no matter the source.
Time to get back to the drawing board for me (in more ways than one).
As for other ‘fixed’ behaviours, I had to get over myself big time about my sleep apnea and using the machine. I really do think finally coming to terms with that (all thanks again to Jaydee1507 ) has helped me so much more than thyroid medication; except for a brief time on T3 (which I want to get back to).
With all this in mind and my ‘confession’, I am going to have another shot at gluten free.
There is some elusive sort of comfort in feeling Sh1t. I can hardly believe I have voiced this.
I totally "get" what you are saying (and it is "bonkers") but when a person has been SO depleted/out of sorts for protracted lengths of time, then somehow we don't have the reserves to deal with new stuff, and settle for only the known.
I like this quote by Krishnamurti:
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
Such a good quote. I have found it particularly difficult to get my head around what doctors and endos think is ‘OK’. It definitely downgrades any understanding of ‘health’. Since feeling a lot better (as said previously, not a lot to with my medication yet) this has become a gaping abyss. Doctors do work in a profoundly sick society. Their choice of job puts them in daily contact with that ‘sick society’. Many doctors seem incapable of thinking that many patients could have their health improved. If only the doctors could contribute by raising themselves themselves above their own perceptions. It just does not seem to happen. No wonder we get sucked further down too.
I am sure this quote extends to the ‘wider sick society’ too.
I’d avoid too much of any replacement type of foods like gluten feee bread etc. the easier way to achieve a gluten free diet is with a 1 protein 2 veg combination meals.
For me, I’ve had a hard look at all I consume. E.g. I now buy my meat from the farm knowing it as no nasties like hormones in it.
Waitrose, Sainsbury, and M&S are best for shopping when you start out. Once you get the hang of reading ingredients it will be easier to shop anywhere. I especially recommend Waitrose for combined gluten free and dairy foods.
Finally, getting the Coeliac UK app helped me a great deal in terms of finding products and venues that are gluten free options. For eating out, I type ‘gluten free’ into the search options on google maps and trip advisor.
I bit the GF bullet three months ago, I decided I would give it a go for a month and if there was no change I would go back to ‘normal’. But I felt better within days! I was really surprised, all the bloating I was used to disappeared and my stomach was much more comfortable. I have the Coeliac UK app which is helpful to check foods in the shops, although labelling is very good these days. I do use GF pasta and I make muesli for breakfast using GF oats, which is lovely and actually much nicer than the stuff I used to buy. I do miss bread but the benefit of no bloating means I will stick with this for sure.
Thanks Xmrkn20 I mentioned above I did the ZOE thing. First thing I noticed on that was no bloating. It does require avoiding white bread and processed food.
hi hashiboy, I have hashimotos and two years ago I went GF. No radical improvements but I’d say less joint aches and pains, better bowel movements and less episodes of fatigue tidal waves after eating.
I have had periods of cutting out most carbs and just eating rice and sweet pots, meat, fish, eggs, veg, fruit, nuts and seeds (mainly to try and control SIBO) but I must say I found it very hard to stick to, I lost too much weight (I’m underweight already) had zero energy and was cold all the time! And also pretty miserable from such a restrictive diet. Works for some, not for me, I adore food!
I really missed bread and pizza in particular. So now I have a little GF bread most days and the occasional GF pizza, and bake with GF flour. I’d love to bake with almond flour but my daughter is allergic.
You could make your own GF bread etc, I’m afraid I never find the time!
Re blood sugar, mine feels very reactive, so I always eat protein with my carbs and this seems to help. I can’t handle too much fat but olive oil is fine. Also mostly dairy free, just some butter and Parmesan. Bowel movements much better for it and am much less snotty.
I think it’s a matter of giving it a go. I said to myself I’ll try it but don’t have to stick to it, and two years on I’m still GF and although it is a pain in our very wheat heavy world (especially as I love eating out and travelling), I think on balance it’s better for me. Also most places cater for Gf now, even if it’s just meat and veg or salad
My endo says gluten is fine and doesn’t affect thyroid but I’ve read too much to the contrary to not worry about it!
Finally - I think I’ve nearly optimised my meds and my gut has been SO much better since adding T3 and bringing T3 levels up. It feels like everything just gets digests so much better. So optimising meds is v important too
Give GF a try and see how you go
If you feel better it’s worth it
I do have the odd small bite of gluten treat very occasionally if on holiday but mostly totally GF 😊
I would say give it a go. It takes pressure. Off digesting it's strong stuff so you can heal your gut easier when pressure taken off 🙂 that's my take as really helped health in general
Dried dates also nice sweetness as basis for eg a crumble
Thanks Cup-cake7 like everyone here says probably have to give it a go to find out. I love dates but they send my blood sugar through the roof and according to ZOE I have great blood sugar control. Plums apparently suit me better but have the obvious side effect 😆
ps. Saying plums are high acid yes which isn't good for reflux people. All about healing gut at end of day. I'm glad the tv is promoting this at last on programs
Great answers above a quick addition - I try to avoid GF bread and cakes but haven't yet tried e.g. knife and fork who advertise artisan GF bread. I don't like the blended GF flour as it and many bought GF products are gritty to me and I can't be doing with it! But I quite like making soda bread and cookies with oat flour - I use Doves farm recipes and buy the flour from an online store. Haven't tried pizza yet.
Thanks for the info on Zoe, I'm increasingly tempted
Thanks FoggyThinker those recipe ideas sound good even. I love soda bread so I guess it could be made with gluten free flour. I'm 70% leaning towards giving GF a try.
I was told by my thyroid doc that gluten can instead your thyroid antibodies as they look similar. Mine certainly went up and I'm trialing gf diet now, very reluctantly. I hate it and if there's no change in my antibodies will go back to having it in diet.
I've been gluten free for 3 years now. I was very reluctant. I did have a coeliac blood test first, and thought I'd taken onboard the correct advice about eating gluten beforehand. Except for I wasn't eating anywhere enough (have discovered this afterwards on doing a lot more research!). Test was negative, but still decided to try gluten free as it's recommended for Hashimoto's.
I'll be honest, I don't feel like physically I felt any real benefits. However, I've checked my antibodies a couple of times since with blood tests, and they have come right down, so I think that's a positive, and I have remained strictly GF as a result.
I did recently trial dairy free too. Only for 3 weeks, but most things I read suggested I'd feel the benefits quite quickly if it was going to work. I felt no change at all, so went back to eating dairy (I'm already vegetarian, so really didn't want to go dairy free unless I absolutely needed to).
It can be difficult when out and about, especially with the added complication of being vegetarian too. Meals out have to be well researched in advance, as do holiday destinations. We mostly cruise these days, and they deal with gluten free very well. And we save money by not having random takeaways, as it's very difficult to get any GF takeaways where we live.
I feel like the sacrifice is worth if for my health, but I guess other than the reduction in antibodies, there is no real confirmation it's doing anything for me. However, after 3 years I'd actually be worried about re-introducing gluten now and how my body would react.
thanks Fluffysheep interesting to read about it experience. My own antibodies have dropped from crazy high to low normal over time. I was advised here that that might be because my thyroid is now mostly destroyed and there’s little left to stimulate antibodies. Sounds plausible but I’m no doctor. Take care.
I’ve been on a gluten free diet for 5 years now, and I “feel” better for it, although I increased the plant matter in my diet at the same time. I still have terrible flatulence, but the constipation I had for years has gradually gone. I’d recommend trying gluten free out- it does cut out most ready meals, but ultra processed foods aren’t good for the gut biome anyway. Most gf bread doesn’t taste good, but (expensive) specialist gf bakery bread is available online and can be frozen, and I eat a lot less bread now than I used to.
I think we rarely acknowledge how awful constipation can be for us. I hate it and it’s painful. I’m ok now I’m on T3 but on T4 or under medicated it’s severe. A tip I got here was prunes and chia.
Gluten has been a dietary staple for millennia. It is Not the problem. Glyphosate is the gut disruptor. Organic Kamut is well-received by pretty much everyone💕
Being coeliac I have no choice in making gf work for me… so this is my perspective and 10yrs experience and being a reluctant coeliac, who had no digestive symptoms but was definitely coeliac with antibodies recorded at nearly a 1000.
But can you explain the bit more that you're great at processing carbs and why then are you worried about blood sugars with high glycemic things like rice, obviously brown is slightly better but still causes spikes, so don’t you do well with grains but other carbs you are ok with… Carbohydrates breakdown into glucose and spike blood sugar (Glucose Goddess is a good person to help re few blood sugar hacks) but obviously there’s better carbs choices and eating less which you’ll be aware following Zoe.
I have brown basmati rice if eating rice but then you may have realised that apparently this can contain more arsenic … it’s about mixing things up so you’re not eating the same thing… again you will be aware re Zoe to have more diversity of food getting different food into our diet helps gut health. I do eat the gf pastas made of fibre rich and more nutrient dense ingredients rather than corn and white rice varieties, it’s about all I buy gf on regular basis.
Absolutely agree with you on everything really, keep away from Free from aisle (Frankenstein food) it’s dire nutritionally and yes fibre and B vitamins amongst others are low in coeliacs diet.
I too follow Professor Tim Spector and Zoe team online but being coeliac unfortunately I can’t do the program… CGM are out there now so guess I could go alone and pinpoint my triggers… I feel I have quite a good level understanding of nutrition now through all my deficiencies I encountered through coeliac disease starving me of vital nutrients also causing neurological problems along the way and adding in 2 other autoimmune disorders.
I think in your position being susceptible genetically… knowing your triggers is very helpful, wish I had known…although there are areas beyond your control eg stress and worrying are also switch ons for autoimmunity as with other environmental factors.
If this was my situation prior to me getting my coeliacs diagnosed midlife … I would have definitely chosen better food leaving the grubby white processed stuff and many takeaways and eaten probably less gluten over all. There’s some shoddy gluten foods out there bringing nothing much to your diet but bulk and spiking blood sugar … the rye sourdough are probably better for all but I’ve not explored gluten much in the last decade just gluten free for obvious reasons to say what is healthier… but the sheer impractical nature going strictly gf brings with it for coeliacs (in my experience) is something which makes it hard. I also don’t think totally eliminating a food group is always ideal thing to do, without careful planning but necessary for some so it’s an individual thing and best you get a registered dietitian or nutritionist to sort a personal plan who has access to all your medical care and needs to advise you individually not with generic one shoe fits all approach.
If you’re already dodging the UPFs you will skip most of the hidden gluten anyway … things I include are pulses, lentils, legumes other gluten free grains that are about more choice now than there was before.
Unless you’re already getting problems from eating gluten, I would just choose any gluten foods wisely and keep it to bare minimum and put more diversity of other gf grains etc into your diet …Coeliac U.K. will have a list of gluten free alternatives… I would still eat the gf options out and about this at least is eliminating huge quantities you won’t have to worry about cross contamination at this point…I guess at this stage you have an options and I’d love to be able to be more relaxed when choosing just about any place to eat.
Unfortunately most of the gf influencers put out lots of recipes with UPFs that I mostly avoid as full of high blood sugar spiking ingredients and likewise post places where to eat here in U.K. and abroad but it’s nearly all UPFs and I find where if this is ok for just an odd treat, finding a good variety of eating places for a week or so hard when on holiday… only so many cakes waffles galettes baguettes pizza and gf sandwiches you want in a week when spent more time avoiding these things, often someone highlights some dedicated bakery full of gf cakes croissants etc but finding a quick healthy lunch has been my struggle (safe gf) unless make my own which isn’t always easy, if no facilities.
I say safe gf as I have encountered places that abuse this area in reality should be renamed low gluten food, regardless of having no gluten containing ingredients as serving up gluten free with gluten utensils the preparation and storing of gluten free foods in some establishments is ripe for cross contamination and just sets alarm bells ringing, coeliacs need to avoid cross contamination too … but it is possible to eat out it takes scrutinising places and leap of faith where you eat is safe. This is actually reality of being a strict coeliac it’s lot of do your own food and planning, unless you are ok with less healthy alternatives like supermarket sandwich or gf ready meals, reality is the healthier options are salads and whole fruit for lunch maybe soup or jacket potato as quick lunches choice … don’t forget ales & beers are no go unless state they’re gluten free too.
It had taken best part of 2 years of extremely strict gf diet not eating out to lower my levels and become negative for antibodies. I still struggle with nutritional deficiencies and have to supplement as have absorption issues. So a little gluten will cause me big problems. I have all annual tests so know what’s what.
Sorry to bring a downer on it, for someone who hadn’t any outwardly reacted to gluten then found was most definitely coeliac was a great shock I have cast iron guts I actually haven’t had experience of positives going gf only my nutrition is 100% better I feel no difference at all, obviously if I continued to eat gluten I maybe be gravely ill… I don’t miss gluten but do miss not having to worry where safe to eat or endless preparation … going gf definitely has its benefits as others may have mentioned for varying conditions and others will have more physical benefits from it and of course going gf will hopefully keep you away of full blown problems if susceptible…I’d just take more individual advice from someone qualified in this area who has access and knowledge of your needs… it could get expensive randomly taking things you may not require to supplement things you’re eliminating… or buy gf supermarket food when there’s naturally gf options out there unfortunately it’s lots of and planning and setting aside time to prepare is my experience and imagination to come up with more interesting things to get that diversity of foods in your diet.
I just wrote you a long reply CoeliacMum1 then managed to delete it. The highlights were.
1. Hope I didn’t trivialise or minimise the struggle of people with coeliacs because for me it’s a matter of curiosity and for you there’s no choice.
2. I wished you well
3. Agreed that it’s not easy and must involve planning, constant choices and vigilance.
4. You are GF cos you have to in order to avoid serious illness , I’m just hoping for symptom improvement and going GF may result in no obvious change.
5. You asked about ZOE and my blood sugar control. ZOE gives you a personalised score for all foods. Imy test results show that I can process lots of carbs very well but some better than others. So fo me brown pasta is 73 out of 100 meaning I can handle it well whereas brown rice is a 33 meaning it’s something I should limit to once in a while. The highly process flours in GF breads score below 20 and for me produce a sugar spike more like confectionary.
Oh no I didn’t read anything into what you wrote at all … I was just giving a different perspective to Gf as for many who have symptoms it’s a godsend for them… unfortunately it wasn’t for me no difference in feeling …on a brighter note I have good knowledge about nutrition and probably pay dividends in the future.
How strange the brown pasta that is more processed than the brown rice should give you different results although I’m guessing it’s also what was put with the pasta? Dressing your carbs can slow the blood sugar peak…I’m aware mood/sleep can play a part too in how we process things too … but isn’t it extremely interesting and helpful to know your triggers so you can avoid… re gf bread stay clear shop bought it’s not good if keeping away from UPFs. I make own but still has Xanthan gum in the one I like so just limit to not even making a loaf once a month so it’s very small amount overall. I do like using different flours not relying on just the rice flour…I use a couple of French recipes friend of mine is a a Chinese medicine practitioner hers contains 1/2tsp of agar agar you mill seeds for that chia & sesame but 6 eggs so it can be costly unless got chickens 🫣 The other is probably still not good but apart from Xanthan gum it’s clean and just a treat… contains chickpea flour, buckwheat and brown rice but has starches in it can’t remember off top of my head… I love experimenting.
That all sounds delicious. And yep dressing carbs or combining with fats or proteins can slow absorption for me - but sadly that won’t work with a doughnut,
I am not gluten sensitive but a number of years ago I was tested by a radionics practitioner and told my sensitivity is to pesticides and herbicide used on wheat, oats etc. and I had invasive Candida. I now make my own bread with organic flour so that I know what's going into it and I can control how much yeast is in it. I did the Zoe personal plan and I took am ok with sugars but not with fats. My bread includes grass fed butter only, loads of seeds and chopped walnuts. Having spent last summer on a farm and seen what the farmer did to his crops before harvest ie. a huge dose of glyphosate which turned it black, I will never eat anything but organic grains ever again!!
your bread sounds delicious. It’s the kind of thing that keeps me eating gluten. Is it whole grain ? The glyphosphate thing is scary. I know oats get a particularly heavy spray and I think it’s actually Tim Spector who says organic oats are probably a good idea.
It's organic wholemeal flour, grass fed butter, local honey, a little Himalayan salt, pumpkin, sunflower, linseed, sesame seeds (all organic) and chopped walnuts. Excellent for blood fat and good for gut bugs.
When you say is it realistic- yes totally. Just takes a bit of self discipline. I haven't had gluten or for that matter any grains for over 2 years now. I don't miss it at all. I eat a whole food unprocessed paleo diet. I personally would advise against all the 'gluten-free' products on supermarket shelves- they just substitute the gluten with other junk. They are 'products'- not real food. I get my carbs from fruit (in moderation), raw honey and veggies. It takes more thinking and advanced preparation eating this way but both my husband and I eat like this and avoid anything with an ingredients list on it- if it needs a list to explain what's in it then it can't be good! A head of broccoli or bag of carrots doesn't need a list!
Thanks LucyYoga I agree with you about the substitutes - it’s what puts me off as like you say they are ultra processed imitations of real food. I know your paleo approach emphasises real foods so I think that kind of approach is a whole lot more sensible. I think, I’ll review what I’m eating, start to concentrate on whole foods and begin to think more carefully about processed grains.
Hi- and there are lots of gluten free grains and pseudo grains to experiment with if you want to keep grains in your diet. Things like quinoa, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, sorghum.
I’ve had hashimotos many years. Since I stopped eating gluten ( alongside regular blood tests, supplements for deficiency and taking NDT) my skin issues are almost non existent, my gut no longer gives me issues & my antibodies are in normal range. As I say I’ve had to do a lot of stuff to get here but gluten free definitely suits me. There are loads of available options in restaurants so I don’t feel deprived and most of my diet is naturally gluten free. Give it a try for 6 months see how you feel
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