Would you give up wheat to feel better?

I'm gluten-free (on a diet for MS), but I keep seeing more and more info on non-celiac gluten sensitivity and the wide range of health problems associated with it. Here's one article, for example.

Excerpt: When arm pain made it difficult for Victoria Yeh to play her electric violin, she decided to make a change.

Yeh suffered from chronic headaches, nausea, sinus inflammation, stomach pain, gas and digestive issues for several years. But the pain was Yen's biggest motivation to follow her doctor’s advice to avoid gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

"I consider gluten-free to be a diet of necessity. I wasn't healthy, I was really thin and I would get sick often," said Yeh.

Eliminating gluten from her diet had a positive effect. "I put on more weight and put on more body fat, and I'm much healthier now."

These days, lots of people are giving up gluten. Eighteen per cent of American adults buy gluten-free products, according to market researcher Packaged Facts. Some eat gluten-free to treat celiac disease, the autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten. Some are fad dieters who think it will help them lose weight.

But Yeh is eating gluten-free for another reason.

She is one of an increasing number who are reporting non-celiac gluten-sensitivity.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Fortunately Annie me and my wife are two of those lucky people who are very rarely ill. Put it down to genes, healthy living, positive outlook on life or what you will but I am grateful for it.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Well I have given up sugar and eat very low carb to combat diabeties, have a plethora of deadly allergies so have given up any raw foods with a seed,pip or stone, and several other foods that make me very ill. So yes if it made me feel better I would give it up.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

I agree with Julie - if giving something up made me feel better I definitely would.
I don't eat much bread (never have) and I know that if I eat more than a couple of slices each day I don't feel comfortable. Same thing with a lot of foods containing wheat for me, although I do not have coeliac disease. Rice is always OK as are oats.
My sister does have coeliac disease and cannot eat any gluten at all. It has been difficult for her - she has found quite a lot of the foods without gluten taste awful and they are expensive to buy, although I think she can get bread and flour on prescription.
One food I have noticed affects my sleep is chocolate. If I have chocolate in the evening I wake up in the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep.
Best things for me I have found are plenty of fruits and veggies - as well as high protein foods. Fortunately, nuts, eggs and dairy foods suit me fine and I practically live on yoghurt.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

I dont eat wheat or gluten & feel stacks better & lighter than I used to. . Also feels better not getting that 'Im about to spontaneously combust' sensation! !

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Cassie - that's great! It sounds like the outcome described in the book "Wheat Belly" (William Davis, MD). He explains that today's wheat is far different than wheat was just 50 or 60 years ago. Genetic modifications have created a higher-yield grain, but caused other changes.

Whole wheat bread has a higher glycemic index than sugar. This signals the pancreas to flood the bloodstream with insulin, and excess insulin causes fat build-up around the abdominal area (hence his book title). Also, after the sugar high, one tends to get drowsy. This effect hits me fairly hard. I indulged in a slice of pizza last week because I've been very strict and thought what the heck... one slice. The next day I could barely get out of bed so I just slept for hours.

Wheat also triggers some of the same pleasant feelings one gets with addictive drugs, so it leads to craving more wheat. If you eat toast for breakfast, you want to eat again mid-morning. If you have eggs, gluten-free cereal, yogurt, fruit you likely won't feel hungry again til lunch.

It's hard to give up fresh bread, bagels, and desserts made with flour, but I'm learning to cook and eat without it. I have a recipe for chocolate brownies made with sweet potato (and another version with avocado) and coconut flour. Hope to make it this weekend.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

yeh i would

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

HAD avocado one was horrid

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Hi, Pixie just wondered what you did with that wallpaper book?

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

I rather like the avocado chocolate pudding I make with honey, almond milk and cocoa powder... but I gave my 2.5 year old grandson a tiny taste of it and he started to cry. I had to get him some juice to wash the taste down and apologize to the poor dear.