Comments on: The Great Gluten (Free) Experiment http://oldwaystable.org/2009/08/26/the-great-gluten-free-experiment/ The Official Oldways Blog: Changing the Way People Eat Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:33:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Iris http://oldwaystable.org/2009/08/26/the-great-gluten-free-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-217 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:14:26 +0000 http://oldwaystable.org/?p=699#comment-217 Hi,

I agree with Emma that you should definitely get tested BEFORE eating gluten-free (but it sounds like you were already tested once?) I went gluten-free for many of the same reasons as you (the stomach problems). I had no idea gluten could be causing my depression though (which had started suddenly about 2 years earlier), and found that as soon as I stopped eating gluten, I felt so much better. Within a few months, the depression had completely gone away. But I wanted to get tested for Celiac, so I went back to eating gluten for a month, and it was the worst month of my life. Truly. The depression came back worse than it had been before and I didn’t know if I was going to make it. The Celiac test came back negative, but as you said, gluten sensitivity can be on a spectrum and it was clear to me that I couldn’t eat gluten. After experiencing the amazing difference, I have no problem giving up gluten and never want to go back. I detailed my experience on my blog http://thedailydietribe.blogspot.com I hope you figure out what the problem is, and if it turns out to be gluten, at least know that you have a great support group out there in the gluten-free blogging world. :)

]]> By: Emma http://oldwaystable.org/2009/08/26/the-great-gluten-free-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-213 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:22:32 +0000 http://oldwaystable.org/?p=699#comment-213 Molli – I really liked your post, but I do have a bit of advice for you about going gluten-free. First, my story: I was just diagnosed with Celiac disease. I’m what they call “asymptomatic” – though I actually sound a lot like you, because I’ve always had a sensitive stomach and have recently experienced some mood changes (in the past couple of years). They found that I have Celiac from a blood test when I was having bad heartburn. Since heartburn is an unusual symptom of the disease, I was blood tested again, and then had an endoscopy to check for cellular damage in my small intestine. They’re never really sure until they do the intestine biopsy.

So my advice: you shouldn’t go gluten-free until you find out for sure if you have Celiac. Once you go gluten-free, blood tests and endoscopies will be inconclusive. And then you’ll never know for sure – and why give up gluten products, with the risk of never knowing what the real problem is, without getting tested first? I know for me, at least, that I didn’t want to give up gluten products without knowing for sure. Gluten was that important to me :) And honestly, unless you know for sure, it’s a hard lifestyle to choose. You have to be careful at restaurants, careful about sharing certain kitchen utensils with gluten-eaters, and careful about checking ingredients in any kind of packaged food.

I don’t mean to tell you what to do, but I think this information could be useful for you and for other people contemplating going gluten-free. If you do stick with gluten-freedom: good luck! It’s an adventure and a good excuse for a new challenge in the kitchen.

-Emma

]]> By: Julie A Feltman http://oldwaystable.org/2009/08/26/the-great-gluten-free-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:55:19 +0000 http://oldwaystable.org/?p=699#comment-212 Good luck Molli! Great picture :)

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