Time again for my little "spiel".

[Barbara Moulton]

Wheat/gluten intolerance is more common than you think. More and more people are being identified as having this issue.

I was one and didn't know it for years. I was actually being tested for MS at one point. I was on anti depressants and consistently struggled with stress related ailments. I had continuing pain in my joints, rarely had a pain free day...which only added to my depression. And I had major GI problems.

Going off of gluten changed my life. 10 years later, I have to admit that I occasionally fall of the wagon. But when I am good I feel 100% better. And certainly the general reductin of gluten has made a huge difference in my health.

So, I just throw this out. Do you have any of these symptoms?

Gastro-intestinal (stomach bloating and cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation etc.)
Neurological: headache, memory loss, behavioural difficulties, depression
Immune: poor resistance to infection, mouth ulcers, arthritis
Skin rashes, eczema, psoriasis, itching flaky skin
General: food cravings, tiredness, chronic fatigue, unwell feeling

I had most of them and was absolutely stunned when I went gluten free, how much better I felt.

You don't have to be considered celiac to be gluten intolerant. There are some estimates that as many as 1 in 300 people might have this issue.
When you think about it, humanity began as hunters, fishers and gatherers. It makes sense that there would be a portion of the world's population that simply can't handle the gluten that comes with agricultural development.

Just thought I would throw this "out there" in case it would help someone. If you have been having problems with any of these concerns and the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint the problem, it is worth considering whether this might be an issue.

[Susan Unger]

To add a small historical note to this...

During WW2 in Europe when children, who before the war were quite sickly, actually became healthier during the flour shortages of the war. This led researchers to discover the connection between celiac disease and elimination of a particular food item.

Also..since this is an autoimmune disease, if you have another autoimmune disease your chances of having this are increased...as well as if you have celiac disease your chances of getting another autoimmune disease have increased.

[Edith K. Thurmond]

Wheat/gluten intolerance is more common than you think. More and more people are being identified as having this issue.

I was one and didn't know it for years. I was actually being tested for MS at one point. I was on anti depressants and consistently struggled with stress related ailments. I had continuing pain in my joints, rarely had a pain free day...which only added to my depression. And I had major GI problems.

Going off of gluten changed my life. 10 years later, I have to admit that I occasionally fall of the wagon. But when I am good I feel 100% better. And certainly the general reductin of gluten has made a huge difference in my health.

So, I just throw this out. Do you have any of these symptoms?

Gastro-intestinal (stomach bloating and cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation etc.)
Neurological: headache, memory loss, behavioural difficulties, depression
Immune: poor resistance to infection, mouth ulcers, arthritis
Skin rashes, eczema, psoriasis, itching flaky skin
General: food cravings, tiredness, chronic fatigue, unwell feeling

I had most of them and was absolutely stunned when I went gluten free, how much better I felt.

You don't have to be considered celiac to be gluten intolerant. There are some estimates that as many as 1 in 300 people might have this issue.
When you think about it, humanity began as hunters, fishers and gatherers. It makes sense that there would be a portion of the world's population that simply can't handle the gluten that comes with agricultural development.

Just thought I would throw this "out there" in case it would help someone. If you have been having problems with any of these concerns and the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint the problem, it is worth considering whether this might be an issue.

This is excellent information, especially for those who have Blood Type O as those persons do not tolerate grains well in general. One of my 'suspicions' is that the wheat/grains are not grown as they were for centuries and are hybridized, chemicalized, devitalized, and not 'shocked' in the fields after cutting for a period of time. In other words, an altered product from the original that God gave us. In addition, many of those grain products have microscopic mold on them and that aids in the cerebral depression, contributing to "brain fog" for many people.

There are numerous testimonies, such as yours, as to the great improvements in health that are accomplished by eliminating wheat and other grains from one's diet - especially for Blood Type O persons! As you know, eliminating is not quite as easily done as one might originally think because wheat and wheat by-products are in a cacophony of foods.

Thanks for sharing,

[Jim Franklin]

Our church offers rice cakes to break off a piece in place of the regular communion bread when we celebrate the Eucharist. We have several who choose that alternative.

[Barbara Moulton]

That's interesting Edith. I am O Negative.

This is excellent information, especially for those who have Blood Type O as those persons do not tolerate grains well in general. One of my 'suspicions' is that the wheat/grains are not grown as they were for centuries and are hybridized, chemicalized, devitalized, and not 'shocked' in the fields after cutting for a period of time. In other words, an altered product from the original that God gave us. In addition, many of those grain products have microscopic mold on them and that aids in the cerebral depression, contributing to "brain fog" for many people.

There are numerous testimonies, such as yours, as to the great improvements in health that are accomplished by eliminating wheat and other grains from one's diet - especially for Blood Type O persons! As you know, eliminating is not quite as easily done as one might originally think because wheat and wheat by-products are in a cacophony of foods.

Thanks for sharing,

[Edith K. Thurmond]

That's interesting Edith. I am O Negative.

:basic01:basic01:basic01 to you!

A couple of months ago, I suggested to a lady that she just might try leaving off all grains and see if that would make a difference in how she felt. I knew it would but could/would not have told her. It has to be a person's decision what they ingest, etc. She left off all grains, felt fabulous, lost 20 pounds and was totally elated.

Oh, yes, she later learned she was Blood Type O, but I somehow already knew that. :basic01

Blessings,

[Kevin Rector]

I am currently on a 100% lactose free diet. If that doesn't make me feel better after a while (I have chronic headaches and GI issues) I will most likely be trying a 100% gluten free diet. I never heard of a relationship between gluten intolerance and blood type, but I am O+.

[Barbara Moulton]

I am currently on a 100% lactose free diet. If that doesn't make me feel better after a while (I have chronic headaches and GI issues) I will most likely be trying a 100% gluten free diet. I never heard of a relationship between gluten intolerance and blood type, but I am O+.

The way I look at it, if you take wheat out of your diet for awhile and it makes no difference then you haven't really lost anything. But if it does for you what it did for me (and my brother) and many others then you have gained a great deal.

That's why I post this information once in awhile.

Blessings,
Barbara

[Meghan Schoonover]

My mother-in-law had myriad health issues and went gluten-free several years ago. It has helped tremendously.

[Kevin Rector]

The way I look at it, if you take wheat out of your diet for awhile and it makes no difference then you haven't really lost anything.

Yeah, except that like 80-90% of the foods I like have gluten in them :laughing

[Barbara Moulton]

Yeah, except that like 80-90% of the foods I like have gluten in them :laughing

You might be surprised. It's amazing how you can do without it. I eat rice pasta and my local health food store has potato bread (better than rice bread).

Other than that, I just eat stuff that doesn't have wheat. Meat, potatoes, veggies, fruit, ice cream etc. Lots of rice. I CAN eat oatmeal and corn so I eat breakfast cereals based on that. I thicken gravies and stews with corn starch and make my scalloped potatoes and other things with rice flour. My family eats the rice pasta with me.

I buy rice cakes in different flavours. I like the plain ones with peanut butter and jam on them. Nice snack. Rice crackers are great with cheese as well. Last night I had rice crackers with cream cheese and jam as a snack.

I found it easier just to stop eating cookies and cakes myself, rather than try to bake wheat free. If I really have a craving for something, I'll go to the health food store and get some gluten free cookies. But they are usually quite expensive so, for the most part I do without.

If we are having a potluck at church, I always try to bring something that I can eat.

I found that restaurant eating got easier over time. I'll order a hamburger with no bun, or have all day breakfasts without toast. My favourite chicken restaurant is great because it is charbroiled, not breaded.

That's the thing to watch for. The hidden wheat in things. Avoid breaded items. But if I am following my diet carefully, and I have a little bit of gluten in a restuarant, it usually isn't going to have a big effect on me.

It might seem like you give up a lot but if this is the issue, you will feel so much better it will be worth it.

Some with this condition are lactose intolerant too, but when they get off of wheat and their body is healing, find they can introduce dairy again. That's what happened with me.

[BobHunt]

Your post of symptoms makes me remember how many of them I have after I have consummed a bowl of mini wheats with milk. The combination of lactose intolerance and gluten makes it pretty rough for me. I have given up some foods and have felt better ever since.

[Edith K. Thurmond]

I am currently on a 100% lactose free diet. If that doesn't make me feel better after a while (I have chronic headaches and GI issues) I will most likely be trying a 100% gluten free diet. I never heard of a relationship between gluten intolerance and blood type, but I am O+.

Kevin, lactose intolerance is another major problem for persons who have Blood Type O. Eliminating grains and dairy products usually makes huge differences in the health and overall well being of this group of people. Grains and dairy are very mucous forming in the body - especially with "O" individuals. Grains (except for millet) and dairy products are acid forming and Type O's have more acid in their body than some of the other types. Rice is the major grain that does not have gluten in it.

Digestive issues are extremely common with Blood Type O persons until they make those necessary dietary changes. Unless one has some other major problem in the body, my guess would definitely be that eliminating those two classes of foods would bring immense relief and healing. As one eventually gets the body functioning as it was intended to do, then an occasional 'fudging' with the above-mentioned foods would bring no major problem. However, doing it on a regular basis would, probably, bring about the onset of those unwanted symptoms.

Healing blessings to you,

[BobHunt]

why does type o blood make it any difference...cant glutens be bad for you even what type you have?

[Paula Karr]

why does type o blood make it any difference...cant glutens be bad for you even what type you have?

Bob, there's a lot of research available online about the differences of opinion as to whether blood types should dictate different diets. It's always a good idea to talk with a medical doctor before following recommendations written in the "diet opinion book of the month."

There are definitely people who have problems with food allergies and/or sensitivities, regardless of their blood type. They should be diagnosed by a doctor and follow treatment plans recommended by trained medical personnel. I sometimes access websites to do research on medical issues, but always use that information in conjunction with visits to a physician. I'd never take the opinions I read online as "gospel."

Paula

[Kevin Rector]

Bob, there's a lot of research available online about the differences of opinion as to whether blood types should dictate different diets. It's always a good idea to talk with a medical doctor before following recommendations written in the "diet opinion book of the month."

There are definitely people who have problems with food allergies and/or sensitivities, regardless of their blood type. They should be diagnosed by a doctor and follow treatment plans recommended by trained medical personnel. I sometimes access websites to do research on medical issues, but always use that information in conjunction with visits to a physician. I'd never take the opinions I read online as "gospel."

Paula

Yes, this is good wisdom. My diet "tests" are being done under the direction and supervision of a GI doctor. I wouldn't be doing these things on my own. So far the lactose free diet hasn't done anything except make me crave cheese from time to time.

[Gina Stevenson]

Right. Different things affect people differently. For instance, noticed Barbara said corn was something she could easily eat, tho' wheat bothers her. Well, here, corn definitely has a weird effect on me if I have more than just a little, it seems. (I'm "type O", too, the standpoint from which she was speaking. Do you think possibly +/- have something to do with it, too? She, I think, said she's negative, while I'm the positive.)

Another thing interesting re that blood type thing ... I've heard for most of my life that O+ is the most common one around ... that a great percentage of people have this type. Also, dairy and wheat products abound everywhere, especially dairy. So, if the greatest number of people were affected by some of the most plentiful foods around, that would be really odd ... might make one wonder, too, if part of the being affected could have to do with OD'ing (overdosing) on some of these things, rather than eating a moderate/normal amount of anything, no matter the blood type, possibly not doing this to people?

More & more, it seems that "all things in moderation" makes sense, whether food, activities, etc. ("balance")

[Gina Stevenson]

Barbara, if you can handle oat, there's oat flour out there. Also, if you've a coffee grinder (food processor?), I've taken old fashioned oats, ground them to powdery flour in the coffee grinder, used them for baking (same measurement as regular flour), and it's both worked, and tasted good, too! ;)

[Barbara Moulton]

Please note, I only posted this to encourage people to become aware. But absolutely, we need to do things under a doctor's advice.

My doctor gave me a clinical diagnosis, which was enough for me.

[Barbara Moulton]

Barbara, if you can handle oat, there's oat flour out there. Also, if you've a coffee grinder (food processor?), I've taken old fashioned oats, ground them to powdery flour in the coffee grinder, used them for baking (same measurement as regular flour), and it's both worked, and tasted good, too! ;)

Ahh...but you see, I've never been much of a baker. And now that my children are grown I don't bake for them and my husband? Well, he is used to not being married to a domestic kitchen goddess so he isn't looking for me to be making cookies.

[Gina Stevenson]

Ahh...but you see, I've never been much of a baker. And now that my children are grown I don't bake for them and my husband? Well, he is used to not being married to a domestic kitchen goddess so he isn't looking for me to be making cookies.

Ooooooooh, I see! :basic05

Having had an Easy Bake was enough, huh? Once you grew up, you decided you'd let someone else do the baking, eh? :laughing

[Meghan Schoonover]

Some of you may be interested in the magazine I picked up yesterday for my mother-in-law called Living Without (http://www.livingwithout.com/).

[Barbara Moulton]

Ooooooooh, I see! :basic05

Having had an Easy Bake was enough, huh? Once you grew up, you decided you'd let someone else do the baking, eh? :laughing

Maybe that was my problem. I never had an Easy Bake oven. Too expensive a gift for Santa to bring I guess. :)

I dreamed of getting one.

[Mark Metcalfe]

Here is a link to some gluten free recipes.

My nephew and his wife have two children who need gluten free and casein free diets. My niece-in-law has a web site that chronicles
"the change in their lives to a GFCF diet, ... with an expanding repetoire of GFCF recipes." (http://myaspergersgirl.blogspot.com/)
Hope you like it.

Mark

[Joanne Vergin]

Is there a symbol on packages we can look for? I know that sometimes soy ad nuts are highlighted.

[Susan Unger]

Is there a symbol on packages we can look for? I know that sometimes soy ad nuts are highlighted.

I know in the organic aisle, gluten free is written on the packages.

[Meghan Schoonover]

Is there a symbol on packages we can look for? I know that sometimes soy ad nuts are highlighted.

I've seen "contains wheat" or "wheat products," but there's gluten in other grains, too, besides wheat. Often grocery stores have a gluten-free section now, in their health food section.