A few weeks ago I stopped following The Jenny Craig program. Since then I’ve been on a quest to find a “way of life” meal plan to follow. It was easy to follow their program. Five minutes before it was time to eat, I’d pop an entrée into the microwave, make a side dish and BAM! My delicious meal was ready to eat.
Now I have to carefully plan my meals, and since I don’t like to cook this is not an easy task. I want to lose a few more pounds, and I'd like to depend on the food I eat to help me feel better, stronger and more energized.
Doesn’t everyone?
So I turned to some trusted friends who are as health-conscious as they are smart. Their advice began a fascinating discussion that clearly begged to be written about.
For some time now I’ve been thinking about the role gluten plays in our diet, and whether I should eliminate it from mine. I heard many anecdotal stories about people feeling healthier without gluten, a protein composite found in wheat and related grains, rye and barley.
Despite what Jennifer Lawrence recently said about gluten-free diets being the "new, cool eating disorder" friends living with an autoimmune disease have told me remarkable stories about getting off medications, or regaining the ability to run or walk while living gluten-free. These are amazing stories that I can’t ignore.
Can you?
Most people think gluten-free diets are only for people with celiac disease, but that simply isn’t true. There is such as thing as “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”; people who don’t test positive for celiac disease yet share the same sensitivities to gluten.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, they have reactions that may include headaches, fogginess, joint pain, and numbness. (You can read more about non-celiac gluten sensitivity at The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website.)
Ten years ago I tried eliminating gluten from my diet at the suggestion of my neurologist. I’ve always battled headaches and they were getting worse. But finding gluten-free products wasn’t easy
Today? They are available everywhere, from health food stores to supermarkets to big chain stores like Target.
I decided to reach out to fellow blogger Kim Austin whose blog, MS Diet for Women, focuses on helping women feel better by using a combination of eating right, exercising and practicing stress reduction. I asked her to guide me on my diet journey. My first assigned task?
“Cut out all gluten, dairy, sugar and meat. Eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts. Drink a large glass of water 15 minutes before each meal.”
Yikes!
I’m preparing myself for my first coaching and motivational session with Kim. I'm going to test these new waters to see if this “diet” (one followed by MANY people in the MS and autoimmune community) helps me feel better and lose more weight.
I’m a little anxious about this next step. I’ve had a lifelong battle with my weight, and as I age I find my MS kicking in a bit more. I'll give this a try and see how I do.
Wish me luck!
Have you ever been on a diet that helped you feel better?
Hi Cathy, I will be interested in your progress since some day I will also leave Jenny Craig...though I stay there now with great results. I have a friend who insists that going gluten free completely turned around her Parkinson's Disease...she says it slowed her shaking and that she has been doing better since she cut gluten out. I run into many who believe going gluten free made a huge difference in their health...I would not discount it.
Oh I DO wish you luck Cathy!!! Please let us know how it goes!! It's really amazing how I keep hearing about the affects of taking gluten out of our diets... My husband is gluten free and his IBS is much better!!
Praying this helps you feel better!!!!
You are going to do this so well and get stronger because of it! Wonderful!
Cathy, hands down, the gluten-free diet has changed people more than any I've heard of. Not because they look better, but because they feel very noticeably better. Wishing you luck, and hopefully no problems with MS complications.
Good luck, Cathy - hope this works in all the ways you wish it to!
I think Jennifer Lawrence is right though. There are so many going GF simply because it's become trendy. Many of those people don't even know what gluten is! I worry about all the GF snack foods on the store shelves. A lot of people think they are a healthy alternative to regular snacks, but most are just as processed and full of preservatives, artificial flavors etc.
I started a GF diet in 2008 after my son was born. I didn't want to go back on my MS meds, so I got the book The MS Recovery Diet, and results have been really incredible. I'm still not back on any meds =) (Terry Wahls' books weren't available then.)
Good Luck Cathy, can't wait to see how it goes for you!!
I can only speak for myself, but a gluten-free diet has been a godsend. I had stomach distress every day for most of my adult life. I got tested for everything and nothing showed up. The docs never suggested I might have a gluten sensitivity -- hard to believe. Eventually, I did my research and decided to put myself on a gluten-free diet. The very next day my stomach distress was gone and never came back. That was four years ago. Today, I can eat small amounts of gluten without suffering ill effects, but I generally try to avoid it completely.
Diet is essential. You'll enjoy the fresh veggies & fruit: steaming, microwave even "fry" takes less time than you think. A really good set of knives will be your best friend & get a fun cutting board that you like to leave out. Have wax paper ready to cover the microwave dish & pretty pot holders (I use those craft crocheted dish cloths). The real key is to discover spices that are so good for you: cinnamin on carrots, tumeric, cumin, garlic on eggplant, even melon or grape & spinach salads. Delightful & delcious. Best of luck.
I'm 62 with MS---very little bread/gluten, sugar, salt for twenty years.
I routinely give up sweets and chips. Not much of a "diet" but it does help with calorie control a bit. The best thing I've ever done for feeling better was give up caffeine. Headaches go and energy returns but I've never been able to make that one stick very long.
My daughter's boyfriend's 6-year-old son has celiac disease, so the gluten-free issue has been forefront in our family, especially when the kiddo visits my house.
I'll be interested in your findings. I know I could never go completely gluten free, but perhaps eliminating a fair share would help with my MS and overall well-being.
Good luck!
Let me know if there is anything I can do/offer to support you in this journey. As you know, most of my healing has come through a change in my diet and whereas I don't necessarily we can "cure" everything through diet, I do believe we can vastly improve the quality of our lives. Much luck in your pursuit! xo ~Mary
I have been feeling better (and losing weight) by cutting out sugar, dairy, and wheat. I picked these foods because they are all things I am bad at eating in moderation. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the people feeling better by avoiding gluten are simply doing better by avoiding things like bread and cookies, etc. that weren't helping them anyway. But everyone is different, and whatever works for you is what you should do! I'll be very interested to see how this new diet goes.
Hi, Cathy--I do believe that people who follow a low-gluten diet feel better while they're on it, but probably not because of anything to do with gluten itself. In fact, the scientist who originated the idea of non-celiac gluten sensitivity recently re-ran his experiments using a much more rigorous protocol, and discovered that when all factors were controlled for, such sensitivity does not exist. Here's a run-down if you're interested: http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/05/gluten_sensitivity_may_not_exist.html
That said, when people who've been eating a lot of starchy and sugary foods drop those foods from their diets and begin eating more lean protein, fruits, and vegetables, they feel healthier--because that's the definition of a healthy diet. Unlike the usual North American diet, which is seriously unhealthy in so many ways, a lower-carb diet offers a chance to revamp your entire food repertoire, and take better control of your health. Good luck!
Good luck! I know you can do it. I'd go gluten free myself, but life without Cheerios isn't work living. 🙂
My sister is currently just starting to do this for her MS too. I think it does make a difference. I have always been more of a fresh fruit and vegetable and nut lover and have small amounts of chicken or pasta a week.
You go, girl! I suspect diet can play a role in helping with these chronic ailments and look forward to hearing more from you on this. Hugs....
Much success to you Cathy. Although I do not have an auto immune disease, I went gluten free for a period of six months. I never felt better. Reading this made me wonder why I stopped, and I realized that even though it was a mere 3 years ago, there weren't as many options as there are now. It will take getting used to, as does anything new, but I believe it will be successful for you. Keep us posted!
Hi Cathy! Good luck finding what works for you! I think in the end we are so individual that no particular one-size-fits all of us. But it is good to look around and experiment with what is out there. I have no problem with gluten but my husband has always struggled with stomach issues. He started with the gluten-free diet a couple of years ago--along with changing many other aspects of his diet (including no coffee) and it really made a difference (especially in the beginning). But eventually he actually started having trouble with some of the gluten free products (especially the pasta) so he has really stopped it. Plus, when we traveled to other countries he had absolutely no problem eating bread or pasta. We happen to think it is the processing of the food here in the U.S. that contributes to most of his issues. I think processed food, sugar and salt in our food is a much bigger culprit than gluten but it's all connected. That's why I think we all need to experiment with what works for us individually. Good luck to you on your journey! ~Kathy
I think GF is great for those folks who are struggling with things like celiac and auto-immune disorders (I've also heard that it MAY help rheumatoid arthritis, as well).
However, I will say this: It is trendy. I don't really understand why. It's not really a "weight-loss" diet, is it? Grains, for folks without sensitivity, are good for us --- part of a "balanced" diet --- no?
I think, for someone such as yourself, it is certainly worth a try. I wish you all the luck in the world with it 🙂 I will be interested to see your results!
I feel so much better when I eat Gluten-free! Keep us posted!
I am cheering you on from the sidelines rather than joining you because I know there is no way I could do gluten-free. I have heard so many great stories about people feeling better once they do it, and I totally admire the discipline. Will be eagerly following your journey and rooting for you.
Please keep us informed about your progress. I love bread and cookies...and have the belly to prove it.
I tested negative for gluten allergies, but I get many of the symptoms as you discussed. I think you have inspired me to give it a try! Let us know how you do! Thanks much!
Your post just tripled my knowledge about gluten and how it can affect the body. Looking forward to updates on your new diet journey. I SO need to eat healthier.
I do wish you luck and will be anxious to see how it works out for you. I have a friend who recently went gluten free and she says that many things have changed in a positive way for her physically. I am working toward making my diet more gluten free because I am all for feeling better as I age.
I'm very curious to see if it helps with your symptoms. I'll be watching closely because I have thought about this many times. I hope it works well for you.
I so hope you see all the results you want and then some!
Check out http://www.bobsredmill.com. They make the most amazing GF shortbread, pancake, and bread mixes. All do it yourself but all soooo yum! They are readily available here but if you can't get them in your stores, so worth ordering online.
I started experimenting when my SIL was diagnosed with Celiac's about 5 years ago so yell if you need cooking tips!!!
You're right Cath, gluten free foods are now readily available and at a much lower cost than 5 years ago. You may be amazed at how eliminating or reducing gluten can make you feel so much better. Give it a try and good luck my friend!! I love you! xoxo
All I know is cutting out gluten led to a 25# weight loss and feeling better. I'm not totally gluten free now but I can tell when I need to back off the flour and potatoes. When I was strict, I didn't bother with the fancy designer gluten free foods because most of them are very high calorie and/or high carb. Your milage may vary on how you feel if you cut out gluten.
I spend a lot of my working life counseling people on weight loss and these are my favorite things to tell people: watch your portions eat half of what you usually eat, monitor why you're eating and only eat when you're hungry, eliminate high fructose corn syrup, don't eat processed foods, and enjoy what you eat.
I have been flirting with a gluten-free diet for several years. I don't have celiac (I've been tested), but I do respond BADLY to gluten. Yet I LOVE all breads...and pastas, and so on. Until recently, the gluten-free stuff was pretty yucky (such a good word), so it was almost not worth my while to even try for gluten-free products. But I'm ever hopeful that will change.
There is definitely a connection between eating gluten free and feeling better. When I stop eating bread I feel better, so I can imagine being totally gluten free must be amazing.