Gluten and Gluten Free Diet

[Sunshine]

My DH has been researching the impact of Gluten on autoimmune disorders. Specifically MS. There is some compelling data that tie some MS to Gluten; documented cases of MS disappear when on the diet for one month. This is not always due to Celiac Disease, but also due to Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity which has been identified by JAMA and Gastroentrology, two journals as causes of MS and other autoimmune disorders. And yet, no MD I have seen anywhere has ever suggested a four week trial of the diet. It isn’t hard to follow, except its hard to know if gluten is a filler in any of my myriad meds.

We are going to start a gluten free diet to start with for four weeks and see what happens.

What do you know? I have already been researching it on line. But if you know something more, please post here?

[mg12061]

I follow the child neurology thread but saw the mention of gluten here so I came to check it out. My daughter has celiac and has been eating GF for several years. Celiac itself is an autoimmune disease which makes a person more likely to have other autoimmune diseases. She also has hashimotos and crohns disease. It's become much easier to find GF food and such. The labeling is so much better. We stick to eating only things labeled GF. If you have an Aldi's nearby they have a good selection that is also inexpensive. Sticking to whole foods that aren't processed at all like eggs veggies fruits chicken etc. is safe. Whole chickens or turkey need to be labeled becasue they're injected with broth. As for the medications you can talk with your pharmicist they can contact the company or may already know. There are some lists online for GF meds. You can contact companies on your own as well. If you have any specific questions I'll check back and try to help. Good luck I hope it is helpful
Mary Grace

[Lazarus]

I have been a vegetarian for 51 years. So I do not eat many processed foods and might be close to the diet you try. It will be interesting to see what you experience.

As we all are I am weary of the overhyping of diet stories linking specific foods to any number of problems. I remember a song I loved by a folk singer, Judy Small, about loving the “roly poly woman she was”.... and then about some popular diet thing “made by Heinz”...I can not quite remember the whole lyric but I am sure I will eventually! Fads and facts in diet/food information is so problematic it is hard to know ....

[Sunshine]

Thank you to both of you, I will start exploring the med content. I usually eat non processed real foods, lately started eating bread to keep calories on as I was losing weight from nausea, swallow problems....But, I surely can try it for 4 weeks and see what happens.

As far as I can see , none of my autoimmune conditions are cured. They are all classified and then managed. My DH has been reading up on fecal transplants (they are def being used now for not just C Diff)and in his reading and listening, he learned about gluten sensitivity.

Even JAMA says that Gluten free diet should be tried for MS in light of evidence.

Here is the video of the very capable and compelling woman who had severe MS and reversed it. She tried the traditional meds,blowing out site after site,,,,I haven’t seen it, but DH summarized it. I will try to watch it today.
What do we have to lose?
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[Sunshine]

I wonder if ANN might benefit?
The presenter does talk about one of the causes as “Leaky Gut” due to multiple causes.

[Sunshine]

Ok, just watched the entire video. It seems too simplistic to me. I am glad it worked for her.
I am sure my meds are making me sick with side effects. but I also know I cannot live without them...
But I would be happy to try the Gluten free diet for 4 weeks. Doubt it will see change...But I figure it cannot hurt.

[Cherie]

Gluten is not the problem. It is an individual's sensitivity to it. Try eliminating it for a week and see if you feel differently. If you are not sure, add it back and if, within a couple of days you feel more fatigued, more pain, more GI symptoms, you MAY be sensitive to it. If not, it is a waste of good nutritional value to omit it.

My irritable bowel cleared when I eliminated it. When I have a sandwich, my contacts goop up and have to be cleaned several times a day and I get itchy. It increases inflammation for me. Inflammation is a major factor in MS relapses. If you are sensitive to glutens, it is a no brainer to eliminate them but it is foolhardy if you are not. We need the glutens to provide fiber and keep the GI tract microbiome healthy and things moving to elimination. This is another band wagon that many are jumping on when it may not be necessary and could be counterproductive.

Please be careful and wise about this. There is nothing about Gluten and MS that has been proven. This is Pop Science at best. About 20% of us with MS have gluten sensitivities which is in line with the general population. So...you may be and not yet know it but elimination for a week and readdition of gluten for two days following elimination will clearly tell you that. If it is not CLEAR...don't waste your time or energy on this endeavor.

[agate]

She reversed her MS? I'm wondering if it didn't just go into remission, the way it does for those with that type of MS.

Experts will say that MS isn't reversible or curable. They keep saying that, regardless of the people who come up with special types of dietary regimens that they claim helped them. Terry Wahls also claims she's reversed her MS.

[Sunshine]

Thanks Cherie. Ill show your post to DH. I’m skeptical too. For me, am just giving up my slice of bread and Fiber One daily. Haven’t had other sources for years. 4 weeks. — too long of absentia?

[Virginia]

Agate, you sound a little like me.

[Lil E]

I stopped gluten because of fibromyalgia. I used to get really bad pain in my forearms and it got about 50% better also my digestion got better too. I stopped eating it for two weeks and then ate a piece of bread. I felt like I had the flu for three days. I have good recipes for desserts, especially pies and vitacost.com has good products that are not too expensive.

[agate]

Just remembered this thread:

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Maybe going gluten-free will help some people with MS to better health. But I've developed doubts about anyone who claims to have cured or reversed or healed MS. If anyone had done that, it would be big news.

[Lazarus]

Just remembered this thread:

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Maybe going gluten-free will help some people with MS to better health. But I've developed doubts about anyone who claims to have cured or reversed or healed MS. If anyone had done that, it would be big news.

Yes..yes..yes!