Morning all,
My good friend who is an expert in Celiac Disease says anyone with PMR or
RA should be tested for celiac. My doc is also telling me that I should not be
eating gluten if i have PMR - OK - So I already don't eat dairy, red meat, or
nightshades, I really don't want to give up another food and gluten is the
only thing left on the anti-inflam det that I do eat... Any celiacs or folks who
don't eat gluten out there? Does it help? I guess if there is nothing you can
eat you lose weight...I hear the gluten thing a lot now, avoiding gluten seems to have become the latest cure-all. Obviously, it's vital for anyone with celiac to have no gluten, but surely one either has celiac disease or one doesn't? My sister who has lupus (but not celiac disease) went down the gluten-free road and stuck with it for a long time. She initally noticed some small improvement in general wellness, but not for long. Basically it made no difference. My own theory is that westerners eat TOO much wheat, and what happens is that when they start avoiding "gluten", wheat is the first to go, so any initial good effects are more to do with giving the body a break from the endless onslaught of wheat, rather than anything to do with gluten. Stop and think about it for a minute - the average diet includes wheat in one form or another at every meal plus snacks. I personally have found general improvement in digestive/skin and other things, from cutting right down on wheat and having a much wider variety of whole grain cereals, gluten or not, like oats, rye, millet, quinoa, corn, brown rice etc. Just my humble opinion, but I think the gluten bogey is a red herring.
Additionally, as a vegetarian who dislikes eggs, and who does not use dairy products, I already have a fairly restricted diet anyhow. I have happily managed this for years and feel I have had a very high standard of nutrition, and this has been reflected in my excellent heath till now. Menopause issues (or PMR?) brought with it gastric reflux disease, which meant certain fruits and foods have to be avoided (goodbye citrus, tea, chocolate, peppermint etc). Then I read that us PMR people should be avoiding nightshade foods (goodbye tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant), and foods with oxalic acid (spinach etc). If gluten has to go too, well then I honestly don't know WHAT I would eat! Guess I could become one of those people who (apparently) live on fresh air. At least there is plenty of that where I live in New Zealand, high up under the mountains, far from any cities or industry. Sorry about the long rave!
My rheumatologist tested me for celiacs disease since I already have IBS. Must not have it, since I haven't heard any more about it. I have been reading about not eating white flour and sugar. I am one that eats a lot of bread....so have cut back on that, but have not noticed anything. I think one has to be on such a diet for a couple weeks before one would notice the difference.
I keep my IBS under control with fiber...which includes ususally 1/3cup of Bran Buds per day. I should check to see what what they are really made from.
wow chico - we eat alike! I am a semi-vegetarian (I eat fish and seafood),