Well, yes, but not the kind you were thinking!
We make cutlets from gluten flour. My dog and I visited my DD and DSM yesterday. While dad and I were away and DSM was sleeping in a chair, Cotehele dragged two 10-pounds of flour out of the pantry, ripped open the bags and ate some of the flour. When mixed with liquid the result is like glue. It stuck to the inside of her mouth and her face. What a mess! Watching her today to be sure she is okay.

I attended a presentation at the hospital where I work about the new Celiac Center. As you know, people with celiac disease can't eat wheat, barley or rye, in other words gluten. It's an autoimmune disease related to type 1 diabetes.

They stressed that the foods recommended to replace food with gluten can be very calorie dense and so the diet should not be considered for weight loss (although I know it's working for some people here -- guess it depends on choices).

Anyway, from what I heard, a gluten free diet only makes a difference for the people who are allergic to glutens. It is often misdiagnosed and people can suffer for years before it is identified. My impression is that there is no benefit from this diet to those who do not have celiac disease.

Our cafeteria is going to have a "gluten friendly" area. Not gluten free since that is about impossible for a commercial kitchen but offering gluten free foods.

I've been reading a lot about celiac lately because since my teens, I've had many similar symptoms. I had a blood test for it awhile back and was negative, but apparently blood tests are often false-negative.

Also, I believe one can still have an "intolerance" for gluten, creating some of the symptoms, without having celiac, an auto-immune disorder.

I will agree with Goldgirl on this one. I don't have Celiacs..BUT....I feel 100% more alive when I avoid wheat. Or eat it in moderation. I have noticed less bloating, less bowel issues and a feeling of "lightness" when I don't eat wheat.

I may loose a few pounds when I remove it from my diet over the course of a few days..however, for me it's water weight. I have Lymphedema/Edema issues and already hold onto excess fluid.

I can manage fluid retention easier without wheat in my diet. I do not avoid gluten as a whole..just wheat...

I highly suspect that I'm gluten intolerant as well. My allergy skin tests in Nov 2008 only revealed wheat, yeast & potato. For the first year I strenuously avoided all 3 foods but when I sinned, I'd itch or have an irritable stomach. I agree 100% with Terri, the difference of not eating wheat for my body is night and day. I don't retain fluids and my head just feels clearer.

I've been having major gastro issues since Nov, and now we're doing blood tests to find more allergies. I was eating a plain rye bread w/o wheat from WF for my occasional bread or toast needs. Most GF breads are made with potato or yeast so I had to avoid them too. I realize that my allergies are more than Gluten Intolerance, but challenging just the same. The good news is that GF is becoming better known and restaurants and grocery stores are responding with more choices.

Here is a link that might be useful: Celiac

I am not allergic to gluten. But I have tried making gluten free breads and other baked goods, just for the challenge. The gluten free breads I made were tolerable but not the type of bread that I want to eat for the rest of my life.

Not sure if going on a gluten free diet is beneficial to those who are not allergic to it. But for those who are, removing gluten in the diet seems to make a difference between day and night.

I make sourdough breads. According to research, people with mild gluten intolerance can eat sourdough breads without ill effects. The long fermentation process seems to be the key; as milk-allergic individuals can tolerate yogurt and some forms of cheese.

Glad I am not gluten intolerant because I cannot imagine having to eat everything free of gluten. To me, it's a pretty difficult diet to follow.

Al

I don't think I can ever completely avoid gluten because gluten is what makes bread easy and that loaf will form properly.

Al, it is true the Gluten Free baked goods are NOT anywhere near wheat based items...and if you are looking for that...you will never be happy...one must accept that..although the strides being made in kitchens around the world are helping...mixing flours...blending just the right dry to wet...it's becoming better and better..

And yes there is some truth to the sourdough and soaking theory...for some it's the phyto nutrients or indigestible parts of the wheat that give some people trouble..not a true allergy (celiac) to the gluten..so for those people, soaking, fermenting and the like make the foods made with wheat much more tolerable on their systems.

In August I was (mis)diadnosed? with celiac disease. I have spent months on the gluten free diet and I was extremely careful not to make any mistakes or suffer any cross contamination with gluten. I do have experience eating this therapeutic (for celiacs) diet. Because I was probably misdiagnosed I have done extensive research on the disease and the GF diet. There are two medical conditions proven to respond favorably to a gluten free diet; celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Both conditions make patients miserable if a GF diet isn't followed. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease and ingestion of gluten, even in minute quantities, causes the body to form antibodies to the gluten. Once the body responds to the presence of gluten the antibodies respond, usually producing extreme gastric discomfort, bloating and diarrhea, and the response may last for weeks. From what I have read, the body's response in gluten intolerance is usually milder. Untreated celiac disease (the only treatment is a totally gluten free diet) results in damage to the lining of the small intestine. Along with pain, the damage also results in malabsorption of several very important vitamins and can lead to malnourishment and anemia.
I am very overweight and did lose a few pounds while on the GF diet but I am certain the reason is because I found the GF diet so restrictive and unpalatable that I ate very little bread and baked goods. I am extremely picky and I hated all the GF substitutes for foods made with wheat flour. Fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat/fish can be prepared quite easily without the inclusion of gluten. Baked goods, on the other hand, taste and feel very different. I complained so bitterly and frequently to the celiac forums about how unhappy I was with the diet that I drove most members crazy. If appears I am so picky that I couldn't resign myself to the differences if GF baked goods--something that most celiacs do learn to accept.
Celiacs are advised to eat foods in their natural states and strictly avoid all processed foods, primarily because almost all processed foods in this country contain gluten. Following this diet would be beneficial to everyone and this is why many people who are not gluten sensitive feel well while observing the GF diet.
I did not respond to the GF diet and the doctor who diagnosed me with celiac made some glaring errors in the sequence of tests on which he determined his diagnosis. I am seeing a different doctor and have gone off the GF diet since late November so I can be properly tested to confirm or rule out the diagnosis of celiac disease. I had blood work a week ago and may learn the results later today. Please wish me luck and if anyone chooses to go GF, the diet can't hurt you and may make you feel better.
Nancy

It's not a "motivating reason", but I would have missed out on a large variety of grains/beans/seeds in our diet, which I use and mill myself for optimum nutrition.

I learned how to prepare gluten-free foods for my mother, who had celiac disease, back when there were so few choices and little information.

I regularly make gluten-free foods, but since I don't have a gluten sensitivity, I also rely on wheat (which I have hundreds of pounds of in storage) because I can make so many things with it. Wheat is an important staple in home food storage.

I also develop recipes for a sorghum mill outside of town, which has been fun. Not all of the recipes are gluten-free, but it's nice to move beyond a bag of all-purpose flour.

I've also enjoyed the research and the many perspectives on the subject.

-Grainlady

All very interesting! I have an iron-clad gut, I swear. There is very little that upsets my stomach or digestive system. Recently I ate some chili soup that must have had Drano in it. Wow, was I in pain! One time I had acid reflux and that was a misery too. I keep Gaviscon around just in case it ever returns.

Since I don't react badly to anything, I eat everything and have no motivation to limit myself. After reading how change in diet has helped you, I wonder if I should give it a try. My only real health complaint is fatigue and needing to lose some weight.

I will try to be brief in my thoughts on this topic. However, it's probably too much information for most of you.

I am not gluten-intolerant, however I do believe that consuming wheat is not healthy for most people. I resisted the ideas I have read about for a long time, but I now do believe fully that wheat has a negative impact on cholesterol and heart disease.

I have experienced this with my own cholesterol.

Specifically, I'm not talking about the three numbers you get from your standard cholesterol test - HDL (good), LDL (bad), and Triglycerides, or the total of those numbers.

I'm talking about what your LDL cholesterol is made of - small particles (bad) and large particles (good). This is what matters. Not so much what that LDL number is, but how much of it is small vs. large. Small particles stick and jam up, large particles don't.

Eating wheat generally = having small LDL particles.

My own experience? I have heart disease in my family and have always had moderately high cholesterol (FWIW - I am a fitness professional, and am 5'2" and weight 109lbs). My LDL has always been a combination of small and large cholesterol. Due to other risk factors I have - this is not good. I studied up and learned a lot about cholesterol, and what most doctors are **not** doing or discussing with most people. Very unfortunate.

I virtually cut out wheat about 9 months ago, except for occasionally. I immediately noticed less bloating (which I previously had attributed to my age more than anything else). When I went for my cholesterol test about a month ago, ALL of my LDL particles were now Large. Holy cow! I did not expect that. The only change I had made in my diet was eliminating wheat. (in addition, my liver enzymes which also tended to run high were now within range).

So yes, I am now a believer.

Most Drs give standard cholesterol tests which don't give you much info beyond HDL, LDL, and Triglycerides (some of which are calculated rather than measured).

My Dr gives me what's called a VAP test, which gives you far more important detail about your blood cholesterol, and numbers that are measured, not calculated.

Why don't all Drs give this test?? Beats me? It's not much more expensive than a regular test.

Ever wonder why people with low cholesterol have heart attacks?

Anyway, I guess I'm not capable of 'being brief' about this subject which is near and dear to my heart (no pun intended :-)

You can google VAP test for more info. Then insist your Dr give you a VAP test next time you need your cholesterol tested to find out what's really going on in there.

Bonnie (who's learned to bake delicious wheat-free goodies)

My sister was diagnosed with Celiac disease last year. She feels much better now that she's not eating gluten. Her partner is a fantastic cook so she's figured out how to make most things without gluten, however, she still says they haven't been able to come up with a bread that's worth eating. Some stuff has come out really good tho. They made gluten free popovers for Thanksgiving dinner and no one even noticed the difference!

Lisa

This has been an interesting read. I probably would give up bread if I had to eat a poor substitute. I once read that people who eat less bread have much less stomach fat. And that is good for heart health.