Proud to Be Gluten Free

Ok, so I am spinning out of control! I can’t stop researching infertility and how it relates to celiacs disease. While doing my research I read a book my nutritionist gave me called “Dangerous Grains.” Here is some information that caught my eye.

List of Gluten Associated Medical Conditions:

• Anemia, folic acid deficiency and iron deficiency (along with elevated liver enzymes) – I have been anemic my whole life, I was just put on iron supplements and just received a blood test with high liver readings.

• Calcium Deficiency – on supplements

• Crohns Disease

• Diabetes

• Folic Acid Deficiency

• Food sensitivities to soy, milk – I have always been sensitive to diary

• Premature graying – not yet thank god

• Infertility in both women and men (50% reversal on gluten free diet) – Yeah! I am going to be part of that 50%. At last a statistic I want to be part of.

• Lactose intolerance (50% of celiac patients)

• Liver disease

• Malabsorption

• Menarche delayed - check

• Menopause (occurs 2-4 years earlier)

• Miscarriages

• Infertility & reduced time span of fertility - check

• Reduced pregnancy rate

• Rheumatoid arthritis – my grandmother has this

• Vitamin deficiencies



Here are a few acronyms to look for when looking at good labels.

Acronyms that might spell “hidden” gluten

Fu – dried wheat gluten

HPP – hydrolyzed plan protein

HVP – hydrolyzed vegetable protein

MSG- monosodium glutamate

TPP – textured plant protein

TVP – textured vegetable protein



Here are a few items that may contain gluten that surprised me.

Baking powder

Blue cheese

Mustard powder

Oats

Soy sauce

Wheat grass





For those of you out there who are experiencing fertility issues and/or have been diagnosed with POF, try taking gluten out of you diet. It is suggested in many of the books I have read to be one of the top things you can do to improve chances of conceiving. You don’t have to have full blown celiacs, some people just have difficulty digesting gluten which can cause you to become malnourished and then affect your fertility. Below are some common signs that you may have an issue digesting gluten. These are just some that I have experienced that were mentioned in the book.



Common Signs & symptoms of celiac disease

Constipation

Depression

Early menopause

Low iron

Kidney stones

Chronic fatigue – I still have this even though I am on a glutten free diet.

Amenorrea caused by nutrient deficiencies



Good news to all of you who have celiacs and are experiencing fertility problems. Maintaining a strict gluten free diet can reduce infertility effects. According to the article found at http://ezinearticles.com/?Celiac-Disease---Infertility--You-May-Have-it-and-Not-Know,-Find-Out-Why-Its-Important!&id=2281732 “It is noted that 'infertile' women often go onto delivering healthy babies, assisted by eating a strict gluten free diet. In Australia the typical method of resolving infertility issues is to see a naturopath, take lots of vitamins and then see an IVF specialist. The reality with this is that these methods are very costly and time consuming and if you have celiac disease and don't know it, it is likely that your chances of conceiving will not increase any. While none of this data proves that celiac disease causes infertility, it strongly suggests that people diagnosed as celiacs are likely to have more difficulty conceiving and they can massively improve their chances when observing a strict gluten free diet.” I am going to continue to do research to try and find some cases of women who have been diagnosed with POF that have healed their bodies and restored their fertility.



I have started to look up and make sure other products I used on a daily basis are gluten free. First on the list are my make up and my shampoo. Below is what I found from research other celiacs patients have posted.

A lot of the Pantene product's contain wheat protein's

Bare Escentuals: The Minerals line has some products that are gluten free, not the Bare Escentuals products.
All gluten free:
-Bare MInerals Foundation
-Bare Minerals Blushes
-Bare Minerals Eyeshadows, Glimpses, Glimmers
-Bare Minerasl Multi-Tasking Bisques
-Bare Minerals Buxom lip gloss.
-Bare Minerals Mascara

Almost all of MAC’s lip products are gluten free

http://www.carefreebeauty.us/face - this is a great gluten free brand that is like bare minerals

Well that is it for me today. I ate two tablespoons of flaxseeds with my juice this morning, my gluten free lunch at PF Changs and my dinner. My husband worked with me at the gym this evening on weight training. I am getting healthier and stronger by the day. I feel like Rocky in the first movie when he starts running and trying to make it all the way to the top of the steps. Don’t laugh but I kind of played the theme song in my head while I was working out. I feel great on my new supplements: my multi-vitamin is Super Nutrition Prenatal Blend Antioxidant Rich Multi-Vitamin (for post and prenatal women) the packaging suggests to take 6 a day but I am taking 4 a day right now. My PABA and L-Lysine are made by NOW. My tea which I drink three cups of each morning is made by Traditional Medicinals Organic Pregnancy Tea (their website states that only one of their products contain gluten and this tea is not the one with gluten so drink away). Last but not least the multi vitamin I bought for my husband is Rainbow Light Men’s One JustOnce Energy B Complex & Probiotic (on sale at vitamin cottage for 19.99 right now). Hope this helps.

Last but not least just wanted to remind everyone that if you are a celiacs patient and are going to incorporate flaxseeds and/or wheatgrass into your diets. Please check the labels. Certain brands can contain gluten so be sure to check the label on your flaxseed and ask the juicer about the wheat grass better safe then sorry. I will share some news about wine and the fact that most is completely gluten free tomorrow. I am so excited at this news, maybe I will have to start having my one drink a day now :0)