celiac disease And Anti-inflammatory Diets

[Penny-M]

Hi everyone I don't post to often but I read alot of other posts and I don't recall every seeing one that mentions Anti-Inflammatory diets. I was raised in a SAD environment--Standard American Diet-Fried this, processed that, etc. When I was a teen ager and noticed how my digestive system wasn't right I figured it was the foods I was accustomed to eating, so I went to college for fitness and nutrition and became a bonafide vegan--which was a huge switch. Little did I know the whole grain foods I was eating could have killed me. But at the time I did not know about Celiac or Gluten intolerance. This was many years ago, so when I went vegan and noticed my digestive problems did not get any better, they actually got worse, I went to a dr. , went back to my old diet without the fried foods and I was diagnosed as many with IBS. I did what the doc said--no improvements, but during that time I had a terrible allergy attack and was told I had "environmental allergies." Ok, so I found out I was allergic to benadryl and could only take Child doses or Rynatan(sp). I did this for many years, with no reprieve(sp). In my late 20's early 30's I noticed my digestive disorders were getting worse and I was experiencing many other conditions.

It wasn't until I was 40 I seeked an immunologist that would do some allergy testing and one of the test I wanted her to do was Gluten. Well little did I know, I was not only very allergic to Wheat, Rye, Oats, Barley, and Soy but I carry the genetic marker for Celiac. I had my suspicions before the testing so I stopped eating Gluten I felt better prior to the test so dr was concerned that I wouldn't show true, but boy was she wrong. I had the largest hives she had ever seen and was concerned I would need the epi pen. I didn't--

Anyway--even being off Gluten I still suffer terrible immune issues, as well as digestive issues, I strongly feel its due to inflammation in my intestinal and digestive tract. This leads me to my topic--Anti inflammatory Diets. I am interested to hear back from anyone who follows an anti inflammatory diet and if they can share their experiences--good and bad I would truly be grateful.

Thank You

Penny

[beth67]

Hi Penny, You hit on a topic I am really interested in right now and find people think I'm nut's when I talk about it. I also went vegan in college looking for better health. I lost weight but still had headaches. I've always been interested in nutrition so when my physical therapist suggested an anti inflammatory diet to help joint inflammation and general pain and foggy thinking I said sure I'll give it a try. After a couple of weeks I started to feel much better but I faltered and went back to the old processed diet and felt bad again. Then my kidney doctor wanted me in the hospital for iv iron but I felt we should figure out why I was anemic in the first place. Doing my own research I diagnosed myself with celiac disease and requested a test from my doctor which came out positive. Had an endoscopy yesterday which confirmed it. I have been doing the gluten free diet for about two months and I still have alot of joint pain and generalized all over pain. It occured to me that the stuff they sell for celiacs is over processed and pro inflammatory. I had to eat gluten for the endoscopy and biopsy last weekend but now that it's over I an going to concentrate on the anti inflammatory diet. I did feel alot better after two weeks a few months ago when I was good about the diet. I am weak sometimes and I just really need to stick with it to feel the full results. A good book I read was The Inflammation Syndrome by Jack Challen and another good writer is Ron Hoggan who has articles on the web. The paleo or caveman diet is in line with the anti inflammation idea. Loren Cordain has written articles and a book about it. What I'm getting out of my diet is potatoes, rice, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, coffee, sugar. I'm starting this today and of course I have a terrible headache because I haven't had my cup of coffee and I'm feeling like a druggy and thinking up all kinds of excuses to have it because it probably would help my headache but also withdrawing from it is what has made the headache in the first place. Vicious cycle. Have you tried the anti inflammation diet or know of good articles or other books?

Beth

[ang1e0251]

I haven't tried the AI diet just the "Angie Diet", what works for me. But I would like to hear more about it. Share.

[Penny-M]

Hi Beth--Wow someone else who is doing anti inflammatory--I have not read those books I will check them out at the local library--thank you for the resource info. I have done anti-inflammatory Herbs for years but I am now diving into diet. What I have been reading is to eliminate corn and since being diagnosed gluten-free my pasta if I eat it is corn, because I find the rice expensive and disgusting. I can do spaghetti noodle but that is it. I don't eat alot of pasta but for me to give up the corn pasta--that will be a challenge. It took alot just to switch to the the corn and rice. I love potatoes--my diet since gluten-free is potatoes and beans--I swear I am going to turn into a bean or a potatoe. I am also eliminating some of the nightshade vegetables, I will keep you posted. Eggplant has always given my a headache, but tomatoes--that will be very very difficult. I love my tom's.

I like dr. weils pyramid have you seen it or followed it?

I have so many unanswered questions about anti-inflammatory dieting my head is spinning, but i want to look into those authors.

Keep me posted on how you are doing.

[Penny-M]

I haven't tried the AI diet just the "Angie Diet", what works for me. But I would like to hear more about it. Share.

[Penny-M]

What is Angie's Diet? I tried to google it but is all I get is Angelina's baby diet--I don't think that's what you are referring to.

[MightbeCeliac's]

I went about 80% anti-inflammatory right after going 100% gluten free to help speed he healing of gluten symptoms. I've been gluten free for 7 months and I think it helped especially when I see where I am in comparison to some of the folks who have been gluten free for much longer.

I almost never eat processed foods. I don't eat any night shade plant except for the occasional slice of tomato, I reduced dairy to cheese and yogurt and the occasional serving of milk, the only potatoes I eat are sweet potatoes or yams as they are in the morning glory family and not nightshade. I only eat the eggs of free range hens which are low in omega-6 oils and high in soothing anti-inflammatory omega-3'. I take mega doses of vitamin D 10,000 IU per day, 2 tbls of flax meal per day, as well as 1 daily serving of blueberries,cherries and 1 serving crucieferous vergetable daily plus plenty of other fruits and vegetables.

I definitely recommend at least a short term anti-imflammatory diet to help speed recovery as well as the addition supplements to lend neuro-transmitter support and life-style changes to help reduce stress.

[muffy1219]

I too am very interested in this. I did some research last year on it. I would hope that one of you that is on this eating program could give the rest of us a list of what you eat. I know a lot of the gluten free foods are heavy in sodium & sugar & w/ my high blood pressure & borderline diabetes, staying away from anything processed & going all natural would be much healthier.

I went to Weight Watchers 2 yrs. ago & the group that was here in my neck of the woods had a consultant that just did not understand the Core program they were offering. She tried to persuade me to do the other program where ya count pts. & eat anything you want. I wanted to get well, eating hamburgers & fries & such & counting pts. on foods like that was not what I was looking for.

I loved the Core program & did well with it until I fell off the diet & did not return but I been thinking about starting that as I really felt good on it. Cooking is different but ya get use to it.

Still I would love to learn more on this anti-inflam. diet as my feet & hands are on fire. With all the pain this PN causes me I can only imagine what kind of inflammation is going on in my body.

[Penny-M]

I went about 80% anti-inflammatory right after going 100% gluten free to help speed he healing of gluten symptoms. I've been gluten free for 7 months and I think it helped especially when I see where I am in comparison to some of the folks who have been gluten free for much longer.

I almost never eat processed foods. I don't eat any night shade plant except for the occasional slice of tomato, I reduced dairy to cheese and yogurt and the occasional serving of milk, the only potatoes I eat are sweet potatoes or yams as they are in the morning glory family and not nightshade. I only eat the eggs of free range hens which are low in omega-6 oils and high in soothing anti-inflammatory omega-3'. I take mega doses of vitamin D 10,000 IU per day, 2 tbls of flax meal per day, as well as 1 daily serving of blueberries,cherries and 1 serving crucieferous vergetable daily plus plenty of other fruits and vegetables.

I definitely recommend at least a short term anti-imflammatory diet to help speed recovery as well as the addition supplements to lend neuro-transmitter support and life-style changes to help reduce stress.

[YoloGx]

I find basically going off all grains has helped me a great deal against inflammation. I also now make 24 hour yogurt and from it, yogurt cheese (by dripping the yogurt). I am finding Elaine Gottschall's specific carbohydrate diet helpful (BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE), although so far I still have to avoid all fruit except for lemons which I sweeten with stevia to make lemonaide. I also avoid all nuts and seeds except fro sunflower seeds. There is a thread here on the specific carbohydrate diet you might want to check out. It definitely helps against inflammation.

I also highly suggest various anti inflammatory herbs (like dandelion and echinacea--but don't use the tinctures due to possible gluten) as well as exercise and saunas. I also find eating a lot of greens really helps. To this end I usually also have one or two glasses of blended greens like kale with a little summer squash and cucumbers I put in a blender.

Bea

[ang1e0251]

What is Angie's Diet? I tried to google it but is all I get is Angelina's baby diet--I don't think that's what you are referring to.

I'm sorry, I'm Angie and I was just trying to joke saying I have refined my own diet to me. Weak humor!

[Penny-M]

I'm sorry, I'm Angie and I was just trying to joke saying I have refined my own diet to me. Weak humor!

LOL --tell us more about Angie's diet? Give us some tidbits that have worked for you, if don't mind sharing.

[chasbari]

When first diagnosed I tried to go with the celiac almost like normal western diet foods and started to feeel less worse...just not really better. I then switched overnight to Cordain's Paleo diet and within 49 hours my celiac started to feel better... and so did my rheumatoid arthritis.

I now eat nothing but fresh fruit, fresh vegetables with no beans, peas or other legumes and no nightshades whatsover.

I eat meat and fish and my one concession to economy is that I eat eggs.. and lots of them. My cholesterol has never been better as well as my BP and overall healing and fitness.

This is my new diet for life and I don't plan to try to work stuff in.

If I would have accidentally gone on this type of diet 40 years ago.... ah well. I am feeling 30 years younger as it is as a result and the RA, which was so severe I could barely walk nine months ago, is almost non-existent now!

CS

[Penny-M]

I started my AI today--I brought some lemon/Dill cod with some baked zuccini(sp) slices--It was yummy!!!! I have been AI now for 24 hours and I am already seeing a huge difference in my nasal issue.--

[Penny-M]

When first diagnosed I tried to go with the celiac almost like normal western diet foods and started to feeel less worse...just not really better. I then switched overnight to Cordain's Paleo diet and within 49 hours my celiac started to feel better... and so did my rheumatoid arthritis.

I now eat nothing but fresh fruit, fresh vegetables with no beans, peas or other legumes and no nightshades whatsover.

I eat meat and fish and my one concession to economy is that I eat eggs.. and lots of them. My cholesterol has never been better as well as my BP and overall healing and fitness.

This is my new diet for life and I don't plan to try to work stuff in.

If I would have accidentally gone on this type of diet 40 years ago.... ah well. I am feeling 30 years younger as it is as a result and the RA, which was so severe I could barely walk nine months ago, is almost non-existent now!

CS

[YoloGx]

When first diagnosed I tried to go with the celiac almost like normal western diet foods and started to feeel less worse...just not really better. I then switched overnight to Cordain's Paleo diet and within 49 hours my celiac started to feel better... and so did my rheumatoid arthritis.

I now eat nothing but fresh fruit, fresh vegetables with no beans, peas or other legumes and no nightshades whatsover.

I eat meat and fish and my one concession to economy is that I eat eggs.. and lots of them. My cholesterol has never been better as well as my BP and overall healing and fitness.

This is my new diet for life and I don't plan to try to work stuff in.

If I would have accidentally gone on this type of diet 40 years ago.... ah well. I am feeling 30 years younger as it is as a result and the RA, which was so severe I could barely walk nine months ago, is almost non-existent now!

CS

That's wonderfull!

I tried eating fully aged cheddar cheese and have had a recurrence --inflammation in my hip joints etc. Acch! Its so much better to stay on diet!

Bea

[beth67]

I think Cordain has done some really good research. On his site you can download free articles. The paleo diet really makes sense. I keep talking about going back to the caveman diet but keep faltering. I need to reread Cordains arguments about why it is a good diet to remind me. I had my endoscopy last Tuesday so now I can be a pure no gluten person so I had a little fun and made gluten free chocolate chip cookies. They were really good. Too good. I don't feel so good after eating them because I don't usually eat sweets. I think the rice flour is over processed and isn't really good for us. I cut out other inflammatories today but messed up with the cookies. I don't think I will be making them again. Tonight I had game hen with roasted carrots. Very good and filling. Didn't miss the simple carb side dish like rice or potatoes.

Beth

[ang1e0251]

Well, the Angie Diet is always evolving and as I feel better and better, I refine it more.

Right now I eat all meats, some foods like sausage, I buy plain ground pork and season it myself. I cannot tolerate fresh dairy but substitute soy milk and I still have some butter and eat cheeses. I eat grapes with cheese almost every day. I eat all fruits except mangoes, allergic to the US ones.

I eat lots of eggs. Breakfast is always 3 eggs fried with butter, coconut oil, tomato, onion and Hormel Natural Ham. I can eat rice but I've cut way back on carbs so I just have rice a couple of times a week. Love beans but same as rice, need to limit them a bit. I digest better that way and my weight stabilizes.

I cut out all sugar to diet last winter and that was good for me, but I confess I still eat some sugar. I use stevia in my drinks and am learning to cook with it. I can eat any vegetables but need to limit those hight carb ones. Feel better that way. I've started to eat nuts every day with chocolate, my weakness.

I stopped eating flours because when dieting, I realized how much better I felt without them. I have corn occasionally but that seems to sit well.

I drink tea but have found some teas make me feel unwell and some give me joint pain. I have to be careful with those. Mostly I drink Constant Comment, that's so comforting to me. I gave up coffee as it was causing tremors. I can tolerate Kool Aide. I add coconut milk to what I can as the dietary fat is so good for you.

That's all I can think of! Probably for Thanksgiving, I will be eating more carbs than usual but other than that this is a much more comfortable way for me to eat.

[jerseyangel]

This is an interesting thread. I try to be aware of inflammatory foods.

I used to eat all the gluten-free substitutes--breads and other things made with gluten-free flours and starches, popcorn, potatoes, rice, etc. I was better than I was before going gluten-free, but I would still have bouts of GI trouble, I was retaining fluids and my blood pressure was high.

Even on two meds, my pressure was persistantly on the high side and would spike at times.

I have settled into my own diet (Patti's Diet? ) of meats (sometimes a bit of bacon and sausage, not every day), tree nuts, lots of veggies (no legumes or starchy ones like white potatoes), fruits (less so than veggies, and mostly berries and less sweet varieties), olives and extra virgin olive oil, butter (not tons), some dairy (plain nonfat greek yogurt, real cheeses), tea, limited eggs (can't tolerate too many), cinnamon, and spring water. I do admit to using half and half in my tea--my guilty pleasure I don't eat sugar at all--I will have the occasional Lara Bar for a "sweet".

This has resulted in my digestion being happier, the weight is slowly but surely reducing (needed), and my blood pressure is now on the low side of normal! My doctor took me off my diuretic, since this way of eating has a natural diuretic effect for me. I hope to be able to at least cut the dosage of my remaining blood pressure med at my next visit.

[YoloGx]

I am confused. What are the basics of Angie's Diet? And why is it so named??

Bea

[Penny-M]

I have been looking into the Paleo Diet online and I see a website Open Original Shared Link can you tell me if this information is accurate, to Cordains Paleo, I see salt being used in the recipes and I didn't think he advises using salt? Have you used Nut flour or made arrowroot bread? If so how do you like the results? I found a recipe I want to try, with arrowroot, I use arrowroot already for sauces but I never tried to make bread or crackers from it.

I think I can merge the AI with the paleo just by leaving out the nightshade vegetables. I am going to give it a whirl and see how I feel. So far 2nd day of no carbs, no processed anything, I feel pretty good.

[jerseyangel]

I am confused. What are the basics of Angie's Diet? And why is it so named??

Bea

Bea,

"Angie's Diet" is what ang1e0251 (Angie) is calling the way of eating that she has refined over time to address her issues. She describes it in her previous posts in this thread.

[beth67]

Penny, Regarding paleofood.com I'm familiar with it but I don't think it's linked with Cordain's page or philosophy because your right, I think he doesn't think salt is a good thing. Alot of the recipes do have salt in them. I cut down salt for other people I'm cooking for but for me however I'm on two different potassium sparing diuretics for a kidney disorder called Gitelman's syndrome where I lose too much potassium and since the diuretics cause me to lose salt I can have some extra. There is a site called paleodiet.com and it has interesting articles. I like the one by Ron Hoggan who has celiacs and Don Wiss called Factors That Inhibit Calcium Absorption and an interview of Loren Cordain about the paleo diet. This site has the link to the paleofood.com site you mentioned. thepaleodiet.com site which is by Cordain has alot of good articles he and other researchers have written. When you read the evidence it's pretty convincing that the paleo diet is a really healthy way to eat.

Beth

[Penny-M]

Hi Beth, Okay, I will go back to the other website, I started to check that out the other day and somehow I fell upon the one and it just didn't make sense to what I have been reading on Cordain and Hoggan.

Thanks Beth, I am checking online to see if our library has those books in stock, I hope so, every Celiac book they have is always out. More and more people in my area are going wheat free even if they don't have celiac. I found that interesting!!! I just wish they would get some decent eateries to open so my husbaand and I could enjoy a night out. We have one rest. by us and we talked to the chef and he wont alter the food to make it eatible for celiacs, Well needless to say they wont get our business. It's something as simple as a baked chicken--he wont bake it without the flour seasoned coating---CRAZY!!!!

Two days on AI diet--going on the 3rd and my nasal allergy issues are getting much better. Not so much mucus as before. I had a flair up with my stomach last night because I ate some peas, so I think I am going to be avoiding them, but if I combine paleo and AI I wont be eating them anyway.

[Lynayah]

I just wish they would get some decent eateries to open so my husbaand and I could enjoy a night out. We have one rest. by us and we talked to the chef and he wont alter the food to make it eatible for celiacs, Well needless to say they wont get our business. It's something as simple as a baked chicken--he wont bake it without the flour seasoned coating---CRAZY!!!!

Restaurants: I know what you mean. Some won't budge.

Yet, I find it amazing how helpful some restaurants can be if you call and speak with a manger first -- not the chef but the owner or top manager in charge (the ones who have to deal with libility).

It is interesting that some restaurants I would never have assumed would be helpful have indeed been very helpful.

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I went to a moderately-priced buffet (Golden Corral). I called and spoke with the head manager who was so incredibly kind! He listened to me, REALLY listened, and he promised me he would prepare a freshly butchered slice of sirloin steak on a dedicated grill, with no marinade or spices added whatsoever. And this was in a restaurant where they didn't even know what gluten-intolorance was until I spoke with them!

Other managers at other restaurants have been equally wonderful in telling me that, while they cannot guarantee that any food won't be cross-contaminated, I am welcome to bring my own food. This allows me to attend dining parties or club meetings with no problem, and with no burden on those booking the restaurant.

I guess the bottom line is to keep calling, keep trying. If enough restaurants get enough calls, they'll start to listen.

In fact, I think I'm going to start a thread about this. I'll post the link once it is up.

Hugs,

Lyn