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One good thing about being gluten free

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dancer

Well-Known Member
I've been GF for 2 years, after being diagnosed coeliac. Nothing changed with my one and only symptom (passing stools up to 7 times per day). The only change was feeling even more tired than before.

Today I had another bone density scan and it has increased by 7%. I am absolutely delighted. I'm still in the osteoporosis range but a 7% increase is fantastic, when they expected my bone density to fall (at my age) with each 2 yearly scan.

I daresay I will still moan from time to time about having to be GF, but today's news has given me a real boost.
 

Great news. 7% is quite an astonishing improvement.
 
That is brilliant news!

@dancer can I ask how severe you are with your GFing?
The reason I ask is that I saw a documentary on you tube a couple of years ago by an American nurse who specialised in dealing with GF patients. In her opinion, some are so sensitive that they have to eliminate all the FODMAP veg, and many skin creams and cosmetics because these will trigger symptoms even if dietary gluten is completely eliminated.

It sounded very, very, hard work but the way she was talking it sounded like she and her patients felt it was worth the effort.

Fortunately, when I went GF I got some benefits with pretty basic GFing, but there was a 3 month period where I tried to be uberstrict and checked all my cooking vinegars, sauces, even skin creams and toiletries, etc. Nightmare.

Nowadays I still get slight symptoms (much milder than before!) so I am still missing some triggers.
But the effort involved to track the last things down make me drag my feet about taking the final steps.
 
I check all my food for gluten. I'm sorry @Brunneria I don't know what FODMAP veg is. I've got the feeling I should but . . .

I checked shampoo etc for gluten ingredients but must admit it's not the 1st thing I think of when looking for something new. I have very sensitive skin so tend to stick to what works (mostly Clinique - my GP did comment that my skin has expensive taste!)

In January my gastroenterologist tested to make sure my pancreas is producing necessary digestive enzymes. If this doesn't show anything wrong, it means another endoscopy.
 
Here is a link to explain FODMAPS much better than I ever could.
https://www.medicinenet.com/low_fod...htm#fodmap_foods_for_ibs_definition_and_facts
They don't seem to affect me, but I have read that sometimes people with coeliac find that they are sensitive to FODMAPS too.

And yes, my skin has expensive tastes too! Although in my case it is my eyes that are sensitive to the perfumes they stuff in a lot of creams, lotions and cosmetics - but rarely seem to put in the more expensive brands. Typical. lol.
 
Hey Dancer, great results on your bone density there! I would just say the once you do the FODMAP "thing" it is surprising how you don't miss those foods all that much because there still is so much out there that you can eat - even on LCHF, if you are doing that....I have found that I can now have very small amounts of onion and garlic without all the stress after. Once the FODMAPS have been eliminated for about a month, you can try introducing a food group back....oh, can now also enjoy a couple slices of apple with almond butter which was my go to bfast for years!! Hope you can sort things out.Blessings/L
 
I am annoyed that so many GF products contain a lot of sugar. How do you manage to choose suitable foods?
 
Nondipoo said:
I am annoyed that so many GF products contain a lot of sugar. How do you manage to choose suitable foods?
Click to expand...
I mostly eat naturally GF food. Before diagnosis, I only ate 3 or 4 slices of bread per week but now I eat between 0 and 2 slices of GF bread, and eat GF oatcakes instead.

I enjoy the odd biscuit but am wary of buying ones I haven't tried before, as I've thrown out several packs because I've found them sickly sweet. I wonder if they add more sugar to hide the taste of the GF flour used. My favourite biscuits now are the plain chocolate rice cakes and the macaroons from M&S. The rice cakes used to be in the Free From section but are now shelved in the "normal" biscuit section.

I must admit that I don't look at the sugar content but look at the total carbohydrate in GF products. If I consider the carb content acceptable, I buy and taste. Whether I buy them again depends on the taste.
 
Nondipoo said:
I am annoyed that so many GF products contain a lot of sugar. How do you manage to choose suitable foods?
Click to expand...
Make your own cakes and biscuits lots of fantastic recipes out there try indy power she's great with her idea's has books on it as well
 
Good news dancer. I haven't had a bone denisty test since I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis 6 years ago, 3 month's after being diagnosed with Coeliac. I have it in my spine hips and arms.
 
Robinredbreast said:
Good news dancer. I haven't had a bone denisty test since I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis 6 years ago, 3 month's after being diagnosed with Coeliac. I have it in my spine hips and arms.
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I've had a bone density scan every 2 years since diagnosed with osteoporosis, but I'm not on any medication. I was told to ask my GP to refer me for a scan in 2 years time. Not the best thing for someone with a poor memory! After my latest scan, I was told to get another scan in 3 years time. I hope this is because of the rise in my bone density, and not due to the long waiting time they've had for a few years.
 

Wow every 2 years, then 3, well, I will have to have a word with the dietitian when I go for my yearly coeliac appointment in May., 6 years is far too long. I hope to get a more positive result as you have
 
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