Bragg's, anyone?

[KnottedYet]

"I looked at a site about celiac disease and the only weight problem they mention was losing it. I do have some of the other symptoms, but not that one. Can you have celiac and be 100 lbs overweight?"

Yup.

Your body can't absorb the nutrients it needs while it is being ripped up by the whole gluten-thang. So it keeps telling you it is hungry, and you eat and eat and eat. Desperately trying to get minerals and vitamins, your body only manages to absorb a ton of calories and it's still starving!

A lot of folks with celiac will lose excess weight very quickly once they get the ALL the gluten out of their menus. Their intestine heals, and suddenly (within a couple weeks) they can absorb nutrients again. They aren't starving for trace elements any more, so they aren't as hungry. Some are still very difficult to absorb (vit D and vit B12 especially) but some over-the-counter supplements take care of that. (sometimes in massive doses, but that depends on what your doctor recommends)

[badger]

it's interesting you mention celiac disease and how so few people know they have it. I was at a party tonight and one of the women there was just diagnosed this February with celiac. How she went on for a few years without realizing she had it, and once she knows she feels SO much better.

One interesting thing she mentioned regarding celiac is how if one is predisposed but don't show symptoms, one of the triggers can be surgery. She had surgery on her ankle to repair a torn achilles tendon 4 years ago and she said that's when she started having problems.

Anyways, this is neither here nor there regarding ACV, which I also use as part of my simple salad dressing: my current oil (rice bran oil), ACV, and a sprinkle of raspberry balsalmic vinegar. Sometimes I'll also throw in a bit of Bubbie's Horseradish (OMG, so good!!)

[channlluv]

I also just ordered the Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam.

I looked at one of the Moosewood books. It seems pretty similar to the one I already have - Food to Live By - so I'm going to hold off on that for a bit.

I wish these books came with shopping lists.

I think I may try gluten-free just to see how it is. I found another thread about gluten free substitutes and it seems there are a lot of options out there for a sandwich lover.

I've got a follow-up appointment with my endocrinologist in September. I'll ask him to run the celiac blood test since he's already running a full panel of hormone tests.

Thank you for all the support and the wealth of information.

Roxy

[KnottedYet]

You must NOT change your diet before the blood test!!!!

If you stop eating gluten or decrease your usual gluten, you will have a negative test no matter if you have celiac or not.

The blood test ONLY picks up antibodies to gluten. You must be eating gluten for several weeks before and during the test in order for the antibodies to be produced. Some doctors recommend 6 slices of bread a day for 6 weeks before the test.

If you change your diet before the blood antibody test, then your only option is the DNA test, which is not covered by insurance and is a couple thousand dollars.

Please talk to your endocrinologist before you go eliminating any foods.

Plus, if you truly do a gluten-elimination diet, you must have guidance from a nutritionist for it to be effective. Gluten shows up in some bizarre places.

Please, do all the other things for a healthier pattern of eating that folks have suggested. All those great cookbooks, all those lovely fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

But don't mess with restrictive diets of any sort without a doctor's or nutritionist's guidance.

[Trek420]

Lots of good books out there of course and others here will chime in with faves I'm sure. Mollie Katzen, world class chef and the author of the Moosewood books is one of the handful of foodies credited with changing the way America eats (towards food that's made from food).

She's just come out with a book geared towards new cooks. I can't wait to read it:

http://www.molliekatzen.com/get_cooking_promo.php

[tctrek]

I thought gluten might be my problem, but was tested and I actually have no food allergies. But I feel the pain of any women who eats fresh/whole foods, exercises, yet cannot get the needle on the scale to budge. That has been my life for 10 years.

At the risk of thread drift, I will mention here that after many years of inability to lose weight, I asked my doctor if I could go low carb. She said "go for it"... It's been 5 weeks - I did pretty much straight Atkins with 20 grams of "net carbs" the first 2 weeks and adding 5 grams per week. I took 4 days off when we went to the beach, but other than that, I've been staying on track.

What I am finding out is that I am carb-sensitive. Reducing my carb intake has lifted my energy to new levels. No more sleepy afternoons at the office. I don't stand at the vending machine trying to choose between Snickers bar or chips. I have no carb cravings!! I am sleeping better, too and feel energized when I wake up in the morning!

I am riding my bike early in the morning on an empty stomach (not long distances- say under 25 mi.). I'm drinking zero calorie Powerade for electrolytes and I might eat a shot block or two while riding. Then, I have a low carb protein shake post-ride. I'm eating tons of green vegetables, salads with chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef and eggs. I just started eating apples this week... I had eliminated all fruit for the first 5 weeks. I'm drinking about 80 ozs per day of water, green tea and/or Powerade. Stevia in my tea.

Unbelievably I am losing a pound a week. I am the person that could eat 1200 calories per day and actually gain weight!! I'm the one that can ride or go to the gym every single day and not lose weight. I'm post-menopausal and have hypothyroidism and have battled weight issues for 10 years.

I don't know if my stupid body will adjust to the low carb and figure out how to hold on to the weight again, but I am changing forever how I eat. I had blood work done after 4 weeks and my glucose/insulin levels are "perfect".

I recommend talking to your doctor -- I think there are many women out there who are carb sensitive and could benefit immensely from this dietary change.

[Susan]

Over here, we use ACV and pumpkinseed oil for salads - just sprinkle some of the Vinegar over green salad or tomatoes, add a bit of salt and some p.s.oil and toss (just as described above). People that aren't used to this kind of salad dressing find the dark green oil strange in the beginning but most people like the taste in the end.

However I think it would be hard to drink ACV

[Trek420]

Over here, we use ACV and pumpkinseed oil for salads - just sprinkle some of the Vinegar over green salad or tomatoes, add a bit of salt and some p.s.oil and toss (just as described above). People that aren't used to this kind of salad dressing find the dark green oil strange in the beginning but most people like the taste in the end.

This sounds wonderful! Next time I'm low on oil I may look for pumpkin seed oil and experiment with combos in different dishes.

[lattae]

I thought gluten might be my problem, but was tested and I actually have no food allergies. But I feel the pain of any women who eats fresh/whole foods, exercises, yet cannot get the needle on the scale to budge. That has been my life for 10 years.

At the risk of thread drift, I will mention here that after many years of inability to lose weight, I asked my doctor if I could go low carb. She said "go for it"... It's been 5 weeks - I did pretty much straight Atkins with 20 grams of "net carbs" the first 2 weeks and adding 5 grams per week. I took 4 days off when we went to the beach, but other than that, I've been staying on track.

What I am finding out is that I am carb-sensitive. Reducing my carb intake has lifted my energy to new levels. No more sleepy afternoons at the office. I don't stand at the vending machine trying to choose between Snickers bar or chips. I have no carb cravings!! I am sleeping better, too and feel energized when I wake up in the morning!

I am riding my bike early in the morning on an empty stomach (not long distances- say under 25 mi.). I'm drinking zero calorie Powerade for electrolytes and I might eat a shot block or two while riding. Then, I have a low carb protein shake post-ride. I'm eating tons of green vegetables, salads with chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef and eggs. I just started eating apples this week... I had eliminated all fruit for the first 5 weeks. I'm drinking about 80 ozs per day of water, green tea and/or Powerade. Stevia in my tea.

Unbelievably I am losing a pound a week. I am the person that could eat 1200 calories per day and actually gain weight!! I'm the one that can ride or go to the gym every single day and not lose weight. I'm post-menopausal and have hypothyroidism and have battled weight issues for 10 years.

I don't know if my stupid body will adjust to the low carb and figure out how to hold on to the weight again, but I am changing forever how I eat. I had blood work done after 4 weeks and my glucose/insulin levels are "perfect".

I recommend talking to your doctor -- I think there are many women out there who are carb sensitive and could benefit immensely from this dietary change.

I too, think that I'm carb sensitive as I've had the same problems with weight loss, diagnosed with hypothroidism for 20 years, and now menopause has set in. Nothing has taken the weight off even though I bike 50 miles on some days and watch my food intake. Have you found the new atkins eating plan difficult to do? I need to investigate to see if there's any low carb breads at my local panera bread, as I love to eat sandwiches on occasions. Where do you find your lo carb shakes at? Did you find it difficult to start out with the 20 gms of carbs? Thanks

[channlluv]

I just got home from Trader Joe's where I purchased some of the ingredients for the recipes in the Gluten-free Almond Flour cookbook. I still need to get arrowroot powder, which they didn't have, but it's only in a few of the recipes.

If you can do your own baking, this may be an option for you. I'm really looking forward to trying every recipe in this book. There's not a one in here that has made me go, "Um...yeah, maybe for someone like Knot and Trek420." In other words, something I'd have to work up to on the healthy eating scale. (And I mean that as a compliment -- you two are now my role models for healthy living.)

Roxy

[tctrek]

I too, think that I'm carb sensitive as I've had the same problems with weight loss, diagnosed with hypothroidism for 20 years, and now menopause has set in. Nothing has taken the weight off even though I bike 50 miles on some days and watch my food intake. Have you found the new atkins eating plan difficult to do? I need to investigate to see if there's any low carb breads at my local panera bread, as I love to eat sandwiches on occasions. Where do you find your lo carb shakes at? Did you find it difficult to start out with the 20 gms of carbs? Thanks

I worried terribly about the 20 gms of carb the first 2 weeks and I felt so much energy that it did not bother me at all. I was astounded. I was eating 150 grams of carbs a day and then went to 20. It *should* have felt bad, but it didn't! I had more energy! Dr. says that's because I must be carb sensitive... so rather than giving me energy, carbs slow me down and make me lethargic.

I will admit I eat a hamburger with cheddar cheese on it... just no bun! Make sure to eat lots of green vegetables - you will need the fiber for you-know-what. I do not eat any bread, potatoes, pasta or rice.. NONE. In the 5th week, I allowed myself an apple in the afternoon, but that is the only fruit I am eating. I eat lots of salad, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, brussell sprouts. No corn or carrots. I have an EAS Advantage (3 gms net carb) after workout. I am not counting calories, just net carbs.

I really don't think I will ever go back to eating carbs the way I did. I just feel so much better. When I reach my goal weight, 20 lbs to go, I might allow myself one day a week to eat a few more carbs... maybe not, though if it makes me lethargic.