givingupthegrain-blog

[givingupthegrain-blog]

Tired of being tired!

I’m tired of being tired! I’m now in my 4th week of feeling unwell and still no closer to knowing why.

Of course I consulted good old Dr Google with my symptoms (frequent headaches, physical tiredness, strange muscle twitches, brain fog) and began to wonder if my gluten free diet could be the cause? It’s not uncommon for people following a gf diet to have vitamin and mineral deficiencies, plus I eat minimal meat and dairy products, so I took a closer look at what essentials I could be missing out on:

B vitamins such as B6, B12 & folate -Essential for metabolism, converting nutrients in to energy as well as being fundamental to the central nervous system.

Magnesium - Balances blood sugar, regulates blood pressure, protects heart health, maintains normal nerve and muscle function, promotes a healthy immune system.

Iron - Essential for healthy red blood cells. Deficiency causes fatigue, pale skin, headaches...

Vitamin D - essential for healthy bones, muscles, teeth and helps regulate the immune system.

As Dr Google didn’t give me any obvious answers I went to see my GP who requested extensive blood tests, including a full A-Z screening of vitamins & minerals. Apparently these results were all within the normal range and I’m officially healthy! Great news, but why am I still feeling less than my best!?

For now I’m trying to get to sleep earlier each night, stay hydrated (which I’m notoriously bad at) and carve more ‘me’ time to just take it easy. I also haven’t been to the gym, instead focusing on walking everywhere and meditation. Ive cut down on alcohol (albeit writing this after a glass of vino with my Sunday roast!) and I continue to eat a balanced diet of whole foods avoiding anything processed.

I’m also taking Together multi vitamin and mineral whole food supplements and Omega 3. I love these as they are not full of nasty additives, fillers and binders and the Omega 3 is from pure algae not fish!

I’m hoping to feel back to my normal self ASAP, perhaps my body is just screaming at me to slow down so I think I’d better listen up!

[givingupthegrain-blog]

Does gluten free mean healthy?

Removing gluten from my diet had immediate positive benefits but I have since gone full circle on my gluten free approach! When you are told you can’t eat something you only crave it more right!? So like most gluten intolerants I started to make swaps in my diet and trawled every supermarket on a mission to stock up on gluten free alternatives. Many may disagree with me here but quite frankly I found most of the products to be utter rubbish in terms of texture and flavour. As someone who tries to eat whole foods and avoid processed ones, I couldn’t help but feel like all these products were bland and tasted “fake” not like a nutritious food should! This made me take a closer look at the ingredients and realise no wonder I felt this way, the gluten free products I had been trying were probably up there with the most processed foods I’ve ever had!

Many gluten free products are made with highly processed refined flours which are stripped of nutrients, fibre and antioxidants. When you remove gluten, you remove the binding agent that gives the food it’s elasticity and texture so other additives are often thrown in to compensate. Rice flour is one of the main substitutes for wheat flour and some researchers are concerned that this will expose consumers to higher levels of arsenic and mercury! (Seriously!?) Many of these products also have a high glycemic index meaning they can spike blood sugar and increase insulin levels.

For example a fresh loaf of bread in a supermarket bakery counter will typically contain wheat flour, yeast, water, salt and oil. A gluten free alternative bread is likely to have an ingredient list that reads like this:

water, tapioca starch, potato starch, maize starch, yeast, rapeseed oil, pea protein, egg white powder, stabiliser E464, sourdough powder (from rice), sugar, vegetable fibre, fruit extract, salt, vegetable glycerine, rice flour, preservative: calcium propionate.

Clearly the gluten free option is far more processed. It’s also mind boggling how many gluten free products are full of sugar. This is just one example and of course there are some products out there that aren’t as processed but my point is, why remove gluten to better your health then pump your body full of all this crap!?

From now on I will be keeping things simple: Eating whole foods that don’t have nasty additives and preservatives and baking my own gluten free alternatives from scratch. I will probably save a fortune too!

In a nutshell, gluten free certainly does not mean healthier, you need to be a savvy shopper and not be fooled by clever marketing and ‘health trends’. Read labels, do your research and don’t eat foods that contain ingredients your great grandma would never have heard of!

[givingupthegrain-blog]

#4 Healing a Leaky Gut

Leaky gut (or intestinal permeability) is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged. The tight junctions that control what passes through the gut wall don’t work efficiently, allowing substances such as toxins, bacteria and undigested food particles to leak through.

When these substances are able to leak through the gut wall, the immune system unleashes its response (as these are foreign invaders that are not supposed to be present) causing inflammation not only in the gut but potentially throughout the body! A leaky gut also upsets the delicate balance of gut flora causing a whole host of digestive symptoms.

So what causes a leaky gut?

- Foods. Gluten being the main culprit due to gliadin’s role in the release of zonulin, the ‘gatekeeper’ of the tight junctions in the gut wall. Other inflammatory foods such as sugar, processed foods and alcohol can also cause damage.

- Stress,

- Toxins such as medications, antibiotics and pesticides.

- Infections such as parasites, Candida overgrowth and SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth)

So what can be done?

By making some simple changes and additions to your diet and lifestyle it is possible to heal a leaky gut. I read that the cells in the intestinal wall renew every 3-6 days so with the right support the gut can heal relatively quickly! (Although personally I’m sceptical that after years of damage the change can be quite so quick!)

- eliminate foods that irritate the gut such as gluten, dairy, processed foods and sugar. An elimination diet should be followed carefully, removing one food at a time for at least 2 weeks, then reintroducing it to see the effects. A food/symptom diary is a really useful tool to help you work out your triggers.

- Eat a healthy diet full of whole foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and enzymes to help repair the damage.

- Consider taking supplements that support digestion and healing such as omega 3 (to reduce inflammation and rebuild cell walls) and glutamine (an amino acid that strengthens the gut lining)

- When the gut has begun to heal, include high quality probiotics in to your diet to rebalance gut flora (you really do get what you pay for and investing in a more expensive product offering a diverse range of bacteria strains is well worth it!)

I am currently using:

1. Natural Health Practice Advanced Probiotic Support. This contains 12 billion bifidobacteria strains and 10 billion lactobacillus acidophilus! It also incorporates prebiotics and glutamine.

2. Natural Health Practice IB Support. This contains peppermint oil, marshmallow, slippery elm, ginger, turmeric and fennel to support healthy digestion and normal bowel function.

I’m still working on reducing my sugar and alcohol intake (some of life’s greatest pleasures right?) but I am so interested in this because I have experienced it for myself and already feel so much better after years of tummy struggles!

[givingupthegrain-blog]

#3 Allergy and Free From Show 2018

Back in early July, I went to the Allergy & Free from show at London Olympia (via a delightful rail replacement bus service, cheers Southern Rail!) The show claims to be the worlds largest celebration of ‘free from’ food, drink and lifestyle products and it certainly didn’t disappoint!

I had two reasons for attending; firstly to aid my research by attending some of the talks around IBS and gluten free diets, and secondly to discover new gluten free products and find some recipe inspiration. Despite it being a constant battle through the crowds, there were so many amazing products on offer and an abundance of sample foods to test. Put it this way, I sampled so much I didn’t actually need to buy lunch! These were some of my favourites:

Schar fresh ravioli and garlic bread (although not quite on par with my Italian mother in law’s homemade pasta, sob!) https://www.schaer.com/en-uk/p/ravioli-con-ricotta-e-spinaci

The Protein ball company energy balls (especially the lemon and pistachio one!) https://www.theproteinballco.com/shop#tasterbox

Pebbles Pantry for gluten free flours and baking mixes https://www.pebblespantry.com

Whole creations for cookie dough and ice-creams! http://wholecreations.co.uk

The Brownie bar for THE best gluten free brownies you will ever find! http://thebrowniebar.co.uk

After stuffing my face all morning, I bagged a front row seat to listen to a fascinating talk by Dr Marilyn Glenville of the Natural Health Practice titled “What is the difference between an allergy and an intolerance and is a leaky gut driving your intolerances?”

I wasn’t prepared enough to take notes but it was really interesting to hear her explain this difference. In a nutshell, a food allergy means you have an immune system response, your body believes the food is a threat and responds by releasing histamine. Symptoms can appear within minutes and the quantity of food does not affect the response i.e even a minuscule amount ingested or even inhaled/touched can cause a reaction.

A food intolerance means the food can’t be digested properly by the body e.g lactose intolerance where the body doesn’t produce lactase, the enzyme needed to digest it. An intolerance can also occur when a certain food irritates the digestive system and for some people symptoms only appear when the food is eaten frequently or in large quantities.

Dr Glenville spoke at length about her patients experiences of irritable bowel syndrome and the treatments she recommends but what really struck me was her theory around food intolerances and leaky gut syndrome. She described patients that started elimination diets, removing trigger foods from their diet, who initially felt better then went back to square one and reacted to other foods instead, gradually narrowing the foods they could eat. Her theory is that until the gut wall is healed and no longer leaky, you will still get digestive issues.

Leaky gut is something I had heard of in relation to my field of work in Autism; research suggests many children diagnosed with Autism appear to have leaky guts and scientists continue to research this link . This isn’t something I had ever considered for myself!

Leaky gut syndrome (or intestinal permeability) is not yet officially recognised in the medical profession but is described as a condition in which the lining of the gut wall becomes damaged, allowing large food molecules, bacteria and toxins to leak through in to the bloodstream. It is believed that this causes inflammation throughout the body, can cause an immune system response and could potentially be the source of many diseases.

So how does gluten play its part? The only known regulator of the permeability of the gut wall is zonulin (yep never heard of it either!). Apparently zonulin is a protein that is considered the ‘gate keeper’ within the gut wall, allowing the junctions to open and close to let molecules and nutrients in. Now for the drumroll...gliadin (one of the components of gluten) causes zonulin levels to rise and therefore opens up these junctions in the lining of the gut! So potentially every time I eat gluten (which contains gliadin) my gut wall says hey nasty toxins and large food molecules, come on through, the door is open!

So now for my next mission...how to heal a leaky gut!?

[givingupthegrain-blog]

#2 Maybe this won’t be so bad...

After my initial grieving for all things gluten, I realised that actually the majority of my diet is already gluten free! (Fruit & veg, rice, potatoes, quinoa, fish and meat) Feeling hopeful that maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all, I made some simple swaps and purchased my first few gluten free alternatives.

Having realised many years ago that bread made me bloated (naively accepting this without questioning why!) my diet already contained minimal bread products so I picked up some gf pitta breads for my work packed lunches and boldly accepted I would no longer eat a New York bagel smothered in nut butter for breakfast! Instead I tried Nutri Brex coconut and crispy rice cereal, drowning it in almond milk and topping it with fruit and Greek yoghurt to avoid the dry cardboard taste I was yet to be accustomed to!

So far so good.

Looking at the contents of my fridge, the only swap I needed to make for dinner in this first week was pasta. With an Italian husband who enjoys cooking (yes, lucky me right!) having to cook in two separate pans felt rather frustrating and added to the pile of washing up. Third world problems hey!

Within 3 days of going gluten free ALL of my digestive troubles had vanished and I no longer bloated to the point of looking heavily pregnant. I was astonished. How could gluten be causing me so many problems that could resolve so quickly. And why had no one ever suggested going gluten free to me before!?

I also rapidly noticed a difference in other areas of my body;

Improved sleep - usually I would fall asleep easily but be a very light sleeper, stirring at the slightest noise/light and waking up multiple times most nights. This has now changed and I often don’t wake up during the night at all. (Apart from seagulls waking me at 4am at the moment, only Brighton folk will know how noisy they are at this time of year)!

Increased energy - I had spent so long feeling tired to the point that I was tired of being tired and tired of complaining that I was tired! I always put this down to my busy and challenging job (working as an ABA therapist and carer to children and young adults with autism), early mornings and often long hours. Removing gluten seemed to allow me to feel more alert throughout the day and actually stay awake for an entire episode on Netflix, sometimes maybe even a whole film!

Improved mood - despite expecting to be hangry and mourning the lack of foods I once loved, my mood actually began to feel good. This is something I am keen to research further. How is gluten affecting our hormones?

Less cravings - Interestingly, I very quickly started to feel less hungry, didn’t always need to snack between meals and felt a huge reduction in my cravings for sugar. Presumably this could be because lots of gluten containing foods have a high glycemic index (the index that tells you how quickly a food containing carbohydrates affects your blood sugar levels). These foods can have the same effect on your blood sugar/insulin levels as a chocolate bar, sending you in to the cycle we all know of cravings and crashes. For someone with a sweet tooth and a serious lack of willpower sometimes, this can only be positive!

Weight - I don’t weigh myself as I don’t believe weight is a reflection of health and once I start it can be something that negatively affects how I feel about my body. However, out of curiosity I probably will do next time I’m at the gym. I think I feel lighter because it’s so awful feeling full and bloated all the time. How can you feel good in your skinny jeans when you have to squeeze your distended, swollen belly in to them!

Excited at the instant difference I felt, I was determined to continue cutting out gluten but also wanted to deepen my understanding of what had been polluting my body for so long.

There is endless literature about gluten free diets out there, particularly as it has become a recent ‘trend’ to go gluten free even without experiencing symptoms of intolerance. (Why would you!?) As I am particularly interested in nutritional science, I wanted to dig deeper and try to understand what gluten really is and how my body reacts to it.

I came across ‘Wheat Bellies’ by Doctor William Davis, an American cardiologist who suggests ‘lose the wheat lose the weight’ and believes that consuming gluten is the cause of many common health complaints and major degenerative diseases.

I continue to slowly make my way through the book when I have chance to sit down and fit reading in to my busy working week (it’s also very in depth and scientific, not a light read) So far the discussion that shocked me the most is that the wheat we eat today has been genetically modified to such an extent, to yield greater crop and improve efficiency in farming, that it doesn’t resemble the wheat grown only 50yrs ago.

Genetically modified wheat grains mean we are consuming a new ‘hybrid gluten’ that was never tested for human consumption and scientists have no idea of its implications within our bodies! How can this be!? And does this explain why gluten intolerance/sensitivity is on the rise..?

[givingupthegrain-blog]

#1 Goodbye Gluten

After managing IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms for many years, a recent flare up forced me back to my GP for further advice.

For those of you new to the world of digestive trouble, symptoms of IBS commonly include abdominal pain, cramps or muscle spasms, bloating, indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea/constipation (or both if you are really lucky) as well as headaches and fatigue to name but a few.

Receiving a diagnosis is a process of elimination as there are no definitive tests. An IBS diagnosis is usually only given when other conditions have been ruled out such as Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease and even bowel cancer. Come to think of it, other than a standard blood test and the celiac test (which was negative) I have never had any other tests...

My own symptoms had always been stomach pain, spasms and bloating. During this flare up, the bloating was on a whole other level, I developed indigestion and I will spare you the details of the rest! In my experience, an existing diagnosis of IBS means doctors generally determine this as the route cause of anything wrong with your health. I could have hobbled in with a broken leg and the doctor would still have said IBS was to blame. Sensing my dissatisfaction at yet another wasted appointment and being made to feel like I was inventing the whole thing, the doctor’s parting words were “try cutting out gluten and see if that helps”.

I left the surgery and headed to the supermarket. Shedding a tear as I passed the bakery aisle, I made my way to the “free from” section for the first time. I stared long and hard at the shelves and extortionate prices and left with nothing but a genuine sense of sadness that all my favourite foods were now off the menu and my bank balance was likely to suffer. I didn’t know where to start.

I’m health conscious and interested in nutrition; cooking healthy meals from scratch daily and striving for a healthy “balanced” diet. But this balance included homemade pizzas, weekend brunches or pastries, baking cakes on Sunday afternoons, eating out in Brighton’s many fantastic restaurants (La Choza burrito anyone?) and of course reaching for an essential bag of Maltesers when needed!

I went home knowing that a drastic change to my diet would require more research. This was my first step:

With a glass of wine in hand, my research began and I toyed with the idea of documenting my journey in a blog.

So here we are. Welcome to Giving up the Grain...