<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thank you to the many people who responded to my question about the effects
on the body of a GF diet (regardless of underlying medical condition).
Below, I've listed the common themes in the responses, a brief description
of my own experience, the count of items mentioned in responses, and a few
sample responses.  I was really overwhelmed by the number of responses and
encouragement from everyone.  This list is a tremendous resource!

Nancy in Miami, Florida


NUTRITION:

1.  Most regular breads and cereals are enriched with B vitamins, but the GF
substitutes usually are not, so we need to ensure that we get enough B
vitamins in the diet, through food and/or supplements.

2.  It may be necessary to increase fiber intake to compensate for the loss
of the fiber in wheat.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS:

1. Weight gain.   Three main reasons were noted.  One is actually an effect
of the underyling CD condition, and not of the GF diet per se:  the body
begins absorbing nutrients better as the intestines heal.  The second reason
is that GF substitutes for regular baked goods may be higher in fat than the
regular stuff.  The third is that the common carbs we eat in place of wheat
are starchier and may have a higher calorie value.  One person mentioned
that GF flours can have a high glycemic index - the relative ability to rise
blood sugar.

2. Feeling much better, improved disposition, greater optimism, loving life.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.  Be sure to maintain a balanced diet with a variety of foods, especially
fruits and vegetables.

2.As with any other diet, use restraint as far as high-fat, high-cholesterol
foods.  The GF diet can be as healthy or unhealthy as any other diet if not
balanced.

3.  See a nutritionist (though finding one who knows about CD is likely to
be difficult)

4.  Have a yearly physical with blood tests.  Get a copy of the blood work
to compare levels from year to year.

MY EXPERIENCE (NANCY) As far as my own experience during these four
months being GF, I have lost weight (yippee!), become hungry all the
time (boohoo), have learned to eat a more balanced diet with much more
fruits and veggies than before (yeccch), become more sensitive to gluten
(boohoo), and am totally loving life again after being miserable for
about 5 years (YEEEEE-HAW!!!).

COUNT OF RESPONSES:

Here is a count of the relevant items mentioned in the responses I received:

Possible weight gain (7 people)
Ensure diet includes B Vitamins  (6 people)
Only good side effects - feeling better & loving life (5)
Ensure diet includes fiber (3)
Ensure diet includes calcium, if lactose intolerant (1)
Possible weight loss (1)
Increased appetite (1)
Chemical imbalance (1)
Greater sensitivity to gluten (1)
Crave sugar more (1)


QUOTED RESPONSES:

Here are a few of the responses I received:

Actually that is a good question.  As a Registered Dietitian and
a Celiac, I thought I better give you my take on this.  The GF diet is
actually a very healthy one - if you replace the nutrients you were
accustomed to getting from whole grain products.  In the typical US diet,
most people get daily fiber and many B vitamins plus some minerals from
those grain products which we have now given up.  Luckily for us they are
replaceable.  As you will note from this service many new celiacs complain
of constipation.  Some of this may be due to removal of the natural fiber
from those forbidden grains - but we can learn to replace it with rice bran,
more fruit and vegetables and of course some of the (GF) fiber supplements.
Taking a good balanced and (of course GF) multi vitamin will also help, as
will adding in more servings of fruits and vegetables. If we pay attention
as our diet changes and we hopefully return to good health, the GF diet can
be very healthy with no side effects.

------------------------------------------

The diet varies as much as a gluten containing diet.  You can eat fruit
or m&m's, you can eat high carbs (rice cereal, rice cakes, soy burgers,
G-F hamburger buns) or you can avoid empty carb calories, you can eat
bbq ribs dripping in sauce or plain poached salmon.  The g-f diet has
the potential to be very nutritious but it can just as easily be full of
sugar, fat and additives.

------------------------------------------

You should have a YEARLY physical by an internist.  Any good internist
monitors your blood for levels of folic acid, B-12, iron, etc., etc., etc.

You should rely on your internist to recommend any food supplement you
need to make sure the levels mentioned above are within the normal
range.  If they are not, the internist is the one who should recommend
supplements.

You should go back to your Gastroenterologist when HE SAYS IT IS NECESSARY.

This differs from person to person according to their medical case history.

Some gastros only suggest that a celiac go back every few years and these
levels will gain by monitored by him.

In many respects, it is a self-monitoring condition.   You should
discuss with your internist why you want to undersand the results of
this blood work, so that you can be CONFIDENT that you are taking the
supplements you need.  You will feel better about your condition when
you get involved in this process.  You and your doctor must work
together to keep you healthy.

One other tip - ask your internist for a COPY of your blood work. Why -
because you learn from it.  You can follow your levels by comparing them
from year to year and you learn.  The report gives the normal range for
iron levels for instance and your range.