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

Warning this is long and rambling!

Dear List--

Here is a long summary (mostly me rambling) about my increased 'bone
cracking' upon starting to restrict my diet to control my blood sugar levels,
which were out of control and making me sick. I am still unsure about what
exactly caused the increase in cracking, which had abated after going gluten
free, but returned on this diet.

Essentially I was eating only dairy (which I hadn't eaten for some time) and
vegetables.  I had increased bloating, which I now partly ascribe to the
dairy, but suspect it could also be related to being constipated and
retaining water (it is about 99 degrees here in the desert--drink more water!
Although, drinking more water didn't solve the problem--eating more fiber in
whole brown rice did).  I am in the process of experimenting with how dairy
effects me.

I discovered that many people who responded to me said they were once
vegetarian but when they ate meat they felt great, instead of really
answering my question.  Rest assured, I am not going to eat any meat! I
deduced that the bone cracking --when I walk my joints sometimes make a lot
of noise, especially in the morning and when I am really tired, when I feel
great I have no noise--has nothing to do with not eating meat, as my mother
has the same problem and she does eat meat, and the fact that it has almost
disappeared in the past day since I"ve introduced more food into my diet.  My
mother also has multiple allergies, including wheat, soy, corn, mold etc, and
she never really did anything about it. Her "noise" started 15-20 years ago
(she's 55).  She hasn't been tested for Celiac tho perhaps she should be.
She has also been drinking a cup of coffee a day for some time.  She cut this
out, but the bone noise still continues.

Maybe it is more of a malabsorbtion issue, calcium/bone/cartilege loss
issue (yikes! I am only 22) as a result, or some kind of arthritis, although
there is absolutely no pain involved--maybe there would be if it continued to
wear the cartilege down after a long time.

In regards to a hypoglycemia diet I had many questions asking what the
Krimmel Program was, and a few recommendations for the Zone Diet.  I decided
just to bag the entire first phase of stabilizing my blood sugar levels.  I
am combining several principles of all these things and tailoring it to
myself, which I'm now able to do as I have more of a grasp on what my body
needs.  I can't handle the ascetic approach  I was following, so I will have
to take a little longer to reach an equilibrium.  I started eating small
amounts of brown rice again (which has a lot of carbs), more nuts, no sugar
in any form, less dairy although some yoghurt, small snacks and wow did I
start feeling great!  I really learned how to listen to my body, and eat
something when I feel agressive or tired.

I was also constipated only eating dairy and (non-starchy) vegetables. I was
told that starch converts easily to glucose, which in the beginning phases of
blood sugar stabilization is too much.  I was retaining a lot of water so
much so that my legs started hurting--once things were back in action all of
that disappeared! IT is amazing how much the colon influences how I feel.
When I was on my death bed before I discovered celiac an enema made me feel
like a human again.  I dug up my old candida yeast guidebook (by J. Martin)
and realized that that was when I felt my best.    At that point I didn't
know I had gluten intolerance--but it is when I discovered there was
something to cutting out wheat--so this time I"m cutting out all the grains
she uses but the rice, and minimal corn (which is also tough on the blood
sugar, according to the Krimmel book).

My bone creaking has lessened, so I really suspect that I wasn't getting
enough nutrients (which one can get from other sources besides...meat! Too
bad I can't have soy. But let's not get into that issue).  That or a reaction
to foods I don't know about (dairy?), although since it has improved I've not
cut anything out entirely, only less dairy. One response posed that it was
due to exercise, although I don't seem that effected, although if, during a
creaking session, I start jogging, it generally improves. A few people said
they had always experienced this cracking--so maybe it isn't a malabsorbtion
thing for them?  One person responded that her cartilege  was the problem,
and it sounds like her creaking is similar to mine , except much more severe.
 Maybe because I caught all of my celiac/low blood sugar problems earlier and
am younger it hasn't become very bad?  I don't know. I am still left
wondering.

Thanks for all the responses.  THe actual responses will follow.  Please
email me with any comments or additional information.  I think this is an
interesting topic.  I won't harrangue my mother about her cracking too much
today, considering it is Mother's Day.  My best to all of you--

Saskia