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

I had many interesting answers to my question of the stomach ever going
down to normal.

Most people wanted me to summarize what I found out.

Some people said it is hereditary.

Some said they've had it forever and have been GF and still have it.

One said a protruding stomach can be a sign of parasites and to get a
stool test done.

One said Pilates work on reducing the pot belly.

Others said it takes 2 weeks to years for it to shrink.

Some said to cut out dairy.

One said she was sensitive to carbs - fruits, potatoes, etc. and that
makes the stomach bigger (hence the Atkins diet).

I guess all we can do is be GF and see if our abs shrink:)

Bev from Milwaukee gave me this to think about.  I wanted to attach the
Word document she sent to me, but it came back, saying the listserv doesn't
accept attachments.  So, here's a synopsis of what she said.

> I bet if you look through the long list of symptoms at www.celiac.com,
> you've probably had celiac since you were little.  If that's the case, you
> probably don't have very good muscle tone in the tummy area, so exercise
> would be good but you still need to let your body heal.
>
> <<I've also always had constipation problems.
>
> Some get diarrhea, other get constipated.  That will make you look
> bloated.
>
> Sometimes metamucil can help keep things moving along.  You just have
> to experiement w/ that or fresh fruit or vegetables, brown rice &
> other sources of fiber to see what works best w/ your body.  Make sure
> you drink enough water too.
>
> << I've been GF since April, when I was diagnosed. However, I have
> cheated a little since spring.
>
> I think of this research everytime I think about cheating...
>
> --Food for ThoughtaEUR| The following article is from Gluten-Free
> Friends, Winter 1996 (Vol.2,No.4) R. Jean Powell, editor, Montana
> Celiac Society, Bozeman, MT It comes by way of the  MGIG Feb. 1997 newsletter.
>
> A Little Won't HurtaEUR|Will It?
>
>  "The body's primary defender in the immune lymphatic system is the T-
> cell, which recognizes antigens (foreign proteins) in the body and
> produces antibodies to neutralize them.  It has been suggested that a
> celiac's immune system may mistake the gliadin protein from wheat (and
> similar proteins in rye, barley, and possible oats) for an invader
> such as a bacterium or virus.
>
>     According to Jerry Crabtree of Stanford University, when the T-
> cells are activated by an antigen, for the next two weeks they will
> proceed step by step through a very precise pre-programmed sequence of
> events.  Some 200-500 genes will activate, one after another, ticking
> off like soldiers standing up to be counted, and will do so the exact
> same way each time, with each gene producing its own particular
> protein.  To make all of these proteins, the immune system needs about
> two weeks.  Once a cell has passed a critical point in the activation
> process (which happens within an hour) it is committed to it.  If you
> take away the stimulus (the antigen) at that point, the cell would
> still tick along through its two-week sequence.  ("Conversations in a
> Cell:, Gary Taubes, Discover Feb. 1996, Vol 17) For celiacs,
> occasional accidental ingestion of a minuscule amount of gliadin could
> presumable still lead to a two-week activation of T-cells.  If gliadin
> is consistently ingested, the immune system theoretically might
> continue indefinitely on its endless rampage.  Is it any wonder that
> celiacs sometimes feel weary?"
>
> If I only cheated twice a month, my immune system would be 'hot' the
> entire month...Not good for my celiac & not good for the health of my
> immune system which could lead to other conditions-lymphoma,
> fibromyalgia, thyroid disease.
>
>  You will get more than enough gluten in your diet by accident without
> deliberately adding more.
>
> Also, once you start absorbing food, you body will need time to
> rebuild your muscles & bones & nerves since these weren't being fed
> properly, so it may take quite a while to see any results.  If you are
> exercising a lot, you need to make sure your body is getting enough
> calories to rebuild AND also to provide energy.  Then it becomes a
> matter of eating smart--get the calories from foods you body needs &
> can use, watch out for empty calories that have no nutrients.
>
> Unfortunately, while we can identify which foods are gluten-free,
> there is no gluten-free diet that is right for everyone.  You need to
> figure out which gluten free foods work best with your body.  An
> interesting read is Eat Right for your Type by Peter D'Adamo.  Says
> immune system is determined by blood type & the proteins the body
> recognises are friend or foe are found in both germs & food.  Has long
> lists of whole foods & only one group contains gluten.  It's much less
> discouraging than the 'don't eat" lists which offer
> no help on what to eat & leave you hungry.
>
> I'm attaching a copy of an article I wrote for our newsletter.
> Hopefully, it will help put things into perspective.
>
> Bev in Milwaukee

I hope this isn't too long.  I had a lot of people with this same question.

Kelli/Michigan