Re: how do I test for gluten intolerance?

[Guest guest]

At 05:07 PM 8/25/2004, you wrote:

>Okay, so after reading the responses to my post about the dental

>health of my children as well as other posts on the list, I am

>wondering how to test for gluten intolernace? I do not seem to show

>many symptoms of gluten intolerance and I am not sure if any of my

>children do.

>

>We are on a somewhat tight budget so I am interested in learning what

>I can personally do.

well, the cheapest and most reliable way to answer this question is to

simply go ahead and assume you are gluten intolerant, and go gluten free.

there's nothing good for you about grains anyway - they're just empty

calories even if you go to the trouble of soaking and sprouting them. and

since that's a pain, why not just go gluten free? plus, you'll save money

cause you won't go out to eat nearly as often.

you can still have cookies and cake (i make them with ground almonds) and

rice if you need something starchy, or potatoes, and they even make a good

tasting rice pasta if you need mac and cheese. though, really, we keep that

sort of thing for special occasions only.

heidi has a list of the real tests you can do, and i always just do a

search of my nn folder to find them, but 15 years ago the only test was to

go gluten free and see if you felt better. so try it! it's free!

-katja

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " mikeandcrickettbrown "

> We are on a somewhat tight budget so I am interested in learning what

> I can personally do.

>

http://www.enterolab.com

It's a stool test and so isn't painful or invasive. $99 plus shipping and,

in theory, is more accurate than a blood test.

--s

[Guest guest]

I'm sure Heidi will answer this much better than I could, but a cheap way to

test intolerances is to eat a strictly meat and veggie diet (with NO

processed foods or condiments) for a week or two, and then eat some wheat

(or dairy, or soy, or corn, or whatever you're trying to test) and see what

happens. MANY MANY people with gluten intolerances don't show symptoms or

don't notice the symptoms until they cut it out and reintroduce it into the

diet. Also, the symptoms vary from person to person. In my case, I get

joint pain and headaches when I eat gluten. I had no idea that my symptoms

were linked to eating gluten until I cut it out. If I choose to eat gluten,

I know what the consequences are...I've never been tested, but I am pretty

darned sure that it's not good for my body.

how do I test for gluten intolerance?

> Okay, so after reading the responses to my post about the dental

> health of my children as well as other posts on the list, I am

> wondering how to test for gluten intolernace? I do not seem to show

> many symptoms of gluten intolerance and I am not sure if any of my

> children do.

>

> We are on a somewhat tight budget so I am interested in learning what

> I can personally do.

>

> Kind regards,

> Crickett

> wife to (10/92)

> SAHM/WAHM to (1/2/98), Holly (10/12/00), (8/12/03)

[Guest guest]

>I'm sure Heidi will answer this much better than I could, but a cheap way to

>test intolerances is to eat a strictly meat and veggie diet (with NO

>processed foods or condiments) for a week or two, and then eat some wheat

>(or dairy, or soy, or corn, or whatever you're trying to test) and see what

>happens. MANY MANY people with gluten intolerances don't show symptoms or

>don't notice the symptoms until they cut it out and reintroduce it into the

>diet. Also, the symptoms vary from person to person. In my case, I get

>joint pain and headaches when I eat gluten. I had no idea that my symptoms

>were linked to eating gluten until I cut it out. If I choose to eat gluten,

>I know what the consequences are...I've never been tested, but I am pretty

>darned sure that it's not good for my body.

>

>

Well said. Actually some people will not show symptoms, though most folks in my

experience do if they have been GF for a bit. The pulse test seems to work

though ...

if you have NO gluten for a week, then eat a nice bit of bread, and test your

pulse,

your pulse will rise if you have a reaction to it. That won't tell you what

*kind* of

reaction it is, but IgA and IgG are the most common. Also in babies I'm told

their

anus gets bright red just after they ingest wheat if they are intolerant ... I

don't know

if this holds true in adults (likely no one looks!) but the most accurate test

is

called the " rectal challenge " which is pretty much what it sounds like (but only

done in Europe at this point).

Heidi Jean