Link between Celiac Disease and Your Thyroid

 Links between Celiac and Thyroid:

You may have noticed that i changed the titles to a few of my posts having to do with the thyroid.  I'm amending my sequence for the explanation of your thyroid and celiac disease because i really wanted to help people see there is a connection between the two.  I apologize if it causes confusion but i encourage you to read all of my posts that have to do with the thyroid as everything will correlate and make sense.
Thanks for your patience!


There is more and more research that is finding that when you have celiac disease the risk of developing a condition that can affect the thyroid and can compromise a persons overall health is significantlly increased. There is a group of Italian researchers that have conducted studies and have come to the conclusion that the prevalence of celiac disease in those with thyroid disease is significantly high.  They said that "It is also possible that the association between celiac disease and autoimmunity in untreated celiac patients is caused by the gluten intake."  They also wrote that "undiagnosed celiac disease can cause other disorders by switching on some as yet unknown immunological mechanism."  The researchers believe that all those with thyroid disorders can benefit by being screened for celiac disease.  The AGA (American Gastro Association Institute) however does not recommend it.  Why doesn't that surprise me?

Anyway, research has found that people with celiac are four times more likely to develop an autoimmune thyroid condition.  That is why it is so important to stay gluten free and not cheat when you have celiac. Even if you don't have celiac there is quite a bit of information that has come out about wheat and how many people are reacting adversely to it because of the hybridization of it.  It's important to remember that gluten causes inflammation and can affect your overall health and aggravate other autoimmune issues you already have. (see my post on celiac disease issues and helpful tips where i discuss more about wheat).

Celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid disorder seem to have a common genetic predisposition.  This could explain why so many more celiacs, more than the rest of the population, have thyroid issues.

I highly encourage anyone who has thyroid issues to get tested for celiac disease as well.  This will help in thwarting off other health issues that could develop if this disease continues to go on untreated.

There are two common thyroid conditions:
1. Hypothyroidism- which is an underactive thyroid.  This is when there is a decrease in thyroid production.
2. Hyperthyroidism-an overactive thyroid.  This is when there is an increase in thyroid production.

Hashimoto's Disease is a form of hypothyroidism. It's the most common form of hypothyroidism there is. Graves Disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.

Here are some symptoms of hypothyroidism:

*fatigue
*depression
*dry/brittle hair
*hair loss (especially in front of head)
*swollen/enlarged thyroid
*muscle cramps
*constipation
*weight gain
*low body temp
*dry skin

Here are some symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

*weight loss (even when your apetite is increased)
*rapid heart rate, palpatations
*increased apetite
*sweating
*anxiety,nervousness
*tremors especially in hands and fingers
*fatigue, muscle weakness
*difficulty sleeping
*fine/brittle hair
*enlarged thyroid
*increased sensitivity to heat
*changes in menstrual cycle
*fine/brittle hair
*thinning skin
*more frequent bowel movements

If you have many of these symptoms it is important to consult your physician or naturopath about the possibility of having a thyroid disorder.  It also could be very helpful for you to check your basal temperature first thing in the mornings for a week and take the results to them as well.  The thyroid can be very tricky and hard to diagnose because of the tsh blood test that many physicians order.  The tsh blood test is not very reliable.  (see my post on celiac disease and thyroid part II for more information about the tsh blood test and why it's not reliable when diagnosing a thyroid issue).

I hope that this information is helpful for you and your thyroid issues.  Please read my correlating thyroid posts for more helpful and detailed info on the thyroid.

Always make sure to do your research on any treatments/medications your doctor wants to try you on.  It could even be helpful to get a second opinion.

Remember that i am neither a doctor nor a naturopath.  All of the information in my posts are for educational purposes only and are based on my own experiences and research.  Please, always contact your physician/naturopath before starting or stopping any medications and or treatments.  

Why Aren't My thyroid Meds Working?

Your Thyroid & Common Prescribed Meds

Once i realized my thyroid needed attention i decided to start researching information about what i could do to help my thyroid without going back on Synthroid and or Levothyroxine.  In my research i found out many interesting things about these synthetic hormones.  Here are just a few things i found out:

1.  It seems that many, many people are on these synthetic hormones and still having issues with their thyroid.  It also seems that these T4 hormones aren't addressing all the needs of the thyroid.

2.  These synthetic drugs also have fillers.  One of the fillers is acacia and the other lactose. If a person has sensitivities or allergies to these they will feel worse on these meds.

3. If you have issues with histamine, Levothyroxine blocks the production of the DAO enzyme in the intestines which will cause more digestive upset.

So these are just a few things that i discovered about these meds.  I believe that they are the reasons why many issues i already had may have become even more pronounced or maybe even could have developed more issues, i'm still learning a lot as i go.  What i have learned though has been very enlightening and i have experienced relief from many of my issues.

Here's what I will do.  I will begin by addressing these three issues i found one by one.  You can look at them individually and do more research on your own and come to a conclusion based on your own physical symptoms.  I advise you though, never to stop or start taking any medication without consulting your doctor or naturopath.  All of the information on my site is for educational purposes only and to give an overview of my personal experience and what has helped me in my own particular case.

Let's look at #1.   Synthroid and Levothyroxine are T4 hormones and people are not finding relief while on them.  
I find this very interesting.  Why wouldn't these T4 hormones be enough to fix the problem? Well many people can't convert T4 to T3. First we need to learn exactly how the thyroid works.  I'm going to try and break it down as simple as possible so as not to cause too much unnecessary confusion.
Here is a simple breakdown:
-The Hypothalamus stimulates the Pituitary gland to produce Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).

-TSH stimulates the thyroid to produce T4 (thyroxine). (T4 is the raw material used to make the active thyroid hormone T3.  T4 is what  Synthroid and Levothyroxine is as well.) The thyroid is responsible for producing T4,T3,T1 and T2 and cells are responsible for converting T4 into it's active form of T3.

-T4 is also converted to RT3 (reverse T3) which is physiologically inactive.

-80% of T3 is produced outside the thyroid in the Tissues of the Body

-T4 is converted to T3 by an enzyme called Deiodinase. (this enzyme can become inhibited by stress, environment, acute/chronic illness,cortisol and other things.)

-When the body is under stress it converts less T4 to T3 and more T4 to RT3 so as to conserve energy and with less T3 the cells of the body slows down.

Now the way the thyroid works is that it is regulated to ensure that the right amount of T3 is delivered to the cells but if there is any type of deficiency anywhere along the line then the result is the same, not enough T3 to the cells.  If there isn't enough T3 to the cells then the metabolism will not be fast enough and the temperature will drop and low-thyroid-like symptoms will appear.

So when you go to your doctor to complain about fatigue, hair loss in the front of your head and you tell him your hands and feet are cold and you have no energy to finish daily tasks, he says, let's check your thyroid. He then orders a TSH  blood test.  You receive the results after much anticipation and what does he tell you?  Your within the "normal" range.  What?!

I have talked to so many people who are constantly told they are within so called normal range.  Normal range for whom, i ask?  We are all individuals, what may be normal for you may not be for me.  This isn't as compelling as what i discovered next in my research though.

When they are testing your TSH they are testing the level of hormone in your blood not what's happening in your tissues and cells.  You see, blood tests work well to see if your glands are properly putting hormones into your blood but they aren't showing what's happening once they leave your blood and go into the tissues of the body.  And as we learned about the thyroid 80% of the active thyroid hormone is produced in the tissues after it's left the blood stream.  Hence, the TSH blood test result: "normal" range.  You then go home more depressed and frustrated then when you walked in the docs office.

Ok, so what factors can inhibit the proper production of thyroid hormones?
*Stress
*infection, trauma, radiation, medications
*flouride which is an antagonist to iodine.    Flouride, especially in the U.S. is added to water which can cause issues in this area.  (we will go on to learn more on the importance of iodine in another post.)
*Toxins such as pesticides, mercury, cadmium, lead
*auto immune disease: Celiac Disease

Above we learned that the body under stress converts more T4 to RT3.  We don't want that.
These are the factors that can increase the possibility of this happening:
*stress
*trauma
*inflammation
*toxins
*infections
*liver/kidney dysfunction
*some medications

As you read this you can evaluate for yourself if any of these factors could be affecting your thyroid.

So what factors will hep with the proper production of thyroid hormones?
Factors for proper thyroid hormone production:
Surprise, Surprise: Nutrients!
*Iron
*Iodine
*Tyrosine
*Zinc
*Selenium
*Vitamin E, B2,B3,B6,C,D,

Factors that increase the conversion of T4 to T3:
*Selenium
*Zinc

Other things that help with the cells being able to do what they need with the thyroid hormones are:
*Vitamin A
*Exercise
*Zinc

Now that you see all the things that are involved with thyroid hormone production it makes sense as to why the synthetic hormones Synthroid and Levothyroxine which are T4 hormones don't seem to work for everyone.  Even if you are on them and seem to be doing well there may be areas you could feel improvement in but just take for granted it's just life.  You may still feel a little tired in certain areas of life but just write it off to being a busy mom, having a busy workload or just being a busy person all together.  You could probably feel even more improvement by taking something other than just T4.  This is where looking into Natural Thyroid Hormone may be beneficial for you.  Many have opted to take this route and are finding they are feeling so much better on it than on the synthetic drugs, myself included.  I will talk more about Natural Thyroid Hormone in another post.

On to #2
Fillers in the synthetic hormones Synthroid and Levothyroxine.
Many people seem to have issues on these drugs after beginning them.  Some people don't notice them right away others do.  Many who have allergies and intolerances seem to have more issues with them then others. Why?  Some people have allergies to the dyes in them.  In this case their doctors decide to try them on another med without dye.  Other people have issues with the acacia and lactose in the fillers.  What is acacia?  Acacia is a family of shrubs and trees.  They put acacia in medication to give it form and shape but many who already suffer from pollen allergies and hay fever, especially to grass and tree pollens, find they are also allergic to acacia even when it's an ingredient in medications.  So people may find that when they take meds such as Synthroid and Levothyroxine they have symptoms like watery itchy eyes, congestion, mood changes and runny nose.

As for the lactose, which is the major sugar found in milk and the ingredient in some foods and medications, if they are lactose intolerant (as many with Celiac Disease are)  they will find that taking these meds trigger symptoms such as nausea, cramping, bloating, diarrhea.  This usually happens around 30 minutes to 2 hours after taking the pill.   Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest lactose.


Last but definitely not least #3
Synthetic hormones Synthroid and Levothyroxine can block DAO enzyme.
These medications not only raise histamine levels but they can inhibit the production of DAO enzyme (diamine oxidase enzyme) and monoamine oxidase enzyme.  Both of these enzymes are responsible for metabolizing histamine and tyramine.  So seeing that these enzymes help to break down the histamine in foods if we don't have enough of these enzymes being produced in our intestines (or if their production is being inhibited by medication) then we will have histamine reactions to food such as headaches, runny nose, cough, rash etc.

I bet you never realized what havoc medications can have on your body and just how much went into your thyroid.  I know that i myself never did.  After suffering for so long and dealing with so many weird issues i had to start figuring out what exactly was happening.  Being that doctors didn't seem to be helping me i had to be my own advocate.  Unfortunately this isn't always easy especially when you just don't have the energy or the time.  It can seem daunting to take on the task of being your own doctor.  I don't recommend avoiding doctors completely, after all they are the ones who attended med school.  I do recommend however becoming as knowledgeable as possible with your body and its functions and learning everything you can on any medication that your doctor wants to put you on.  There are so many side effects that come along with different medications and unfortunately sometimes we can end up feeling worse on some meds than before we started.

After i recognized all that went into thyroid function and the possible complications i was receiving from being on synthetic hormones i decided to take action and try Natural Thyroid Hormone.  I realized all the nutrients and vitamins that helped the thyroid to function so i began taking certain vitamins and looking for a Natural Thyroid Hormone that i could get without a prescription because my doctor only believed in the power of the synthetic hormones.

In my next post i will discuss what protocol i decided to start.  Don't forget to subscribe to get your updated posts!

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

My Thyroid Gland

My Thyroid

(Im going to start off with some background info about my own experience with thyroid issues and that will help you to understand how i got to the place that i did with my thyroid.  I don't recommend stopping any meds without consulting your doctor.  The reason i go into detail in this post is so that you can parallel my experience to yours and see if anything makes sense in your situation as well.  Maybe you'll get a lightbulb moment like i did.  Then in another post i will go into more medical information about the thyroid that i discovered including why doctors say we're in normal range and why the synthetic meds don't seem to work.)

One of the reasons that i found that i had not been feeling better even after starting a gluten free diet was my thyroid.  It took a couple of years to discover this though.  Unfortunately i discovered this without the help of my doctor, which if you are also having thyroid issues you will probably understand.  You see a couple years before i was diagnosed with Celiac Disease i was put on Synthroid a synthetic version of T4 hormone for my thyroid.  I was told by the doctor that i wasn't hypothyroid or hyperthyroid and that my TSH levels (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels) were in the normal range.  So why put me on the hormone then?  Well he told me to supress the nodules that were growing on my thyroid  and stop them from getting bigger.  I was feeling so miserable with a whole host of syptoms so i took it for granted that the doctor knew exactly what he was talking about and started on the med.  I was told that i would more than likely have to continue on the meds forever once starting them. I was also told i'd never be able to take the generic version of Synthroid which is Levothyroxine because the effectiveness wouldn't be the same.

I was so desperate to feel better i thought, fine give it to me.  Im losing hair, i'm not sleeping, I've gotten fat (30lbs overweight) and i had absolutely no energy!  What i didn't know at the time was that if i had just realized (or if the doctor had just realized) that this was my Celiac i wouldn't have had to start the meds and once i got off gluten hopefully after 3-6 months the thyroid may have normalized.  Now i'm not saying this is a sure thing that would have happened but there are studies that prove that many Celiacs that have thyroid issues seem to get relief from thyroid symptoms after stopping the gluten.  Remember gluten causes inflammation in the body and inflammation affects the thyroid negatively.

After being on Synthroid for a couple of years i still wasn't feeling well.  Finally i received the Celiac diagnosis and i thought everything would finally be all good.  My family and friends were also expecting this of me.  I did feel really good for awhile.  I had more energy, my hair was growing back and my weight was normalizing.  I was sleeping better and i wasn't so angry all the time.  This was great!  Finally i had the answers i had been waiting for.  Time kept passing i was being very careful, of course stumbling here and there as does anyone who is newly diagnosed with Celiac disease.  Of course there's so much to learn about this disease, cross-contamination, food, auto-immune issues etc.  (I'll be getting into those more later as well) That's why i started this blog to help others going through these issues.

Anyway, one of the big things that i noticed right away was the fact that i was still dealing with acid reflux issues.  Don't get me wrong the reflux had subsided greatly, because it was really, really bad.  Now it was more annoying than anything else.  You see, everything i was reading was saying that i should be feeling good being off gluten.  I shouldn't still be dealing with acid reflux and hair falling out.  Although many of my symptoms had gotten better they hadn't completely gone away.  I was still taking my medications as well.   Now when i say medications I'm talking a lot of medications.  I'll talk more of those later though.  Right now i just want to deal with the relevant ones so as not to confuse you because this is a lot of information.
So please bare with me. : )

Ok, so a couple of years had gone by and i'm now completely off of gluten and feeling better than when i was eating gluten but not feeling great.  Why not?  I kept going to doctors for follow ups and they had no clue.  They continued to check my thyroid and i was still "within normal range".  What does that even mean?  Within normal range for whom?  They developed this thyroid blood test in the 70's with a test group of a couple hundred people.  It was now 2012 at this time and things have changed dramatically.  By now family and friends are growing quite annoyed with me because i'm still not feeling well and i should be because according to them i'm off gluten and that should fix everything, right?  Not right!  Remember this is an auto-immune disorder not just an allergy.  It's not easily fixed but because i'm sick of feeling sick i'm not going to stop looking for answers.   So i began doing my own research since i was getting no answers from the doctors.

During my research I figured out the issue with histamine intolerance (see my post on histamine intolerance) and began eating low histamine foods, supplementing with vitamins such as vitamin C, D, calcium/magnesium, zinc, potassium, vitamin B complex (vitamin b's did hurt my stomach) and i was feeling some relief.  I also started taking DAO enzyme that helped with the digestion of the food i was eating.  You see, just a quick explanation for the DAO enzyme is that in your small intestine is the place where DAO enzyme is made.  This DAO enzyme is what helps a person to digest high histamine foods or pretty much any food because all food contains some amount of histamine.  Being a Celiac damage has taken place in the small intestine and so it made sense that this enzyme was lacking.  Supplementing this enzyme and eating low histamine foods and taking the supplements i listed above did help.

Now remember all during this time i was on the synthroid and even on levothyroxine at one point because of my insurance company changing me.  Now i did say earlier i was told that the levo wouldn't work the same as synthroid.  I don't think this really mattered though because even while on the synthroid i still felt bad. Anyway, as i did research on the histamine dao enzyme i found that the synthetic thyroid meds i was on blocked the production of this very important enzyme.  At the time i was getting headaches, rashes, nose running, coughing while i ate.  I tried everything to minimize these issues because i was finding that more important than anything else was the need to eat and get my nutrition.  What i did next i do not recommend to anyone without consulting your doctor first.  I stopped my thyroid medication.  I was feeling crappy anyway and now it seemed to be messing with my food intake.  Food is our source of life and nutrition, so it took awhile but after doing this i finally started feeling some relief with the histamine issue. I was eating better, eating healthier foods, staying away from processed foods (gluten free processed foods) and i was starting to feel somewhat better.  Not all was better though....

Time passed and although i was feeling some histamine relief in other areas i was feeling horrible. By this time things had progressed for the worse, my energy levels had dropped drastically, I had become horribly chemically sensitive, my hair was falling out in the front of my head and my stomach was hurting all the time. I was having stomach cramping, dull pain in the right side of my abdomen and still had bad acid refllux when i ate.  My periods although came every month were sometimes heavy sometimes light.  Then they started to come more frequently and never the same time every month.  One morning when i couldn't drag myself out of bed and i was waking up in night sweats and my throat felt like i had swallowed a golf ball, a light bulb went off,  My Thyroid!  I need to figure out how to fix my thyroid without going back on those synthetic hormones!
In another post on thyroid i will tell you how i started to do this.
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss a post!

Gluten Free Food Brands

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

If you read my other post you remember that i mentioned that there are many fresh food options and unprocessed meat and fish options that do not contain gluten.
Now im going to tell you about the options that are out there for processed foods.  There has been an explosion of gluten free options in the last few years.  I find there is an upside and a downside to this.

First the downside.  I feel that many companies have just jumped on the bandwagon to make money and they really don't care about the fact that millions of us rely on gluten free foods to live.  Hence, they don't seem to care so much about the alternative ingredients they use, the amount of sugar or how careful they are about processing and manufacturing these products.  Maybe now that the gluten free labeling law has passed some of this might change in regard to how careful they will be with the amount of trace gluten anyway.  I'm not putting all my confidence in this law though, for many reasons.  I still plan on checking labels carefully and sticking with certified gluten free and foods processed in dedicated facilities.  I highly recommend you do the same.  I will not deny though that some companies out there cannot afford to get that certified label and yet they still take every precaution and are very reliable and reputable.  With some research you can find out what those companies are and many times they will let you know somewhere on their packaging just how seriously they take being gluten free.  Reading that information will certainly make you feel more at ease. Now, the upside, sooo many more options, less feelings of deprivation and feeling left out.  Oh, and not getting sick!!!

So what are the companies that you can trust?  Well, let me first state that there are way too many to list so i will list some but i recommend you do more research to find others you may like.  In time this will all become second nature.  You will eventually know what stores to buy from and what online sites to trust.   I will also give you a resource that will help you to navigate the grocery stores with a better knowledge of what is safe and what may not be so safe.
First a small disclaimer before i start listing names:  Always check labels and ingredients and manufacturer information as many companies change ingredients often.  Always run any diet changes by your physician or homeopath first.

Ok so here we go:

 123 Gluten-Free
 Allergaroo
 Amy's
 Ancient Harvest
 Annie Chun's                                                                      
 Annie's Naturals                               
 Arrowhead Mills
 Authentic Foods
 Bakery on Main
 Beanitos
 Better Batter
 Better Than Milk
 Bionaturae
 Bob's Red Mill
 Bragg
 Cause You're Special
 Chebe
 ConAgra
 Cookies...For Me?
 Dakota Lakes
 Dakota Prairie
 DeBoles
 Domino Sugar
 Easyglut
 Eco-planet
 Ener-G
 Enjoy Life
 Enjoy Life Foods
 EnviroKidz
 Erewhon / US Mills
 Fantastic Foods
 Flavorganics
 Fleischmann's Yeast
 Food Should Taste Good- very tasty chips
 Frontera Kitchens
 Frontier Herbs
 Gillian's Foods
 Glee Gum
 Glow Gluten Free
 Gluten Free Living
 Gluten Free Sensations
 Gluten-Free Naturals
 Gluten-Free Pantry
 GlutenFreeda
 Glutino
 Goody Good Stuff
 GoPicnic
 Ian's
 Jovial
 Katz Gluten Free
 Kay's Naturals / Better Balance
 Kettle Chips
 KIND
 Kind Fruit & Nut Bars
 King Arthur Flour
 King Soba
 Kinnikinnick
 Lara Bar
 Living Without
 Lucy's
 Lundberg
 Mary's Gone Crackers
 Muir Glen
 My Dad's Cookies
 Namaste Foods
 Nana's Cookie Co.
 Natural Nectar
 Nature's Path
 New Harvest Naturals
 Organicville
 OrgraN
 Pacific
 Pamela's
 Pamela's Products
 Perky's Cereals from Enjoy Life Foods
 Popchips
 PureFit
 Real Foods
 Really Great Food Company
 San-J
 Schar
 Something Good
 Spectrum
 Surf Sweets
 Suzanne's
 Thai Kitchen
 thinkThin
 Tinkyada
 Triumph Dining
 Udi's - In my opinion best bread option out there
 Utz
 Vanz
 Wholesome Sweeteners
 WOW Baking Company

Here are some websites that i have gone to to buy many products.  I trust these companies and have had a good experience all around when buying gluten free items from them.


www.nuts.com- I've bought GF flours, sugars,  nuts & candies here
www.glutenfreemall.com- too many options to list
www.vitacost.com- I'm able to get a good price on shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel & vitamins here
www.luckyvitamin.com- I get many supplements here
www.edisongrainery.com-  I buy dried beans and rice and grains here

Here is a book that i bought that helped me navigate my grocery store and told me what the companies themselves stated about their practices and how safe different brands really are.  It was of great help to me and i highly recommend you give it a shot.  I bought mine on Amazon for a pretty fair price.
It's called:  The Essential Gluten Free Grocery Guide 4th Edition from Triumph Dining

I would also like to state that i don't receive any kickbacks from any of these companies that i've listed here. Remember to always make your own inquiries, always check labels and ask companies and manufacturers any questions you may have.  It's better to be safe than sorry!

Later in another post i will let you know what personal care products i put my confidence in and why it's important to make sure that they are gluten free as well.

What companies do you trust?  Let me know by leaving me a comment.

Don't forget to check out my shop where i try and help raise awareness of Celiac Disease and Gluten Issues
www.cafepress.com/celiacsfightgluten.com

Histamine Intolerance

Histamine/Methylation

Ok What is Histamine? It is a chemical in the body that is mainly produced in soft tissues,   Like your skin, lungs, sinuses and digestive system.  It is one of the primary chemicals that is released in your body during an allergic reaction that causes most symptoms. 

When a person is intolerant to Histamine the body overreacts and it produces more histamine.  This even happens when foods that contain the chemical (histamine) are consumed. (These foods can include bananas, tomatos (nightshades), dairy, chocolate, wine and others) This can cause your blood vessels to dilate and increases mucus production. This leads to a runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, skin rashes, itching and flushing a lot of symptoms that can clear a room.  

Now how did I get to discover that I had a histamine problem? Good question...  Well I was noticing that after I would eat or actually during eating I would see a rash develop on my hands right before my eyes and my husbands eyes as well.  That's how I knew I wasn't losing it and that I really wasn't seeing things.  I also noticed that during eating, actually usually the first couple of bites I would take I would start coughing, my nose would run or depending on what it was I would even have to take my inhaler.  

What in the world was happening to me?  Like i needed another thing added onto everything else I was dealing with.  Right?  

So began more research.  I think as you read my blog you will start to see how much I enjoy research.  I've always loved biology, anatomy, physiology so even though everyone around me thought I was crazy, a hypochondriac or that I obsess, I honestly just love learning about the body and the processes that take place within us.  It's also very interesting to figure out what goes wrong and why. 

What could be happening to my body that now when I eat I feel like I've been exposed to pollen or some other allergen?  Let me back up just a bit....  I've always had allergies.  I grew up in Ohio and my parents had a lot of adjustments to make around our home because I would have almost nightly asthma attacks.  They had to cover my bed and pillows with plastic.  They had to get rid of our carpeting and replace it with wood floors.  They even had to put me on antihistamines and send me to an allergist who discovered I was allergic to almost everything except dogs.  Go figure.  I may have grown an immunity to them though because we had dogs my whole life even before I was born.  Anyway, the allergist put me on allergy shots which helped with the allergens there in Ohio.  By the time I was an adult my allergies and asthma were pretty much under control.  That is until I moved to South Jersey by the Shore.  According to many doctors this area is really, really bad for people with allergies.  I wish I would have known this 10yrs ago.  Well, hindsight is 20/20 I guess. 

Back to my research.  In my research I found out about this process called Methylation.  What in the world is Methylation you might ask?  Methylation is involved in DNA synthesis, masking and unmasking of DNA, detoxification, heavy metal detoxification, nerve myelination, carnitine and coenzyme Q 10 synthesis.  Basically methylation is responsible for a lot of functions that take place in the body.  One that I found particularly interesting is the turning on and off of genes.  It made me start thinking that this is what probably happened to turn on my Celiac gene. Something must have gone wrong with my methylation process.  You see the methylation process can go wrong at times or not work properly.  Some things that can affect our methylation process can be:  

1. Genetic factors, especially variants in the mthfr and comt genes
2. Psychological/emotional/physical stress

1. Smoking and other environmental toxins
2. Diet and nutrition (including supplements), especially B-vitamin and methonine intake

Now this can all seem confusing and well, it is.  It is also a lot of information to understand so I encourage you to do your own research on Methylation.  You definately will learn a lot.  You may be asking, ok so what does methylation have to do with histamine production?  

It seems there are a number of reasons why a person may have high histamine levels. Bad bacteria in the gut produce histamine and good bacteria neutralize it, so an imbalance of gut flora could be a major factor.  (Which in my case this made sense because of having celiac disease which affects the small intestine).  

Methylation is one really big way that the body gets rid of excess histamine out of the bloodstream, so people who under-methylate (or whose methylation systems are clogged with environmental toxins and yeast metabolites- which made me start thinking of the environment around me) seem to have histamine overcrowding their system.  

There are several enzymes that can help people regulate histamine levels, so a deficiency of these enzymes is suspected to be a cause.   Two of these enzymes are amylase and diamine oxidase.  There is a lot of research that has been done in Europe on this subject.  One doctor actually developed a medication that helps with this.  (More on this later)    

Now, like I said all of this can be confusing but as you do more research and learn more about these processes it will all start to come together.  As I learned more and more I started to think ok so I figured out I have high histamine levels.  How do I lower them?  How do I stop reacting to food the way I was?  And because of figuring out that I must be an under-methylator which means my system is clogged with toxins, how do I lower the toxins in my body?  As for the toxins around me could they be affecting me as well and making this whole process worse?  More to come on this....  Look for these articles soon:  How I lowered my histamine levels and Toxins they're everywhere! 

This Food Is Just Right!

                      In The Spirit of Goldilocks "This Food is Just Right"

So, you've gotten a Celiac diagnosis or a gluten sensitivity diagnosis or you suspect you have an issue with gluten and now you're ready to take action!  What the heck do you eat now? Gluten seems to be in everything!!

Well although this is true, gluten is in many things.  Things you would never even guess.  Things like the glue on the back of stamps!  What?!  

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye) and spelt. 

There are many things gluten is not in, like what you may ask? 

Well for one it's not in fresh produce, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, nuts in their natural form, beans, seeds, fresh eggs, potatoes (check label on frozen brands as some contain wheat), unprocessed meat and fish, cheeses (except for some brands of shredded cheese that use wheat as a declumping agent) always check labels.  Cabot Creamery is a company out of Vermont that is said to make all gluten free cheeses.  I've had them and they are delicious.  Yogurts (again check some labels because some companies do have wheat in their yogurt) why this is necessary is beyond me... check out some brands such as Fage, Stoneyfield, Greek Gods and some of Yoplait.  Many yogurts also contain a lot of sugar so be careful because an already upset digestive system can get very aggravated with too much sugar.  If you are looking for the probiotic aspect of it do the greek yogurt it has way less sugar it's a great source of protein and just all around healthy. 

If you have dairy issues as many of us do then you may want to try some brands as So Delicious that offer a gluten free coconut yogurt, Very tasty.  Oh, they also make some pretty tasty milk alternatives.    If coconut is not your thing for any number of reasons and you need your probiotics (which i can say with almost a certainty more than likely you do) try taking a probiotic supplement.  They work wonders! 

Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps us who have  celiac disease and or gluten issues to control our signs and symptoms and prevent complications now and in the future.

Now, at first following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating and you may feel like you have nothing to eat. With time, patience and creativity, you'll find there are many foods that you already eat that are gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you can enjoy.  Give yourself time to adjust to different tastes and textures.  Eventually your body will recognize how good these foods are for you and you will develop a taste for them.  Your body will even begin to crave these foods when it finds the good vitamins and minerals it is receiving from them.

Grains and Starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn and cornmeal
• Flax
• Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean) (personally i avoid soy because of its tendancy to mess with your hormones)
• Hominy (corn)
• Millet
• Quinoa- (great source of protein) 
• Rice  (best to eat brown and jasmin because of the b-vitamins and lower starch content as opposed to white)
• Sorghum
• Tapioca
• Teff

Always avoid any and all food and drinks that may contain:

• Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
• Rye
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Wheat
• Bulgur

• Durum flour
• Farina
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Semolina
• Spelt

Avoid unless labeled 'gluten-free':

• Beer
• Breads
• Cakes and pies
• Candies
• Cereals
• Cookies and crackers
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies
• Imitation meat or seafood
• Matzo
• Pastas
• Processed luncheon meats
• Salad dressings
• Sauces, including soy sauce
• Seasoned rice mixes
• Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
• Self-basting poultry
• Soups and soup bases
• Vegetables in sauce

If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience some abdominal pain and diarrhea and or constipation.  Some experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this does not mean it's not damaging their small intestines. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet could be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that more than likely the damage to your body from gluten containing foods has been happening for years.  Give the new diet time to work and your body time to adjust. There is damage that is trying to heal,  this healing process does not occur over night and may not even happen in a few weeks or months time.  Some intestinal damage can take up to two years to heal. Don't despair though, that does not mean that you won't start to feel some relief right away.  

Many are able to stop their antacids soon after starting a gluten-free diet and others it may take some time.  Please be careful when taking antacids because many block the b vitamins that we so desperately need.  That being said never stop taking any medication without consulting your physician first.    

Read the Label:

Start at the package label. Some manufacturers state that the item is gluten-free, usually on the front of the container or near the ingredients list.  I like to make sure there is a Certified Gluten Free Label. Read the ingredients. Modified food starch is one ingredient that might indicate that gluten is in the product, but not always.  The starch, many times, can be derived from wheat but this can also be derived from corn.  Many times the label in parantheses next to modified food starch will say but not always.  If there is ANY doubt whatsoever contact the manufacturer for more information.

Call the Company:

If I'm not sure about the safety of a brand, I call the number listed on the package and ask. At times you may have to leave contact information and wait for a representative to call back. Most of the time, they are able to tell you if the item is gluten-free. Fortunately, if it isn't, many other choices are available.  You may also email many manufacturers.  I have done this on many an occasion and they are pretty good at getting back to you in a timely manner.  

Also, if in doubt while at the store in the middle of an aisle.  Google the item.  This has also been very useful for me.

Celiac Disease Tests To Request

What tests to request from your doctor:

To get a more accurate diagnosis you should be following a daily diet that contains gluten for at least 4-6 weeks. My doctor told me to eat some bread the day before but some information from the National Institue for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK explains it is important that you eat some gluten       (for ex. bread, pasta, biscuits or cake) in more than one meal everyday for at least 6 wks.   

If your doctor doesn't listen to
 your requests find one that does!

Specific antibody blood tests are the initial step in screening for Celiac.  Remember to always consult with your physician to ensure a proper diagnosis. Depending on the outcome of these tests a biopsy of your small intestines will more than likely be ordered, make sure they take at least four biopsies and that they have a good reputation in being able to read these specific biopsies.  Your best bet is a specialist that deals with Celiac Disease on a regular basis.  I saw the experts at the Celiac Center in Pennsylvania at the Jefferson University Hospital.

These are the recommended Blood Tests:

• Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTG – IgA and IgG)
  commonly used whether or not symptoms are present and it's the most sensitive test that is available.
• Anti-endomysial antibody (EMA-IgA) 
• Anti-deaminated gliadin peptide (DGP – IgA and IgG)
  used when tTG or EMA is negative and in cases where patient is IgA deficient
• Total serum IgA – used to check levels to exclude selective IgA deficiency that results in a false negative test
• Anti-gliadin antibody (AgA – IgG and IgA) used for children under 2 because tTG and EMA antibodies may be absent. The anti-DGP test is sensitive in this group.

This Info is also found on the celiac.org website.  

Some questions that i encourage you to ask your doctor are as follows:

• Please give me more details about the tests I should have.

• What do the tests involve?

• What exactly are you testing for?

• How long will it take for me to get the results of these tests?

• Can you provide me with help or information about what

   I should and should not eat and for how long?

Questions if your blood test yields positive results:

• Please give me more details about the tests I should have next.

• Should I make any changes to my diet, if so what types of changes and for how long?

• What could or will happen if I choose not to change my diet? Short term and or long term?

For family members and friends of those with Celiac or thought to have Celiac or gluten issues:

• What can I/we do to help and support the person with

celiac disease or gluten issues?

• Is there any other support that I/we might find

helpful or are entitled to?

* How can we show that we are willing to listen, comfort and support our loved ones with these issues and make their lives easier?

It is just as important for your family members to be informed about Celiac Disease or your gluten sensitivity, allergy or intolerance as it is for you.  This is especially the case for your immediate family or family members that you regularly share a living quarters with.  

"Diseases are killing us faster than we're killing them so let's not kill each other's spirits.  Let's be upbuilding to all those who suffer whether we can relate or not.  After all none of us are immune to sickness it may be your burden one day and then, Who will build you up?"

Remember when finding out you have this disease or problem with gluten you will undoubtedly go through a period of grieving.  Take the time necessary because this is a completely new way of living.  It's like a baby learning to walk, there's a lot of discovery that has to happen and a lot of falls that will happen but once you get it down you will see it's not so bad after all.  After you have grieved for your appropriate time period, pick yourself, up dust yourself off and keep moving forward.  With the help of friends and family, support groups and blogs such as this one you can start to feel healthy again!

Side note for friends and family:  Be understanding to those with these diagnoses, allow them to grieve.  You would grieve too if you were told that the way you've been doing everything your entire life needed to change.  They are learning a whole new way of life and their moods will no doubt not always be the greatest.  Now is the time they need your love and support the most.  They will eventually get past this stage and they will be so appreciative for your love and understanding, plus this experience may even draw you closer.  This isn't an easy time for any of you but especially for the newly diagnosed.