Hey everyone. I started a vegan diet back on August 1st. I originally started it just as a one month experiment, but at the end of the month found out I felt pretty good and since the sky hadn’t fallen, I decided to continue. I guess I am shocked by how easy it’s been I don’t feel weak, or even have cravings for meat or dairy. Which leads me to this question what about flour/wheat? I really think this may be bad for me. I had the doctor check I don’t have Celiac issues, but I don’t really feel well if I eat bread or crackers (even though I have been craving them like crazy now) So those of you who are Vegan, have you also cut out wheat, flour or some or all grains? How did it work out for you? Did you feel better. I think I may be compensating for the less meat and dairy by eating more bread. It is making me feel really sluggish and bloated. (or at least I think it’s the wheat/flour) Any comments
would be appreciated
So I do have some information about this question that I also have personal experience with. I’m not going to try to explain the technical details. There is a type of delayed food sensitivity that is not directly correlated with ingesting a food, but shows up over a period of days. You can be tested for this, here is the website
https://www.gdx.net/product/igg-food-antibodies-food-sensitivity-test-blood
In my own case my partner had serious swelling of joints for years, but didn’t fit directly the definition of rheumatoid or osteo- arthritis. Finally he was tested for igG and igE antibodies, and it was found he was very sensitive to wheat. We went on a wheat-free diet and also a food rotation diet, where you only eat a substance once every four days. Very complicated, but I ran my own kitchen and was able to produce tasty food following these restrictions. Once he was improved, we found that eating above a certain level of wheat always produced a delayed reaction of joint swelling 12-36 hours afterwards.
As a matter of practical practice, following a gluten-free diet will produce the same result, but it is not exactly like a wheat-free diet. People who have celiacs disease cannot tolerate any amount of gluten, and it is nothing to play around with. People with igG food sensitivities have a more subtle effect on their health. I would say check this out, see if you can find a doctor who can help you with this. If you live within 50 miles of St. Louis I can refer you to an excellent doctor who uses this tool. I know at least one other person who has this delayed reaction to wheat, and in her case, she almost became wheelchair bound until she completely eliminated wheat from her diet.
Wow, Thanks so much for sharing this. I do get bloating and sluggishness that I thought might go away after going vegan. (my instict is that this is somehow food related but I just don’t know what food) I really think it could be wheat, I know I get crazy cravings for it and get sick after I’m done eating ir, Could also be that my body is converting the wheat into sugar. I am in KC so I’m on the other side of the state but I do want to look in to this further. Thank you for posting this I really appreciate it.
Some people are more sensitive to gluten (and other things) than others. It doesn’t bother me but I don’t eat breads and pastas much because they are empty calories. I find that hummus, almond butter and avocado are great for protein and staving off cravings for carbs like bread and pasta.
Thanks I definitely love hummus and avacado. You could be right it may be more of a carb craving. I do feel like I need to give wheat and flour a rest for a few days and see how I feel..