[I can hardly believe I’m writing this, but it’s true. We are officially *not* a gluten-free family anymore, as of sometime in July 2014. Here is our story.]
It has been four long years since we first took that plunge into the world of gluten-free for our 23-month-old firstborn (who is now almost six). And now we’re starting all over again in the opposite direction.
How we Decided to Go Gluten-Free Four Years Ago
Believe me when I tell you that we did not initially enter into going GF lightly.
As a toddler, our little one had been experiencing digestive issues, coupled with mood swings and behavioural weirdness (going into meltdown mode with what we dubbed the “crazy eyes”) that we directly connected to gluten consumption again and again.
We didn’t really want to go gluten-free – it sounded hard and scary and restrictive, and I’m generally not a sucker for punishment. I am fiercely protective of my remaining shreds of sanity, and thus not muchly inclined to doing hard crap unless super-duper necessary. It’s just a fact, peeps. A cold hard fact.
We did some trials, some hemming and hawing, and tons of reading and research… and every time we’d stay away from gluten for a few days and then try it again, our suspicions would be proven over and over. Eventually we couldn’t deny it any longer: a gluten-free diet would be best for our little guy.
We went strictly gluten-free for him (with hubs and I and the newborn baby being “sorta” GF), and treated him like he could have celiac disease. We learned about cross-contamination, the right questions to ask at restaurants, and the “safe” food options at the grocery store. I dove into the world of GF baking and cooking (the latter being much easier of the two) and even developed many of my own recipes using gluten-free flours and ingredients.
We saw much improvement in the symptoms – his bowels normalized and he was then able to easily learn to use the toilet. His behaviour calmed down and became more along the lines of regular toddler meltdowns instead of the “crazy-eyes” type. He seemed to be thriving without gluten, and so we settled in for the long haul.
Was it Celiac Disease?
We never got celiac testing done because we learned (too late) that you have to be eating gluten (a lot of it) for a minimum of 6 weeks (some sources say 12!) in order to take the test. Well, if you do have celiac disease, that’s the last thing you want to do. So we decided to hold off.
I have slowly came to the realization over the last couple of years that we were not dealing with celiac disease. The symptoms just didn’t add up to lead me to conclusion. I scrutinized and researched every little detail, but I finally became convinced that we were “only” dealing with a food intolerance/sensitivity.
Over the last four years we have seen a handful of slip-ups in regards to cross-contamination with various degrees of reactions. At first, we saw a reaction every time. Family and friends could tell, we could tell, and it was plain as day.
However, the hubs and I have noticed over the last year or so that the reactions have seemed non-existent. We were pretty good at the GF thing by then, but still – I wondered – was he still sensitive?
Can you grow out of a sensitivity?
Most sources say yes, absolutely. My take on it is to say yes, and that it is actually based on gut health. I think that after abstaining from a certain offending food for a long period of time (years), it is possible to heal the gut to the extent that a person could enjoy that food again, and no longer be sensitive to it.
I think that is exactly what has happened in our story.
How we ended four years of being gluten-free
Last summer when I started thinking about this, I thought that trying a few bites of traditional sourdough bread would be a good place to start. Traditionally made sourdough (made with an actual sourdough starter, and properly prepared for easier digestibility) is recommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation, whose nutritional teachings we loosely follow.
But wouldn’t you know it – the summer farmer’s market where I knew I could get a loaf of genuine sourdough eluded me week after week due to the baby’s naptime schedule, and I missed my opportunity.
This summer, I was prepared. I wanted to know the truth… and I wanted to stop expending so much effort and expense on a gluten-free diet if it was not strictly necessary.
photo credit: surlygirl
So in June I found some sourdough bread and brought it home. We made toast, slathered it in butter, and savoured those bites with exuberance. Mmmm, homemade bread… (Oh ma GAWSH. Nom-nom-nom.)
Then we waited. He was like a ticking time bomb as we waited to see when he would go off.
Except that he didn’t.
You wanna know what happened?
Nothing. Nothing happened. Nothing at all out of the ordinary. I was elated and shocked (and somehow simultaneously not surprised at all).
And so it ended. Four years of being strictly gluten-free. The kids questioned it at first, and were a bit apprehensive (we had spent 4 years “villainizing” gluten so that they could learn to avoid it strictly), but soon revelled in their new freedom.
So was there ever a sensitivity at all?
I definitely think that he was sensitive to gluten at the time we removed it from his diet. I want to emphasize this, because there are many naysayers out there that claim that the need to be gluten-free is a fad or a hoax or just plain overblown. I disagree with this… in fact I think that more people should try a GF diet (hint, hint, family members!) to see how it might effect their health. Modern wheat is very different now, even from 50-75 years ago. It is now less nutritious, and gluten-related health issues are more common than most people realize.
As an advocate for natural living and whole food eating, I am often under a bit of a magnifying glass for my choices. I have defended and explained our decision to keep our kids strictly gluten-free over and over again, and have sighed and rolled my eyes at the articles decrying GF as the latest fad diet with no actual benefit (disclaimer at the end usually given about “except for celiacs”). I don’t agree that it’s simply a fad diet.
The big question: now what??
I have been a bit nervous about sharing this story with the world at large. I do not want to be interpreted as criticizing the gluten-free movement and crossing party lines. I am not a traitor. I am simply a mom trying to do her best to provide healthy eating for her family, day in and day out.
Image credit: Tim VanReenen
As I’ve mentioned, in the last 6 months our family has been on a journey of high-stress and tumultuous family crisis. We are now on the other side (mostly) and things are so much better. However, we’ve made many compromises in our diet over these months as we’ve focused simply on survival and getting though.
We’ve bought lots of convenience foods and even fast food (which we regretted every time – yuck), and when the price tag for these things is 3x more expensive ($6-7 for a small loaf of GF bread at the store!), you start seriously questioning the necessity! (Totally a rip-off, and worse ingredients than the regular wheat bakery bread!)
At the end of the day, each family is so unique and has their own health preferences and needs – it’s a bit of an ebb and flow. As with many things in life: when you realize that you may not be on the right path any longer, it’s best to just stop, admit that it’s not working, and change course. That’s what I’m doing. It may be humbling and a bit nerve-wracking, but on we go.
Next on the agenda is figuring out what the heck sort of role we would like wheat to have in our lives. Will we get into ordering our own ancient grain flour? Will I wind up purchasing a grain grinder to grind my own wheat berries fresh? Will I get into sourdough making, and all that it entails? Will I learn the art of soaking and sprouting? Maybe we’ll start experiencing negative repercussions, and we’ll wind up going GF again. I don’t know.
I’ll be honest with you right now: I have no sweet clue where to go from here. I have spent 4 years not thinking much about wheat, and I don’t really have a firm stance on it. I’m certain that will change soon enough, but for now – I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever made big changes in a health decision for your family? And:
Mammaroosker
Have been gluten-free for three years now and no plans to go back. I do not have celiacs but a sensitivity and did not realize how damaging the inflamation from a sensitivity could be. When I cut it out, I felt like a new person and and about 15 years younger.
Damien
I have met a fair few people that are “Gluten intolerant” they just switch it on and off when it best suites them, but I have also met people it really does effect they get to grips and know their limits and try not to over step the mark. I suffer for celiacs and have done for around 3 years now. It started with random stomach pains, i thought nothing of it just tried to dodge the trigger foods, then I was noticing it more and more. I went in for a routine blood test just to check my levels and they flagged up celiacs disease. I have met a fair few people who have had a blood test and found out it was a false positive so I decided to go with the biop. It’s really the only way you can find out if you have it or not. Luckily there wasn’t any damage to my bowls but they did send off a piece of my gut to be tested and found out I do have the genes. So what may have been happening was small flare ups, but I caught it soon enough for it to not to cause any serious damage. Trick is if you have issues with eating certain foods cut them out, if the problem still consists see a consultant, and have it looked into, it can be a huge range of issues.
Tasha Mankini
It seems to me that you definitely did the right thing. By approaching it as a family , everyone benefited from the avoidance of gluten. I feel it’s likely that infrequent and accidental exposures to gluten, by everyone in the family, desensitized you all while keeping the gut healthy. Modern medicine has limits and you were lucky to recognise you child’s sensitivity. Perhaps your diligence saved him from a severely life altering disease such as celiac, or autism , or others that often have no known or defined cause. Good job and good luck to you!
Veronica
I also went through a similar experience. After being GF for 3 years, we now eat wheat bread and wheat products every day. It is not about the wheat being consumed but about the preparation. Sourdough is the perfect way to prepare wheat. It predigests the wheat making it highly nutritious. I now grind my own wheat berries at home and make pancakes, bread, pizza, cookies but only using the sourdough technique. A great read that explains this is Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009I5KK8A?redirect=true&ref_=kinw_myk_ro_title …it will turn everything you thought you knew about wheat on its head. For learning to cook and bake using sourdough I recommend The Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS http://gnowfglins.com/blog/.
Beth
We had to go back to gluten-free due to some significant complications that developed in my son, unfortunately… but I totally agree with everything you said here! If you can tolerate wheat – sourdough is the way to go! And Traditional Cooking School with Wardeh from GNOWFGLINS is the absolute best. 🙂
Bethany
I would like to know more about how you had to go back, since I am thinking I may be permanently healed but want to hear from the community’s experiences with that before proceeding. Do you have a blog post about it? I can’t find one. Thanks!
Megan Williams
Have you looked into FODMAPS?
https://www.monashfodmap.com/
Branka Hadziselimovich
Yes l totally agree with most of your comments .as a grandmother of 8 year old grandson in my care was taking my granson to numerous dr pediatrics dr with digestive issues burbing irritable bowel movements sleep disorders and MOST of all his motor movements aye twitching neck and torso jerking .After so many app with all this doctors also pediatrician they suggested that l take my granson and me to see a psychologist as l was determined to find out what was wrong with my child .Finally l got this app after a long time to see a naturopath the best one in Melbournee as he checked him on this vegan machine he said your grandchild is gluten sensitive and also has gave me a 12 different drops once a day 4 drops. Under a tongue and natural ly strict gluten free organic grass feed and 1 months later everything gone so l still keep him on gluten free and he lookes great his twitching neck and shoulder jerking like tourette’s is totally gone l am so very greatfull l just want to help some mothers with same issues to try it and to see amazing transformation in children .Also the same naturopath help me or saved my life as bbn l have numerous issues one is emphysema that was 4 years ago also dr dr l dont know how many times and than finally got the appointment with a naturopath put me on a sp diet numerous drops under a tongue 20 thousand vitamin D a day also magnisium omega 3 probiotic .l dont take any any meds any pumps or flue vaccine and doctors were pushing me in which l refused l also am gluten free diet dairy and fructose free Feel great havent been sick or hospitalized at all and bbn my specialist actually pulmonary profesor is quite shocked that bbn l am doing so well but want admit as all the other patients like they see usually every 3 or 6 months Me every year lol and my breathing is even better than a long time a go Very greatfull for my naturopath for my grandson and me .our future looks very very happy healthy and hopefully long lasting
Nat
May I ask the complications? Asking as I’m trying six weeks with gluten after 11 years gluten free.
Rachel
Our experience was VERY similar. I have a daughter who had TONS of bathroom issues and ADHD type behaviors. Not wanting to go the medication route, we did a gf diet for several years. We could tell IMMEDIATELY if she had been exposed to wheat at someone else’s house. Her behavior was the primary indicator. After several years, she can now tolerate eating wheat from time to time without a major reaction. We are still using wheat in limited amounts. Not sure if her symptoms would return should we go back to regular wheat consumption.
Natalie
We started buying einkorn flour and pasta about six months after going gf because my third child developed gluten sensitivity at age 4 1/2, and a piece of bread or other gluten item would make him vomit and have a high fever for an entire day. He wouldn’t even know where he was. After a few months of this, I tried einkorn pasta with him and he was FINE. He can eat four pieces of homemade einkorn pizza and he is fine! This week he tried a bit of my sister’s sourdough bread with regular flour, and was ok, but he was too nervous to eat more than a nibble. I am now making einkorn sourdough and am excited about that! I don’t believe wheat as it was created is the villian…. I believe we har changed it into something that our bodies don’t recognize as food and that any sort of gut compromise will be aggravated by it.
Kim
Hello,
I think it is WONDERFUL that you share this story. I am a Celiac and I have also seen my 3 kids adapt to being GF or not at different times. If you can tolerate it GO FOR IT. Guts DO change over time, especially in small developing ones and even adult guts change if it is a sensitivity. With the GF wave becoming a new, chic way to eat, I understand the limits of having to scrutinize and all the things you mentioned. My kids have returned to gluten and are OK. That is the most important thing- right? I think it is awesome that your family is able to change back because let’s face it, the world is full of gluten and it is darn HARD to navigate, especially when you are a GF kid.
Beth
Hi Kim! Thanks for that encouragement! So glad that your kids can tolerate gluten, because you’re right – it really is tough sometimes to be GF. Thanks for commenting!
Debra @ Worth Cooking
I hope we will be able to do this in a few years 😀 *fingers crossed*
Andrea Smith
I have hashimotos thyroiditis. My doctor and everything I’ve read say I HAVE to stay gluten free (and possibly grain and casein free as well). I’ve gone on and off gluten and it doesn’t bother my digestion and I don’t notice huge changes in anything, but I’ve been told that it is slowly destroying me from the inside out when I eat it. Blah. This last stint, I was off for a month, then I ate something with gluten and I felt this uncontrolable rage the whole next day. Actually, one of the first real symptoms of gluten sensitivity that I’ve seen. My daughter was born with dairy sensitivity and my other daughter has the chicken bumps ALL over her body. I want them to come along with me on the gluten free journey, but hubby struggles with being on board as it is so abstract for our family. I worry about my kids eating anything and then suffering from it later, but I also don’t want to deprive them of life. It wouldn’t be a big deal if they were exposed to outside food once a month or something, but it’s 3x per week or more and there is not way to be gluten free living that way. I told my husband that if he wants to grow old with me, he needs to support me being gluten free, but it is hard. 🙂 I wish you all well,
Beth
Oh man, I hear you on the “abstract”-ness of the symptoms. That’s the part I still worry about a little bit, but I didn’t know how to really describe it. We are wary of that possibility as we continue on with gluten for the time being. I hope you find that difficult balance for your own family 🙂
Angela
Having tried a lot of different diets including trending one, ie. paleo, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, I’ve come to the conclusion that one way of eating does not work for everyone and that trial and error are necessary in figuring out what’s right for you. Personally I need to be mostly dairy-free, eat only small amounts of meat usually only once a day, and occasionally do a stint of vegan/vegetarian for awhile. And I need grains! The way I’m made, grains are necessary and help me to maintain a healthy weight as well as energy. Meat slows me down. However, My husband and two out of three children are the opposite. Transition and adapting to change are just part of the journey. You’re right on track, keep going!
Beth
I totally agree that it’s different for each person!! I also have found that I need grains. I did the Whole 30 but my body was crying out for more carbs. I did not feel well and energetic until I had some good starch. Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
Bethlynn Wells
Thanks for your post Angela.
I agree, we need to take the judgment out of eating. We are unique beings.
And our needs change as we develop.
Life is challenging enough, eh?
I am entirely sympathetic with the challenges parents (and others) face in doing what is right for their families.
Thanks Beth for your insights.
Cait
That sounds like great news! I’m experimenting with cutting out wheat/dairy to see if it helps my nursing son’s eczema, but it’s hard, and I especially LOVE dairy. And bread of course, but that’s somehow easier for me. We’re considering doing GAPS, especially if there really is an issue with those foods for him. I hope you figure out a balance that works for you and ENJOY your bread!
Jennifer @ GrowingUpTriplets.com
Yay for healing!! We didn’t give the triplets any gluten during their first 2 years. Once they turned 2, we introduced traditionally prepared sourdough. Fun! 🙂
adrienne @ whole new mom
Hey Beth. I just wanted to chime in too. I too suspected wheat and gluten issues for years and went back and forth thinking they weren’t doing anything to harm me. Turns out they were and now my whole family is GF now that I’ve even seen it in blood work. I LOVE my whole wheat bread but there is no turning back now. I would really really caution you (b/c I care about you) to be careful. I am convinced that gluten does damage that can go unnoticed for years. I would be happy to tell you more if you ever want to talk about it. Blessings and hope you don’t mind my sharing. It would be easier to stay silent and let it alone but it really hurt my family’s health.
Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
Thank you for sharing your story. I think it is great that you figured out what the problem was initially and that you are now willing to make new adjustments for your family based on new information. I hope he continues to feel well and that you can figure out a new routine/balance!
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents
I have heard a lot of this topic from Sue Becker (Bread Beckers) and I think I agree with her perspective – and it makes sense. The gluten sensitivity everyone is seeing is because it’s put into EVERYTHING as its own ingredient. Instead of being kept in its natural state (like in wheat), it’s taken out and added to food at random. This makes no sense at all. Gluten isn’t the bad guy…otherwise, why would God have put it in there? Our systems have become overloaded with the stuff.
Also, I think it should be noted that fresh ground wheat can’t be compared to wheat products or flour from the store. They aren’t even remotely close to each other – because we’ve seen that fact work itself out in our family. We saw a dramatic improvement in our health when we switched to fresh ground wheat instead of white wheat flour from the store. I can’t go long without some homemade bread or I start to feel like a crazy woman who is all plugged up. 🙂
I’m so glad to read your little feller is doing better. Dealing with “crazy eyes” isn’t fun. And, as always, I love your frankness. 🙂
Jenesa
I am so thankful for you sharing this, Beth!
Stacy – I would like to learn more about grinding my own wheat flour. Do you have any good resources you could share?
Thank you ladies!
Brooke
Breadbeckers.com has a wealth of information
Dean
I will vouch for what Stacy is saying. My wife and one of my daughters developed gluten-sensitivity in recent years. And just like about everyone else, going gluten-free improved their health. But this past spring, we attended the Mother Earth News Fair in Asheville, NC, and sat for a talk by Sue Becker regarding the truth about wheat and modern bread products. One of her claims was that many people who are gluten-sensitive (not celiac) can eat true whole-grain bread made from fresh milled flours and not only tolerate it, but benefit greatly health-wise. I left determined to figure out how to make good bread from fresh milled flour and have my girls give it a try. I already owned a grain mill and bread machine that I had purchased years before, but I never learned how to make bread from fresh-milled wheat flour that didn’t resemble the bricks on my house. But now I was determined. Sue’s case for trying “real” bread was overwhelming, and I was going to figure this thing out. To shorten the story, I did indeed learn how to make really good bread from fresh milled flour, and my family loves it! My wife and daughter has been eating it for months now with no ill effects. But it gets better. I convinced my wife’s twin sister, who is also gluten-sensitive, and much more so than my wife, to give the bread a try. I started with a couple small pancakes, and she had no trouble. I then made a loaf for her, and once again, no trouble at all! She then shared part of the loaf with a coworker who has gluten problems, and she also had no trouble! So I am convinced, based on a perfect 4 for 4 record so far, that many people can eat real bread made from fresh milled flour, because yes, it has all the ingredients that God put there the first time, meaning everything necessary to assist in the proper digestion of the bread and to ultimately create a healthy gut which in turn benefits the whole body.
I definitely recommend Bread Beckers as a resource for anyone interested.
Martha
As a wife and daughter of flour millers and part owner of a flour milling business, I’m up on a lot of the research (the company collaborates with University wheat researchers). Wheat is not significantly different today than it was 50 years ago or 100 or even a few thousand. It’s not. (I know y’all will want proof but I don’t have the time to provide links. I’ve got academic papers but they aren’t easily linked to and I’m not messing with uploads) ANYWAY, it is well documented that wheat, along with other grains (corn is the worst) are more difficult for young bodies to digest and as we age our guts are more capable of breaking them down, so I’m not too surprised that the little guy has outgrown his sensitivity. I’m glad he is able to enjoy that delish sourdough bread (my personal fave). And you can utilize a cheap and nutritious food source in feeding your family.
Heather
When two of my children were young they reacted to any type of corn. They would have a bad rash and then the behavior problems would follow. My oldest son can now have some types of corn. Organic corn seems to be fine but corn syrup in any form not good at all. Those are the extremes but so long as he stay closest to what the original food is actually like he seems to be fine. He can do non-organic occasionally but if he keeps doing it he ultimately gets the rash. I think of it like a bucket when you put to much into the bucket it eventually overflows. I know corn is not gluten but the sensitivity can be dealt with the same way. My younger daughter has not out grown her sensitivity to corn but I hope given time she will too. It is so good for you to write this post. Some just don’t realize it is ok to change and test again.
MamaV
I am gluten free, and try to keep my toddler boys from eating too much gluten (though I haven’t noticed any adverse reactions with my oldest so if someone slips him a cookie I roll with it). My general philosophy is that if I am careful with how we eat at home, we can eat what we want within reason when we are out. 80-20 rule, or whatever they call it. I can eat a little bit of properly prepared sourdough without adverse effects, so that’s nice.
Elisabeth
That’s great that it’s working for you and your family. I will say be very careful. I went gluten and grain free for 3 years and saw drastic improvement also. I used to have such terrible gut pain, stay on the toilet all day, have headaches be moody. When I cut out the grains I felt 100 times better. I lost weight and felt great. About 2 years in I started noticing I was gaining weight. I realized I replaced carbs with fat. Fat is great and you need it. I don’t believe in low-fat. But I do think eating excessive amounts of it in order to fill you up because you’re staying away from carbs is bad. I’ve since amended this and added carbs from vegetables such as cauliflower and potatoes. I’ve also cut the bullet-proof coffee out. I also wanted to eat bread again and was told that people with a gluten intolerance could oftentimes eat traditional sourdough and sprouted grain breads. I tried and waited. Waited for the gas and bloating and excruciating gut cramping. I was so excited there was no reaction! I slowly started adding these things back, only in true sourdough form or sprouted. At first things went well. I wasn’t eating excessive amounts of it. Maybe one to two pieces of bread a day. After a week, I started noticing an instant headache and irritability after eating and form of it. I would immediately become very fatigued and the next day had lots of joint pain. It just got worse. So I cut it down to once or twice a week. No go. Same deal and it would ruin me for days. I wasn’t motivated to do anything for 2-3 days after eating even half of a sourdough english muffin and was so, so tired. The gut pain and trouble never happened with the sourdough and sprouted though, just the headaches and general malaise. I’ve since cut it back out and am doing well. I am wondering if I truly have Celiac disease. I will never get tested though since I would be incapacitated if I had to eat that much wheat and gluten for weeks. I guess I should have had the test before going gluten free years ago. All that to say, don’t get carried away with excitement that you can eat it now and eat too much. Keep constant tabs on it 🙂 I hope you do well with it and can always eat them. I’m sad that I will likely never eat real bread again but glad that I know that I can’t so I just won’t try.
Achyut
Elisabeth, This was such a useful comment. Thanks!