Wheat Allergies

[khamedra19]

I suspect that I may have a wheat allergy. In the recent past, I have only eaten whole wheat and whole grain breads. I noticed that when I'd eat a lot (say one whole grain bagel 4 days in a row), I'd become congested---phlegm in my lungs, throat, and head. When I stopped eating wheat, the congestion would clear upn in a few days to a week. The other day, I had some vegan sushi, but the soy sauce had wheat in it. I didn't discover this until later. Well, sure enough, that night, I was congested. The congestion lasted for 2 days before it cleared up.

Does anyone have wheat allergies? If so, what are your symptoms?

[LotsOfLocs]

I have worked with two White people who have Celiacs disease, allergic to wheat gluten. They can actually die, from even just a trace of wheat. It runs in Irish families. I have no problems personally.

[healinglisa]

Hello guys! :D

I suspect i have a wheat sensitivity, so i have eliminated wheat and other foods containing gluten from my diet. This was such a bummer for me when i discovered this because i love bread! One of my favourite snacks was purely and simply warm toast with melted margarine spread over it. The smell, the taste...ahhhhhhhhh! :P A recent blood test revealed that i am not a coeliac, but i think i can safely say that i am sensitive to wheat- symptoms include:
tiredness
fatigue
dizzness
exhaustion
difficulty catching my breath

These symptoms REALLY affected my life, but now, since removing gluten from my meals, they have almost completely disappeared! Yipee! :Fade-color

Now, for breakfast, instead of muesli i have a bowl of rice mixed in with sultanas, raisins etc. For lunch, instead of a sandwich, i have a large bowl of mixed leaf, tomato, sweetcorn, avocado etc. salad (with a nice dollop of vegan mayonnaise!) and rice cakes spread with nut butters. Dinner doesn't need that much adjusting. AND i have found plenty of wheat-free cakes and biscuits that are just as tasty as their traditional counterparts!

All-in-all, i am loving my new way of eating! I am glad to hear your symptoms have cleared up khamedra19 :B-fly:

Take care and God Bless!

[khamedra19]

Thanks for your response. Have you ever tried the sprouted bread called Ezekiel? It doesn't have any wheat in it. It's made from different kinds of sprouted grains. I tried it and liked it. It has a coarse, organic, back to basics taste and texture that I love. I can eat it without incident.

[naturalgirl575]

I understand what you mean about sensitivity to gluten. It's been almost 5 years for me. It's really a learning experience to be able to identify what you can and shouldn't eat. My blood tests were positive, but I didn't have the internal symptoms that others who are diagnosed with celiac have. Anyhow, I do my best to stay far from it, since the side effects can really slow me down, like bloating, fatigue, headaches, severe stomach cramps, and diarrhea. But there are message board groups on the internet where you can learn about some great alternatives and internet stores where you can purchase some good tasting stuff. (i have no connection) They really are helpful. PM me for them if you like. Instead of soy sauce, tamari can be a good alternative and for pasta, there's rice and corn. Ezekiel bread worked for me for a little while, but the wheat sprouts started to irritate my stomach too much, so I went with brown rice bread or my own homemade bread. But your not alone. There are alot of people who perhaps have not recognized the connection to wheat within their ownselves. I for one, sure thought it was something else for a long while.

[khamedra19]

Thank you for your response naturalgirl. When I was researching veganism, I discovered that one of the benefits is that congestion clears up. I'd been vegan for a while, but noticed the congestion hadn't cleared up. That's when I began to suspect that there are things other than dairy that causes congestion. Lo and behold! I discovered that wheat (or rather the gluten in wheat) is one of them. I use tamari and nama shoyu soy sauces which don't have wheat. I don't care for pasta much. I like the Ezekiel bread. What do you use, when you make your own breads? I plan on learning how to make essene bread which is a raw bread made from sprouted (and I believe dehydrated) seeds.