Thinking of going gluten or dairy free?

Question from a reader: What do you think of going gluten-free without knowing if you have sensitivities? What about dairy free?  I might want to try one or both, at least for a little while and decide if it helps. 

My answer: I think many anyone with chronic inflammation or any other illness/injury (beyond a few weeks) would definitely benefit from trying to eliminate different things from their diet.

Gluten (GF) and dairy (DF) are great things to begin with.

There are many differing opinions on how to best go about it.

Eliminate both at once VS. Eliminate one thing at a time

·         Some people claim that you can not get your body to a “clean” state if you do not eliminate ALL inflammatory foods at once.

·         Others say that you will never really know exactly what is bothering you if you eliminate multiple things at once.  I tend to fall into this camp.  Think back to the scientific method.  You can never test more than one variable at a time.

·         It can also be difficult to eliminate multiple things at once because you can feel totally deprived.

How long does it take to notice a difference?

·         For dairy, you will notice changes pretty quickly.  Within a week in many cases.

·         For gluten, it takes much longer.  Some people will feel some changes within a week or two but it takes 4-6 weeks (on average) to feel anything substantial.

Real food VS.  Substitutes

·         Some people on GF or DF diets try to focus on eating more whole foods, meat, vegetables, fruits or nuts, and try to avoid substitute foods.

·         Others do best by bringing in substitute foods like GF bread, GF pasta, DF cheese & milk.  I personally think it helps you feel a little less deprived to follow this route.

A different kind of challenge

The best way to figure out if you have a gluten or dairy sensitivity is to remove one or both foods for a specified time period.  That time period should be until you feel a sense of relief of some-to-most of your symptoms or issues.  A challenge can then be performed.  You consume something that contains a moderate amount of gluten (or dairy BUT not at the same time) and watch your body for the next 12 to 24 hours for your old signs or symptoms to return.

Other things to consider

·         If you want to be serious about an elimination diet, do your research!  Give yourself a few days to read as much as you can BEFORE you make any changes.

·         There are hidden traces of dairy and gluten in many things that you would never even think to check.  Make sure that you consider this before starting. 

Hidden gluten

Hidden dairy

Let me know if you have any questions.  I am not currently DF or GF but have tried both before.