# Bad to exclude dairy and wheat for too long?



## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Hello! I've been wheat-free and dairy-free for two weeks, and I've had absolutely no change in my symptoms. (I had the blood test for Celiacs, which was negative) I'm not supposed to see my nutritionist for another few weeks, but in the meantime I'm a little worried about excluding these types of foods for too long if they're not the problem. I could be totally wrong here, but doesn't your body stop producing the digestive enzyme for dairy if you don't have it for a while? Hence that's why some people are lactose intolerant? Again, that could be totally wrong, but I'm thinking perhaps the same thing could happen with wheat?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

There is no specific enzyme for gluten or wheat flour so that shouldn't be a problem.I think while you tend not to make lactase when you don't need it the "can't turn it back on ever again" thing is mostly genetic. It seems some things that damage the small intestine can turn it off, but not just not having it for awhile.Now if you have been avoiding a food (any food) for a long time it is best to reintroduce it in small amounts. A big dietary change can set off anyone's GI tract and IBSers tend to be more sensitive to that than most other people.


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I've read that for wheat it can take a bit longer to see results. Do you think I should continue with this diet? I've already cheated


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

If you have celiac (which you don't) it can take several weeks of a very strict diet to see results as you have to be off all gluten (even a few stray molecules) for long enough that the small intestinal lining can repair itself.If it is more a wheat starch or a gluten is just kinda hard to digest for some people thing that you may see results in less time and each time you cheat isn't a complete set back.


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