# IBS - do you have an intolerance/allergy to wheat products?



## cbull31386 (Apr 21, 2002)

This week I have been diagnosed with IBS, which is caused by an intolerance / allergy to wheat. As a result I have been advised to cut out wheat from my diet. Easier said than done. I am finding it hard to find out what product I can / cannot eat, and what products I can use as substitutes as well as where they are available from.Can you help me?


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## Jupiter119 (Aug 8, 2001)

Yes I have wheat/dairy intolerance. Instead of wheat I have rice cakes, also make a corn bread from maize meal & quinoa flour but it's not that great. You can buy rye bread or pumpernickel, ryvita, corn cakes....depending on your taste. There's loads of corn/rice pasta's available that taste as good in Holland & Barrett, GNC & some regular supermarkets. If you want sweet things there are chocolate rice cakes or these coconut macaroons which aren't too pricy at 99p for 6 & they're quite filling too, can't remember the make tho'. Available in H&B, Waitrose & GNC.


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## celticlady (Aug 6, 2001)

I also cant do wheat or dairy.I have found 1 type of rice bread which is ok,it tastes better if you toast it.You may have better luck in natural food stores,rather than large supermarkets.Read the labels carefully.good luck


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## redrose (Mar 6, 2002)

hi,Have you tried looking on www.coeliac.co.uk, they have a food directory you can purchase and also a good cookbookGood luck


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## Jan LEAP RD (May 19, 2002)

Hi Cbull,Wheat free isn't easy, but it is possible and becomes easier every day with more products and cookbooks.First, I have a question. How were you diagnosed? Were you tested for celiac disease? So often, IBS is due to celiac disease and you need to be GLUTEN free, not just wheat free. I just want to be sure you understand the difference.Anyway, people who have celiac disease have to be wheat free, so any celiac info/recipes will be okay for you. However, if you are ONLY wheat allergic, you may beable to do fine with Spelt Bread. (Found it in the freezer at my health food store. . . not great, but decent for toast.)Also, I always recommend ordering a catalog from Bob's Red Mill. (www.bobsredmill.com) They have a TON of great products, MANY of which are wheat and gluten free. They even have a good bread recipe that my friend makes in her bread machine.Also, there are many good wheat free cookbooks available. I hope you look them up. They will give you a ton of ideas. And, a magazine, Sully's Living Without has wheat free recipes every month.Some more websites: www.celiac.org http://www.gluten.net/diagnosis.asp Celiac Disease Diagnosis Initial screening for CD is a blood test taken by your physician. The test can be referred to as a Celiac Panel or by the names of the individual tests. To provide the most accurate information, the blood test should include the following tests: anti-endomysial antibody (lgA EMA) and anti-gliadin antibody (lgA & IgG), and tissue transglutaminase (tTG IgA). These tests are very sensitive and specific for celiac disease. A gastroenterologist takes small intestine tissue biopsies if the results of the antibody test(s) are positive or he/she has a strong suspicion of CD. A biopsy showing damaged villi in the small intestine is the first half of the 'Gold Standard' to diagnosing CD. The second half of the 'Gold Standard' is improvement of health with the gluten-free diet. It is possible, in some situations, to have normal blood tests and still have celiac disease. Finally, know you are not alone!Wishing you well







,


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

I don't care what Jan says about wheat free...I still say eating millet bread is like eating a brick.MNL


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## WashoeLisa (Sep 12, 2000)

No can do wheat here either- or millet-or spelt-or kamut...Oh well. I like Rice bread and oat bread!







Lisa from Nevada in California


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