Gluten Intolerance: Good Reads

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I'm sorry to hear that WindyCityGentleman. Gluten intolerance can't be a factor for everyone. Have you ever heard of the book 'Eat Right for your Blood Type'? The book details the different types of diets that people with different blood types seem to do better with. I'm an O+ and my blood type supposedly does very well on the caveman diet. O+ blood types also don't handle grains very well. Go figure. It's no wonder gluten ended up being a trigger when my digestive health started to break down. You may want to look into what foods your blood type does better with and which ones you don't. I worked with a holistic doctor to get help with making the right diet modifications. Have you had any help or guidance? It is very difficult for us to take what works for someone else and try to emulate it because there may be unique little differences that need to be taken into account (such as blood type and natural diet tendencies). I'm just trying to throw out some suggestions for you to perhaps look into. I know how discouraging it can be to find dead end after dead end. If there is one thing that my experience taught me it is that everything in nature happens for a reason. If you truly seek answers to help you find your imbalance or what needs addressing I believe you can. Just remember to never lose focus on stress management though too. That aspect of balance in our lives is paramount with BFS symptom management. Hang in there!
 
Ok burger I'm not reading forum everyday I actually didn't come for a while. I will read your posts, no reason to get frustrated."How I Cured my BFS (Benign Fasciculation Synd) within 1 Year" Is it the one I should read?Sew
 
I agree with Johnny. Dietary or other efforts redirect focus from underlying symptoms. There is, in my view, a significant placebo effect enjoyed by simply feeling that you are taking control and fighting this unknown quantity. For me, I would rather twitch (which 2 years on I still do) and laugh about it than have this benign condition actually dictate my lifestyle. Each yo their own.
 
I thought this thread was the best place to post the self-imposed setback I'm now facing, due to Satan's food (AKA gluten). I'm on vacation at a place where I'm finding it sorta difficult to find meals that are gluten free. Also, I've been lazy and have terrible willpower. Two nights ago at dinner I was starving, so when the waiter brought the breadbasket I gave into my hunger pangs and ate a little bit. To my delight, I didn't notice anything off, so I played a bit more with fire the next morning and devoured some chocolate croissants and caffeinated coffee. After a busy morning of sightseeing, I thought "why stop now, eat the bread in your turkey sandwich you happy fool!" And so I did. I laughed a bit and thought that maybe gluten was never the culprit, maybe my decrease in symptoms just happened to coincide with my foray into gluten-free living. This (false) thought made me smile, I thought "croissants, cakes, beer and soy sauce forever!!!!" Then, with a full belly it was nap time and I drifted blissfully into sleep. Until 10 minutes later when my calves and left hamstring decided to thump themselves silly and hard enough to wake me up. After months of little to no twitching, aside from randoms, and no hotspots for months, I'm here to report that they're baaaaaack! This is not the first time I've noticed the correlation, but this time really made it clear to me that it's not just coincidence.And I suppose it's time to go back to gluten-free. I've been meaning to read up on SAM's info on how to reincorporate it safely back into my diet at some point, so I guess this is my motivation to do so. I know there are different bfs culprits for different people, and for some gluten free will make no difference at all...but for any newbies, it may be worth a shot.
 
Sorry to hear about your experience with gluten EmmyCee, but I can relate. Whether I realized I was eating it or not I would notice a sudden surge in symptoms and twitching. The most common allergy elimination technique that I am aware of is called NAET which stands for Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique. The website is NAET.com and you can find practitioners in your local area with it. Hopefully there is one close to you. If you can't find an NAET practitioner don't fret. There are other techniques that can accomplish the same goal.
 
SAM, I actually found a chiropractor in my neck of the woods who specializes in NAET and I plan to make an appointment soon. It looks really innovative, but of course i have my reservations because its not "mainstream." In the meanwhile, I cut out gluten and looked at labels religiously and of course my symptoms greatly improved. :D) If its all in my head, then that would be even more phenomenal, because that means that I can create hotspots with my mind...I seriously doubt that, and I am certain it is something autoimmune that is triggering it and gluten exacerbates whatever the mechanism is. Thanks again for the info!!! If anyone else on the forum wants to pursue this with me, message me so that we can compare notes. :) I would love to get to the point where I can drink beer again, and not worry about getting a three day hotspot.
 
jessica1/Howard,That is awesome that you are doing so well on the new diet. It sounds like you are back in control of your life and it's even better that other people are even complementing you as looking younger and healthier. It's a sure sign you're on the right path. It sounds like you've been on an anti-inflammatory diet long enough that much of your system should have healed up by now. Unfortunately our immune systems can learn to target long term enemies and remember them, even when they really aren't supposed to be a threat (like gluten and tomatoes). I'd like to urge you to look into the acupuncture based allergy elimination techniques such as NAET (Nabudripod's Allergy Elimination Technique). There are others, but NAET is among the most popular. I assure you that they are the real deal and do work. The key is to remove the reason the allergy developed in the first place prior to treating it this way. Through the NAET procedure your immune system can be told to no longer target things that are not really a threat. Anyway, just a suggestion for you to look into. I was once like you and after I had eliminated gluten from my diet I could tell when I slipped up. My body told me so. The twitching would go from a very minimal and almost unnoticeable level and skyrocket into my worst nightmare whenever I would cheat. The night jerks would come back for at least one sleepless night, just as you said. After my acupuncture NAET treatment for gluten though guess what? I can once again eat it again and no twitches, no night jerks, no other symptoms. I still eat a much more balanced diet, less processed foods, more organic fruits and vegetables, more anti-biotic free, range free meats, etc. I indulge now and again, but like I said, much more balanced diet. I also take probiotics on a regular basis to help keep my gut healthy. The BFS has not returned and my life is normal again. My diet is normal again because my immune system is no longer targeting things that it should not target. I hope you consider looking into it. Thanks.
 
There is a simple blood test you can take that checks you for antibodies against 96 of the most common foods that I had done back in 2010. Your doctor can order the kit from foodallergy.com and send you to a lab for the blood work. The lab takes the blood and sends it in. They send the results back to your doctor in a few days. It will tell you if you are gluten intolerant and how severe. I highly recommend it.
 
For me, I have definately come to the conclusion that GLUTEN is the main culprit in my BFS. I had gastrointestinal issues that i kind of ingnored for a few years. (Gas and bloating). It started with noticeable tremors in my left arm, particularly if it had pressure on it. (like doing a push up) After a few months of this, I started getting twitches in my left arm. I made an appt. to see a neurologist. I had to wait two months to get in. The anxiety really started to ramp up while I waited. I had an episode of extreme brain fog for about a week. I felt like I was detached, in a dream like state. Soon, I had twitches in both arms, and occasional twitches everywhere else. I also get the night time limb jerks. Of course, after a brain and neck MRI, an EMG, and the various strength tests the neurologist does, I get the BFS diagnosis. (they did find a three bulging discs in my neck, but I was told that was not an issue). It took me a few visits and a phone call to even be given a script for a mild anti-convulsant, which does provide at least some relief. Like most others, I did my own research and put together the gluten explanation. I asked my primary physician to prescribe the gluten antibody test for celiac. That came back negative. I saw a gastroenterologist and described all of my symptoms. I advised that my blood test was negative for celiac. the Gastro ordered a colonoscopy only, no other tests, told me I had IBS, and basically dismissed me with a sample box of pro-biotics. So typical. I tried discussing the gluten intolerance issues with my neurologist, and he gave me about two sentences on it. Something like "try staying off the glutens for awhile, see if you feel better. Then try something with gluten, see if you get worse" I have done my best to be gluten free for six months or so, and I do see some improvement. I am trying to not ask my doctor about any anxiety medication, and my neurologist wants me to try and get off the anti-convulsant. I tried slowly coming off the anti-convulsants only to see the twitches and anxiety increase. Anyway, I would highly recommend the book "Wheat Belly" by William Davis MD. It is available in your local library. This doctor has the courage to say that most physicians have little to no training on Celiac or Gluten Intolerence. There is a chapter about the neuroligal side effects of glutens on the brain, and it includes twitching and the limb jerks. If you feel gluten may be your culprit, then read the book. You don't always have digestive issues, and like me may not test positive, but still have gluten intolerance. Continuing to eat gluten when you are intolerant can cause permanent damage.
 
Thanks ezduzit. I had really bad brain fog myself just before I made the gluten connection and I have to say that was the scariest symptom for me. Part of the problem on this board is that the vast majority of people here don't see how a gluten intolerance can cause neurological symptoms. Their neuros don't seem to know either so why would they take something like diet being an influence seriously? It's good to hear from people like you because it helps raise awareness, which is what this needs right now. The more people who experience relief the better and diet is easy to try. Also you may want to look into a condition called leaky gut syndrome. If you treat for it you will likely be able to eat gluten again. There are several things you will need to do first but I did it and am back to my old self again. No more IBS either! Thanks.
 
Bless you SAM, you and bfsburger provided me with invaluable information months ago on your "diet challenge" thread, so I will make a real dedicated effort to give this a shot and check back in with this forum to give updates :)Like I said, gluten is everywhere. I accidentally cheated this holiday season so it would be great yo get past this phase and start healing to get back to my "old self", fingers crossed.
 
And bless you EmmyCee! I wish more people here were open and receptive to rolling up their sleeves and trying new things like this. Too many people already have experienced great relief through diet modification. The more people we have trying the more successful cases we will have and in turn the more awareness we will raise. Please feel free to PM me with questions if you have any and good luck.
 

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