gluten-free diet and healthy skin

[claudine]

I've learned recently that I need to be on a gluten-free diet. Is there anyone who can't eat gluten either? I'm especially interested if you noticed any good changes in your looks after switching to gluten-free food. Will my skin look healthier or my hair more shiny?

 

[Evilsprinkles]

I CAN eat gluten, but I've heard the benefits of having a gluten free diet. Weight loss, more energy, less of that heavy, drained feeling you can carry about with you, if you eat a very heavy diet. I'm actually diabetic, so I have heard it's very beneficial for people who suffer with it. Not only that, but I have fibromyalgia. Anything that helps with my heavy lead feeling, and joint aches, is a welcome thing.

 

[FlanneryCam]

I only know people who have gone gluten-free for health issues. They did look better once they were off the gluten because they had been sick for a long time. So I can't say if going gluten-free will improve your looks. I guess it depends how much eating gluten was hurting you.

Just a warning: no one should go gluten-free without needing to and having it recommended by a doctor. With fad health diets, a ton of people have been going gluten-free. It's not good for you unless you have an allergy.

 

[Katrina]

I'd try cutting down on gluten, you don't need to entirely. just cut back completely on the "white foods", i absolutely notice a difference in how i feel and look when im eating "cleaner". try staying away from sugar, white bread, pasta etc for several days and you will notice the difference. for your skin it might take a bit longer but in general you'll be having more energy and your clothes will fit better etc, it really is good!!

all that white stuff does hurt my tummy a bit, so cutting it out is absolutely the way to go, just make sure you are still eating a small amount of wholegrains, a ton of veges, fruit etc and protein.

it's just hard to do all the time as everything sugary and flour-y tastes so good!!

 

[Jesserotica]

I went gluten free when I was about 25 years old, after suffering with all sorts of health problems (most of them autoimmune related, such as hives) and emotional problems (severe depression and anxiety)all of my life. I had NO idea that gluten and other food allergies could cause these things. I began getting hives as a toddler, which makes sense, because that was probably when my mother weaned me off breast milk and began feeding me regular, gluten-containing foods.

I found out about all of this stuff on my own after giving up on doctors. They never helped me or told me that something in my diet could cause the kind of problems I was having. Within a week of going gluten free, my life-long depression disorder vanished. Just like that. It was like all that dark clouds just faded away and suddenly, I was a normal, bubbly girl. After years and years of being heavily drugged up on antidepressants and sedatives and all sorts of crap throughout my teens. Un-freakin-believable, right?

My skin problems and other health problems also began getting better. But unfortunately, many of that stuff is related to leaky gut disorder, which I have because of all the damage from eating gluten all those years. I've been working on healing that for the past few years now. It's slow going, but I do have 25 years of bad health to make up for, and unfortunately I wasn't taking good care of myself for a lot of that time because I was 1) a typical teenager (partying, eating at taco bell, etc) and 2) No doctor had ever told me that my diet was a problem. I'd always thought I was eating relatively good because I ate whole wheat bread. *sigh* If only you could go back in time...

I'm actually glad that this happened to me though, because my mission to heal has taken me on quite a journey. I began eating mostly raw foods and all organic, and have learned how to do a number of fasts/cleanses/detox programs that have helped me SO much.

Oh! And I forgot to mention the best part! I always HATED my body. I carried a lot of fat around my belly and my breasts never got very big. I was stick skinny everywhere else, but I had this belly. I hated myself. Well, a year or so after being consistantly gluten-free, all the fat melted away from my belly and respositioned itself (in a good way) on my ass. And my breasts doubled in size. I went from maybe a small A at BEST to a nice, filled out B cup. I was 27 years old and my breasts finally grew! I now believe that all the damage and nutritional deficiencies that I had from gluten stunted my growth. I finally have the hourglass figure I always wanted.

Being gluten-free rocks. I'd never change it for the world.

 

[Quirky Jessi]

I'm not on one.

In general, though, when you cut out gluten, you're going to cut out a lot of junky foods by default. You'll be eating healthier overall and that could definitely make a difference in your appearance.

 

[Jesserotica]

I only know people who have gone gluten-free for health issues. They did look better once they were off the gluten because they had been sick for a long time. So I can't say if going gluten-free will improve your looks. I guess it depends how much eating gluten was hurting you.

Just a warning: no one should go gluten-free without needing to and having it recommended by a doctor. With fad health diets, a ton of people have been going gluten-free. It's not good for you unless you have an allergy.

What makes you say that?

There is a difference between gluten not necessarily being bad for all people versus it being bad for people to go off of it. No one needs gluten. Anyone can be off of it without consequence. There are plenty of other healthy foods to eat.