Wheat or dairy: have you cut out either?

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1/19/13 2:27 P

I've cut out gluten and milk. I only have one serving of grains per day and I alternate almond milk and coconut milk as my milk alternatives. After just a few days I feel like a new person and I sleep like a log! My scale wasn't budging but since making that change I'm losing even though it's TOM. Mainly I just did it to feel better, and I do. The weight is almost secondary to feeling healthy at this point.

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1/15/13 2:01 P

I've been mostly dairy free for about 15 years because it is a trigger for my IBS. I have some milk in coffee occassionally and rarely a bit of cheese in dishes. I'm also working on reducing my carbohydrate intake right now. I've been mostly gluten free for a long while though I will have a sandwich or toast if I'm out for breakfast. I don't have a reaction to gluten, I just want to avoid the milled flour and processed foods it's usually in.

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1/15/13 11:38 A

The last year or so I've developed more sensitivity to things. My allergies kicked in in high gear, and I think I might be developing a mild asthma. Along with that, my stomach has been extra sensitive... I am experimenting right now with cutting back dairy (makes me gassy and bloaty) and cutting back on wheat stuff. I used to eat whole wheat / grain bagels in the morning, but everytime I do I feel extremely uncomfortable. So I like to experiment with different foods and cutting out things to see if I feel better without them.

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1/15/13 11:02 A

I don't really eat breads enough to matter. And I'm not giving up my oatmeal or wheat toast and I'll never give up cheese either so nope! Besides if i thought i'd have to give up stuff for the rest of my life i'd be sabotaging myself because there's just no way i can say i'll do that until i'm old and on the way to the other side of life.

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1/15/13 10:55 A

Nope. Both agree with me and are an important part of my balanced diet.

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1/15/13 10:50 A

I cut milk but not all dairy,

I had trouble with lactose as a baby and as an adult i wasn't getting sick but bloated and gassy. I want to be around other people so i cut to almond milk. Then i found lactose free milk and i was much better off but, i found that at 110 calories per cup instead of 3 with almond milk i couldn't have as much. So i switched back to almond milk i like the taste and it has no sugar and has less calories so i can have a second glass in the evening if i want.

as far as dairy i cut it down not out, i don't have it in mixed company if you know what i mean.

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1/15/13 10:45 A

No, I eat both since I have no sensitivity to either,and I don't believe the latest fads since they constently change.

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1/15/13 10:17 A

Both. I eat neither. No dairy in over two years and no wheat in over 7 months. Don't miss them either. Plenty of other yummy stuff to eat out there that is just as healthy or even more healthy.

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1/15/13 10:09 A

I am trying to cut out the wheat products. My question is, what about Quinoa?

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1/15/13 9:34 A

I have been generally eating clean over the last couple of years, but this year I'm making the effort to cut out wheat and reduce my dairy intake. I have some food allergies that are confirmed, and oral allergy syndrome. My skin breaks out in hives all the time, and I get frequent acne and it drives me insane. I was always bloated too.

Since 1/1 I've cut out wheat and cut down on dairy to just a greek yogurt in the am and skim milk in my coffee plus some clean-eating ranch dressing occasionally. No eggs, no cheeses, low sugar as well. I've had much less bloating, lost 8 pounds, I have a ton of energy and my skin is so clear!

Now the task begins for me though- I need to find out if it is the wheat, or something else. But it's a good place to start!

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1/14/13 9:16 P

Wow CSROBERTSON621 You did great losing weight and you look fantastic! Way to go! I'm glad it worked so well for you

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1/14/13 9:02 P

Giving up wheat ended up being one of the best things I ever did for myself -- though it was not my intent to give it up forever (well, 99.99 percent of the time) when I started. Never even guessed that gluten was causing what I thought was chronic fatigue syndrome (including the awful joint pain in addition to constant exhaustion), or my over-active appetite. But it was all gone "like magic" without it. (And if I have more than a little bit, I have a "hangover" from it for days.) I know it's not like that for everyone -- but it sure was for me. I thought I'd miss pasta and pizza (and cookies! and cake!) more than I do, but really I don't miss feeling that awful all the time, so it really hasn't been hard at all. I just don't eat it.

Dairy is a whole different story -- no sensitivities with it at all, and I love it, so it ended up being an even bigger part of my diet once I went gluten free.

But I think different people react differently. Ability to digest dairy (past the age of 5 or so) is a genetic mutation -- and actually most of the world don't have it. I'd suspect there's a genetic component to gluten sensitivity as well. I think you pretty much have to experiment on yourself to figure out what is working and what isn't.

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1/14/13 4:54 P

I'm doing a Daniel Fast right now...no meat, dairy, caffiene, sweetner. Now that I have done this I think I could give up the wheat also...I haven't had much except in pasta a few times! I miss my coffee though

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1/14/13 4:26 P

I am vegan so I don't eat dairy, but I don't think I could give up wheat. I love my bread!

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1/14/13 4:09 P

I have done it in the past. It's definitely do-able. The wheat was the hardest for me because I like to eat pasta. The rice "spaghetti" was what I always turned to. But, like so many other plans I'd tried, I stopped this one too. It was actually part of a pretty tough regime - Six Week Body Makeover - if anyone's familiar. Boy, did I drop some weight fast! Came back on fast too.

Personally, I was allergic to wheat as a child, and feel sure I'm not completely over that... and dairy, when I really think about it, is just gross. So, I think it'd probably be beneficial to me to give them up again. Just requires a little more effort.

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1/14/13 3:57 P

I have just started eliminating wheat, and have been drinking soy beverages for a while.

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1/12/13 11:30 A

No. Just measure out what portions you need.

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1/12/13 11:08 A

no

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1/12/13 11:02 A

Wheat and dairy have both been striped of their nutrionts and then fortified. Kind of doesn't make sense. Eating natural food provides you with all the nutrients you need. Even not believing in the caveman style diet - you have to admit less processed food is better for you

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1/12/13 9:36 A

I'm not willing to cut out either one, as I have no digestion issues with either one and grain and dairy products can be very nutritious.

I don't understand the idea of eating like a caveman. Is the assumption that cavemen were well-nourished and healthy? They survived, but... If you put the average modern human back to caveman days and evaluated their health after a year, I doubt they'd better nourished. Besides, humans have been walking this earth for 200,000 years. We don't have the same bodies cavemen had. Our systems have evolved to thrive on a wide variety of foods. I don't get it. However, I DO understand the value of eating more natural,less processed food, without all the hormones and additives and salt and sugar and alcohol that characterize the modern diet in most countries.


Edited by: CALLMECARRIE at: 1/12/2013 (09:47)

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1/12/13 8:47 A

I've been Paleo (not always completely strict) for close to a year. I think it's the COW's milk that really bothers me. I just recently added back a little bit of goat's cheese and I feel ok. Cheese was the only thing I missed. Coconut milk and almond milk work well for everything else!

I do FEEL better avoiding wheat and dairy. I think it's been better for my skin too :)

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1/12/13 7:44 A

MIAMIUBELLE - I see you reached your goal weight. Do did you cut out both wheat and dairy or just continue with cutting out the processed food. Either way, it obviously worked and as with any plan, you have to do what works for you. Continuing to have limited dairy isn't the worst thing you can do (IMHO) and cutting out processed and eating more veggies is going to work no matter what. I am one of the lucky people who really dairy is not a big deal - I don't drink milk and I now put heavy cream in my coffee and now only eat cheese about once a month. When I was on grain it was nothing to have cheese and cracker almost daily but eliminating the wheat eliminated the craving.
You are in school so I think following any diet (read lifestyle) change is harder then for an adult as you have more stree and peer pressure. I would love an update on how you did it!

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11/9/12 4:19 P

I have to agree with PRIM8PHD on this one. I think all of the hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, GMO's and other chemicals are what is causing most of our issues.

I love good whole grains, but just eat them in moderation and make sure I balance them with protein and healthy fat. I may have a whole grain english muffin in the morning or a whole grain tortilla with my dinner, but I never eat grains at all meals. Most of my carbohydrates come from fruits and veggies.

As for milk and dairy we ONLY eat organic to eliminate all the "crap" from the food we're eating. The majority of our milk is almond milk, but since I've been pregnant I've just had that craving for cow's milk, so I'm back to drinking some cow's milk. We also enjoy cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and moderate amounts of hard cheeses at our home for great sources of protein. Oh, and of course ice cream on occasion (which usually, unfortunately isn't organic....too hard to find around here!!).

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11/9/12 2:11 P

I rarely eat wheat containing products, and have been cooking some gluten free lately as an experiment.

I don't often consume milk products, either, although I will have yogurt, and occasionally cheese

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11/9/12 1:37 P

Yes, currently both...

Wheat was behind many of the health problems I had from a teen through my early 30's (IBS, urticaria, migraines, constant hunger, brain fog, numbness in extremities, dry mouth/eyes, and more). Cutting it out has made me feel better than ever - and it is a lot easier to lose weight. Not everyone needs to do that, but it can be helpful to many (even those of us without celiac disease).

I am currently dairy free (except pastured butter), as I am nursing my son... His acid reflux was caused by dairy in my diet; when I cut it out the reflux stopped completely. Once I finish nursing, I will probably add in some organic full-fat cheese and yogurt again.

Side note: Paleo is a good starting point to see what does or does not work for you personally. It cuts out a lot of nutrient-poor and allergenic foods. If you start there and experiment with how you feel on different foods, it can be tailored to fit your needs. I consider myself "paleo-ish", as I eat oatmeal, rice, and corn tortillas a few times per week and dairy when not nursing. Just find what works for you and provides you with the nutrients and fuel you need... your needs may differ from other's needs.

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11/9/12 12:53 P

No. Cut back some, but not out.

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11/9/12 12:02 P

Nope, unwilling. :)

I love, love, love Greek yogurt in the morning far too much and it really gives me a protein boost. I also love cheese but only have a serving a few times a week. I use cottage for the same purpose, to up my protein.

I cook with skim milk when recipes call for it. I like almond milk but it never seems to get used fast enough in my house and always turns since I don't like to drink my calories and use it for cooking.

I have a sandwich or wrap every day. I make some rockin' sandwiches. One I am so looking forward to right now for lunch; shrimp w/low fat mayo, hard boiled egg, kale/collards and cucumber on open-faced marble rye/wheat toast.

I think on average I consume 1-2 dairy products a day and 1-2 servings of bread.

But who knows what I will be willing to try if my stomach is still big when I get down to my goal weight. I won't completely write off the idea.

Edited by: JENNILACEY at: 11/9/2012 (12:08)

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11/9/12 8:37 A

Aside from an occasional bit of ice cream I have deleted dairy since 1 January 12. I do feel it was a great choice. www.notmilk.com/

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11/9/12 8:03 A

Wheat was not something I ate much of before. I have never liked bread, or pasta much. I did like mashed potatoes, and meat..lol.

So wheat is not on my menu. I do eat 2-4 ozs of cheese a week, but that is all the dairy I have.

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11/9/12 7:49 A

I too, like the previous poster cut out dairy & went vegan just over 1 month ago w/no regrets. I have been considering cutting out wheat as well. I dropped 8 pounds immediately in the 1st week. I do not require more than 6 hours of sleep any longer.

Edited by: SUNSHINESKYWAY at: 11/9/2012 (07:53)

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11/9/12 7:48 A

I initially cut out only processed grains from my diet. I also cut our dairy to lower my body system acidity. Eventually I cut out all gluten. Since then I have not had problems with digestion. Four days ago I decided to try a meal with diary and gluten. Immediate digestion problem that lasted for four days. If you keep a food journal you will know in a few weeks what foods make you feel the best. I firmly believe that what is optimum for me may not be optimum for you.

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11/9/12 7:14 A

I stopped dairy when I became vegan. Unexpected benefit? I lost ALL of my belly bloat, which makes me think I was probably more lactose-aversive than I'd realized.

I don't miss dairy products--they never did appeal to me much to begin with, so this wasn't a big deal.

I've just begun to consider giving up wheat, but more research and careful analysis is in order before I do.

Best of success to you in your decision.

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11/8/12 11:23 P

I fell for the constant harping of the paleovangelists for a bit (I read a personal finance forum that they've taken over, so now any time anyone mentions eating oatmeal for breakfast they can expect to receive a ton of condescending messages about how fat and unhealthy they must be) and tried to eliminate grains and legumes as an experiment (I wasn't really eating any dairy at the time, as most dairy products weren't available where I lived).

After the first day or so it just made me ravenously hungry, extremely stressed, and somewhat constipated. I cracked, ate a serving of brown rice, and immediately felt human again. I'm sure that diets that eliminate entire food groups work beautifully for many people, but I function best and am happiest eating a wide variety of whole foods.

Edited by: INKSPATTERS at: 11/8/2012 (23:42)

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11/8/12 10:49 P

Somewhat...

I've stopped drinking cows milk and only drink soy milk, now. No longer do I get that stomach bloat, since making the change. I still eat and enjoy yogurt, though.

Then I've pretty much stopped eating bread and only on occasion will use the Thin Buns to make like a tuna sandwich. I mostly gave up the bread, due to the sodium, but I've never been much of a bread eater, anyways, so I don't really miss it.

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11/8/12 10:11 P

I have cut out neither of those, they don't do anything odd to me at all.

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11/8/12 10:04 P

I did cut out both and noticed that my sinuses were clearer--not so much icky mucus. I also noticed that when I cut out wheat and other grains I ate a ton more vegetables and starches like sweet potatoes, squash, fruit... so I think that right there helped me be healthier--not so much the giving up, but what I was eating int he place of it. I am playing with paleo myself. I am not a staunch follower, but about 70-80% and I am gluten free. I do enjoy dairy in limited amounts (I keep to mostly: butter, cream, goat cheese, greek yogurt, and buttermilk), and I have been avoiding refined grains and sugars. I have noticed I have more energy, and have been able to wake up easier in the mornings... before I needed 9.5-10 hours of sleep to actually feel rested. I think it's just as important what you are adding in as what you are cutting out.

Edited by: MEG-NATALIA07 at: 11/9/2012 (00:47)

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11/8/12 8:19 P

Yes, for one year I cut out dairy. It was really hard since I like all of the products. Instead I had soy products and other "fake" cheese. Doesn't taste as good!

It was my doctor's recommendation and it worked. I got my cholesterol down 60 points with diet and exercise in one year!!

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11/8/12 7:16 P

I haven't completely cut out anything from my diet. I don't have a lot of either dairy or wheat but there's definitely some of both. My energy levels are fine, I didn't have trouble losing weight, and my BMI is 20-21.

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11/8/12 6:06 P

I have cut out both at one time or another, but never together. No Wheat/carbs was really hard for me to stick with. I felt dreadful but I lost a little weight which never stayed off when I went back to eating bread. I cut dairy as a troubleshooting experiment when I was nursing and I found it was much easier to live with and really kick started my weight loss. I cut all dairy, including "hidden" dairy in processed foods and recipes. I do eat dairy now, but not nearly as much and it has not negatively affected my hair, teeth, or nails, so presumably not my bones either. I grew to be able to drink coffee and tea without adding to them (though I do now use almond milk in coffee) and I also found out that a lot of food just doesn't need cheese to make it good, even pizza!

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11/8/12 4:22 P

Both!

Dairy wasn't really an option to eat as I am lactose intolerant. I also have a gluten sensitivity, so cutting out wheat was great for me. I found that weight loss was finally possible for me after eliminating wheat. My bloated belly went back to normal, my skin cleared up, my hair looks much healthier, I sleep better, my arthritic joints and plantar fasciitis have both gone silent. I don't have brain fog or need mid-day naps anymore. My moods are even because my blood sugar isn't all over the place. I replaced the grains with tons of veggies, mostly leafy greens. So much healthier--I feel great.

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11/8/12 4:10 P

I have not cut out either. I like them to much.

I don't feel the need to cut them out

Edited by: MANDIETERRIER1 at: 1/12/2013 (17:11)

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11/8/12 3:25 P

No I have not. I love both and it agrees with me.

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11/8/12 3:16 P

I would never eliminate wheat or dairy from my diet. Both are a good source of nutrients and I like them. I do limit white flour, though, and eat whole wheat instead. Adding more dairy to my diet has helped me to get more calcium and I lost a lot of weight eating both wheat and dairy.

I think that a lot of people who cut out things from their diet do so because they want to be healthier, lose weight and feel better. Many of these people also end up eating fewer calories and lose weight. Then, they feel better and say it's because they eliminated this or that. But, I think that, a lot of times, they feel better because they lost weight. Losing weight, if one is overweight, will make a lot of things improve. I've definitely experienced this myself.

So far as processed foods, though... They are loaded with salt and I can gain five pounds of water weight overnight from eating extra salt. Then, I feel icky and swollen and it takes 3 days for the extra water to go away. So, I try to eat few processed foods. I just don't know why they feel like they have to add salt to everything...even sweet stuff like pudding mix.

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11/8/12 3:07 P

If you have Indo-European, North or East African heritage, you've got genes for lactase persistence, and thus, cutting out dairy isn't really in the spirit of a scientifically-informed iteration of the 'paleo' diet. Likewise, grains. They've been a part of your ancestral diet for around 10,000 years, so mechanisms for digesting them have likely already been selected for. Don't sell your body short; evolution is a dynamic and active process. Stress and novel environmental irritants most likely have a lot more to do with your skin and bloating problems.

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11/8/12 2:59 P

I don't consume much wheat, but I do consume some anyway. I don't think it hurts me.

Dairy is my primary source of protein. I don't drink much milk, but other than that, I consume a ton of yogurt and low fat cheese, and enjoy them a lot.

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11/8/12 2:06 P

I've found some yummy sounding paleo recipes I'd like to try, but you can pry my dairy out of my cold, dead fingers! I've looked into paleo since my husband is already low carb (although paelo isn't really, necessarily), but it's just not for me. I like beans, there's the previously mentioned dairy thing, and I like grains. I do want to stop eating so much processed crap, although taht's proving a bit difficult for me.

You need to find what works for you, what you can stick with for the rest of your life and find something taht makes you happy and healthy.

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11/8/12 1:40 P

I'm not really willing to do so :) Cheese is one of my absolute favorite things to eat, in (almost) all forms, types, etc. I don't drink milk really so that's not an issue, and while I eat yogurt, I could easily cut that out as it's not my favorite thing to eat, I just eat it for the protein and calcium. I really enjoy pasta... not a big bread eater really. I don't have any medical issues to "fix" so I can't see any real reason to cut them out of my diet. Also, I do well with having a good amount of fiber in my diet, so if I cut out my pasta (which is usually whole grain), I probably wouldn't hit the # I need to get to to feel 100% good unless I added in even more processed forms of fiber than I already have.

But, I do still try to eat whole foods as much as possible, and someday, would like to be making just about everything on my own from scratch (I'm taking a cheesemaking class on Sunday!). But as I am gone from the house 11 hours a day, that's not yet possible.

I would say, try cutting out the dairy for a limited amount of time, like a month, and see what it does for you. If it helps, well, you have your answer. If it doesn't, then it's time to move onto figuring out what is causing your bloating/skin problems.

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11/8/12 1:18 P

both. I do neither wheat, whole grains or dairy and haven't noticed anything missing. Dairy also lends to allergies. When I cut it out two years ago, my sinuses cleared up extensively. i do still have some issues, but not as bad as I used to.

I don't do bread, rice or pasta. I feel bloated and yucky after I eat that.
Though I have not done the Paleo lifestyle, I am 75-80% vegan raw. I have never felt better and will never go back to the standard american diet.

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11/8/12 1:14 P

I'm getting into the Paleo lifestyle. It's hard at school, so right now, I'm focusing on eliminating highly processed foods instead of being strictly "caveman." I've cut out wheat almost entirely, which has been pretty great for my skin and stomach. I still love dairy, though, and I think that's the real source of my bloating/skin problems. What were your results with cutting out these food groups, or are you unwilling to do so?

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