A while ago I noticed two things: firstly I was feeling a bit off when I had days that had a significant amount of wheat, such as toast for breakfast and pasta for dinner and secondly, even if my calories were lower and I was exercising I was not losing weight if I had wheat in my diet. Now, I’m not usually an all or nothing kind of person when it comes to healthy living, I eat a very balanced diet, exercise daily and enjoy life without feeling that you need to have a long list of “must not eat”. I do choose organic, fair trade and whole wheat and eat a low GI diet!
I decided on Friday that I would have a month of no wheat, which would bring me to Christmas! This was not about losing weight more that I was tired of feeling the effects of a something which was making me have regular tummy upsets and feelings of being bloated! Today is day 7 since I began and I have to say I already have noticed a difference! I am not weighing myself, although will at the end of the month, but I’m definitely feeling less full and eating a wider range of foods in order to get in the calories.
I’ll let you know the results at the end of the month. This isn’t something I plan to stick to forever, but I may begin trying to have two or three wheat free days a week once this month is up! And it has to be said, at the end of the month I will probably sit down and have macaroni & cheese!! 
Have any of you given up wheat? Do you find limiting wheat has positive health effects?
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By: A Month Of No Wheat! « Notes From The Frugal Trenches – A … Wheat Blog on November 26, 2009
at 2:53 am
I can’t eat wheat anyway, so havne’t had any for four years now.. I lost three stone the year I gave up wheat, so go figure with that.
Plus less bloating, less sluggish.. I wouldn’t go back to wheat even if I could!
By: apieceofwood on November 26, 2009
at 4:15 am
my hub has problems with wheat. someone told him, that in this country we are geneticly programmed to eat rye and oats and wheat is hard to deal with – digestively speaking…. It somehow makes so much sense to me. We haven’t given it up, but we do eat Polish bread now, which has rye flour in it, and it doesn’t give him tummy ache.
By: mo on November 26, 2009
at 6:45 am
Macaroni cheese with vegetarian hot dogs is T’s favourite meal, he’d miss that a lot if ever his dietary requirements had to change!
Lisa x
By: Lisa on November 26, 2009
at 7:34 am
You can have your macaroni and cheese, and still be wheat free! Make it using corn macaroni. I have been gluten free for 2 years, and it gets easier as you go along, as you find substitutes for some things, and just eliminate others. My health is much improved for it.
By: Val on November 26, 2009
at 8:34 am
Thanks Val! Sadly I am allergic to corn, it is getting marginally better (a few grains won’t upset me now) but could never eat corn pasta! Great suggestion for others though!
By: Frugal Trenches on November 26, 2009
at 9:35 am
My hubby and I both have wheat intolerance and both have IBS. Mine goes away completely when I avoid wheat and his improves a great deal. When we first tried to give up wheat about 10 years ago, it was horrendously difficult; partly because of the cost (500g non-wheat pasta was £3) and partly because I tried to find alternatives to wheat, replacing it in cakes, pastry, bread etc. Because I have ME, the work involved was exhausting; the IBS got better but the ME didn’t. Now the pasta is half that price and we often just cook things that wouldn’t have wheat in anyway e.g. curry, moussaka, baked spuds. I do make cakes now and have found Doves Farm’s flours brilliant for that and much cheaper than before.
By: Attila on November 26, 2009
at 8:34 am
Oddly enough, I’ve just started doing something similar – not all out, but much less wheat. After a few nights of eating pasta for dinner and occasionally for lunch (it was fast, and I was tired) I feel gross and tired and my stomach is upset, none of which is a good thing. So, I’m cutting back on the wheat and increasing protein (I don’t eat meat other than fish, so this will be mostly legumes), fruit, and veggies. I’m also adding in more water, as requested by my massage therapist, and getting out for a bit more exercise, both of which seem to be helping. I certainly hope you feel better, though, and it’s amazing what kind of results changes like this can bring!
By: Jenn on November 26, 2009
at 9:14 am
Here in the states, we have rice pasta, I cooked it a lot when my second son was having lots of food allergy issues. I saw that you can’t do corn, but how about rice, and are you able to get rice pasta over there? I hope that you feel better soon.
By: Jennifer on November 26, 2009
at 9:56 am
I actually went six months once with no wheat! I felt great, and got to the point that I didn’t miss it. In the end, I was 40 lbs. less, however, I was also not eating fruit, or cheese, or any sugar.
Last night I started a seven day raw fruits and veggie detox. I think today will be the hardest, it’s mostly fasting. The next thing I plan to order are kelp noodles. I can hardly eat pasta, due to having a tendency toward high blood sugar, there are just too many carbs in pasta for my body to handle, so I am really looking forward to the kelp noodles!!!
By: Michelle on November 26, 2009
at 10:39 am
My GI doc put me on a very low carb/ no wheat diet this summer and I lasted two months.
I did feel considerably better during that time and was even able to reduce my meds, but found the diet tough to stick to when the weather changed.
I’ve noticed a significant decline in how I feel since so I have been re-trying a less strict version of the diet, no pasta, rare bread treat but allow some potatoes and rice.
By: Looby on November 26, 2009
at 10:57 am
Not wheat in general, but I avoid refined starches and sugar like the plague. They make me tired, cranky and give me an upset stomach.
I used to be lactose intolerant (well, still am), but I switched to raw milk and voila – no more upset stomach, it’s AMAZING.
In the last couple years we switched from the “normal” healthy diet to one with lots of fat, mainly from pastured meat, dairy, butter etc. I noticed that I crave sugar/bread/starch much much less if I’m eating a good amount of fat in my diet. Of course we also eat lots of fresh local veggies and fruits and no preservatives, articifial flavors, dyes, etc. Everything is homemade and as natural as you can get.
This diet has me weighing less (I lost 10/lbs without effort – even with the increased fat) and I feel more energetic, sleep better and feel better overall. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, and we all have things we’re more sensitive to, but it does pay to find out what works for you through trial & error. You’ll reap bountiful rewards!
By: Chiot's Run on November 26, 2009
at 9:12 pm
I gave up wheat, along with diary, caffine, alcohol and sugar for two months. It was tough, but I managed to do it and I felt amazing. Unfortunalty it was tough to stick to.
Now I am no cafine or alohol and mostly dairy free, but I cant always say no to a nice bit of ice cream every now and then!
But wheat is the most crucial thing and I just love it so much! At some point I maybe able to give it up, but as I dont have medical condition there is no driving need to do so. But I feel so much better when I dont. So I dont have toast for break fast and I try not to have it more than once a day!
You will be amazed how much better you feel!
Jen
By: darkpurplemoon on November 27, 2009
at 12:53 pm
It sounds as though you may have a gluten intollerance. A good friend of mine and her husband both have this and get terrible stomach aches every time they eat gluten. This may be something for you to consider/look into should the problem persist. The only way to treat it is to do as you are and not consume anything with gluten in it (which is a lot of things!). Best of luck!
By: Jessie on November 27, 2009
at 2:28 pm
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at 2:03 am
My mom gave up wheat and her eczema is gone!
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at 11:34 am
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at 1:58 am