March 20, 2025 • 23 mins
It happens to the best of us. You're careful, you read labels, you ask all the right questions at restaurants and yet somehow gluten still sneaks into your system. Maybe it was cross-contamination, a hidden ingredient or a mislabeled product, or maybe your server forgot to notify the kitchen staff. Whatever the cause, you're now dealing with the dreaded aftermath of being glutened.
So what do you do next? How can you ease symptoms and support your body and get back to feeling like yourself again?
In today's episode, we're going to explore several different options you can use to help you feel like yourself again, because everybody's body reacts a bit differently to being glutened and to the recovery of gluten. So let's dive in and find out some great options that might be able to help you.
Save money, and no more guessing for dinner! Use code GFE to get 20% off annual membership at thedinnerdaily.com. Plan meals for less than $4/month and save money at the grocery store!
Come join us in our free Facebook Community, The Gluten Free Engineer.
It’s a space where you can connect with others living gluten-free, ask questions, swap tips and recipes, and get support from people who truly get it. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or a seasoned gluten-free pro, you’ll feel right at home.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Carrie Saunders (00:00):
Quick reminder before we get started on this
episode this podcast is based onmy personal experiences and
isn't medical advice.
It happens to the best of us.
You're careful, you read labels, you ask all the right
questions at restaurants and yetsomehow gluten still sneaks
into your system.
Maybe it wascross-contamination, a hidden
(00:20):
ingredient or a mislabeledproduct, or maybe your server
forgot to notify the kitchenstaff.
Whatever the cause, you're nowdealing with the dreaded
aftermath of being glutened.
So what do you do next?
How can you ease symptoms andsupport your body and get back
to feeling like yourself again?
In today's episode, we're goingto explore several different
options you can use to help youfeel like yourself again,
(00:44):
because everybody's body reactsa bit differently to being
glutened and to the recovery ofgluten.
So let's dive in and find outsome great options that might be
able to help you.
Welcome to the Gluten-FreeEngineer Podcast.
I'm your host, k Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything, but I wasdetermined not to let it hold me
(01:07):
back.
With my two engineering degrees, I set out to reverse engineer
the gluten-free lifestyle,breaking down recipes, safety
tips, travel hacks andeverything in between to rebuild
a life I love.
Whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or simply
choose to live gluten-free, thispodcast is for you.
Disease, gluten intolerance orsimply choose to live
(01:27):
gluten-free, this podcast is foryou.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun and provethat you don't have to miss out
on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today we're talking about whathappens when you get glutened
and what to do, and, like Imentioned in the intro, every
person's body is different.
We all have different symptoms.
Well, many times they crossover, but each individual person
(01:49):
, everyone in our family, reactsdifferently to gluten, and so
I'm going to go over first thesigns of how to recognize that
you've been gluten, because youmay have some of these, but
probably not all of them, butyou'll probably have at least
some of these, but probably notall of them, but you'll probably
have at least some of these.
And so some symptoms of glutenexposure, like I said, varies
from person to person.
(02:10):
Each one of my children reactedvastly differently from each
other, but one of the mostcommon ones and what most people
equate to celiac or glutenintolerance is digestive issues.
Now, this could includebloating, nausea, cramping,
diarrhea or constipation.
Some people don't realize thatconstipation is actually a
(02:33):
gluten symptom, as about mostpeople equate diarrhea to it.
You might also have brain fog,you might have trouble
concentrating, you might havefatigue and weakness, you might
have headaches or migraines, youmay have skin reactions like
rashes, itching, you could havejoint pain or muscle aches, you
(02:55):
could have anxiety, irritabilityor mood swings.
So, like I mentioned, we allindividually in our family react
a bit differently.
My oldest son, for example,goes into what we call a gluten
coma.
If he gets glutened he willliterally sleep for hours, if
(03:20):
not days.
I still remember one time, youknow, years ago, when he was
still in Boy Scouts.
They went on a trip I think itwas a skiing trip.
Boy Scouts, they went on a tripI think it was a skiing trip,
and he wasn't real well-versedyet in expressing his needs for
being gluten-free and heprobably didn't think about what
was going to happen next andhis friends didn't think about
what's going to happen to Cadennext.
(03:41):
Well, what did the kids do?
Well, they were hungry, so theygot pizza, and they had pizza
in the hotel room.
If anybody knows anything aboutpizza, honestly, pizza is one
of the things when I'm in apublic place, that, when we're
eating is one of the things thatscares me the most, more than
like buns and things like that,because the grease of pizza
(04:03):
carries that gluten everywhere.
I have found in my experienceand in this situation the Boy
Scouts weren't being very goodBoy Scouts and they were
throwing pizza and they hadpizza everywhere in the room.
My son went to sleep when, andthen still, when I finally got
(04:29):
him up, got him moving you know,tried to get, you know, some of
the remedies I want to talkabout in here, like food and
water and things like that, hestill couldn't even hardly
concentrate.
You know we wanted to get himback to school so he wasn't
missing too much school because,you know, the Boy Scout trip
was over the weekend.
So here comes Monday and hecan't go to school because he's
(04:49):
been gluten and he's completelydebilitated, and so he needed to
get him back to school byWednesday and he still couldn't
even concentrate.
He was like mom, I'm having ahard time processing anything at
school.
So he had the fatigue and theweakness, extreme fatigue and
weakness, and he also had thebrain fog and difficulty
(05:10):
concentrating and of course hehad the digestive issues too.
But that's just one child, mymiddle child, for example.
He's actually palm sweat.
He has digestive issues.
His palms sweat and sometimeshe gets headaches.
My youngest he gets thedigestive issues and he gets
migraines.
He gets irritable.
Oh my goodness, if you were toask him what he was like before
(05:33):
he went off gluten, he wouldjust tell you how mean he was.
I mean he really was.
Even as a mom I can say youknow, my child was really
irritable and rude before hewent off gluten.
He couldn't help himself.
His brain was so out of whackfrom having the substance in his
body that it was not compatiblewith.
He was a completely differentchild when we took him off
(05:55):
gluten and when we realized hehad, you know, celiac too.
So don't think any one personwill react the same.
You know myself I havedigestive issues, brain fog, I
will get tired, sometimes I willget migraines, I'll have skin
issues, I might have joint painsand muscle aches and I might be
irritable too, like I literallyhave the whole getting caboodle
(06:18):
now, probably because I didn'tknow I was celiac until my
thirties.
So I'm way more damaged.
So a little bit does a lot moreto my body, because my
intestines, you know they can'tquite fully heal.
They'll heal a good bit, butthey can't always quite fully
heal.
So I have pretty much all theissues and also note that not
everybody reacts within the sametime frame.
(06:40):
Some people feel symptomswithin minutes to hours.
I'm one of those people.
Sometimes when I'm eating I'llknow that my food is not safe.
My body just knows.
I won't even have any symptomsyet, but I will just get this
instinct on me.
Oh, I need to stop eating.
It's really weird.
(07:00):
And then other people.
It can take a day or two toreally hit full force With the
youngest child.
It usually takes him longerthan the other ones, but we
figured out he had celiac at ayounger age.
So don't think, because youdon't react right away or it
takes a couple days, that itwasn't a problem.
(07:20):
Look back a couple days in theprevious few days if you think
you might have gotten gluten, tosee where that risk might have
been.
Now there's some immediate stepsyou can take after being gluten
and obviously any of these allthe ones I'm going to recommend
are pretty much pretty holisticand natural.
But definitely talk with yourdoctor before you try any of
(07:43):
these things, because they arethe expert of you, know you and
take caring of you as well.
But one of the key things thatyou can do is hydrate.
I'm talking drinking lots ofwater.
We want to flush this out ofour system.
We want to rehydrate our system, especially if we're having the
diarrhea and nausea issues aswell.
So we want to make sure we'redrinking plenty of water to help
(08:05):
flush out any of thiscontamination that you've gotten
.
You may want to addelectrolytes too.
You may want to add somecoconut water, electrolyte
powders that are safe for you,bone broth.
If you eat meat and if you'reexperiencing diarrhea or
vomiting, adding theseelectrolytes is usually
recommended by many doctors.
(08:26):
And then we also want to listento our body.
Give yourself grace.
Fatigue is so common aftergluten exposure.
So allow yourself to rest andprioritize sleep.
Rest whatever you need and,when possible, completely reduce
as much stress as possible toavoid overloading your brain.
(08:46):
You know your brain needs torecover and your body needs to
recover.
It's almost like somebody askedme one time what's it like
being gluten?
I'm like well, it's.
Sometimes it feels kind of likethe flu, like for me.
I will feel really tired, I'llhave a headache, my body might
ache.
You know it almost feels likethe flu to me, plus digestive
(09:09):
issues, right.
So reduce that stress to giveyour time you know your body
some time to heal.
And then another thing thathelps me is, you know, again,
listen to your body and talk toyour doctor.
But for me, I also need to flushthat out with food.
So I need to eat foods that areeasy to digest for me, as well
(09:31):
as gut healing foods.
So you're going to want tostick to gentle
anti-inflammatory foods here.
Don't go out and eat somethingreally spicy.
It's probably not going to doyou very good because you're
already, you know, damaged now.
But go with what works for you.
For some people that can bebone broth.
For some people that can besteamed vegetables like zucchini
(09:53):
, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Some people might do reallywell with some bananas,
applesauce or plain rice.
I know for me I can't take a lotof fibrous foods if I'm damaged
, so I have to not do theveggies and anything with a lot
of fiber in it.
It really does bother me.
I have to go to more simplecomfort foods for me, which is
(10:15):
usually something like a steakor hamburger.
The way I was raised, I wasvery much a steak and hamburger
type of person and potatoes.
So I would probably go towardsthat because I know that's
gentle on my body.
So know what's gentle on yourbody, because we're all
different, and go for thosefoods to help also flush it out.
(10:38):
I also do find that herbal teaslike ginger, peppermint or
chamomile also can help calmdigestion and can really help me
.
It also can help your mind too.
Sometimes when you're eatingthese comfort foods or these
comfort drinks, like some ofthese teas, it can also calm
your mind, and our mind and ourbody are so connected together.
(11:01):
So listen to your body, talk toyour doctor and see what they
recommend doing whenever you getgluten.
And, like I already implied, wewant to stay away from irritants
.
We want to stay away from dairyif possible.
Processed foods, alcohol,caffeine, sugar we want to stay
(11:21):
away from those while your gutheals.
Now for me, I'm a little bitodd.
I do actually feel better whenI eat dairy.
I don't really drink milk butlike cheese and some seed
crackers would probably doreally well, and I know actually
I know it does really well whenI'm nauseous.
So again, look to what you know.
So for me, dairy isn't aproblem.
(11:42):
I can tolerate a grass-fed, rawdairy really well.
So for me I'd probably docheese and crackers gluten-free,
of course.
That are really nice and gentle, but for some people they need
to stay away from dairy because,if you don't already know,
gluten damages the biliary,which is what helps you digest
(12:04):
dairy, and so some people can'tproduce the lactase to digest
the lactose and so they, youknow, can't do the dairy.
But for me I thankfully don'thave that problem and when your
digestive system is inflamed,just give it time to recover and
eat simply and gently and gowith I want to say go with your
(12:26):
gut, but really we're kind ofgoing with our gut here.
You know, when you feel likeeating, eat to help flush this
out, eat to help flush this out,drink to help flush this out.
And when your body says, oh no,we need to wait a little bit,
listen to it and wait a littlebit.
Don't force anything on you,because it's kind of like
getting legit sick, but it's anautoimmune response, so we just
(12:47):
need to, you know, pay attentionto it.
There are also some supplementsthat can help support recovery
and again, always check withyour doctor with supplements or
anything like that.
But I've heard and I've nottried this on myself that
activated charcoal may helpabsorb the toxins and this is
best if it's taken shortly afterexposure.
(13:07):
So if you're wanting to reactquickly, this might be a good
option for you, but again, checkwith your doctor or primary
health person.
For our family, digestiveenzymes really help break down
the lingering gluten proteinsfor us and it's something that
we go to a lot and we find thatit helps our family.
And many times if we're eatingout and it might be risky I
(13:29):
think I've already talked aboutthis in the podcast and it might
be slightly risky we'll takedigestive enzymes before and
after our meal to help with anypotential cross-contamination if
we're in a situation wherewe're not confident that we can
eat safely.
But we do need to eat something.
So we will do that, and I haveactually taken digestive enzymes
after the fact when I knew Igot gluten too and it did help
(13:52):
get rid of that lingering glutenthat's in there.
Also, a lot of people find thatprobiotics can really help them
heal and it can really supporttheir gut health and restore
balance.
Now, in my time of tryingprobiotics, there are some that
do not do well with my digestivesystem, so I recommend finding
one that you already know isgentle on your digestive system
(14:14):
and use that one.
Talk to your doctor, see whatthey recommend.
But there's a specific brand Idon't want to mention on the
podcast, but you're welcome tomessage me and I can tell you
which one it is, because I don'tknow whether I'm legally
allowed to.
But it is the most gentleprobiotic I've ever had and it
works really well for me.
So I like to use that when theday is following and the day of
(14:36):
getting isodine and gluten tohelp repair my gut again.
Also, magnesium can help musclecramps, headaches and digestive
distress.
Now I do want you to cautionyou on magnesium and again, like
I said, I keep repeating myself, but please talk to your doctor
.
I'm not a doctor, but magnesiumcan help.
But you want to make sureyou're using magnesium glycinate
(14:56):
the other magnesium can causethe opposite problems and cause
digestive distress.
So make sure you're using theone that's gentle on your
digestive system, that is meantfor brain function and muscle
function and bones, not theother one that can cause you to
have diarrhea, because we do notwant to exasperate the problem.
So talk to your doctor to makesure any of these suggestions
(15:19):
are safe for you and your bodybecause they know your medical
history and all those things.
And then we want to manage oursymptoms as needed.
So for bloatings and cramps, Ifind peppermint tea, ginger tea,
can really help.
Some people really like aheating pad that's not one I
would go to myself personally,but I know some people really
like that and for brain fog,hydrating, resting and, like I
(15:43):
said earlier, giving yourselfgrace, resting in.
Like I said earlier, givingyourself grace your mental
clarity will return when yourbody is recovered and help you
gauge when you feel better.
And then for headaches, thatmagnesium we were talking about.
Hydration.
Also, avoiding bright screensmight help Avoiding stress.
It's usually good to be in aquiet room, maybe a less
(16:07):
well-lit room, a darker room,making sure that if you are
looking at screens you've gotthat blue light filter on so
that it's easier on your brainand your eyes.
So make sure you're managingyour symptoms nicely.
Maybe get out in nature.
If you feel good enough, gooutside for a walk.
Sometimes when we reconnectwith nature, it can just really
(16:30):
help heal our bodies.
Obviously, you got to feel wellenough to do that, but it's
definitely a good option.
Or even sitting on your frontor back porch if you have a nice
porch you can sit on, justsomething to like, give you some
you know gentle nature andsurroundings to just kind of
uplift your spirits.
And sometimes distractionreally helps.
(16:51):
So if you feel up for it, maybeplay a game or two with your
family, get some board games outor some card games out and get
your mind off of your bodysymptoms.
Because our mind and body areso well connected together, we
need to do the things to healthe mind and our mental state as
well as our physical state,because they're just so well
(17:13):
connected and recovery time canvary from person to person.
Some people feel better within aday.
Others might have symptoms fora week or more.
For my oldest, he typicallywill have symptoms for several
days.
It just depends upon how bad itis.
For myself, I'm usually throughmy symptoms within 12 hours and
(17:36):
for my other two kids they'regenerally better within 12 to 24
hours, and so it really variesperson to person and if they're
severe or prolonged, obviouslycheck with a doctor or a
nutritionist for support.
I do have a one friend who'sceliac and she many times has to
go to ER Like that's how severeher celiac is and she has to
(17:58):
get special medicine, a specialhydration and she will be sick
for several weeks.
So know your body, know yourbody well, talk to your doctor
about you.
Know, obviously, preventativemeasures, but also measures to
do when you actuallyaccidentally do get gluten,
because it unfortunatelysometimes happens.
And then let's go over realquick some preventing, you know,
(18:20):
future gluten exposure, some ofthe key takeaways for that we
always want to double checklabels, especially for sauces,
seasonings and processed foods,and there's been times before
when a product was safe beforeand then it later was not safe.
And I figured it out because Iwas noticing I was getting
gluten symptoms.
And then I started doing somedigging and reading all the
(18:42):
labels of things I'd eaten,always ask questions at
restaurants about crosscontamination and, as I said in
one of my previous episodes youknow there was this one
restaurant.
There was a hot dog shop herelocally and I could eat there
just fine, but then they decidedto start frying jalapeno
poppers in their oil and Inoticed I was getting a little
(19:03):
bit gluten and then figured outvia, you know, via looking at
their menu and talking to themthat I was getting cross
contaminated in their fryer,when previously they'd only
fried fries in the fryer.
So always ask detailed questions.
Don't assume that since you'veeaten there before and eaten
there safely before, that you'restill going to be safe.
It's something I've learnedover and over again and so
(19:23):
hopefully I can help you notmake the mistakes I did there.
So always ask, no matterwhether it's like the same
restaurant you go to all thetime.
Double check you can carry agluten-free dining card too when
traveling.
That can really help,especially when going out of
country, especially if you havethe dining card and the foreign
language.
If you're going to a foreignplace, that can really help that
(19:46):
language barrier there.
And always have a backup plan.
Keep safe snacks with you justin case of uncertainty.
I know we have done this before.
There's been times I've gone toa restaurant, talked to the
person and decided to eat mygluten-free granola bar that's
in my purse instead of eatingdinner there, because it was
just too risky to even try it.
(20:06):
So don't feel badly if that'swhat you have to do and if
you're unsure, trust your gut.
Just really trust your gut.
It is never worth getting sickover eating something that is
iffy.
I know I have early on beenlike, oh, it'll be all right.
No, no, it was never all right.
(20:27):
I regretted it.
Sometimes I regretted it fordays.
So if you're unsure, just skipeating.
If you need to, and, you know,find soon someplace safe to eat
so that you're not hungry, ofcourse, but sometimes that's
just the best option, becausegetting gluten is never fun.
But the most important thing isto listen to your body, support
(20:49):
your recovery and take steps tominimize your discomfort.
Hydration is some things wetalked about rest, gut healing
foods, foods that are comfort toyou, that are safe, and key
supplements can help your bodybounce back faster.
And remember you're not alonein this.
We've all been there and withtime you'll be able to start
(21:11):
feeling better again.
And if you have your own tipson how to recover from being
gluten, we welcome your tips too.
Just click on that text carrybutton in your podcast player
and you can send me a textmessage and let me know how you
have helped yourself becomebetter and feel much better
after being gluten.
(21:31):
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the gluten-free
engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources and even links to my
YouTube channel.
Head on over totheglutenfreeengineercom.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun
(21:52):
and full of flavor.
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode, and we will see younext week.
The Gluten-Free Engineerpodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice.
(22:14):
Always consult with a qualifiedhealthcare professional for
medical questions, concerns oradvice specific to your health.
Quick reminder before we get started on this
episode this podcast is based onmy personal experiences and
isn't medical advice.
It happens to the best of us.
You're careful, you read labels, you ask all the right
questions at restaurants and yetsomehow gluten still sneaks
into your system.
Maybe it wascross-contamination, a hidden
(00:20):
ingredient or a mislabeledproduct, or maybe your server
forgot to notify the kitchenstaff.
Whatever the cause, you're nowdealing with the dreaded
aftermath of being glutened.
So what do you do next?
How can you ease symptoms andsupport your body and get back
to feeling like yourself again?
In today's episode, we're goingto explore several different
options you can use to help youfeel like yourself again,
(00:44):
because everybody's body reactsa bit differently to being
glutened and to the recovery ofgluten.
So let's dive in and find outsome great options that might be
able to help you.
Welcome to the Gluten-FreeEngineer Podcast.
I'm your host, k Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything, but I wasdetermined not to let it hold me
(01:07):
back.
With my two engineering degrees, I set out to reverse engineer
the gluten-free lifestyle,breaking down recipes, safety
tips, travel hacks andeverything in between to rebuild
a life I love.
Whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or simply
choose to live gluten-free, thispodcast is for you.
Disease, gluten intolerance orsimply choose to live
(01:27):
gluten-free, this podcast is foryou.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun and provethat you don't have to miss out
on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today we're talking about whathappens when you get glutened
and what to do, and, like Imentioned in the intro, every
person's body is different.
We all have different symptoms.
Well, many times they crossover, but each individual person
(01:49):
, everyone in our family, reactsdifferently to gluten, and so
I'm going to go over first thesigns of how to recognize that
you've been gluten, because youmay have some of these, but
probably not all of them, butyou'll probably have at least
some of these, but probably notall of them, but you'll probably
have at least some of these.
And so some symptoms of glutenexposure, like I said, varies
from person to person.
(02:10):
Each one of my children reactedvastly differently from each
other, but one of the mostcommon ones and what most people
equate to celiac or glutenintolerance is digestive issues.
Now, this could includebloating, nausea, cramping,
diarrhea or constipation.
Some people don't realize thatconstipation is actually a
(02:33):
gluten symptom, as about mostpeople equate diarrhea to it.
You might also have brain fog,you might have trouble
concentrating, you might havefatigue and weakness, you might
have headaches or migraines, youmay have skin reactions like
rashes, itching, you could havejoint pain or muscle aches, you
(02:55):
could have anxiety, irritabilityor mood swings.
So, like I mentioned, we allindividually in our family react
a bit differently.
My oldest son, for example,goes into what we call a gluten
coma.
If he gets glutened he willliterally sleep for hours, if
(03:20):
not days.
I still remember one time, youknow, years ago, when he was
still in Boy Scouts.
They went on a trip I think itwas a skiing trip.
Boy Scouts, they went on a tripI think it was a skiing trip,
and he wasn't real well-versedyet in expressing his needs for
being gluten-free and heprobably didn't think about what
was going to happen next andhis friends didn't think about
what's going to happen to Cadennext.
(03:41):
Well, what did the kids do?
Well, they were hungry, so theygot pizza, and they had pizza
in the hotel room.
If anybody knows anything aboutpizza, honestly, pizza is one
of the things when I'm in apublic place, that, when we're
eating is one of the things thatscares me the most, more than
like buns and things like that,because the grease of pizza
(04:03):
carries that gluten everywhere.
I have found in my experienceand in this situation the Boy
Scouts weren't being very goodBoy Scouts and they were
throwing pizza and they hadpizza everywhere in the room.
My son went to sleep when, andthen still, when I finally got
(04:29):
him up, got him moving you know,tried to get, you know, some of
the remedies I want to talkabout in here, like food and
water and things like that, hestill couldn't even hardly
concentrate.
You know we wanted to get himback to school so he wasn't
missing too much school because,you know, the Boy Scout trip
was over the weekend.
So here comes Monday and hecan't go to school because he's
(04:49):
been gluten and he's completelydebilitated, and so he needed to
get him back to school byWednesday and he still couldn't
even concentrate.
He was like mom, I'm having ahard time processing anything at
school.
So he had the fatigue and theweakness, extreme fatigue and
weakness, and he also had thebrain fog and difficulty
(05:10):
concentrating and of course hehad the digestive issues too.
But that's just one child, mymiddle child, for example.
He's actually palm sweat.
He has digestive issues.
His palms sweat and sometimeshe gets headaches.
My youngest he gets thedigestive issues and he gets
migraines.
He gets irritable.
Oh my goodness, if you were toask him what he was like before
(05:33):
he went off gluten, he wouldjust tell you how mean he was.
I mean he really was.
Even as a mom I can say youknow, my child was really
irritable and rude before hewent off gluten.
He couldn't help himself.
His brain was so out of whackfrom having the substance in his
body that it was not compatiblewith.
He was a completely differentchild when we took him off
(05:55):
gluten and when we realized hehad, you know, celiac too.
So don't think any one personwill react the same.
You know myself I havedigestive issues, brain fog, I
will get tired, sometimes I willget migraines, I'll have skin
issues, I might have joint painsand muscle aches and I might be
irritable too, like I literallyhave the whole getting caboodle
(06:18):
now, probably because I didn'tknow I was celiac until my
thirties.
So I'm way more damaged.
So a little bit does a lot moreto my body, because my
intestines, you know they can'tquite fully heal.
They'll heal a good bit, butthey can't always quite fully
heal.
So I have pretty much all theissues and also note that not
everybody reacts within the sametime frame.
(06:40):
Some people feel symptomswithin minutes to hours.
I'm one of those people.
Sometimes when I'm eating I'llknow that my food is not safe.
My body just knows.
I won't even have any symptomsyet, but I will just get this
instinct on me.
Oh, I need to stop eating.
It's really weird.
(07:00):
And then other people.
It can take a day or two toreally hit full force With the
youngest child.
It usually takes him longerthan the other ones, but we
figured out he had celiac at ayounger age.
So don't think, because youdon't react right away or it
takes a couple days, that itwasn't a problem.
(07:20):
Look back a couple days in theprevious few days if you think
you might have gotten gluten, tosee where that risk might have
been.
Now there's some immediate stepsyou can take after being gluten
and obviously any of these allthe ones I'm going to recommend
are pretty much pretty holisticand natural.
But definitely talk with yourdoctor before you try any of
(07:43):
these things, because they arethe expert of you, know you and
take caring of you as well.
But one of the key things thatyou can do is hydrate.
I'm talking drinking lots ofwater.
We want to flush this out ofour system.
We want to rehydrate our system, especially if we're having the
diarrhea and nausea issues aswell.
So we want to make sure we'redrinking plenty of water to help
(08:05):
flush out any of thiscontamination that you've gotten
.
You may want to addelectrolytes too.
You may want to add somecoconut water, electrolyte
powders that are safe for you,bone broth.
If you eat meat and if you'reexperiencing diarrhea or
vomiting, adding theseelectrolytes is usually
recommended by many doctors.
(08:26):
And then we also want to listento our body.
Give yourself grace.
Fatigue is so common aftergluten exposure.
So allow yourself to rest andprioritize sleep.
Rest whatever you need and,when possible, completely reduce
as much stress as possible toavoid overloading your brain.
(08:46):
You know your brain needs torecover and your body needs to
recover.
It's almost like somebody askedme one time what's it like
being gluten?
I'm like well, it's.
Sometimes it feels kind of likethe flu, like for me.
I will feel really tired, I'llhave a headache, my body might
ache.
You know it almost feels likethe flu to me, plus digestive
(09:09):
issues, right.
So reduce that stress to giveyour time you know your body
some time to heal.
And then another thing thathelps me is, you know, again,
listen to your body and talk toyour doctor.
But for me, I also need to flushthat out with food.
So I need to eat foods that areeasy to digest for me, as well
(09:31):
as gut healing foods.
So you're going to want tostick to gentle
anti-inflammatory foods here.
Don't go out and eat somethingreally spicy.
It's probably not going to doyou very good because you're
already, you know, damaged now.
But go with what works for you.
For some people that can bebone broth.
For some people that can besteamed vegetables like zucchini
(09:53):
, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Some people might do reallywell with some bananas,
applesauce or plain rice.
I know for me I can't take a lotof fibrous foods if I'm damaged
, so I have to not do theveggies and anything with a lot
of fiber in it.
It really does bother me.
I have to go to more simplecomfort foods for me, which is
(10:15):
usually something like a steakor hamburger.
The way I was raised, I wasvery much a steak and hamburger
type of person and potatoes.
So I would probably go towardsthat because I know that's
gentle on my body.
So know what's gentle on yourbody, because we're all
different, and go for thosefoods to help also flush it out.
(10:38):
I also do find that herbal teaslike ginger, peppermint or
chamomile also can help calmdigestion and can really help me
.
It also can help your mind too.
Sometimes when you're eatingthese comfort foods or these
comfort drinks, like some ofthese teas, it can also calm
your mind, and our mind and ourbody are so connected together.
(11:01):
So listen to your body, talk toyour doctor and see what they
recommend doing whenever you getgluten.
And, like I already implied, wewant to stay away from irritants
.
We want to stay away from dairyif possible.
Processed foods, alcohol,caffeine, sugar we want to stay
(11:21):
away from those while your gutheals.
Now for me, I'm a little bitodd.
I do actually feel better whenI eat dairy.
I don't really drink milk butlike cheese and some seed
crackers would probably doreally well, and I know actually
I know it does really well whenI'm nauseous.
So again, look to what you know.
So for me, dairy isn't aproblem.
(11:42):
I can tolerate a grass-fed, rawdairy really well.
So for me I'd probably docheese and crackers gluten-free,
of course.
That are really nice and gentle, but for some people they need
to stay away from dairy because,if you don't already know,
gluten damages the biliary,which is what helps you digest
(12:04):
dairy, and so some people can'tproduce the lactase to digest
the lactose and so they, youknow, can't do the dairy.
But for me I thankfully don'thave that problem and when your
digestive system is inflamed,just give it time to recover and
eat simply and gently and gowith I want to say go with your
(12:26):
gut, but really we're kind ofgoing with our gut here.
You know, when you feel likeeating, eat to help flush this
out, eat to help flush this out,drink to help flush this out.
And when your body says, oh no,we need to wait a little bit,
listen to it and wait a littlebit.
Don't force anything on you,because it's kind of like
getting legit sick, but it's anautoimmune response, so we just
(12:47):
need to, you know, pay attentionto it.
There are also some supplementsthat can help support recovery
and again, always check withyour doctor with supplements or
anything like that.
But I've heard and I've nottried this on myself that
activated charcoal may helpabsorb the toxins and this is
best if it's taken shortly afterexposure.
(13:07):
So if you're wanting to reactquickly, this might be a good
option for you, but again, checkwith your doctor or primary
health person.
For our family, digestiveenzymes really help break down
the lingering gluten proteinsfor us and it's something that
we go to a lot and we find thatit helps our family.
And many times if we're eatingout and it might be risky I
(13:29):
think I've already talked aboutthis in the podcast and it might
be slightly risky we'll takedigestive enzymes before and
after our meal to help with anypotential cross-contamination if
we're in a situation wherewe're not confident that we can
eat safely.
But we do need to eat something.
So we will do that, and I haveactually taken digestive enzymes
after the fact when I knew Igot gluten too and it did help
(13:52):
get rid of that lingering glutenthat's in there.
Also, a lot of people find thatprobiotics can really help them
heal and it can really supporttheir gut health and restore
balance.
Now, in my time of tryingprobiotics, there are some that
do not do well with my digestivesystem, so I recommend finding
one that you already know isgentle on your digestive system
(14:14):
and use that one.
Talk to your doctor, see whatthey recommend.
But there's a specific brand Idon't want to mention on the
podcast, but you're welcome tomessage me and I can tell you
which one it is, because I don'tknow whether I'm legally
allowed to.
But it is the most gentleprobiotic I've ever had and it
works really well for me.
So I like to use that when theday is following and the day of
(14:36):
getting isodine and gluten tohelp repair my gut again.
Also, magnesium can help musclecramps, headaches and digestive
distress.
Now I do want you to cautionyou on magnesium and again, like
I said, I keep repeating myself, but please talk to your doctor
.
I'm not a doctor, but magnesiumcan help.
But you want to make sureyou're using magnesium glycinate
(14:56):
the other magnesium can causethe opposite problems and cause
digestive distress.
So make sure you're using theone that's gentle on your
digestive system, that is meantfor brain function and muscle
function and bones, not theother one that can cause you to
have diarrhea, because we do notwant to exasperate the problem.
So talk to your doctor to makesure any of these suggestions
(15:19):
are safe for you and your bodybecause they know your medical
history and all those things.
And then we want to manage oursymptoms as needed.
So for bloatings and cramps, Ifind peppermint tea, ginger tea,
can really help.
Some people really like aheating pad that's not one I
would go to myself personally,but I know some people really
like that and for brain fog,hydrating, resting and, like I
(15:43):
said earlier, giving yourselfgrace, resting in.
Like I said earlier, givingyourself grace your mental
clarity will return when yourbody is recovered and help you
gauge when you feel better.
And then for headaches, thatmagnesium we were talking about.
Hydration.
Also, avoiding bright screensmight help Avoiding stress.
It's usually good to be in aquiet room, maybe a less
(16:07):
well-lit room, a darker room,making sure that if you are
looking at screens you've gotthat blue light filter on so
that it's easier on your brainand your eyes.
So make sure you're managingyour symptoms nicely.
Maybe get out in nature.
If you feel good enough, gooutside for a walk.
Sometimes when we reconnectwith nature, it can just really
(16:30):
help heal our bodies.
Obviously, you got to feel wellenough to do that, but it's
definitely a good option.
Or even sitting on your frontor back porch if you have a nice
porch you can sit on, justsomething to like, give you some
you know gentle nature andsurroundings to just kind of
uplift your spirits.
And sometimes distractionreally helps.
(16:51):
So if you feel up for it, maybeplay a game or two with your
family, get some board games outor some card games out and get
your mind off of your bodysymptoms.
Because our mind and body areso well connected together, we
need to do the things to healthe mind and our mental state as
well as our physical state,because they're just so well
(17:13):
connected and recovery time canvary from person to person.
Some people feel better within aday.
Others might have symptoms fora week or more.
For my oldest, he typicallywill have symptoms for several
days.
It just depends upon how bad itis.
For myself, I'm usually throughmy symptoms within 12 hours and
(17:36):
for my other two kids they'regenerally better within 12 to 24
hours, and so it really variesperson to person and if they're
severe or prolonged, obviouslycheck with a doctor or a
nutritionist for support.
I do have a one friend who'sceliac and she many times has to
go to ER Like that's how severeher celiac is and she has to
(17:58):
get special medicine, a specialhydration and she will be sick
for several weeks.
So know your body, know yourbody well, talk to your doctor
about you.
Know, obviously, preventativemeasures, but also measures to
do when you actuallyaccidentally do get gluten,
because it unfortunatelysometimes happens.
And then let's go over realquick some preventing, you know,
(18:20):
future gluten exposure, some ofthe key takeaways for that we
always want to double checklabels, especially for sauces,
seasonings and processed foods,and there's been times before
when a product was safe beforeand then it later was not safe.
And I figured it out because Iwas noticing I was getting
gluten symptoms.
And then I started doing somedigging and reading all the
(18:42):
labels of things I'd eaten,always ask questions at
restaurants about crosscontamination and, as I said in
one of my previous episodes youknow there was this one
restaurant.
There was a hot dog shop herelocally and I could eat there
just fine, but then they decidedto start frying jalapeno
poppers in their oil and Inoticed I was getting a little
(19:03):
bit gluten and then figured outvia, you know, via looking at
their menu and talking to themthat I was getting cross
contaminated in their fryer,when previously they'd only
fried fries in the fryer.
So always ask detailed questions.
Don't assume that since you'veeaten there before and eaten
there safely before, that you'restill going to be safe.
It's something I've learnedover and over again and so
(19:23):
hopefully I can help you notmake the mistakes I did there.
So always ask, no matterwhether it's like the same
restaurant you go to all thetime.
Double check you can carry agluten-free dining card too when
traveling.
That can really help,especially when going out of
country, especially if you havethe dining card and the foreign
language.
If you're going to a foreignplace, that can really help that
(19:46):
language barrier there.
And always have a backup plan.
Keep safe snacks with you justin case of uncertainty.
I know we have done this before.
There's been times I've gone toa restaurant, talked to the
person and decided to eat mygluten-free granola bar that's
in my purse instead of eatingdinner there, because it was
just too risky to even try it.
(20:06):
So don't feel badly if that'swhat you have to do and if
you're unsure, trust your gut.
Just really trust your gut.
It is never worth getting sickover eating something that is
iffy.
I know I have early on beenlike, oh, it'll be all right.
No, no, it was never all right.
(20:27):
I regretted it.
Sometimes I regretted it fordays.
So if you're unsure, just skipeating.
If you need to, and, you know,find soon someplace safe to eat
so that you're not hungry, ofcourse, but sometimes that's
just the best option, becausegetting gluten is never fun.
But the most important thing isto listen to your body, support
(20:49):
your recovery and take steps tominimize your discomfort.
Hydration is some things wetalked about rest, gut healing
foods, foods that are comfort toyou, that are safe, and key
supplements can help your bodybounce back faster.
And remember you're not alonein this.
We've all been there and withtime you'll be able to start
(21:11):
feeling better again.
And if you have your own tipson how to recover from being
gluten, we welcome your tips too.
Just click on that text carrybutton in your podcast player
and you can send me a textmessage and let me know how you
have helped yourself becomebetter and feel much better
after being gluten.
(21:31):
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the gluten-free
engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources and even links to my
YouTube channel.
Head on over totheglutenfreeengineercom.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun
(21:52):
and full of flavor.
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode, and we will see younext week.
The Gluten-Free Engineerpodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten-free lifestyle.
This podcast does not provide amedical advice.
(22:14):
Always consult with a qualifiedhealthcare professional for
medical questions, concerns oradvice specific to your health.
Popular Podcasts
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com