i think i might have a problem with wheat products. grains bread etc. I've noticed taht bloating run down feeling might be linked to me eating wheat products. I'm starting a food journal to see if I can pinpoint the problem than hopefully avoid some suffering. i will post my findings here. You might want to try for yourself. can't hurt. i hope your fee better sone and find the answers your are seeking.

I don't understand, protein and DNA is likely to be contained in all foods, unless they are highly processed. I which case they are probably not healthy any ways. I haven;t come across that.

Its scary for me when the physician I am working with came up with lupus as being a potential diagnosis. It felt almost like a death sentence. However, I realized how little I actually know about this condition. And since I have already survived some mysterious bouts and symptoms which might fit into a lupus diagnosis, I tell myself that it might not mean what I think it means.

Thank you for your support All by myself and Triad. If there is anything I can do to improve my condition I want to go in that direction. It just makes me upset because some of the suggested changes are so difficult and against the general dietary and lifestyle trends of most people, but if thats what is required that is what I will have to do, difficult or not.

I had sort of wondered, i recently decided to go low carb for a bit to help with my blood sugar and quickly realized that I also feel much less achy, I have in the past eaten gluten free vegetarian but man that is really tough (I also feel better when I eat vegetarian) have to think on this a bit hmmmmm

Triad do you take enzymes to help digest wheat? Which ones? I'm having a lot of gastritis and painful gas lately, along with more muscle pain. Avoiding wheat seems impractical. Enzymes might be an idea.

Diagnosed with lupus, MCTD, now maybe undiagnosed.

Many of us find huge improvement from eliminating gluten from our diets. My joints got better (the big bony bumps on my knuckles even went away) when I stopped all gluten (and dairy). I was able to avoid taking any medications for about 6 years from diet alone. It was definitely worth the trouble for me. Not everyone has the dramatic results I have had.

Testing for gluten sensitivity is not very certain. The best way (and cheapest) is to simply avoid gluten-containing foods for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. You can substitute rice and potatoes at meal times. Eat popcorn, corn tortillas, etc. There are gluten-free substitutes out there - bread, cookies, etc. - but they're expensive and not especially healthy. Pasta Joy is a good brand of GF pasta, especially the white rice spaghetti.

Foods that contain gluten (besides the obvious wheat, rye, and barley) include soy sauce, licorice candy, beer (except GF beer), cereals and other foods with malt favoring.

Because a gluten sensitivity causes the immune system to overreact, it's important when trying out being gluten free, to be totally gluten free. Imagine not eating a single molecule of wheat, rye, or barley origin.

That bloating run down feeling could also be from eating dairy (milk proteins - different from lactose intolerance). I stopped eating dairy at the same time as gluten and the difference was great. I avoided all foods containing milk products, as well as foods containing casein, caseinates, whey, etc.

I recommend that people try elimating gluten (and dairy if you can) for a test period. If you're one of the lucky ones that being gluten-free helps, you have a means totally under your control to effect how you feel. I'm grateful every day for being able to feel good (most days).

I think I might try going gluten free for awhile. I've tried on and off in the past, but have difficulty (I love my carbs), but I am also tired of feeling like crap. I also am wondering if I have IBS. Sometimes it is so painful when I have to use the bathroom. It will bring tears to my eyes. I wonder if gluten free would help with that.

Thanks so much for such detailed responses. I had done elimination trials on myself decades ago and found citrus caused more pain for me. I didn't see wheat as being a problem. And I had a biopsy which ascertained that I didn't have celiac disease. Do you find these gluten free diets help you cognatively ? Also, are the dietary changes to deal with the enzyme problem just going gluten free or are there other things to eat to correct the problem? After I posted the question I went to the grocery store and bought mass quantities of pasta, so I'll have to wait to try this. I definitely think it maybe worth it to do this kind of trial.

Just in case this hasn't been mentioned - the paleo diet is pretty good for Lupus patients - it includes protein with every meal to help ward off infection....

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/guest-post-robb-wolf-answers-your-paleo-diet-questions/#axzz1tjPXFcml

http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/

http://io9.com/5968164/why-you-should-probably-stop-eating-wheat

Thanks again for the this information. It will be awhile before I try this. But it is good to know there is another possibility.