Rheumatoid Arthritis In Wheat Gluten-Sensitive People

[LULU]

I'd like to hear from anyone who has been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and is also wheat gluten sensitive. I'm attempting to remove all wheat gluten from my diet and am wondering if Atkins Adavantage bars have any wheat gluten or other ingredient that may be harmful for people with this condition. Please, please, please let me hear from you.

[Mitra]

Welcome, Lulu.

This is the ingredients list for the chocolate peanut butter version of the Atkins Advantage bar:PROTEIN BLEND [SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE (MILK), SODIUM CASEINATE], GLYCERINE, POLYDEXTROSE, DRY ROASTED PEANUT, PEANUT FLOUR, PALM KERNEL AND PALM OIL, CELLULOSE, COCONUT OIL, COCOA POWDER (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, OLIVE OIL, BUTTER OIL, SOY LECITHIN, MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, GUAR GUM, CITRIC ACID, SUCRALOSE, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM. NUTRITION BLEND: TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ASCORBIC ACID, SODIUM ASCORBATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, NIACINAMIDE, BIOTIN, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, ZINC OXIDE, FOLIC ACID, CHROMIUM CHELATE, PHYTONADIONE, SODIUM SELENITE. CONTAINS: SOY, MILK AND PEANUTS. THIS PRODUCT IS MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT USES PEANUTS, OTHER NUTS AND SEEDS.

I can't see any wheat or gluten in there. Peanuts (and other legumes, like beans) also contain the plant lectins that may be involved in autoimmune problems. There's quite a lot of information on this subject in the chapter in Protein Power LifePlan, called The Leaky Gut: Diet and the Autoimmune Response.

[LULU]

IMPORTANT QUESTION! Is SOy considered a gluten?!!

[Mitra]

As far as I know, soy doesn't contain gluten, but it is a legume, with plant lectins that are problematic for some people, especially those who are prone to autoimmune disorders.

[LULU]

Wow! Thanks, Mitra. I've been eating Advantage bars for years, not knowing these could be very detrimental to my health. I didn't eat my usual bar this morning, and I didn't have my usual finger swelling! Thanks so much! :)

[arc]

A lot of people who are sensitive to gluten also have problems with legumes, particularly soy.

As for the bars, gluten can hide in "Natural Flavors", which looks like the only possible trouble spot, gluten-wise. Remember, they have to state if there is wheat in it, but not barley (how stupid is that:mad:), so you have to be careful.

[LULU]

MANY THANKS, arc. This information could just possibly be an answer to prayer. :)

[Mitra]

Lulu, if you don't have a copy of Protein Power Life Plan, it would probably be worth getting on, or borrowing one from the library - the chapter called The Leaky Gut: Diet and the Autoimmune Response would be very relevant for you.

[LULU]

I WILL do that; I'll do it TODAY! :p

Many thanks, Mitra, and if you have any other information regarding this subject--any contribution at all--I'm sure many people will be helped.

[arc]

Lulu, you may know this already but one of the places that low carbers can still get glutened is soy sauce. Even if you don't normally use soy sauce, it is in a lot of marinades and sauce mixes. :mad: Also, malt = barley = gluten, so watch out for malt, particularly in certain vinegars.

You also have to be aware of cross contamination sources. We finally had to eliminate anything with gluten completely from our house. My wife would bake and I would get sick from the flour in the air that would settle on stuff. I even have to buy dog and cat food that doesn't contain any wheat or barley (not easy or cheap) because of the cross contamination from them eating and then licking themselves.

The friggin' stuff is everywhere.

[LULU]

Oh, WOW!!! I'm just realizing all the soy that's, like you said, arc, in soooooooooo many things!! Just since I've begun eliminating gluten and soy, my joints in my hands are a lot less inflamed. I've got an appointment with a rheumatologist on the 28th. I wonder what he's gonna say when I tell him that I'm doing better by just adjusting my diet. This will be my first appointment with him. The orthopedic doc which I saw recently put me on Celebrex. Now I'm wondering if the rheumatologist will automatically deduce that it's the Celebrex that's helping me (and not the change in diet). Oh well ....

Again, MANY thanks to you, arc, and to you, Mitra.:D

[LULU]

What kind of cat food do you buy, arc? I've got two cats and they eat mostly dry food. Most of the time, they durn their noses up at canned food. Go figure.

[arc]

I buy her Canidae. It is pretty expensive and she doesn't eat it that well, so am still looking. I found a grain-less dry food for the dog but nothing for the cat yet.

[LULU]

I'll look, too. If I find one, I'll let you know. And you let me know, too, if you have any luck. Thanks!

[arc]

I buy her Canidae. It is pretty expensive and she doesn't eat it that well, so am still looking. I found a grain-less dry food for the dog but nothing for the cat yet.

I should have said Felidae. Canidae is the dog food. :rolleyes:

[LisaS]

look for Innova (http://www.naturapet.com/)- no corn - limited grains in the Innova sub-brand (rice I think); pretty sure the EVO sub-brand has no grains at all

[arc]

I wanted to get Innova but no one sells it around here and it is too expensive to buy on-line, once you factor in shipping.

I did find another gluten-free catfood yesterday - Diamond Kitten. It does have some rice and corn but three of the top five ingredients are meat (including the top two), so not too bad. She is far from a kitten (11 years old) but the kitten food has higher protein and fat and she responds well to that.

[LisaS]

arc -
I don't know what area you are in - but if you have feed stores or tack stores in your area (and most do) see if they will order it for you (if you are really interested). Around here, the big chains don't carry the specialty foods but feed/tack stores and small specialty pet shops will.