coeliac disease

cold steel

Does anyone out there cycle with coeliacs . i was diagnosed 3 years ago and am finding it difficult to know what bonk rations to take on rides . More so on longer rides and touring. It all seems to be covered in chocolate .

AMcD

Hi, sorry to heare about you struggling with being coeliac. This topic was covered very recently on the Shecycles.com forum, under the Clinic heading (half way down the first page). Lots of ideas for gluten-free things to eat before and on a ride. Good luck.

cold steel

Cheers,I will have a look at that

jpl81

I was diagnosed as Coeliac back in 2002. The only food I take on long rides is a Mars bar (although i know this isn't great). I tend to make sure I have a big plate of gluten free pasta before going out cycling, and eat as much carbs as I can when i get back.

cold steel

I eat lots before and after a ride . It`s the bit inbetween that gets me . i take energy drink and a few `eat natural` bars . I`m hoping to audax this year and need to get my intake sorted out. otherwise i will look like a mobile banana seller `not a good look. I used to go to julian graves and buy the endurance mix but they stopped making it ! I wouldn`t take a mars bar . I think they contain barley gluten which snickers don`t .

Biker Kev

Hi I was diagnosed with coeliacs in September last year so I haven't been on a big ride yet ( I done 70 miles on Sunday. ) If you'ev got the coelicas handbook it says in there that you can use High 5 products energy drinks and gels, I've ordered myself some so thats what I'm going to use. Good luck on your audax rides.

ut_och_cykla

There is a brand of energy supplement here in Sweden called Vitargo which I thought was potato based but is barley starch based instead (Doh!). Googling gluten free energy bars brings up lots of USA/Cnadian sites - perhaps if you shop around you'll find something - or ask a nutritionist for a good home made recipe for gluten free flapjack type things. Look on the supermarket shelves for gluten free biscuits and things too. You might find something suitable there.

cee

I hadn't heard of coeliacs until late last year...but now, I seem to hear of/meet people who have it all the time...

Are doctors looking for it more nowadays, or are people generally more aware of how their diet affects them?

Most interested to find out a coeliacs view on this..

andyp

I was diagnosed with coeliacs in 2006. My cycling has moved onto another level since as my fitness has improved with the change of diet.

I have two staples for on the bike food; bananas and eat natural bars. For big events I'll add in some energy gels in case I need energy quickly but generally find that over eating in the days before an event helps keep the dreaded bonk at bay.

andyp

cee wrote:

I hadn't heard of coeliacs until late last year...but now, I seem to hear of/meet people who have it all the time...

Are doctors looking for it more nowadays, or are people generally more aware of how their diet affects them?

Most interested to find out a coeliacs view on this..

I'd not heard of it at all until my GP mentioned it as a possible cause of the anemia I was suffering from. I was referred to a consultant and, after a endoscope and a colonscope ( :shock: ) the diagnosis was confirmed.

It is believed that around 1% of the population suffer from it but historically it has not been easy to diagnose as there are a myriad of symptoms that manifest themselves. This study answers your question, in that improved screening has meant that the classical symptoms (diarrhoea, weight loss and fatigue) aren't the only indicators.

My life has changed a lot since I was diagnosed as I now feel much, much healthier, have some colour in my cheeks and have put on 5 kgs. With regards to cycling, I'm now flying and have enjoyed the reversal of fortune in comparison to my regular riding friends - I can now make them suffer.

cold steel

cee wrote:

I hadn't heard of coeliacs until late last year...but now, I seem to hear of/meet people who have it all the time...

Are doctors looking for it more nowadays, or are people generally more aware of how their diet affects them?

Most interested to find out a coeliacs view on this..

I self diagnosed . Originally i was told by the doctor i had deppresion. This was just a symptom but put on anti -depressants for 10 years or so . Then told it was ulcers on 3 seperate occasions.In the end i tried an exclusion diet and asked for a referal to a consultant .But feel really well now .

Blonde

Wallaby bars are gluten free. They are mostly protein as opposed to carbs though, being made mainly from seeds. They are an Australian brand but available in most health food shops. Anything corn (maize) or potato based will be OK. Make maize meal dumplings or corn bread to take with you or buy gluten free flours to make other breads cakes and snacks. Baked potatoes at cafes are also good.

Blonde

cee wrote:

I hadn't heard of coeliacs until late last year...but now, I seem to hear of/meet people who have it all the time...

Are doctors looking for it more nowadays, or are people generally more aware of how their diet affects them?

Most interested to find out a coeliacs view on this..

There was an article on this in C+ a while back. The nutritionist I saw also said the same thing as the article - that generally flour quality is getting worse because intensive farming means nutrients in the soil are gradually depleted over time and the focus of production is mostly on quantity, not quality. This, coupled with the fact that the Western diet has changed to over rely on bread and wheat-flour based products and exclude many other, lower-gluten and nutritionally better sources of carbohydrate, has led to an over-sensitive response and reaction in some people to the over use of this poor quality, gluten-rich flour. As flour quality depletes still further, whilst at the same time reliance on it as a main source of carbohydrate increases, there will be even greater numbers of people affected by CD.

ut_och_cykla

Can't quite understand the reasoning of your nutritionist Blonde.

Whilst I agree that flour quality has probably changed (and many foods now lack the trace elements that we need) I would guess that the staple in Western Europe was bread /cereal products, with root vegetables and bits of meat/fish occaisionally at least until the potato took hold in the 1800's.

The major change might be in use of refined wheat where oats/barley were used before. (Oats are often tolerated by CD sufferes as the gluten protein has a low level and different shape)
The recent rise in CD must then be due to something else - a virus or - more likely - weening practices. A theory in Sweden - where CD & lactose intolerance is rife - is that weening takes place at the wrong time and is not gradual - thereby causing an alergic like reaction in the gut which lasts for ever and can be retripped in later life.
Not an expert myself tho'

cold steel

Thank you for your input ,everyone. Think i've devised stratergy for rides upto 400k based around energy drinks,gel, gluten free scones and bananas and the odd "eat natural " bar. Peace .