Dry Eye Triumph

[funnybot]

I wrote a post about a month ago. I can't seem to locate it... but I wanted to update.

I have Hashimotos Disease... and I found out by simply researching Dry Eyes. Oddly enough doctors don't associate dry eyes with Hashimotos... but when you Google it many people have dry eyes and are struggling who have Hashimotos. Lesson learned, don't believe everything your doctor tells you.

I also had an antibody test for Sjorgen's... and I tested positive... but a false positive can be the result of having Hashimotos to begin with.

I changed my whole diet. I started with no dairy, then no gluten... guess what... after 4 months I stumble upon a podcast called Underground Wellness. They had an episode where a nutritionist stated eating complex carbs causes your mucins (maybe I'm saying this incorrect) that complex carbs cause dry eye and dry mouth. Complex carbs, usually being seeds, have toxins that ferment in your stomach. White rice has toxins but it is cooked out mostly prior to eating. I'm not sure if the toxins cause dry eyes... the podcast went into detail (but he may have gone over my head).

Last month I went completely gluten, no wheat... and I only eat white rice probucts. My dry eye is completely gone (prior to that it was better, but not gone). I rarely use drops in the morning. Keep in mind about 2 months prior I had 4 plugs put in, but it did NOT cure my dry eyes. I'm very confident that a complex carb diet created my dry eye syndrome. I ate complex carbs ONLY for probably 7 years and my eyes got worse and worse with dryness.

Long story short, please try a gluten-free diet and see if this works for you. I still eat complex carbs, but not wheat. I eat quinoa but rarely. For noodles I eat rice-based or corn-based.

I feel anyone's pain who has Dry Eyes, as doctors don't know what to do besides giving Restasis (this did not work for me). I was in horrible pain and my eyes felt like I put drops of rubbing alcohol in them. The plugs alleviated this pain, but I was still horribly dry eye, mostly the plugs help keep eyedrops in my eyes for longer.

I always thought Gluten-free people were excessive, but just try it, and give it a few months. I only get dry eye if I get little sleep now (like less than 5 hours, this is probably normal).

[hikingmonk]

Thanks for sharing!

I know that when I stop eating dairy and go mostly gluten free, I feel a lot better. I just lack the discipline to do it all the time! My eyes are usually only dry at night so I tend to forget about eating healthy during the day.

[jenny2008]

funnybot.. i am on a gluten free very restrictive diet.. when you say you dont have any complex carbs does that you mean you dont eat fruits and veggies either?? I eat low glycemic fruits, veggies and sweet potatoes.. please let me know.. i just started this about 1 week ago. thanks!

[mezarraga]

Gluten Free diet

Would you kindly explain your gluten free diet. I suffer from severe dry eyes and would try anything. Thanks

[funnybot]

Complex Carbs

Hello,

I'm on a strictly gluten-free diet. I do consume dairy and lots of it. The thing with dairy in regards to it being on the same page as gluten is the chemical called casein. Casein can sometimes mimic the effects of gluten. So sometimes they mash a no dairy/gluten diet.

I originally started with no dairy, but I noticed no changes. When I went to a no gluten diet, I noticed little, until I stuck to it for longer. It takes time (for me at least).

When I spoke of complex carbs, I was referring to anything that is not a simple carb. You can still have gluten-free complex carbs. For instance they make wheat gluten-free bread.

I think for nearly the last 7 years I was on a complex carb diet. I didn't eat any white bread or rice or noodle. I was hardcore and I'd check the ingredients and stay away from any white flours. I heard a podcost of a doctor/nutritionist saying that complex carb only diets cause you mucins to dry up and how he tried it and his tears, nasal, and mouth were bone dry. He then said he went to simple carbs and it went away. When I heard this I was on a kinda-gluten free diet. After hearing that I went 100% and it paid off.

Again, I still get dry eyes at night ONLY if I'm having a tough time sleeping, or I have little sleep. This is normal. My eyes water all the time now. I also get dry eyes when looking at computer at work for 8-10 hours straight... this is normal. I turned down the brightness/contrast on my screen and it has helped.

Back to gluten-free. So I try to eat gluten-free simple carbs. So gluten-free rice bread, or gluten-free corn noodles. So possibly if I just ate a simple carb diet without gluten my eyes could be also be cured. But.. because I have Hashimotos and likely Sjorgen's I've stayed away from Gluten.

Gluten increases or likely causes autoimmune diseases... whereas an autoimmune disease attacks particular parts of your body. Mine bieing my thryoid, and if I have Sjorgen's it would be my mucins. So gluten mimics the organ the autoimmune disease is attacking. So my thyroid gets attacked, and when I consume gluten, my immune system thinks gluten is my thyroid, and I feel the effects... or in Sjorgren's my mucins are attacked.

The only other dietary thing I've done was take a probiotic and I eat a lot of Extra Virgin Olive oil.

[funnybot]

Jenny...

I eat a lot of fruits... I don't eat apples unless they are organic. I found a study that farmers who work with apples have eye problems because of the pesticides. Apples have the highest amount of pesticides. I stopped eating them, but will once in a while. I used to eat 3 apples a day. I eat bananas, about 2 a day. Bananas have the skin that you don't consume that block pesticides.

Some fruits are considered complex and some simple. They are filled with fructose which are usually in the realm of simple since they increase insulin.

When I say complex, I more so referring to wheat. From my understanding... unrefined grains (which are considered healthy for a low-glycemic because they help weight control) are the grains to stay away from. Grains are natures seeds and they aren't supposed to be part of a diet because of toxins. When a grain is refined the toxins are broken up, and then when cooking the toxins are killed.

I don't claim to be an expert, but research paleolithic diet... which I'm not on... but they explain why grains are bad for you and how they never existed in the human diet until recent. Our bodies are not accustomed to this trend.

So... from what I learned,,, if you are on a low-glycemic diet it should only be because you are a Diabetic, and not to do so for weight loss. Exercise is the only trick as consuming a diet that is low glycemic is not healthy. Again, this is only what I read and I don't claim to know all the answers.

[jenny2008]

ima bit confused ..i dont eat any grains.. can you still eat sweet potatoes??

[Hopeful2]

Thanks for the detailed post funnybot! It is really good to hear that the gluten free diet is helping you.

My daughter has been gluten free for a couple of years. In the early days, I would eat gluten free as well. I probably was strictly gluten free for about three months. I was not aware of having dry eyes at the time, but I do think that when I was eating gluten free, the few times I wore contacts, they were more tolerable. I think I will go back to eating gluten free now that I have dry eyes and see if that is helpful. I also have drier mucus membranes. I am also battling adrenal fatigue which will most likely be helped by going gluten free.

I have heard that wheat has become so genetically modified over the years that many people struggle with the digestion of wheat, even if they are not celiac. When the body struggles with digestion we end up with inflammation.

I am also taking Digest MoreHCl (a digestive enzyme with HCl). It turns out that people with Sjogren's (as well as older people) tend to have low stomach levels of HCl. I am also taking a probiotic before bed.
Link to dry eye and Sjogren's:
http://www.naturaleyecare.com/eye-co...rens-syndrome/

[funnybot]

Hopeful2

Hopeful2,

I'm glad to hear that.

So there are two types of gluten-free people. Some who have a sensitivity and those who are celiac. I have tested negative for Celiac. But... gluten is a bad thing for autoimmune diseases. Most people have autoimmune diseases and don't know it, not to mention if you combine all autoimmune diseases it kills more people than any disease.

So wheat, soy, and other grains have been modified by Monsanto which is a company that creates these grains. They have genetically modified grains so they can bathe them in pesticides without killing them. But... they have not researched the effects. England does not allow this, only in America.

So I've heard from people saying that gluten in other countries is fine for consumption but not American-based gluten. This topic is iffy and I've read many opinions.

I've not read about HCI, I'll check it out.

In regards to probiotics, I've learned this. When I was in my teens I took tetra/minoncycline for acne. I did really even had bad acne, just a little here and there like a normal teen. I was prescribed this medication. This medication is an antibiotic, such as birth control. Studies have show that taking an antibiotic can kill good bacteria.... good bacteria that aids in eye health. So I take a probiotic every morning and I try to eat yogurt once a night with honey. Honey is also a good prebiotic, but most honey is not real (that's another conversation).

Good luck on your diet!

[funnybot]

Jenny,

You should research all foods that you consume regularly. Last I checked Sweet potatoes were great for eyes, but I believe Yams are even better. They are the best vegie for eye health.

[jenny2008]

thanks funnybot.. i guess ur basically saying gluten free should help. i sure hope so. i have sjogrens and its bad.. my naturopath said its going to take some time. i have some apples here-not organic-i guess if i peel them i can eat them. i better start buyin organic..just so $$$. lol

[funnybot]

$$

Or you could stop seeing a naturopath and save money that way. A lot of Chiropractors try to capitalize on people who get the runaround from doctors. Simply research any food you ingest. I think of food as medicine, and some foods don't play well in our stomachs. Also, stress (body and mind) can also mess with your body's immune system... thryoid, brain function, adrenaline... make it a hobby and never trust a doctor. You know your body better than anyone else. Stay away from sweeteners too.


Good luck!

[Optic]

funnybot, are you still on Valium? If you are then I'd bet that's what is helping your dry eye pain the most since it's a CNS depressant and will significantly dull any pain. Longer sleep from it could also help as you mentioned in your last triumph post.

[bakunin]

Hi funnybot,

thanks for the information you provided.

Can you link the podcast of Underground Wellness you are talking about?

What I could find about complex carbs and dry eyes on the web was the opposite http://allaboutdryeye.com/2012/07/23...a-correlation/, saying simples carbs are bad and we should eat complex carbs. I'm in a diet that has complex carbs, so I would loike to know if i'm doin right,

thanks