Yeast?

Question
I am male, 55. I have always suffered frpom a big bloated belly, although I am not obese. My doctor says I do not have IBS, celiac, thyroid, or ither disorders-he thinks its central obesity.
I seem to have less of a belly with a low glycemic/low carb diet, but I cant stay on them for long as I am not a big meat eater.
I have recently started avoiding foods that contain yeast, especially bread and beer. This was tough as they were my favorite foods.
After a week, my belly was a lot 'softer', and the constant sneezing and runny nose that I have always had were diminishing. I had a minor crisis in my life a couple days ago, and went back to the comfort foods of pizza, beer, etc. My bloating and runny nose is back.
Do you think that yeast is in fact the problem? There seems to be two sides. Some say its quackery-that the yeast in foods is actually dead.
Thanks for your thoughts!

Answer
Hi

I will try to give you a possible "culprit" to check out, but first let m be clear that I am a professional biologist, NOT a medical professional. My suggestions should not be considered as medical advice.

That said, in reading your message the 1st thing that pops right out is not a yeast issue (about which I know next to nothing) but rather a general gluten intolerance problem or a reaction to wheat products.

Both are not that uncommon, but at non-severe levels often go undiagnosed.  All the suspect foods you mention - pizza crust, bread, etc. are wheat products rich in gluten.

You can be gluten sensitive and still test negative for celiac - that is very common.  

I suggest you go COMPLETELY gluten-free for a few weeks and see how you feel.  You don't need to eat lots of meat - many vegetarians are also gluten free.  Rice, corn, tortillas, quinoa, and other foods provide ample carbohydrates and variety.

Start learning about non-celia gluten intolerance HERE.

Good luck.  Hope this helps you find an answer.

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