It doesn't "make you" wheat intolerant. Eliminating wheat from your diet will allow your gut to heal, which makes any intolerance to wheat that much more noticeable. I didn't realize how crappy I felt in general when I consumed grains until I gave them all up.

MathGirl got here first, but I just wanted to reiterate (because this question, or a variant comes up all the time): Paleo will not make you wheat (or dairy, or anything) intolerant, it will just expose any intolerance that you always had.

And about lifestyle: don't worry about it. I've never been to a dinner party where there was nothing I could eat. Just eat the stuff you can and avoid the stuff you can't. People are more understanding and less judging than you think. They make exceptions for vegetarians all the time by making meatless options, it's not a stretch for someone to make a grainless, dairyless option. In reality though, I've never requested anything like that, I just don't eat what's going to make me sick and I don't worry about it. There is no social situation worth getting physically sick over.

As others have pointed out, eating paleo reveals any wheat intolerance if such a problem exists.

If you're able to heal your gut (assuming significant permanent damage has not already been done), you might become wheat tolerant after long term paleo dieting. A paleo diet is very ideal for promoting healing - high nutrition with low irritation/inflammation. That's at least my opinion, and from first hand experience, the mild gluten intolerance (i.e. just feeling "off") I experienced during the first few months of paleo has disappeared to the point where I can go hog-wild on wheat without any perceptible acute effect.

I didn't think I had an intolerance to grains when I started back on Atkins low-carb, then shifted to LC paleo. But when I eat them now? I feel so awful the next day it's almost never worth it anymore.

And I don't believe that going grain-free has made me more sensitive to them--it's just that I feel so much better now, and the effect of eating grains (especially wheat) reminds me of how I used to feel all the time. I was so accustomed to feeling rotten that I didn't even know how rotten I felt--it was normal! And now that I have a new normal that doesn't involve aching joints, allergies, chronic sinus and periodontal problems, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, or ever-increasing weight it's like the whole world has changed from black-and-white to color. I don't want to go back to black-and-white--and I don't have to, as long as I keep eating this way.

The more experiences I have with feeling awful after a "cheat," the less appealing all my old favorite foods become. Sometimes I still get cravings, but all I have to do is think about how I will feel the next morning and suddenly it's not worth it.

From my own personal experience I noticed that after a few weeks being paleo I didn't crave wheat anymore. 4 months into paleo though I was at my cousins birthfay- I didn't want to be rude and not eat a piece of his cake so I ate one. A) it didn't trigger any pleasure sensors b) I felt sluggish within an hour and c) I got hardcore chocolate rain the next day.

What I can say about paleo is that it's changed my life. I eat better, sleep better, move better and have loads more energy. 6 months and 62 lbs off later and I swear I'll never go back. Say what you will about how "crazy" the "diet" is but I swear that you'll be more concious about what you put in your body, how you react physically to the elements in and around you, and how you sleep to improve your day.

I think I avoided wheat for about a year or more before eating it again in fairly substantial amounts on a trip. I didn't notice anything at all from doing so. Since then, I'll occasionally have a proper hamburger and have yet to experience any side effect other than the eventual reactive hypoglycemia, which I get as a result of sweet potato, potato, most fruit, certain types of rice etc. as well.

It seems to me that there is a greater likelihood of sensitization occurring as a result of constant rather than minimal exposure.

I love me some wheat also. But I feel so much better not eating it, right now, that it's worth giving up over the crappy feeling I 'll have if I do eat it. Maybe when my gut heals I'll be able to eat challah, raisin scones, or a fresh from the oven soft pretzel. In the mean time I'll eat within the parameters of "my diet" and enjoy how good my body feels.

I'm a big believer in not being too restrictive with your diet. I'm really strict in my daily life, but if I go to a party or a picnic, I'll eat a brownie and have a beer. I had the same exact fear that you're having when I first decided to go Paleo. Just this past weekend I drank beer and had some things I wouldn't normally eat. It doesn't make me violently ill but it brings back the brain fog and the lethargy. This is different with everyone! Trust me, you'll feel so great that you won't WANT to cheat ever, and if you do and it happens to make you very sick, it'll be even more motivation to stay away from the bad stuff. Good luck and welcome to the club!

I'm so glad I found this page. I've been doing the paleo diet for two and half weeks and I've been really good with it. But tonight, I had a piece of cake for my friend's birthday. Before I even finished the small slice, I felt sick. I felt like I had just eaten a bowl of sugar, and within half an hour, I had diarrhea. Now I just feel weak, and plain yucky! Now I know why a lot of paleo dieters say that you really won't cheat much once you realize how sick the bad foods make you feel.

I have not experienced any gluten issues and have been eating paleo pretty consistently for about 6 months or so (yes, sometimes I cheat). I've used this "beginner's" guide to paleo that has some yummy recipes if you are interested: http://www.thepaleopath.com/