Gluten free diet tips

[Mermaid02]

Trying an experiment and going gluten free for a week, If anyone has any tips, websites, recipes I would appreciate it!

 

[1stluvispooh]

Is there a reason that you are going gluten free? I only ask because it would take you more than a week to truly get all the gluten out of your diet. Unfortunately gluten is in everything. I'm not kidding it's in lip gloss, salad dressing, ketchup, make-up, soap. Thee are several websites with recipes, just google. Honestly I don't have 1 go to site but then again DD also has to be casein free so...

 

[Mermaid02]

Is there a reason that you are going gluten free? I only ask because it would take you more than a week to truly get all the gluten out of your diet. Unfortunately gluten is in everything. I'm not kidding it's in lip gloss, salad dressing, ketchup, make-up, soap. Thee are several websites with recipes, just google. Honestly I don't have 1 go to site but then again DD also has to be casein free so...

I read something about lots of folks being sensitive, not having celiac but having a sensitivity and there being health benefits. I had a gluten free day yesterday- but it was hard!

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, as a previous poster noted gluten is in a TON of things that you wouldn't even think of. For about 5 months our family went gluten free because we thought my dd had celiac. She tested positive, then 5 months later they re-tested her due to several false positives and found out she didn't. It is VERY HARD to go 100% free of it if you do not have to for medical reasons.

Now, we did LIMIT our amount of gluten, because the dr. still told us that she has a 'gluten sensitivity' which means that she can have small amounts of it, but still be healthy. That is much easier to do! AND, it still has many health benifits for a persons body.

We were told "if you DO NOT have celiac, a persons body craves and NEEDS a small amount of items that contain gluten each day (SMALL AMOUNT)..." If you go 100% off gluten, your body won't be happy because it's always craving it. With celiac your body doesn't 'crave' it as much because it knows that it's harmful for you.

There is an article on oprah's website that I just read a few days ago...

http://www.oprah.com/health/Gluten-Free-Is-It-for-Me-Daphne-Oz/3


Do not get me wrong. I do believe that people with gluten sensitivity should GREATLY LIMIT their gluten intake- but I still believe (and Dr.s will tell you) that a sensitivity does not mean that you cut it out of your diet 100%.

For several months after we found out about my Daughters 'sensitivity' to gluten, we played around with her diet UNDER A DR.S CARE!!!! for 2 months we'd cut it WAYYYYY back, just offering her things like ketchup or some type of dip...no other items containing gluten. She was craby, upset and wasn't herself for those 2 months!!! It was horrible!!! Then, after 2 months we added 2-3 servings a week (but no more than one in a day) of an item that contained gluten (1 serving is equal to: 1 slice of bread, or 1 serving of pasta, 1 serving of crackers, 1 serving size of WHAT EVER...just as long as it's an actual SERVING SIZE and not what you think is an actual serving size!!!)

She was much better those 2nd two months. More cheerful and not mean!!! So, the Dr. decided that we'd add 2 servings to each week, that's when she started having problems again- so we went back to no more than 3 in a week. We've been doing it ever since and it's been great! Plus, a small amount of ketchup, some type of dip, CERTAIN medicines that contain gluten aren't counted in her servings a week- because there's such a minimal amount in those items- but it would still affect a person with celiac because they cannot have ANYTHING with gluten (back to being NEXT to impossible and unneccessary for people who don't have celiac).

I've gone to three 'gluten free- gluten reduced diet' classes and if a person does not have celiac or a bad gluten insensitivity, NO ONE recommends going 100% gluten free. It's not neccessary.

Everyone has too much gluten in their diets- people these days fill up on breads (It's my weekness!!!!), pastas, snacks and crackers, cakes and all that stuff contains gluten. Everyone could benifit from cutting a little gluten out of their diets.

 

[mykidsand_i]

Trying an experiment and going gluten free for a week, If anyone has any tips, websites, recipes I would appreciate it!

A week wouldn't do anything as far as a change in your 'gluten consumption'...it takes longer than that to get the gluten out of your body. If you want to do a 'true test' it's more like a month-two months. AND, please don't go gluten free unless you're under the care of a Dr. because if you do it, then go see a Dr. for some reason, his/her results will be all messed up because you've already changed your diet. I'd suggest cutting the levels of gluten DOWN, NOT OUT!

 

[Kathi OD]

Trying an experiment and going gluten free for a week, If anyone has any tips, websites, recipes I would appreciate it!

If you've been eating gluten regularly, like most people, it can take up to 6 months for your body to totally rid itself of gluten. Generally, people who go gluten-free for health reasons need a couple of weeks before they begin to notice a difference (this varies individually), so I wouldn't expect you to see or feel much of a change in a week.

Websites that may help you are celiac.com and celiac.org. Also check out americanceliac.org and the Kogan Celiac Center at Saint Barnabas Hospital.

Kraft is one company that is great in labeling their products. It lists the sources of their ingredients, so that if, say the vinegar in ketchup came from a gluten-producing grain, that grain is listed on the label (it will say something like, vinegar from wheat). Betty Crocker has just started a line of gluten-free cakes. I haven't tried them yet, as I'm trying to stay away from sweets. Check out company websites. Many of them will list their foods that are gluten-free. Also, if you live near Wegman's, they label their products very well. If it's gluten free it says so on the label. There is a symbol for it.

There is the Gluten-Free Pantry; an online store for everything gluten-free. Allrecipes has several gluten-free recipes on their site, as does laaloosh.com.

I've been gluten-free for close to 20 years now. While difficult, especially in the beginning, it's not as hard as people will lead you to believe. The biggest change will be staying away from processed foods. You will need to read the labels of absolutely everything that comes out of a box, can, bag, or bottle, including lunch meats and medicines (the medication is the hardest part). Choosing to eat healthier, meaning more fresh foods makes the change much easier.

FWIW, I've never heard that your body needs gluten in any amount in order to be healthy. Unfortunately, I'm at work and can't read the article linked by the PP, as the site is blocked, but will when I get some time tonight.

 

[mykidsand_i]

FWIW, I've never heard that your body needs gluten in any amount in order to be healthy. Unfortunately, I'm at work and can't read the article linked by the PP, as the site is blocked, but will when I get some time tonight.

The info. on people needing at least a little gluten is not from that article, it's from the 3 different classes I took at the hospital to learn how to make my daughters life better...it's in all the print outs I've gotten from dr.s as well.

AND, it's not that it "NEEDS it to be healthy" it's that it NEEDS certain items that you crave. For example: It's better to eat a little bread/pasta/cake here and there (IF YOU DON'T have to 100% get rid of it- if you're told by a DOCTOR) than to completely restrict it from your body, crave it and cave in once everyother week or so and go crazy eating as much as you can of it...Then, after you've caved in and eatten a bunch, your body feels sick because you've WAYYYYY over done it. That is common of ALL things that you try to 100% get rid of in a diet...

think of going on a diet- trying to loose weight. If you make yourself ONLY eat low fat, healthy foods after eating anything you've wanted for years...your body craves things...so you cave in and eat thousands of calories all at once and blow your diet.

If there is no need to go from eating all the gluten you've wanted to ABSOLUTELY NONE at all, then when you get ABSOLUTELY none at all, your body really misses and craves it- you're more likely to "give in" a day here and there and wreck all the work you've done. BECAUSE unlike eating fatty foods that leave your system in a few days, GLUTEN DOESN'T leave your body for WEEKS (sometimes a month or longer)...

So, our gastroenterologist has told us to "limit, NOT OMITT gluten from our diets"...people 'fall back' because they 100% omitt it and it is something that people take months to 'get back into'.

 

[Topper]

For those who may not know, PF Changs has 20+ gluten-free items on their menu.

 

[Kathi OD]

The info. on people needing at least a little gluten is not from that article, it's from the 3 different classes I took at the hospital to learn how to make my daughters life better...it's in all the print outs I've gotten from dr.s as well.

AND, it's not that it "NEEDS it to be healthy" it's that it NEEDS certain items that you crave. For example: It's better to eat a little bread/pasta/cake here and there (IF YOU DON'T have to 100% get rid of it- if you're told by a DOCTOR) than to completely restrict it from your body, crave it and cave in once everyother week or so and go crazy eating as much as you can of it...Then, after you've caved in and eatten a bunch, your body feels sick because you've WAYYYYY over done it. That is common of ALL things that you try to 100% get rid of in a diet...

think of going on a diet- trying to loose weight. If you make yourself ONLY eat low fat, healthy foods after eating anything you've wanted for years...your body craves things...so you cave in and eat thousands of calories all at once and blow your diet.

If there is no need to go from eating all the gluten you've wanted to ABSOLUTELY NONE at all, then when you get ABSOLUTELY none at all, your body really misses and craves it- you're more likely to "give in" a day here and there and wreck all the work you've done. BECAUSE unlike eating fatty foods that leave your system in a few days, GLUTEN DOESN'T leave your body for WEEKS (sometimes a month or longer)...

So, our gastroenterologist has told us to "limit, NOT OMITT gluten from our diets"...people 'fall back' because they 100% omitt it and it is something that people take months to 'get back into'.

gotcha. makes total sense. thanks for the explanation.

 

[SpecialK]

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

Came across this website by accident. It's all gluten-free crockpot recipes and the ones I've tried have been good.

 

[Buckalew11]

My DD's best friend has been eating gluten free for a little over a month. I think it is tough. Her sister does have celiacs and it may just take her life. She is really in bad shape.

Good luck with following this. Gluten seems to be everywhere!

 

[frndshpcptn]

I'm Gluten-Free and have been so since August 2009.

I was a HUGE bread / pasta / pastry person before going gluten free. I had a bagel for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and pasta mixed with stuff for dinner many days.

It was not to give up AT ALL, once I realized how much better I felt when removing it from my diet. I tested negative for Celiac about 12 years ago - but today's testing may have me test positive - never re-tested, though, so not sure. I am definitely intolorant to it - as I had stomache aches for 20+ years before going gluten free and since removing gluten from my diet have been almost symptom free!

I eat more fresh food / veggies and honestly - don't crave gluten filled foods at all. There are some decent pasta substitutes (I don't eat gluten free breads - it's just not worth it for me).

I think what made it easier for me to transition was to cut out all gluten foods from the start and really re-learn how to eat. No substituing gluten-free items for regular items at the beginning. I've SLOWLY started incorporating some of those into my diet now (I LOVE Lucy's cookies) - but i think trying them straigh away would have made me miss Chips Ahoy too much.

There's a blogger in San Diego that was an awesome blog for finding gluten free foods a the supermarket - many food you already eat are "safe" and tehre are great ideas for others than can be totally satifying.

Now I walk past the bagel place and think "ewww - that's gross" instead of "Yum, I want an everything with cream cheese."

I feel SO much better all the time. More energy, less sluggish, etc. Plus, I lost about 15 pounds so far!!

Good luck and I'm happy to answer any specific questions you have as you explore this journey. the one thing I will agree with PPs - it's take more than a week for the gluten to leave your system - so if you are going to do this, try to commit for at least two weeks.

 

[eeyore65]

My MIL has celiac disease and as a frequent cook for her my suggestions are:

- use NOTHING processed (no bbq sauce or sauces of any kind, dressings, etc) most have modifed food starch and you can't know if it has gluten or not.
- learn to make your own sauces, dressings and gravys. My big trick is to use roasted onions and veggies that I puree to make a delicious gravy like substance when she really wants that type of food - Thanksgiving!
- don't try and find gluten free substitutes for most things. They just taste bad. It is better to just make a recipe with no gluten in it. For example, desserts - I make flan, ice cream, creme brulee and a delicious flourless cake. If I try and make a real cake or brownies - blech!
- try some gluten free foods like bread and cookies - you may find a few you will like.

And lastly - if you are going on vacation go to Disney. They are amazing with Celiac's and gluten free choices. Most restaurants are really bad at helping and frankly don't get how serious an issue this is. So MIL usually orders plain meat, potato and veg when we go out. It is too hard otherwise.