I hope you enjoyed your holiday and are looking forward to the new year. I know I enjoyed Christmas, spending time with family and eating tons of GF goodies. This year I was in charge of Christmas dinner, and I made just about everything from scratch so I could partake in the food festivities. I made five different batches of cookies, using Better Batter; pumpkin pie from scratch, using Better Batter for the crust; a chocolate cake and frosting from scratch, with Better Batter again; and GF stuffing, using Ener-G brown rice bread. Not to mention the traditional ham and turkey as the meat dishes. Along with GF gravy. And Christmas dinner wouldn't be complete without mashed potatoes, only I laced my potatoes with cauliflower to give it a healthier twist. **Recipes to follow at a later date.** For the first time in awhile, I was stuffed at a holiday meal.
I made certain there was absolutely no foods containing gluten because I did not want to worry about cross contamination. Cross contamination is when something with gluten touches a gluten-free product. This can easily happen at a dinner table when there are two types of bread are on the table: wheat bread and GF bread. Wheat bread can contaminate GF bread in a number of ways. One, the wheat bread touches the GF bread. Another, someone who touched wheat bread then hands you a plate or a piece of GF bread. And lastly, if someone butters their wheat bread, puts the knife back into the butter container, and you butter your GF bread with the same knife and butter. If a GF food is contaminated, it is no longer considered GF and it is no longer safe for you to eat either.
The easiest way to rectify this situation is to only have GF foods on your table. But that is not a situation I normally experience. If there is only one butter on the table, and my host has been gracious enough to buy me my own rolls, I will butter my rolls first (only if the butter is new). I will also ask the host if I can serve myself first, so I don't have to worry about the utensils in the other dishes accidentally touching any wheat foods and then contaminating the GF foods - such as the meat and vegetables. Sounds crazy? It is, but it's the only way I can guarantee not getting ill. But what, it gets even more ridiculous sounding.
If you are living by yourself, you don't ever have to worry about cross contamination occurring in your own home. All you have to do is throw out, well, everything in your refrigerator that may have touched wheat products and starting over. You will also have to throw out your old toaster oven and wooden cooking utensils, and buy new ones. The same actions needs to be taken if you choose to completely ban wheat items in your home when you are sharing the food pantry with other people - this may only work if you have your own family and your spouse is on board with the decision. This is also the cheapest route to go, too.
However, that is not the case with me. I share a home with my husband and my son, who
both still eat wheat products. So now I have to buy two of everything - food related - that everyone uses - butter, jelly, peanut butter, etc. I have to label my foods with a "Gluten Free" sticker so my family knows to either not use that particular item or to be extremely careful not to contaminate my GF food. Instead of buying another toaster, keeping the old one for my family's bread use, I just preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit to toast my GF bread and waffles. I'm constantly washing my hands when I'm handling my family's wheat products, so I don't accidentally contaminate my GF food or get myself by ingesting wheat crumbs. Basically, you have to treat having Celiac's disease like a nut allergy. Good luck and please let me know if you have any questions.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
I Have Gluten Intolerance, Now What?
When I first found out that I was gluten intolerant, I have to admit I went on a little emotional roller-coaster. On one hand I was so relieved to finally figure out what was wrong with me. I was so happy that I could eat whatever I wanted - as long as it was on the list of foods allowed in my new diet - and not get sick from it. However, my list wasn't very long on foods that I was allowed to eat (you'll see later in this blog that this isn't really the case; however, I was used to eating a typical American diet which is a heavily breaded diet), which made me panic. I have to live like this for the rest of my life? I can't even tolerate just a little gluten without having some type of reaction. What am I going to eat? I'm never going to be able to eat out again! How in the world do I get my family and friends to understand my new diet restrictions? They're going to think that this is just a new phase I'm going through.
Here's a back story as to why I thought my family, especially, was going to think that I was going through a new diet phase. I tend to go back and forth on being a vegetarian. I mostly went on this diet due to my severe stomach issues. And yes, while eliminating meat from my diet did help, I found that it did not clear up all of my issues. Especially now that I look back on what I was eating, it consisted of gluten ingredients - a majority of feux meat is made with wheat. Another reason I went on a vegetarian diet is because heart issues are prevalent in my genetics. And lastly, and this is where I play tug of war, I'm not entirely convinced it is alright to eat meat. But this blog isn't about whether or not you should eat meat or my struggles with this issue.
Back to the story at hand. Here is what I thought I would never be able to eat again:
* Bread
* Pretzels
* Pizza
* Cake
* Cookies
* Cupcakes
* Gravy
* Chicken nuggets
* Cereal
* Hamburgers
* Ice cream - plain flavors (strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate) are usually alright to eat, it's the flavors that have other items added to it that are typically not alright to eat (ie, cookies and cream). Just read the ingredients for wheat, rye, and barley (malt); and call the company if you are not 100% sure it's GF
* Some spices and spice mixes - yes, a lot of chilli mixes do include wheat
* Basically anything made with wheat, barley, and rye - which in my culture is everything
Although I knew I could find substitutes for certain foods, I didn't know exactly where to find them. Let alone, if I would even like them. But thankfully, there are a lot of stores out around where I live that sell gluten free products: Walmart, Meijer, and Target all sell gluten free products. If you live in the Aurora/Naperville area, you can also go to Woodman's, Trader Joe's, and Fruitful Yield. You can go to any natural food store and find GF products.
On a side note: I recommend going to Trader Joe's to find gluten-free products because they tend to have the cheapest prices on gluten-free items. I have found I can buy GF waffles, macaroni & cheese, and pasta for approximately $2 a box/bag. Plus, their pastas are made with brown rice, instead of white rice. This is the equivalence to eating whole wheat bread/pasta to white bread/pasta. Not to mention, their GF products are very tasty, too. However, Trader Joe's does not have a wide selection of GF mixes. The only thing I could find was a GF brownie mix.
The down side to eating GF substitutes is that it is quite expensive. If you're buying groceries on a budget, like most people are these days, you're going to see that you can't always indulge in GF oreos, breads, pastas, etc. The question I get asked the most is, "What can you eat?" "How do you get your grains in?" This last question makes me giggle a little, and soon you'll learn why.
Here is a list of foods I can eat, without going to the store to buy any GF substitutes:
* Meat - in the natural form; sausages, pepperoni, and hot dogs are a little iffy because of what the manufacturers put into the products for casings. Ingredients like tapioca flour and corn starch are green lights to buy the product; as long as you don't see wheat flour, rye flour, and/or malt (barley) in the list of ingredients. However, modified corn starch is a yellow light, due to the fact that most companies do not list what they used to modify the corn starch. Hamburgers are also iffy, because most people add bread crumbs to the meat.
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Beans
* Nuts/seeds
* Grains:
- Corn
- Millet
- Rice
- Quinoa
- GF oats (I'll get into this issue at a later time)
I am allowed to eat a lot of different types of food on a gluten-free diet. As this list indicates, I do get my whole grains in. Some are just different grains that many people don't know exist - I'll get into how to prepare and cook these grains at a later date.
Being gluten intolerant has made me much more aware of what I'm putting into my body. I find that it is easier to eat more naturally, and my body runs more efficiently, too. Plus, after awhile of eating more naturally, my body doesn't really crave things like bread and cookies. I try to eat naturally the majority of the time; however, I'm not perfect, and I do have my moments where I eat a lot of GF substitutes. Like now, since it's Christmas time and I'm surrounded by homemade GF goodies! :-)
Here's a back story as to why I thought my family, especially, was going to think that I was going through a new diet phase. I tend to go back and forth on being a vegetarian. I mostly went on this diet due to my severe stomach issues. And yes, while eliminating meat from my diet did help, I found that it did not clear up all of my issues. Especially now that I look back on what I was eating, it consisted of gluten ingredients - a majority of feux meat is made with wheat. Another reason I went on a vegetarian diet is because heart issues are prevalent in my genetics. And lastly, and this is where I play tug of war, I'm not entirely convinced it is alright to eat meat. But this blog isn't about whether or not you should eat meat or my struggles with this issue.
Back to the story at hand. Here is what I thought I would never be able to eat again:
* Bread
* Pretzels
* Pizza
* Cake
* Cookies
* Cupcakes
* Gravy
* Chicken nuggets
* Cereal
* Hamburgers
* Ice cream - plain flavors (strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate) are usually alright to eat, it's the flavors that have other items added to it that are typically not alright to eat (ie, cookies and cream). Just read the ingredients for wheat, rye, and barley (malt); and call the company if you are not 100% sure it's GF
* Some spices and spice mixes - yes, a lot of chilli mixes do include wheat
* Basically anything made with wheat, barley, and rye - which in my culture is everything
Although I knew I could find substitutes for certain foods, I didn't know exactly where to find them. Let alone, if I would even like them. But thankfully, there are a lot of stores out around where I live that sell gluten free products: Walmart, Meijer, and Target all sell gluten free products. If you live in the Aurora/Naperville area, you can also go to Woodman's, Trader Joe's, and Fruitful Yield. You can go to any natural food store and find GF products.
On a side note: I recommend going to Trader Joe's to find gluten-free products because they tend to have the cheapest prices on gluten-free items. I have found I can buy GF waffles, macaroni & cheese, and pasta for approximately $2 a box/bag. Plus, their pastas are made with brown rice, instead of white rice. This is the equivalence to eating whole wheat bread/pasta to white bread/pasta. Not to mention, their GF products are very tasty, too. However, Trader Joe's does not have a wide selection of GF mixes. The only thing I could find was a GF brownie mix.
The down side to eating GF substitutes is that it is quite expensive. If you're buying groceries on a budget, like most people are these days, you're going to see that you can't always indulge in GF oreos, breads, pastas, etc. The question I get asked the most is, "What can you eat?" "How do you get your grains in?" This last question makes me giggle a little, and soon you'll learn why.
Here is a list of foods I can eat, without going to the store to buy any GF substitutes:
* Meat - in the natural form; sausages, pepperoni, and hot dogs are a little iffy because of what the manufacturers put into the products for casings. Ingredients like tapioca flour and corn starch are green lights to buy the product; as long as you don't see wheat flour, rye flour, and/or malt (barley) in the list of ingredients. However, modified corn starch is a yellow light, due to the fact that most companies do not list what they used to modify the corn starch. Hamburgers are also iffy, because most people add bread crumbs to the meat.
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Beans
* Nuts/seeds
* Grains:
- Corn
- Millet
- Rice
- Quinoa
- GF oats (I'll get into this issue at a later time)
I am allowed to eat a lot of different types of food on a gluten-free diet. As this list indicates, I do get my whole grains in. Some are just different grains that many people don't know exist - I'll get into how to prepare and cook these grains at a later date.
Being gluten intolerant has made me much more aware of what I'm putting into my body. I find that it is easier to eat more naturally, and my body runs more efficiently, too. Plus, after awhile of eating more naturally, my body doesn't really crave things like bread and cookies. I try to eat naturally the majority of the time; however, I'm not perfect, and I do have my moments where I eat a lot of GF substitutes. Like now, since it's Christmas time and I'm surrounded by homemade GF goodies! :-)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Do I have Gluten Intolerance?
If you read yesterday's blog, you might be wondering if you, too, are gluten intolerant. If your symptoms are similar to mine, then there's a good chance you might be gluten intolerant. It's hard to pinpoint what the exact symptoms are for gluten intolerance, since the symptoms range from weight gain/weight loss to depression. If you visit this web site, it'll give you a detailed list of gluten-intolerant symptoms. Many of my symptoms mirrored my IBS/lactose intolerance symptoms.
Well, there are two ways of finding out for sure that you have gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease. The first is to go see your doctor and see if he/she can run a test to determine whether or not you have Celiac Disease. Your doctor may recommend you go to a gastrointestinal specialist to get the testing done. The other way to find out if you are gluten intolerant is if you eliminate all gluten from your diet for one month, and then reintroduce gluten to your diet again after the month is over. If your symptoms ease during your time from abstaining from gluten, and then symptoms reappear from ingesting gluten again, chances are you have gluten intolerance. I have heard of people who have gotten a test done by a doctor, and the results have come back negative from having Celiac Disease, who still abstain from gluten because they feel healthier.
So why didn't I get the testing done after I got insurance again? Because I have eliminated gluten from my diet for so long, that a simple blood test would come back negative for Celiac Disease. I would most likely have to get a biopsy done in order to determine whether or not I have this condition. In order to have the blood testing done, I would have to start eating items with gluten in it again. Since I get sicker than a dog when I do eat glutenous items, I do not want to risk my health for a test I don't feel I need. I know I have gluten intolerance. I know I cannot eat even a little crumb of regular bread without getting sick, I have tested this with communion bread. I know when I've accidentally eaten something with gluten in it, because my stomach and sinuses tell me I have. For me, the test is unnecessary. However, you shouldn't feel uneasy about wanting a definite answer from a doctor. Had I had insurance at the time, I probably would have gotten tested myself.
If you live in the Chicago area, the University of Chicago does offer free Celiac testing.
Well, there are two ways of finding out for sure that you have gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease. The first is to go see your doctor and see if he/she can run a test to determine whether or not you have Celiac Disease. Your doctor may recommend you go to a gastrointestinal specialist to get the testing done. The other way to find out if you are gluten intolerant is if you eliminate all gluten from your diet for one month, and then reintroduce gluten to your diet again after the month is over. If your symptoms ease during your time from abstaining from gluten, and then symptoms reappear from ingesting gluten again, chances are you have gluten intolerance. I have heard of people who have gotten a test done by a doctor, and the results have come back negative from having Celiac Disease, who still abstain from gluten because they feel healthier.
So why didn't I get the testing done after I got insurance again? Because I have eliminated gluten from my diet for so long, that a simple blood test would come back negative for Celiac Disease. I would most likely have to get a biopsy done in order to determine whether or not I have this condition. In order to have the blood testing done, I would have to start eating items with gluten in it again. Since I get sicker than a dog when I do eat glutenous items, I do not want to risk my health for a test I don't feel I need. I know I have gluten intolerance. I know I cannot eat even a little crumb of regular bread without getting sick, I have tested this with communion bread. I know when I've accidentally eaten something with gluten in it, because my stomach and sinuses tell me I have. For me, the test is unnecessary. However, you shouldn't feel uneasy about wanting a definite answer from a doctor. Had I had insurance at the time, I probably would have gotten tested myself.
If you live in the Chicago area, the University of Chicago does offer free Celiac testing.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Gluten free, really?
This month marks my one-year anniversary of being gluten free. A year ago I was suffering severe heart burn, acid reflux, severe stomach pain, and nausea. This indigestion lasted for months. Nothing worked - antacids, anti-reflux medication, nothing. For awhile there I thought I was pregnant, so many of the symptom fits. However, every pregnancy test came out negative. By this point I hated eating, because everything I ate hurt. I knew something had to change before I gave up on food.
When I was about fifteen, I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrom). I had to learn then to cut back on my dairy intake, which is a problem since ice cream is my biggest weakness. :-) Some lactose intolerant people can handle yogurts and cheeses, not this lady. I felt like everything was off limits to me, but I would eventually succumb to my cravings and eat a piece of pizza and/or a bowl of ice cream and pay the severe price later. I'll spare you the details since they're pretty gross. Unfortunately, people around me at that time were not spared the reactions to my lactose intolerance/IBS. To all of you, I am extremely sorry.
Well, fast forward about 11 years to my non-stop stomach issues. None of my old IBS remedies were working. At the time we did not have health insurance, so going to a doctor was out of the picture. So I did what any normal person would do, I Googled my symptoms. All signs pointed to gluten intolerance. I'm going to point out that my sister years ago had mentioned to me that she thought I had a sensitivity to gluten. I thought she was crazy, because I didn't want to restrict my diet any more than it already was at the time. Who knew my sister was actually right? If you're reading this Sis, you're a genius. Thank you for putting that thought in my head.
After Google had "diagnosed" me with gluten intolerance, I decided to give it a try. At this point I was desperate. So I did a crash course on what I wasn't allowed in my diet, and eliminated wheat, rye, and barley. I also stayed away from oats until about a few months ago. Sounded easy enough, until I realized everything I ate had some form of these ingredients in it. Great! Now what am I going to eat? Thankfully, I was able to substitute my wheat-friendly foods with non-gluten items. I am even more grateful that I live in an area where I have multiple stores that I can shop at to find these items, but more on that later.
I have to admit, I was quite skeptical that this new "diet" was going to relieve my stomach ailments. But after two weeks or so, all of my symptoms cleared up. What was amazing, even more of my symptoms cleared up that I had no idea where related to me eating gluten. My head suddenly cleared up. I no longer felt foggy. My allergies had gotten better. I was only taking allergy medications seasonally, instead of around two-three different allergy pills a day. I was able to sleep better. And my bowel movements came with ease, instead of pushing and straining to get anything out.
I wouldn't be me if I didn't test the gluten waters from time to time to see if I've been cured of gluten intolerance. Usually me eating bread or a piece of regular cheese cake resulted in severe stomach cramps, hives, respiratory issues, and a sinus infection. My bowels look differently, too. I will go into poops in a later post, too. I always feel sluggish after eating something with gluten in it, too. And my sleep is affected if I eat large amounts of gluten. Maybe I should reread this paragraph every time I'm tempted to eat a piece of regular cake or bread again. ;-)
All in all, I feel like a different person now that I'm living a gluten-free lifestyle. It's not been an easy road, and I'm sure that my journey is still going to have a few more bumps in the road. However, I feel it's necessary to share my story. I have a lot of people asking what made me decide to go gluten-free, which I'm hoping I answered in this post. And also, what do I eat? I know it sounds like a life of non-delicious, non-decadent food; but you'd be amazed just how amazing the "substitutes" really taste.
When I was about fifteen, I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrom). I had to learn then to cut back on my dairy intake, which is a problem since ice cream is my biggest weakness. :-) Some lactose intolerant people can handle yogurts and cheeses, not this lady. I felt like everything was off limits to me, but I would eventually succumb to my cravings and eat a piece of pizza and/or a bowl of ice cream and pay the severe price later. I'll spare you the details since they're pretty gross. Unfortunately, people around me at that time were not spared the reactions to my lactose intolerance/IBS. To all of you, I am extremely sorry.
Well, fast forward about 11 years to my non-stop stomach issues. None of my old IBS remedies were working. At the time we did not have health insurance, so going to a doctor was out of the picture. So I did what any normal person would do, I Googled my symptoms. All signs pointed to gluten intolerance. I'm going to point out that my sister years ago had mentioned to me that she thought I had a sensitivity to gluten. I thought she was crazy, because I didn't want to restrict my diet any more than it already was at the time. Who knew my sister was actually right? If you're reading this Sis, you're a genius. Thank you for putting that thought in my head.
After Google had "diagnosed" me with gluten intolerance, I decided to give it a try. At this point I was desperate. So I did a crash course on what I wasn't allowed in my diet, and eliminated wheat, rye, and barley. I also stayed away from oats until about a few months ago. Sounded easy enough, until I realized everything I ate had some form of these ingredients in it. Great! Now what am I going to eat? Thankfully, I was able to substitute my wheat-friendly foods with non-gluten items. I am even more grateful that I live in an area where I have multiple stores that I can shop at to find these items, but more on that later.
I have to admit, I was quite skeptical that this new "diet" was going to relieve my stomach ailments. But after two weeks or so, all of my symptoms cleared up. What was amazing, even more of my symptoms cleared up that I had no idea where related to me eating gluten. My head suddenly cleared up. I no longer felt foggy. My allergies had gotten better. I was only taking allergy medications seasonally, instead of around two-three different allergy pills a day. I was able to sleep better. And my bowel movements came with ease, instead of pushing and straining to get anything out.
I wouldn't be me if I didn't test the gluten waters from time to time to see if I've been cured of gluten intolerance. Usually me eating bread or a piece of regular cheese cake resulted in severe stomach cramps, hives, respiratory issues, and a sinus infection. My bowels look differently, too. I will go into poops in a later post, too. I always feel sluggish after eating something with gluten in it, too. And my sleep is affected if I eat large amounts of gluten. Maybe I should reread this paragraph every time I'm tempted to eat a piece of regular cake or bread again. ;-)
All in all, I feel like a different person now that I'm living a gluten-free lifestyle. It's not been an easy road, and I'm sure that my journey is still going to have a few more bumps in the road. However, I feel it's necessary to share my story. I have a lot of people asking what made me decide to go gluten-free, which I'm hoping I answered in this post. And also, what do I eat? I know it sounds like a life of non-delicious, non-decadent food; but you'd be amazed just how amazing the "substitutes" really taste.
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