Celiac unable to go completely GF
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Ghomerzgirl
Posts: 67 Member
I have had CD for nearly 9 years, however only known for about 3. My complication we have figured out is only chronic diarrhea. When I first was diagnosed I resented it and didn't care about the symptoms. Then I went completely GF for about 6 months until I was unable to work anymore due to other health problems. Once I lost that income and am now on disability and food stamps for me and my 2 children (once of which is MSPI, allergic to tomatoes, and any citrus fruits.) Since then I have not been able to go completely gluten free because I simply cannot afford it. i try to do foods that are naturally GF...meats, fruits, veggies, and nuts for instance. It's very frustrating because that is the reason that I am severely underweight. I'm 5ft and barely maintaining 96 pounds. I actually have been 79lbs and struggled to get where I am now. I have no pain with my symptoms but it interrupts my sleep having to use the restroom so many times during the night. Is there anyone else with CD who is also unable to go completely GF for various reasons? If so how do you deal with it when it comes to you wanting to lose/gain weight?
Jenn
Jenn
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Replies
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I don't know about the not completely gluten free, but you might be able to get more naturally GF calories if you replace some of the meat in your diet/budget with dried lentils and dried beans that can be cooked up into very tasty dishes.0
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You poor thing. I think that you need to go completely gluten free What foods are you eating that are not gluten free? I would be happy to help you find gluten free substitutes that are not more expensive, and I'm sure that other people will have suggestions too.0
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Pasta's are my downfall. I do buy the Pasta Joy brown rice shells and will use them when cooking a hamburger helper style meal from scratch. One of the other issues is with my youngest son and his allergies, I buy foods that he can eat before worrying about mine, since his reactions are more severe than mine are. Then my oldest son is such a picky eater and it's part of his oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) and his COD so have to make another separate meal for him. Meal times in our house are my worst nightmare and I dread them. I do occasionally use dried beans in my meals, though beans and lentils are not something I particularly like. Does anyone have a good recipe for homemade bread? Either to bake in the oven or use with a bread machine?
Jenn0 -
Gluten free pasta is really good! I get brown rice pasta at a great price at Trader Joe's. I don't know what the selection and prices are like where you live. Is there anything stopping you from only using gluten free pasta?
I've had much better luck with quick breads, like cornbread, than yeast bread, but maybe someone else will have a good recipe.
You need to be gluten free so you can live a long healthy life. I know that you're concerned about your son's allergies, but celiac disease is no picnic either. It leads to severe consequences too, even if they're delayed. So you need foods that are gluten free, citrus free, and tomato free. Anything else?0 -
GlutenFreeGoddess is a great site in general, and this post in particular has some ideas for saving money while eating gluten free.
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/03/cooking-gluten-free-on-budget-brown.html0 -
You need to find a way. I totally understand about the budget. But did you know that Celiacs increase their rates of GI cancers, Lyphomas by over 70% if they have Celiac Disease and continue to eat gluten? People that are just gluten senstive do not have this risk. There are more health risks then just that for people with Celiac Disease. I have to fix my kids and daycare kids breakfast, but I'll write back with a list of some budget friendly ideas. We are a family of 6 on 1 income, and have MANY food allergies. And we were on welfare for a period of time, and still made it work. Hugs momma. Between us on the group we'll help you get there so you ARE gluten free, which will help your kids too.0
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Okay, Nevermind. my kids are still sleeping. Okay here it goes.Sorry this will be long, and I will be rambling, cause it's 5/6am in the morning and I'm only partly thru my 1st cup of coffee. lol. Check out the follow blogs, they are awesome!!! glutenfreeonashoestring.com, crockpot365.blogspot.com, pennypinchingepicure.com/2011/05/30-days-to-easy-gluten
I love the first two, I use her sandwhich bread recipe, We are also gluten free, due to I having a confirmed case of Celiac Disease, my oldest and youngest are also gluten free, but no confirmed Celiac, we suspect the 3rd child of having issues with gluten, my mother is also gluten free. So yep...that's 3 generations of family members. My doctor says that he suspects it's all Celiac...even though my mom hasn't been able to get a postive confirmation on it. To add to that, 3 of my children and I can't have dairy, my oldest and youngest are allergic to eggs (even though oldest can tolerate them in baked goods), youngest is allergic to peanuts, AND my 3rd child can NOT have anything with HFCS...unless you want him to become a demon child. Lord have mercy is that child MEAN when he gets HFCS!!! We also follow the Feingold diet due to a suspect of ADHD with my 3rd child, he goes for testing later this month to confirm it. Which I'm not surprised because I also have ADHD. Did I mention we only have 1 income? lol. I just started watching a family of 2 kids, but they are financially straped as it is, so I'm watching the kids for about $50.00 less then what I should be....not sure how that will work this summer.
What allergies does your youngest have? Did you know that picky eaters...tend to have food sensitivities? I was that picky eater as a child, and I've been gluten free for only 5yrears and I'm 35. Anyways...do you have a Trader Joe's near you? Like with in a 3hr drive near you? Totally serious about the driving part. We are 2.5hrs away from the nearest one, and are gonna try to make the beduget work for us to go 1x a month. We use a lot of the Trader Joe's gluten free stuff. Their gluten free pasta is cheaper then anywhere by far!!! Also our local Walmart has a small gluten free section...normall I avoid Walmart...but when it comes to food and feeding a family of 6 we go there to get stuff that we know is the cheapest there to get. We also order thru Azure Standard (www.azurestandard.com) items in bulk...but they are an online bulk ordering company, and don't take food stamps....I don't think. But keep them in mind, for in the future. We also use Sam's Club for regular groceries and things that are naturally gluten free (but like everything price compare shop), they will take food stamps...and I believe Costco does too. (How I wish we had a Costco's) Also check out your local grocery stores for gluten and food allergy related items. Talk to the managers about ordering stuff for you....most will if it means your business. Are you amember of your local food co-op? Check them out, because sometimes when they are having sales they are the place to get it, they have deals for members and etc. Oh and mambo sprouts is an natural/organic foods coupon website. SIGN UP!!!! :-) They don't always have tons of deals for GF items...but it helps a ton!!!
Also coupon for your regular food items, AND household items. That difference you save you can add to your food budget...is what we we do, we also hit the farmer's markets...closer to the end of the day...when they are willing to make more of a sale/deal instead of taking their items home. Sometimes if they are NEW to the gluten free world, offer to be their test subject, and they'll give you stuff for free for you to taste. It helps them, helps you.
If we can't have pasta, then we use rice, corn, potatoes or Qunioa as are starch. You don't HAVE to have pasta...especially if you can't get them on sale and it's full price. Also check out paleo websites. Those stay away from ALL grains, and are naturally gluten and dairy free meals. If you don't have bread to use that's gluten free, then use corn tortillas. They are naturally gluten free. I eat a lot of wraps, quesadillas (sp). Be ware the world of lunch meats...not all are created equal...some do have gluten, so only buy the ones that are gluten free (Sam's Club carries a brand that is), Chex cereal has 5 gluten free options, and usually there is a coupon in the sunday paper/internet out every month. Chicken...but only use brands that are gluten free..it should say it uses water. If it's a broth, stay away 90% positive that it will have gluten. SPAM is gluten free, not the healthiest, BUT it's budget friendly. We use that alot and it's even apporved on the Feingold diet. Eggs if you can handle eggs, are of course naturally gluten free, high in calcium, protien. I eat them every morning due to my RH....but I have to brush my teeth and hands afterwards, so if my youngest kisses me, then he doesn't get sick. Nuts are naturally gluten free...make your own granolas or trail mix. UNJUNK candy is naturally gluten free, they have M&M's that are yummy. Buy the gluten free al,purposes that have Xanthum gum already added to it...saves you time and money. :-) We use Hodgeson's Millls...or we order in bulk on line. We use Earth balance butter because it's gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Be weary of spices...most mixed seasonings have gluten in it. So use single seasons and make up your own season mixes. We make our own chili, taco and etc. Beans are great!! But stay away from Chili beans ina can...gluten city there. Heinz makes a gluten free baked beans. My kids LOVE my cowboy stew...hamburger and baked beans and seasoning. Again not the healthiest...BUT budget friendly. I have a ton of other recipes/books I use. But I've rambled enough. It can be done on food stamps...trust me.0 -
I feel for you, but I'm trying to understand why you can't go completely gluten free. If you're primarily eating fruit/veg/meat/dairy . . . so you can't have the breads and other processed gf foods . . . if you want starches eat potatoes, rice, corn, peas. Dryed beans are an inexpensive bulk food item, lentils, etc. As far as other allergies without knowing the allergies it's difficult to give advice, but with my son we just don't have those foods in the house (kiwi, melon, soy). I also can't help with food pickiness as my son will eat anything I put infront of him. Pretty much you build the base of the meal and throw whatever else can be consumed on the plate with it. (here's the chicken, my son and I eat the veg & rice/potato/etc, my husband might get a dinner roll as well).0
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I am celiac, I am also on a budget. Your health MUST come first. Potatoes, rice, legumes, eggs, veggies, fruits - they can all be brought cheaply, and if you prepare them well they are VERY filling.
For a cheap, hugely filling meal try this:
Brown rice
Red beans (half a can)
Chopped onion cooked in half tbsp of olive oil.
This meal is so cheap, so filling and so nutritious, it is one of my staples.0 -
Even if beans aren't your favorite food, you might like them added to things like chicken stew, with some gluten free sausage thrown in. It's a high protein way to make meat go further.0
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My youngest son Cory (age 7) is MSPI, allergic to tomatoes and anything citrus (lemon, lime, orange, anything highly acidic) his body can't process it and he literally pees pure acid when he has them causing acid burn blisters on his privates. Currently he is 3'7" and 37 pounds. He has had 2 open heart surgeries, a stent placed in his heart, his esophagus wrapped around his stomach, a mic-key feeding tube (he gets supplemented formula: Neocate, to help maintain his weight) he is missing a vertebrae in his lower back which caused muscular deficiencies around his urinary tract and can't control the starting and stopping of urine so drips constantly so he is still in diapers. He also has microcephaly, Though with all of his conditions he is one of the happiest most active child I have ever known. Oh he is also ADHD. He is the one in the blue shirt in my profile picture.
My oldest Wesley "Lee" (age 9) is ADHD, Bi-Polar, OCD *I just realized I put COD earlier...lol*, and ODD. A lot of his issues stem from a severely abusive relationship with their biological donor jerk (8 yrs). He has been tested for food allergies and sensitivities and has none. His pickyness comes from the ODD and OCD. For instance, I buy the naked nuggets from Costco and he eats them fine, but refuses to eat boneless skinless chicken breast cooked in the same fashion. He refuses to eat any form of condiment and no sauces or gravies of any kind. He has gone as far as going 3 days without eating bc I didn't make food he wanted or liked. He is 4' 2" and 67 pounds (he and I actually share shirts now!)
I have dealt with health problems all my life. Some include Type 1 Diabetes, Gastreoperisis, Renal Failure, enlarged liver, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, diabetic retenopathy, macular edema and macular non profusion. I have been severely underweight like Cory all of my life. Another issue that I have with some things is that when I was 26 (30 now) I had to have all of my teeth removed. It was a hereditary issue, both my father and brother had dentures at a young age too. Its very difficult for me to eat harder foods even with the dentures.
I live in Omaha NE so we do have a Trader Joes and a Whole Foods. The grocery store i usually go to (Hy-Vee) has a really good health market as well. I do coupon as much as I can and use the fuel saver program there as well. With my low income and my fiance only working for $4 an hour basically (child support takes half of his paycheck because he is behind on his payments) our food budget for the month is only $400 for 4 people. Depending on how I can work the fuel saver program I can get an extra $30-$40 that I normally would be putting in for gas.
I am not a fan of our Trader Joes. It is poorly managed, the people working there are rude, and half the time it looks like a tornado went through the store and just is dirty. I have put in complaints several times with nothing being done about them. Whole foods is rather expensive, so its usually Walmart or HyVee that I use. One of my favorite meals that I make is what my fiance and I call "Rice Crap" Rice, Cali Veggies, Honey Smoked Turkey, Eggs, and cashews with sesame oil.
Thanks so much for all the websites I will look into them later today when my kids go with my mom for the afternoon.
Jenn0 -
The Trader Joe's gluten free brown rice bread is the best GF bread I've tried, and a good buy compared to any other gluten free bread that I've seen. Stock up on their gluten free pasta - where I live it's literally 1/3 the cost of other options, and at least as good. If you eat oatmeal, TJ's also has gluten free oatmeal at the best price I've seen, and that is important because oatmeal is usually cross contaminated unless it is specifically "gluten free." Pasta and oatmeal have a long shelf life, so you don't have to do the extra driving very often. You may not like the store, but all of these foods are packaged elsewhere, so you don't need to worry about the dirt. The money you save, while improving your health, will be worth it.
Is there counseling for your older son? What about for you - it's hard enough to be a caregiver even without your own health problems. At least your oldest will eat something that is easy. Does he like potatoes? They're inexpensive, nutritious, readily available, versatile and gluten free.0 -
I agree, even if the store looks like a tornado when threw it, I'd still go there, to stock up on their GF pasta, and other gluten free foods.
With Child Support, since he owes arrears, you are stuck with them taking 50% of his pay AND tax returns till arrears are paid off. Once they arrears are paid off, they can NO longer take tax returns, and can only take 30% of his paycheck for child support.0 -
Is there counseling for your older son? What about for you - it's hard enough to be a caregiver even without your own health problems. At least your oldest will eat something that is easy. Does he like potatoes? They're inexpensive, nutritious, readily available, versatile and gluten free.
Yes the three of us are all in counseling, and it's gotten better since I have been with my fiance. He has been my best friend since High School. We actually dated in High School but broke up bc his parents thought I was too young for him to be with, I'm 3 years younger. He is really supportive of me and my health problems and is doing an amazing job stepping up and being a real father to my kids. No, he doesn't like potatoes. Not even french fries! I will go and see what the GF pasta and bread is like at trader joes, maybe send my mom there for me bc just how rude they are there just makes me mad.
Jenn0 -
What are your dietary restrictions with diabetes? That might be tricky when carbs are the cheapest, most filling food. Are you monitoring your blood glucose?0
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250g of carbs per day and little to no sugar. I'm working on getting an insulin pump because my sugars are very uncontrolled with my gastreoperisis (my stomach takes longer to digest foods sometimes taking 12 or more hours) so the insulin that I take may start working before any of my food is digested. The amount of insulin that I take is based on the amount of carbs I eat at my meal. For every 8 grams of carbs I eat, i take one unit at breakfast and supper and then 1 unit for every 12 g at lunch. So for instance lunch just now I had 51g of carb so took 4 units of insulin. (I use a prefilled pen so have to round either up or down to the whole unit). That's the main reason I joined MFP, to help track my carb intake better and able to print out my food intake for the dr and insurance for getting the pump.
Jenn0 -
250 grams of carbs isn't too bad actually. That should make things easier, especially if you're eating protein and fat with your carbs. I hope that you get your insulin pump.0
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Thanks. I was on one before when I was pregnant with Lee, and I did great on it, but it was only a loaner pump and insurance denied to let me keep it. The didn't allow me to get a loaner even with Cory which is why he has so many medical problems and his heart condition because my sugars continued to stay really high. I was even on three times the amount of insulin someone my weight should be on. I think having all the information from MFP will really help towards getting it.
Jenn0 -
Let's talk about what Lee does eat. If you can list some of his acceptable foods and meals, then we can start to build menu options that will work for the rest of you around him. If he doesn't like sauces and condiments, that's not a big problem, because you can give him his food before it is "dressed".0
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Don't forget too, you are able to receive tax deductions for expenses associated with gluten-free foods and products (I believe under medical deductions.) So save your receipts!! (and you'll need an official written celiac diagnosis from your doctor.)
https://www.celiac.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=2070
