Wheat Free & Dairy Free Beginner

ShrinkingLauren88

I'm getting some tests done in the next couple weeks to test for food allergies.
I'm in contact with a doctor in California who has helped many of my relatives. She told me that i can start cutting out wheat and dairy and caffeine because those are the ones that usually come back as food sensitivities. (my cousins and aunt also react to eggs and certain spices, etc. We'll see what my results are in a few weeks)
Since i'm just starting out, I need some help/ideas/recommendations on good substitutes, especially for dairy products. I'm already drinking almond milk instead of cows milk and i love it! also, been doing almond butter instead of peanut butter. But yea, no wheat and no dairy to start off with. help!

caribougal

Coconut milk. Coconut oil or avocado oil instead of butter. I've eliminated all grains, beans, most legumes, and processed food from my diet. I do eat cheese and butter at times. Feel free to view my airy for ideas.

Lots of good gluten-free blogs out there.

momtokgo

I'm getting some tests done in the next couple weeks to test for food allergies.
I'm in contact with a doctor in California who has helped many of my relatives. She told me that i can start cutting out wheat and dairy and caffeine because those are the ones that usually come back as food sensitivities. (my cousins and aunt also react to eggs and certain spices, etc. We'll see what my results are in a few weeks)
Since i'm just starting out, I need some help/ideas/recommendations on good substitutes, especially for dairy products. I'm already drinking almond milk instead of cows milk and i love it! also, been doing almond butter instead of peanut butter. But yea, no wheat and no dairy to start off with. help!

Check out glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com. She has some great recipes.

Its a hard thing to do but it can be done, and read all your lables. Wheat is in everything. Soy sauce, teriyaki, some ice creams, candies, pasta sauces, canned soup, pringles, gravy....lots of places to hide. Same with dairy. its in things you would never think of. Like flavored rice cakes.

ShrinkingLauren88

oh wow rice cakes?! i definitely did not know that. And yes i know starting out it will be difficult but i think i'll get used to it. My two cousins and aunt have had this test done by this dr. and ever since, they've all felt so much healthier, migraines, aches and pains, etc all stopped, and of course they lost weight too! (i'm excited for that part!) It's crazy to think how the two things we gravitate to most of all (wheat and dairy) are in SO many things that you wouldn't even think! I'm just hoping it doesnt come back that i'm sensitive to eggs, too (my cousin is)...cuz that would just rule out another yummy thing i can't eat!

oh, thanks for the blog link!

ShrinkingLauren88

oh! and also, guys, what are some 'staple' groceries hat are necessary to buy when you're wheat/dairy free? like everyday items that come in handy? also, has anyone found a good cheese substitute? my cousin said she has yet to find one that tastes decent. I might just have to let that one go altogether.

ahmommy

I don't have any experience being wheat free, but I've done the dairy free diet twice because both of my daughters have been dairy intolerant, although my older daughter outgrew it and I'm hoping my younger will too.

Check out www.godairyfree.org. It has a great list of restaurants and what they have that's dairy free. Many restaurants these days publish a list of the top 8 allergens and what's safe to eat on their menu. There's a book you can buy in print or electronic format that has a ton of information on going dairy free.

You'll get really good at reading labels. To cut dairy, the biggest ones you'll see are whey and casein, those are the two main dairy proteins. Of course you also have to look for ingredients like cheese, cream, butter, etc.

I like almond milk much better than coconut milk. I like the taste of coconut but it was overpowering in the milk, and it wasn't even fully coconut milk. So Delicious makes coconut ice cream that's really good if you need a treat. I also saw almond milk ice cream at Earth Fare but never tried it.

I never found a good cheese substitute. I've heard daiya cheese is decent when melted, but I could never find it to try it.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. It seems really daunting at first, but it's not so bad once you get the hang of it.

ahmommy

One other thing, a large percentage of people who are sensitive to dairy are also sensitive to soy. My younger daughter is, although my older one wasn't. So be aware that soy could also bother you if dairy is part of the problem.

impyimpyaj

It's my understanding that if you have a wheat allergy, it won't show up on the test if you haven't eaten wheat recently. I would check again with your doctor about that one.

filming_ghosts

I'm not sure about wheat free, but for dairy replacements I would highlyyyy recommend almond milk and So Delicious products (I'm assuming they're wheat free...they use coconut for all of their products). I use the So Delicious French Vanilla creamer in my coffee, and I don't miss dairy creamers at all. They also have really good dairy-free yogurt and ice cream. They're a bit expensive, so I only buy them on occasion (I normally just stick to vegan foods that don't require dairy replacements), but they're totally worth it. For cheese, Daiya's pretty good if used in small amounts. Follow Your Heart also has really good mozzarella (they have a few other varieties too, I just haven't tried them yet)! Even eating it raw I couldn't taste much of a difference, whereas Daiya you have to melt it for it to be good.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

mnstrpc

I've had to cut dairy, not because of an allergy, but because I'm pretty lactose intolerant. So for me it's not the casein that's a problem and IF I take a lactaid, I can eat a smallish amount of dairy (ice cream, cheese) at a time. I can also use lactose-free milk.

Having said that, before I had some pretty uncomfortable issues last fall, I didn't realize I was lactose intolerant, and I was a pretty big dairy eater. Love ice cream. Love milk and cereal. LOVE cheese.

What I have found over the last 9-10 months of mostly removing dairy from my diet is . . . 1) the substitutes aren't that great and 2) I don't miss it as much as I thought I would, once I got used to the idea. And granted, since my issue is lactose and not a true dairy allergy, I can pop my pill and indulge sometimes, and I do, probably once a week or so. I try to save it for dairy that I REALLY love though, like pizza or ice cream, vs. just slapping a piece of cheese on a sandwich, because even with the lactaid there appears to be a limit for me on just how much I can tolerate. And the more I stay away from dairy altogether, the better I feel. I have tried almond milk and think it's OK at least for cereal, but I probably wouldn't drink it alone (has a bit of an aftertaste to me).

One thing to note though is to make sure you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D when you are not eating dairy. If you're not already doing so, you may need a supplement. And going gluten-free at the same time would be tough!

Good luck and I hope you get to the root of your issues and get some relief!

ShrinkingLauren88

@impyimpyaj-
the test that i'm getting done is pretty specific. after they draw the blood, etc they introduce hundreds of different things to it to see what reacts and what doesn't. I don't think it tests the levels that are actually in my body etc. which is why she said it was okay to start before i have the tests done.

Eve23

Avocado is amazing as a creamy substitute Rice noodles are good if you are a pasta person. I am occassionally.

Once in awhile I do like to have Udi's bread for a sandwich. Not often though. Depending on how sensitive you are many lunch meats have gluten or dairy in them so be aware of them. I have found wwwfoodfacts.com helpful as far as finding products I can use. The first few weeks can be rough but it can be done.

You will be surprised how things can change in a few weeks. I am dairy free, gluten free, soy free, coconut free, and there are some other things as well.