Gluten free meal plans? Gluten Intolerance?

NicoleMGetsFit

Hey there... for as long as I can remember I've always been exhausted, struggled with depression and with stomach problems. Having been on and off antidepressants, anxiety medication and being tested for anemia and diabetes I still get a whole host of health issues.
For a long time I blamed my depression, then my bad eating habits, and then my implant (especially for the random periods) but now that I have been eating better (lost 20lb doing so- (although I don't have the best diary this week!) and have been happily off my antidepressants for over 6 months I am still getting seriously exhausted and a range of digestive/ stomach issues...
It was suggested to me today that I might be gluten intolerant and having looked up the symptoms I've finally found something that I can look at and say THAT IS ME!
I'm going to call the doctors in the morning, but I'm sure that they will tell me to cut it out of my diet and see how it goes...
So, now I need help. I have a vague idea of what I can and can't eat, but could do with help planning meals before I go shopping as I have absolutely no experience of this. Also, if anyone else has problems with gluten please share your thoughts/ experiences...

allshebe

Read labels - on EVERYTHING! Obvious things to avoid are anything that says wheat, barley or rye. Sneakier things are like "malt" and sometimes "modified food starch". Also just because something doesn't have wheat as an ingredient, if it's made in a facility that uses wheat in other things, it could be cross-contaminated, so there is a certain amount of trial and error.

Generally safe: corn, rice, quinoa, "some" oatmeal (some people can eat it, some can't) plain meat and fish (no sauce or gravy unless you know the ingredients/make it yourself), plain vegetables (again, no sauces without carefully noting the ingredients), nuts, nut butter, nut flour/meal

Obviously bad: Wheat or rye or barley bread/cake/cookies/flour tortillas, non gluten free pasta, gravy made with wheat flour

Sneaky bad: most beer (made with barley malt), malted milk balls, "licorice" type candy (licorice, red vines, etc), soy sauce (unless labeled GF)

GF products are generally safe, but often twice the price or more of "regular" flour based products. There are a lot of things that are naturally GF, and I find it easiest to base my diet on those things

Try avoiding gluten for at least a month to 6 weeks, I've read it can take that long to clear, and sometimes you need time to heal before you feel better.

imageaddict

I found out in January that I'm gluten intolerant. I read everything I could get my hands on, and learned that (at least in the beginning), those who are gluten intolerant often also have issues with dairy and other foods. I opted to see a Functional Medicine doctor (find one in your area at functionalmedicine.org) to help guide me...he put me on an allergen elimination diet for 3 months, and prescribed supplements to boost my vitamin levels, immunity, and to help promote detox. (He also recommended yoga, gentle aerobic exercise, meditation, and chiropractic).

With the elimination diet, you avoid foods that are the most common allergens to allow your body to heal, and then begin testing one at a time to see whether it elicits a reaction. I'm finally ready to begin the testing phase, but honestly, there are certain foods that I've discovered I'm perfectly happy doing without.

Best wishes to you on your GF journey!

lauraleighsm

My niece has Celiac, and I would recommend going to a naturopathic doctor, which will probably run you around $100 for a session. However, WELL worth it! They will guide you in your diet and also help with natural supplements. Mine recommended GF and dairy free for my son.

Anyway, gluten is in SO many things from spices to dressings and shampoos! It's crazy!

Good luck!

rlbs

There are a lot of good web resources, here are some I have found helpful:

http://glutenfreeeasily.com/ (good section on getting started)
http://www.livingwithout.com/
http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreegirl.com/
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
http://www.gluten.net/
http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/

If gluten is your problem, you will be amazed at how much better you feel when you cut it out. However, you should talk to a doctor first, for certain tests for celiac disease, you must still be eating gluten for the tests to be effective. I was so sick that I quit eating gluten immediately (couldn't get in to see the doctor for three weeks), and so I could not have some of the tests. You can be gluten intolerant without having celiac disease--a pretty good article discussing the issues is at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704893604576200393522456636.html?KEYWORDS=gluten+free

I have been gluten free for three years, and it has resolved all my stomach/digestive issues, vertigo, hives, and "brain fog"; and I have tons of energy. It is certainly worth looking into celiac and food intolerances with either a naturopath or a doctor who specializes in food intolerance--I had to find one after two gastroenterologists told me that my uncontrollable vomiting and debilitating stomach pain was "just stress" and "IBS."

castelluzzo99

Just looking at your diary (3 days), it seems that you could easily change just a few things. Try gluten-free bread or tortillas instead of wheat bread. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are naturally gluten free. Embrace quinoa--it's the new rice nowadays, though rice is good too (but quinoa is higher in protein). http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com has a ton of delicious and easy recipes for just about everything (from main dishes to desserts). If GF bread gets expensive, you can try making your own. I found some really good recipes on Etsy (let me know if you are up to baking yourself; I'm not going to take time to hunt up the recipes if you aren't interested) for gluten-free bread. Or you can experiment with waffles instead of bread. We were out of bread, so I made my husband egg and cheese sandwiches with waffles I thawed out from the freezer. They had a little mayo, ketchup, cheese, fried egg, and sprouts, and the waffles hold up better than other most gf breads. If you are okay with oats (or gluten-free oats), oats make the best waffles (mixed with other GF flours--I use sorghum and teff and/or cornmeal, and I also add soaked, blended lentils for extra protein). Costco has the best price on gluten-free oats I've seen anywhere.

Also, many stores now have labels on the shelves to indicate GF foods. Learn to recognize and watch for them. And good luck!

kyylieeeeee

I have been gluten free for three years, and it has resolved all my stomach/digestive issues, vertigo, hives, and "brain fog"; and I have tons of energy. It is certainly worth looking into celiac and food intolerances with either a naturopath or a doctor who specializes in food intolerance--I had to find one after two gastroenterologists told me that my uncontrollable vomiting and debilitating stomach pain was "just stress" and "IBS."

I could've written the same thing. It took years for me to figure this out (because I was having these problems before "gluten free" became a 'thing'), and it was through no help of any doctor. Once I self-diagnosed (because professional diagnoses were not helpful) and stopped eating gluten, all these symptoms cleared up for me within a month as well!
I had a particularly bad weekend this weekend-- I drank a few pints of beer, and had a Scotch egg (which has breadcrumbs on it)-- and boy, am I feeling like crap today!
Good luck :]