Gluten Free Girls (and Guys!)

Anyone care to share what a "typical" day looks like for them as far as meals go?

I'm trying to re-lose the weight I lost over the summer, but now I'm having to do it gluten-free. Of course, a lot of the GF substitute foods are high in calories, so I try not too eat too much of that- try to stick to more naturally gluten-free foods that normal people eat, too! :laugh:

I eat a lot of foods that I like, and I actually don't really mind eating pretty much the same stuff each day, but it'd be nice to hear what you guys are eating!

I could use some recipes too especially breakfast. I can only eat so many eggs a week......

I eat chex for breakfast every day, there are 5 different kinds of gluten free ones, so I will use mostly rice chex, and top it with one of the flavored ones. Simple, low cal, and I don't have to think about what I'm going to have for breakfast today, lol.

As far as the headache, my guess would be stress of trying to go gluten free. I don't think there are normally symptoms of suddenly NOT having gluten in your diet, although there CAN be some bodily upsets from suddenly introducing a lot of something as a substitute. For example, if you are suddenly eating a bunch of corn flour stuff to replace your wheat flour stuff, you may have a reaction to all the corn, so you'll want to go slowly when bringing all those new grains into your life. I've had psychological withdrawal, like, getting sad when I pass the bakery in the grocery store. I should mention that I think it may happen if you have psychological symptoms from eating gluten, example, autism, gluten acts as a drug in the gluten sensitive autistic, and they are actually addicted to it, as it gives them the same kind of feel good rush that heroin would give someone. So if gluten causes a brain issue for you normally (ADHD, OCD, autisms) then I think it could be reasonable to assume that you are going to have some headaches, maybe jitters, and bad cravings, but one would hope that won't last very long. Anything is possible, and I'm in no way a health professional, but those are the things that I have picked up from the internet about it. Hope that helps.

Can't believe this post has been up since December and I missed it!

I've been gluten free (diagnosed with Celiac Disease) for 9 years now. Wow, that seems like a long time. I had the same gut issues...it just started one day then didn't stop. Luckily I was diagnosed within 6 months (blood test then small intestine biopsy) and have been gluten free ever since. It took me a long time to get over the feeling of deprivation, but now, like others, enjoy being able to say no to unhealthy fast food and treats at work. However, I wasn't completely better after the gluten free diet and finally, last fall, I was also diagnosed with Crohn's. I'm not on Remicade and have not felt this good in years! I actually don't have a problem eating healthily at home (relatively) as my husband and I both cook and have two kids to feed as well. Sometimes, there's extra pots and pans for pasta, but oh well. Traveling is always a challenge...I've learning planning and research beforehand are necessary and message boards like this are full of good information.

Thanks for the posts everyone! It's nice to talk to people that can relate.

Kelynn, Have you tried sprouted wheat breads? Do some internet "research" on sprouted grains...I got a few books and came across Essential Eating books and have found that my daughter can eat sprouted wheat breads with no issues. The grain aren't processed the same way as refined wheat so that is the difference. I don't know if you can or not, but it might be worth a try if you are looking for bread. It actually tastes like bread and looks like bread. Not some hardened rock that is supposedly bread.
Anyways, my three year old daughter is undiagnosed but we took her off wheat and dairy because she kept getting ear infection after ear infection among other things for the first 18 months of her life. Like sleeping 5 hours a day. Total killer. Now she has minimal wheat and dairy and does so much better. No moaning in the middle of the night for hours, no sickness, no emotional changes.


I've also found that amaranth flour works quite well to make your own bread. Try looking up recipes for No Knead bread for super super easy to bake recipes. I'm talking mix ingredients, let sit and plop into a hot pot to bake. That's it.


Also for others on this post.. Trader Joes has a decent supply of other grain tortilla shells (rice, spelt, etc) if you have a store near you. And gluten free macaroni and cheese which we were SO Excited About for our daughter. And its only $1.99 a box which as you know is cheap for GF foods. And they carry sprouted grain bread which is the most reasonable prices I've found as well for around $3.50 each.

Hey everyone!

I'm a celiac, and found out March 2009. Since then it has been a horrid battle to figure things out....in Canada we don't have as many options as the US (and you can't order food to cross the border). the grocers are getting better though - and starting to stock better food.

Since finding out I've taken to cooking at home every day, and our version of 'ordering in' is picking up a rotisserie chicken from our local grocery mart.

Hello!

Perhaps one of you could take a look at his thread I started and give me some ideas??

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/78970-6-hour-work-out-marathon-on-saturday-help

This is really interesting because if you look at the back of many GF foods many of them say they are imported from Ontario. I don't know what area you live in, but I was all excited to be traveling to Ontario this spring on business and picking up stuff to ship back to Oregon!

Besides the wraps that Nicole mentioned (that I can't find near me), what the heck can I use to have peanut butter and jelly or a turkey sandwhich? I use rice cakes for tuna or egg salad, but they're too think to put peanut butter and jelly on. What do you guys use?

I use Glutino Corn Bread...doesn't fall apart so I don't need to keep it frozen unless I get a few loafs at a time. I usually just pop what I need in the microwave for a few seconds to make it a bit softer. I get it at Hannaford's and at Mrs Green's

bump

Thanks for all the bread ideas. Whats funny is before I decided to go gluten free, I hadn't touched a piece of bread for weeks. The day I started was the day I was craving a sandwich.... Why does that always happen?

Thanks everyone for all the posts, you are making my life easier to figure out this lifestyle. I haven't noticed any changes in how I'm feeling, but I'm going to give my body more time to adapt and see if gluten is really my problem....

Some good gf breads (and toasting is pretty much essential - found toastabags from el peto recently letting me actually use the toaster at work):
O'Doughs (and the flax buns) - best I've had so far
El Peto Supreme Italian or Fibre
El Peto Cheese Bread
Kinnickinnick Sunflower flax is okay (toasted with some honey)
Glutino breads aren't too bad either

Pamela's bread machine mix works pretty well

Whats everyone doing to "keep things moving". Are you adding a daily laxative or metamuccil daily? I dont eat the breads or pastas really and I cant get enough veggies in. Now on South Beach and its really a problem...Any thoughts?

Nice to see all this info that I missed in the past. My 3 year old daughter tested positive for celiak last week and we have an apt with a specialist next week. She has had stomach issues since she has been having food. As happy as I am that we think we have found the reasons for her problems, I am also scared for what is ahead of us. She loves pizza, pbj's, pasta and bread in general. It will be a whole different game. I'm scared and my wife and I have cried for her the last few days. It is very hard when she wants to go to bed without a diaper, but we have her wear one because of the blowouts. They want us to keep her on a normal diet until she sees the specialist, sure is hard to give my daughter something that we know is upsetting her. Anyways, I am glad I saw this post it is nice to see how others are dealing with it. I am also going to be tested. I was told I have IBS when I was in High school, but think my problems may be from this.

Nice to see all this info that I missed in the past. My 3 year old daughter tested positive for celiak last week and we have an apt with a specialist next week. She has had stomach issues since she has been having food. As happy as I am that we think we have found the reasons for her problems, I am also scared for what is ahead of us. She loves pizza, pbj's, pasta and bread in general. It will be a whole different game. I'm scared and my wife and I have cried for her the last few days. It is very hard when she wants to go to bed without a diaper, but we have her wear one because of the blowouts. They want us to keep her on a normal diet until she sees the specialist, sure is hard to give my daughter something that we know is upsetting her. Anyways, I am glad I saw this post it is nice to see how others are dealing with it. I am also going to be tested. I was told I have IBS when I was in High school, but think my problems may be from this.

Billy- when we first decided to take our daughter off of wheat and dairy we both freaked out and felt totally overwhelmed. We drove over an hour away to Portland and hit up Whole Foods because we had heard they had a lot of gluten free foods. People were right. It was the best place to go for us when we first started out as you could just walk down the aisles and easily find GF foods. Yes, WF is expensive-er than most stores, but I strongly encourage you to take a stroll through or 3 Carrots or any of the other larger organic stores and see what you can find. You will feel so much better about it. Truly you will.

Personally we prefer the pasta made from corn. The rice pasta is okay, but the corn just tastes better to us. There are pizza dough options, frozen and mixes you can make yourself. Newman's Own makes GF/Dairy free "oreo" cookies that you cannot tell the difference on...and "fig newtons." Really there are options. Like I said, when you first go looking, go to a store that is known to have many GF options if only to just put your mind at ease about it.

And feel free to email me if you have any questions about foods. I've been experimenting with baking with sprouted wheat (some people who are celiacs can eat it) and with amaranth flour.

Nice to see all this info that I missed in the past. My 3 year old daughter tested positive for celiak last week and we have an apt with a specialist next week. She has had stomach issues since she has been having food. As happy as I am that we think we have found the reasons for her problems, I am also scared for what is ahead of us. She loves pizza, pbj's, pasta and bread in general. It will be a whole different game. I'm scared and my wife and I have cried for her the last few days. It is very hard when she wants to go to bed without a diaper, but we have her wear one because of the blowouts. They want us to keep her on a normal diet until she sees the specialist, sure is hard to give my daughter something that we know is upsetting her. Anyways, I am glad I saw this post it is nice to see how others are dealing with it. I am also going to be tested. I was told I have IBS when I was in High school, but think my problems may be from this.

They are keeping on gluten so the tests will be accurate. I'm assuming she had a blood test that allowed her diagnosis. I'm not sure how the specialist will treat a 3 year old, but typically they confirm the diagnosis with a small intestine biopsy (via a gastroscopy - sounds scarier than it is). If she isn't eating gluten, there may not be any damage evident to confirm the diagnosis.

Don't worry though...it really isn't as sad as you think. There are more and more good products on the market everyday. She will not even know the difference. The pastas are pretty good (Schar is the best brand I've found - fairly new) and she will likely learn to like toasted pbj's over plain bread As she gets older and goes to birthday parties, etc, you can send her own cupcake while the other kids have their regular cake, etc. When we have my birthday cake at home, usually everyone has a piece of my gluten free one. No complaints.

The changes you will see in her will make the sadness you feel disappear! (I remember the "blow outs"...)