Gluten-Free Support

yes_i_can
yes_i_can Posts: 419
in Health and Weight Loss
My recurring mystery issues were finally attributed to gluten intolerance!! I finally have a diagnosis that finally seems to be right!!! I've been dealing with rashes and swelling and numbness, etc., etc., for years, trying different treatments along the way until it's finally been solved through gluten-free eating. Great news, right???

Well, yes, but I just now cleaned out my cupboards and realized how tough this might be on a day-to-day basis.

Who knew chicken stock contained wheat gluten? And I was about to make the yummiest, healthiest dish I know for my work lunches this week, which includes broth!! Onto my hubby's gluten-tolerant shelf it goes.

How about butternut squash soup? That too goes onto my hubby's shelf.

Corn bread mix? Corn flour is safe, so I should be good, right? Nope, that too contains wheat gluten.

Given that I get together with girlfriends weekly at various restaurants, try to bring a variety of food to my home, etc., I'm realizing how hard this is going to be!!

Who else is going through this that can provide support? Please add me! (And maybe tell me you lost weight once you were diagnosed and went gluten free?? Please??)

Replies

  • stagingfirstplace
    stagingfirstplace Posts: 49 Member
    i am gluten free by dietary choice so feel free to add.
    i have experience in finding foods without gluten!
    :) plus i try to be a motivating and encouraging friend!
  • tawanda6329
    tawanda6329 Posts: 139 Member
    I'm gluten free and I have found a replacement for almost everything I use to eat. It took about a month for me to figure it all out. I still eat out at restaurants. I just do my research before I go to see what I can & can't have. You have to more than you may have in the past but it's not the end of the world.
  • mumtoonegirl
    mumtoonegirl Posts: 586 Member
    I am celiac and have been gluten free for over a year. Feel free to add me for support.

    As for gluten free stock, you can get gluten free organic chicken stock at Costco (at least in Canada you can) you can get it by the case. That is how I buy it.

    It is a HARD adjustment because it is in everything, you will love google so much right now and the celiac support groups on line for support.

    It has been an insane learning curve for me, luckily a good friend of mine is severe celiac (worst I have ever heard, if she breaths it, touches it she is sick, I am thankfully only sick by ingestion). She has been such a support.

    But this will change your life, once you learn it has been the best thing that ever happened to me, it made me change everything about how I ate and I would not change it for anything.
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    It's fairly easy to cook GF, but you generally have to cook more "from scratch" (or pay a premium for GF equivalents). I eat a lot of rice cakes and corn tortillas instead of bread because I've not found a GF bread I'm especially happy with. Plain frozen veg are generally GF, packets with sauce you need to read the ingredient label VERY carefully.
  • LaurenCatherineFoley
    LaurenCatherineFoley Posts: 4
    I have gone gluten free under medical supervision due to many, many tummy issues. I've been GF for 3 weeks. Hoping to cure my tummy and health troubles. Felt immediate improvement in issues. But think I was glutened yesterday, by accident, and today's been awful. Also, it's the first time in over a year I've lost any weight even though I was basically eating the same calories and exercising a lot but nada. GF diet and I've lost over 5 pounds in 3 weeks! But much more than that I feel in control of my health which is something very special.

    I love cooking, daydreaming, travelling, painting, writing and laughing.

    Please feel free to add me ... new friends always welcome.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Join this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/129-gluten-free
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    A lot of processed (anthing in a package, even some yogurts and dairy) has the pontential to be a place to fine gluten (some products need stablizers to help with mouthfell/texture).

    I am gluten intolerant (have really baf nausea, vomiting, indigestion, and cramping, and malabsorbption issues ... all in all NOT FUN, nor healthy ... )

    I pretty much stay away from anything in a package (well, with more than one ingredient, I mean chicken comes in a "package" ...) ... with the exception of dairy, though I do read the ingredients of all of thos products ... I also have an ey disorder called Stargardt's for which added vitamin A palmitate is an issue and needs to be avoided, so it's even more important for me to read dairy labels since it tends to be added to most mainstream commercial dairy products.

    My diary is open if you'd like to get a feel fo what I eat. Not that it's the same most days; I buy in bulk (BJ's, case discounts at Whole Foods, etc.) to save money, so I end up eating the samething until I finish it. Plus, it just makes it easier .. don't really have to think about it.
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
    Feel free to add me if you're active on MFP. I cook gluten-free for my child.
  • tawanda6329
    tawanda6329 Posts: 139 Member
    How do I join this group?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/129-gluten-free
  • doubleduofa
    doubleduofa Posts: 284 Member
    Looking at paleo eating blogs/recipes has helped me the most. I stick with meat, fruit and veggies mostly - lots of roasted vegetables at my house. Lots of eggs. Lots of nuts.

    Yes you will have to make you own stuff more. I would not rely on store-bought items at all. I try to make 3-4 servings of 2 dishes on Sunday for the week. I boil 5-6 eggs, cut up some cheese, and buy fruit and veggies to snack on. I have made my own trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit) and eat trio bars (nuts, seeds, dried fruit). Kind bars are a good option, but I have to watch for peanuts as well.

    There is gluten free chicken broth - I find mine at Trader Joes or Sprouts

    I try to make meals that don't use bread, but have a recipe for an almond flour bread that turned out great. It was good with tuna, or toasted with cinnamon sugar.

    I will use brown rice noodles for pasta dishes if I need to, but try to stay away from it if I can. Trick is to make sure you cook them al dente. I think they are really good.

    Lots of cool things can be done baking wise with nut butters. I have used cashew butter, honey, a few chips, vanilla, baking soda and an egg to make pretty darn good blondies - chewy too! The sunflower butter in the recipe actually rose and was cake-like. I liked that and am going to experiment with it.
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
    Here are some good resources:

    http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/
    http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com
    http://slimpalate.com/
    http://www.elanaspantry.com/
    http://www.againstallgrain.com/
    http://nomnompaleo.com/
    http://paleomg.com/
    http://comfybelly.com/

    My wife is allergic to gluten (immediate response within 2-3 minutes of ANY gluten passing her lips) and our son appears to be sensitive to it as well. I feel better off of it so we stay gluten free daily.

    The biggest thing is to READ everything on nutrition labels. Wheat is in so many things where it really has no business it'll make your head hurt and you'll start saying "Why in the *$@& is there WHEAT in this ICE CREAM!?" or something similar on an almost daily basis.

    Eating out can be a minefield. You have to ask a LOT of questions and don't take anything at face value:

    1. French fries should be safe (Oops they are fried in the same oil as our breaded onion rings)
    2. This meat should be safe (Oops, turns out it is dredged in flour or cooked with other items that have wheat)
    3. Ice cream should be ok (Oops, this brand uses wheat as a thickener....)

    Etc., etc., etc.

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