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Back and ready to get serious
JanLeb
Posts: 297 Member
Hi everyone,
I have been away from MFP for awhile. I just couldn't get motivated to do what I know I need to do to get healthy.
I had cut out gluten for short time in December and was amazed at how much better I felt. My Dr. decided to send me for tests and told me to go back to eating gluten, so I did and I was right back to where I started. I felt bloated, stomach pains, headaches fatigue and on and on, so I decided I would take a break until I was feeling like I could concentrate on getting healthy again.
I went for the tests first thing yesterday morning, and have not had gluten since Wednesday night. This morning was the first day in about 9 days that I woke up and didn't have a pounding headache. I won't have the results back for a week or so, but I am going GF now as I know it makes me feel so much better.
I know this is going to be a hard lifestyle change, but it is someting that I feel is a must and very important to me, so I can do it!! I am finding it a bit overwhelming to think I won't be able to eat some of my favorite foods anymore. So I have been doing lots of reading on gluten free options and cooking. If anyone has an tips and suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. I am going to need all the help I can get, and hopefully I will learn lots along the way and will be able to pass in on.
I look forward to the new me and getting to know some new 'friends' on this journey.
I have been away from MFP for awhile. I just couldn't get motivated to do what I know I need to do to get healthy.
I had cut out gluten for short time in December and was amazed at how much better I felt. My Dr. decided to send me for tests and told me to go back to eating gluten, so I did and I was right back to where I started. I felt bloated, stomach pains, headaches fatigue and on and on, so I decided I would take a break until I was feeling like I could concentrate on getting healthy again.
I went for the tests first thing yesterday morning, and have not had gluten since Wednesday night. This morning was the first day in about 9 days that I woke up and didn't have a pounding headache. I won't have the results back for a week or so, but I am going GF now as I know it makes me feel so much better.
I know this is going to be a hard lifestyle change, but it is someting that I feel is a must and very important to me, so I can do it!! I am finding it a bit overwhelming to think I won't be able to eat some of my favorite foods anymore. So I have been doing lots of reading on gluten free options and cooking. If anyone has an tips and suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. I am going to need all the help I can get, and hopefully I will learn lots along the way and will be able to pass in on.
I look forward to the new me and getting to know some new 'friends' on this journey.
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Replies
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Hi JanLib!
I too am "new" again (LOL) on here too and definitely ready to succeed this time!
I am Celiac and must be gluten free. It was a challenge at first but well worth the commitment. I think of gluten as "poison" to me. Its toxic! One major thing to note. Never go gluten free until after being tested! Your comments are classic for celiac and many doctors are not trained well in diagnosing or managing it. The average time before being diagnosed is several years.
May I suggest you connect with a local support group ( I am the vice president of our local group) and if you can, find a gastroenterologist that specializes in celiac sprue.
Please keep in mind that most newly diagnosed celiacs also cannot tolerate milk or oats for the first year at least. This is due to the fact that the lactose carriers are on top of the villi that have been damaged by gluten in the small intestine. They need time to heal.
I found it a relief to finally have an answer that made sense. I was so sick by that time that the doctors feared I wouldn't live but a few months. So for me, I thought of it as an adventure. I love cooking and through trial and error have developed some great recipes of my own. Have also learned what store bought products are better left on the shelves at the overpriced markets. Here are a few suggestions:
Add almond flour to your mixtures (unless you have an almond allergy) It is higher in protein, lower in carbs, and adds great flavor. I stay away from the rice and bean flours. Usually I use almond flour, cornstarch, and sorghum.
Pamela's mixes are a very good choice and east to work with if you want a premade mix.
I would be glad to share some of my recipes and tips if you want.
I have found many regular recipes are easy to convert with just a few changes. Also since I need to lose a lot of weight, I have actually cut way back on the grains anyway.
One of my favorite gluten free cookbooks is You Won't Believe It's Gluten- Free! By Roben Ryberg. The corn version waffles are awesome! Gluten-Free for Dummies is another good book for recipes and great advice.
You can do this, and you will feel so much better too! Its not that hard, really! But remember, often when a person is newly diagnosed with a lifelong, life altering disorder there is emotional stages one may experience similar to grief. Its part of the acceptance process. And you don't have to do it alone! I would love to help you if you want. Freda0 -
Yay for feeling good!
Start exploring your favourite foods that are naturally gluten-free - fruits, vegetables, potatoes, nuts, seeds, gluten free grains if you can tolerate them, quinoa, beans, lentils. Eat lots of your favourite fruits and veggies. There are plenty of substitutes for your favourites, and you will have time to explore them. Be aware that a lot of them are really starchy or high on calories. Try your favourite pasta sauce on a baked potato or rice before you start getting into all of the gf pastas, see what you think. Get some cookbooks on Asian and Indian cuisines (watch out for soy sauce, of course), raw food, smoothies, soups, stews, crockpot cookery, etc. A lot of "normal" food is gluten free or very easy to adapt.
Tell us what recipes you need! There are so many good ones! Also let us know if you have any other sensitivities (though, having been so sick, you probably don't know yet, because you were sick all the time.)
You can do it!
Pam0 -
Thank you so much for the tips and advice!!!
I am on my 5th day of being GF, and can't believe the difference. I no longer have the constant headache, the stomach pains are much less and I don't feel nearly as bloated as I did. I also can feel some of my energy coming back, I don't feel the need for an afternoon nap
On the flip side of that, I do feel kind of like I have lost an old friend.....bread
Almost anything gluten filled was what I would call my comfort foods and I feel a loss there. I know it will take time to get the cravings for that to go away, but in the meantime I feel sad that I will not be able to turn to them again. I went grocery shopping on Saturday and made sure to avoid the bakery section completely! I know I can't always do that, but right now I think it is the safest thing for me to do.
I love to cook and bake, so any recipes that you may have that you would be willing to share I would greatly appreciate it!0 -
This was my favourite homemade gluten-free bread before going completely grain-free:
http://glutenfreesoyfreevegan.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/mark-engelberg’s-gluten-free-vegan-bread/
Since I am the only one in my family who is completely grain free and the boys are just as happy eating Udi's, I just make my own buns now, freeze them, and have one when the urge hits. I usually make some variation of this:
http://www.grainfreeliving.com/recipes/breads/99-grain-free-white-bread-rolls
I use the same recipe for pizza shells. Another possibility is using pancakes to make sandwiches. I like this recipe:
http://www.grainfreeliving.com/recipes/pancakes/82-buckwheat-pancakes
I usually throw psyllium and hemp powder in there for extra fibre and protein.0
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