If you have been following me for a while you might remember the incident that happened at my daughter’s cheer party. You can find the post here if you missed it. There was lots of good conversation around the topic. One of the things that matters to me most is taking care of children. I take care of my 4, my Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, my Sunday school class………..you get the picture. I decided that I needed to know more about gluten-free diets so that I would be in a better position to help a child should a similar situation pop up again. I turned to my friend Cindy Santa Ana, AADP Certified Health Coach for help. I found her expertise to be very helpful and asked if I could share it with all of you.
Take it away Cindy…………
There’s no quicker way to get an eye-roll from a waiter than
to ask for a gluten-free menu these
days. But, they need to learn that if
they want that 20% tip, it’s time to get on-board this new diet train. But is
it a fad or a dietary necessity? You can’t go anywhere these days without
hearing about another celebrity-gone-Paleo
or a new blog, cookbook or website devoted to a gluten-free lifestyle. In fact, a new grain-free cookbook, Against
All Grain, is currently one of Amazon’s best sellers and is struggling to
keep inventory in stock!
to ask for a gluten-free menu these
days. But, they need to learn that if
they want that 20% tip, it’s time to get on-board this new diet train. But is
it a fad or a dietary necessity? You can’t go anywhere these days without
hearing about another celebrity-gone-Paleo
or a new blog, cookbook or website devoted to a gluten-free lifestyle. In fact, a new grain-free cookbook, Against
All Grain, is currently one of Amazon’s best sellers and is struggling to
keep inventory in stock!
According to a
recent poll, 30% of American adults are trying to reduce or eliminate gluten
from their diets. Even food
manufacturers are getting on the band-wagon labeling foods that never even had
gluten to begin with, like potato chips and hummus.
recent poll, 30% of American adults are trying to reduce or eliminate gluten
from their diets. Even food
manufacturers are getting on the band-wagon labeling foods that never even had
gluten to begin with, like potato chips and hummus.
So, it’s popular. Paleo is hot. Gluten-free is hot, which in
turn, makes everyone hate it because it’s so popular. But why is it catching on, really? It’s probably
because thousands of people are experiencing profound health changes by
removing gluten from their diet. They’re losing weight and strange health maladies
like eczema and migraines are disappearing! The truth is many people are
gluten-intolerant or sensitive and might not know it. I’m not talking about
those with Celiac disease who have a true immune response after consuming
gluten – the protein found in wheat.
Although, Celiacs and those with a gluten-intolerance share many of the
same symptoms:
turn, makes everyone hate it because it’s so popular. But why is it catching on, really? It’s probably
because thousands of people are experiencing profound health changes by
removing gluten from their diet. They’re losing weight and strange health maladies
like eczema and migraines are disappearing! The truth is many people are
gluten-intolerant or sensitive and might not know it. I’m not talking about
those with Celiac disease who have a true immune response after consuming
gluten – the protein found in wheat.
Although, Celiacs and those with a gluten-intolerance share many of the
same symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Abdominal
pain - Eczema
- Headache
- Foggy
brain - Fatigue
- Depression
- Joint pain
- Numbness
in the extremities
And, sometimes your symptoms may not include those above. I
for one would suffer from a lot of mucous after eating wheat – same thing with
my dad. Twenty minutes after a meal and we would start clearing our throat and
coughing. So how do you know if you have Celiac Disease or just an intolerance
to gluten? There is a blood test that can determine if you have Celiacs, albeit
somewhat untrustworthy since it can produce false-positives. But if you really
want a cheap, easy way to determine if gluten is your poison, just eliminate it
from your diet for at least 3 weeks. Then, slowly reintroduce the food and
monitor how you feel. Ask yourself if any of the above or other strange
symptoms occurred when you added it back in. Do you feel bloated after you eat a meal of
breads, pasta or cereal? Do you have to unbutton your pants after eating? You
may have a gluten-sensitivity.
for one would suffer from a lot of mucous after eating wheat – same thing with
my dad. Twenty minutes after a meal and we would start clearing our throat and
coughing. So how do you know if you have Celiac Disease or just an intolerance
to gluten? There is a blood test that can determine if you have Celiacs, albeit
somewhat untrustworthy since it can produce false-positives. But if you really
want a cheap, easy way to determine if gluten is your poison, just eliminate it
from your diet for at least 3 weeks. Then, slowly reintroduce the food and
monitor how you feel. Ask yourself if any of the above or other strange
symptoms occurred when you added it back in. Do you feel bloated after you eat a meal of
breads, pasta or cereal? Do you have to unbutton your pants after eating? You
may have a gluten-sensitivity.
I went on vacation this summer and strayed from my
gluten-free diet. I enjoyed a true Southern biscuit, half of my daughter’s
pancake, a roll with dinner and perhaps ingested some hidden gluten, but that
was enough to cause tummy troubles, a cough, a few extra pounds and a strange
case of eczema on my neck! I truly
suffer from the effects of gluten – no expensive doctor’s office visit
required!
gluten-free diet. I enjoyed a true Southern biscuit, half of my daughter’s
pancake, a roll with dinner and perhaps ingested some hidden gluten, but that
was enough to cause tummy troubles, a cough, a few extra pounds and a strange
case of eczema on my neck! I truly
suffer from the effects of gluten – no expensive doctor’s office visit
required!
So, how does one get started with a gluten-free diet when
cake, bread, pizza and pasta are staples in the American diet? There’s a right
way and a wrong way for sure! The problem lies in those who start a gluten-free diet by
replacing gluten-free versions of all their staples. A lot of these products contain refined,
alternative flours like rice flour and corn and potato flours. Talk about
fattening one up! One GF breadcrumb package even had high fructose corn syrup!
That’s one ingredient that should be banned from everyone’s diet. If you feel you could just never give up
bread, there are some decent GF breads out there, but they are to remain frozen
or they go bad very quickly. Then, you have to toast the bread, then it’s very
crumbly and basically by then, I’m over it. I did wean myself this way, but I
was finding myself just as bloated after a meal using GF alternatives full of
potato starch and corn flour. The key is to read the product labels and watch
for things like corn meal, corn starch, canola and soybean oil, and
maltodextrin – these genetically modified ingredients are dangerous and can
lead to more stomach issues than before along with some added belly fat and
muffin top! After all, how do you fatten up a cow? Corn! You should also be aware of hidden gluten
sources that aren’t as obvious as looking for white flour on a label. You’ll
want to avoid malt flavoring, regular soy sauce, hydrolyzed proteins, beer and
grain alcohol, some spices (flour added to prevent caking), rennet (used in
making cheese), and flours processed in factories that also mill wheat.
cake, bread, pizza and pasta are staples in the American diet? There’s a right
way and a wrong way for sure! The problem lies in those who start a gluten-free diet by
replacing gluten-free versions of all their staples. A lot of these products contain refined,
alternative flours like rice flour and corn and potato flours. Talk about
fattening one up! One GF breadcrumb package even had high fructose corn syrup!
That’s one ingredient that should be banned from everyone’s diet. If you feel you could just never give up
bread, there are some decent GF breads out there, but they are to remain frozen
or they go bad very quickly. Then, you have to toast the bread, then it’s very
crumbly and basically by then, I’m over it. I did wean myself this way, but I
was finding myself just as bloated after a meal using GF alternatives full of
potato starch and corn flour. The key is to read the product labels and watch
for things like corn meal, corn starch, canola and soybean oil, and
maltodextrin – these genetically modified ingredients are dangerous and can
lead to more stomach issues than before along with some added belly fat and
muffin top! After all, how do you fatten up a cow? Corn! You should also be aware of hidden gluten
sources that aren’t as obvious as looking for white flour on a label. You’ll
want to avoid malt flavoring, regular soy sauce, hydrolyzed proteins, beer and
grain alcohol, some spices (flour added to prevent caking), rennet (used in
making cheese), and flours processed in factories that also mill wheat.
Once you start a gluten-free diet it sort of lends itself to
becoming Paleo. You’re eating fewer grains, more meat, veggies, fruits, nuts,
seeds and a few legumes, which in turn can only improve your health and your
waistline. I encourage you to try a gluten-free or better yet, grain-free diet
for a few weeks if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. You may be surprised at the results! And, if
you need some support, recipes, tips and guidance along the way, give me a call
or email. Visit my website, www.UnlockBetterHealth.com, for
more info.
becoming Paleo. You’re eating fewer grains, more meat, veggies, fruits, nuts,
seeds and a few legumes, which in turn can only improve your health and your
waistline. I encourage you to try a gluten-free or better yet, grain-free diet
for a few weeks if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. You may be surprised at the results! And, if
you need some support, recipes, tips and guidance along the way, give me a call
or email. Visit my website, www.UnlockBetterHealth.com, for
more info.
Hop on over the Cindy’s website. She has an incredible amount of information over there that is sure to be of help to folks. Have you tried a gluten-free diet? Do you know someone who eats a gluten-free diet? Have you ever had problems with restaurants because of your food preferences………..whether it be real food, allergies, or gluten?
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One year ago: Falling in Love With Your Crock Pot
I appreciate this information. The whole gluten/grain thing is confusing. I'm fairly certain that my digestion is sensitive to gluten or some other component of wheat, so I eat very little wheat, except for small amounts of Einkorn bread and pasta. Which is unfortunate, because I love pasta, bread and all things wheat. I just wonder how many of the perplexing health problems people experience are due to some sort of food sensitivity or allergy. I'm guessing quite a few.
It is amazing what food allergies and sensitivities can do to our body. I hear so many people say things like they feel a certain way after they eat something and they just accept it as fact. No change in diet. No more thought. It's just how things are for them. My sister is allergic to all kinds of foods including corn. Guess what………she didn't give a second thought to high fructose corn syrup which in everything. Ummm………corn? She feels so much better since she cut out HFCS and I can tell right away when she slips up. The same can be said of gluten for other folks.
I'm thinking I could have a sensitivity. I might have to try this, but I really do love bread. It would be difficult for me. Not impossible…I went gluten free for a couple years when my youngest was very young, because he had a wheat allergy and we weren't sure if he had celiac. He didn't and he outgrew the allergy.
Cut out bread and see how you feel. It would be difficult for me to cut it out too. My father has cut out gluten so it has raised more of an awareness in my house. I try to accomodate his needs when he visits. It is a bit easier now since there is more of an awareness of it and many more gluten free products to help. Make sure you still are reading the ingredient labels. You don't want to be gluten free and full of artificial ingredients. Some products are better than others.