Sharing Gluten Free Advice

A friend had asked for any words of wisdom I had in going gluten free. The email be came quite lengthy, and I thought other people may find it helpful.

Email:
The first step in going gluten free is to understand what gluten is. This list: http://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html goes through all the names gluten can be hidden under. Be very suspicious of anything with "natural flavors". If your friend has a smart phone, I recommend downloading an app like evernote, and saving this document there. When reading the ingredient list in the store, and I come across unfamiliar items I search the document to see if its gluten-related.

Next, I suggest your friend go through the cabinets, fridge, and freezer and identifying what has gluten in it. I put stickers or a mark on them to signify which aren't safe. Depending on how much processed food there is, she may find lots or little gluten. She also has to look through her make up, lotions, anything that can go in or on her body. I have been glutened from face cream, mascara, lip gloss, and its a dickens of a thing to figure out.

The key to being successful at living without is to focus on what you still can eat. Lots and lots of fruits and veggies! All fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free. Alternatives to wheat, like rice, or quinoa, milk, eggs, butter, coffee. Every GF-er has product preferences. I prefer Udi's gluten free products (bread, granola, etc), Tinkyada Pasta Joy (aka the GF pasta with a bunny on it), and King Arthur's flour/mixes. It is very expensive to replace "regular" foods with GF alternatives. For example, the cheapest I've found Udi's bread is $5 per loaf, and the loaf is smaller than traditional packages. Its seems much smarter to me to find breakfast alternatives. My favorite breakfast is rice, beans, a touch of cheddar, a sunny side egg and some avocado.

Eating out can be difficult, she has to be a staunch advocate for herself. Allergyeats.com is a great website (and app) to navigate peer reviewed restaurants. I find the most success, with restaurants that don't have GF menus, to review the menu to find the most likely GF items, and then review with the server what my needs are. Often the manager comes over to clarify, and will typically bring my plate. The best chains I can suggest are Not Your Average Joes, Joe's American Bar and Grill, Wagamama, and the hot food bar at Whole Foods. Remember, its her health, she is the only one with something to lose in the process.

I would also recommend collecting data. There is a bias that can occur when we try new diets that documentation can clear up. I would recommend starting with a summary of symptoms, including duration, in as much detail as possible. I came to be gluten free through a juicing diet. I had been feeling miserable for years, and had developed acute symptoms. Once I started reintroducing foods I found the symptoms to reappear with gluten, dairy and soy. Many people who have gluten intolerance/allergy often have multiple food issues (my mother has Celiac's disease, as well as intolerance for fish and sea food, but my grandmother has just Celiac's). If your friend has some remittance of symptoms but not a full recovery after a month of clean (no accident) GF living, she may want to look at these other allergens as well. The top six allergens are gluten, soy, dairy, fish, tree nuts, and peanuts.

I hope this information helps your friend. Its not an easy transition, but I do believe it saved my life. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help!
/End Email

These are my suggestions, and should not replace medical advice.

Vegan dinner for Meatless Monday

Black beans with daiya cheddar "cheese", white rice, and slices of avocado.




Delicious Meatless Monday meal. Inspired by Celia's Breakfast Bowl at Mother's Market and Kitchen.

Non-traditional Easter Breakfast: Congee

As a child Easter breakfast had boiled eggs we had colored, with buttered toast, or maybe pancakes. This morning's Easter breakfast was Asian-inspired. Whether you call it jook, congee or jaou this rice porridge is one of the first foods many Asian children eat, and seen by some to be a comfort food. Another perk is it is naturally gluten, dairy and soy free. My version this morning (made last night) contained white and brown rice, water, broccoli, scallions, and bacon.





Other recipes instruct the use of chicken stock, or chicken bones, to flavor the rice. Formalized recipes can be found here and here. Like anything, these recipes can be modified to include or exclude whichever ingredients you would like. I made the first recipe for a breakfast at work one week, and it went over like gang busters.

I don't know how my grandmother would feel about this breakfast, but it works for me. Maybe I'll add a sliced egg on top next Easter. :]