What I wish I had known two years ago... (Paleo & Gluten Free topic)

[annekat]

Barbara, there is a forum member named Jacquie who has a section on her blog about going gluten free, complete with recipes and favorite products. Her username is Booknut, but it turned out she did not have Wegener's, so hasn't been on here much lately, but may surprise us with a visit and update as she has in the past. Here is the link to her home page, and you will see the link to her gluten-free pages in the list on the left: Wandering Booknut - Wandering Booknut - Libraries and Technology

I'm sure there is lots of gluten-free info on the web, and you might check out the book that aewaustin and I mentioned above, by Dr. Susan Blum MD, which does go into the gluten issue. Also the book Wheat Belly, which aewaustin mentioned, and I have not seen a copy of, but have heard a great deal about. You could look these books up on amazon or other searches and get the drift of their content. Also the Mark's Daily Apple link above, which I have just scratched the surface of looking at, but I'm sure has a lot of GF info. I am not very knowledgeable about any of this, and don't practice it as yet, but just recommending what I have heard about in recent months.

[aewaustin]

Barbara - Honestly it really was not that hard, and this comes from the least likely person to succeed with a specific way of eating But let me give you some substitutions and see if that helps.

For:
Bread - GF bread if you have to
Crackers - Almond Nut Crackers
Pasta - Rice Pasta (not corn, it is horrible)
Pancakes - 2 eggs blended with protein powder, just a little gluten free flour and 1/2 cup applesauce or 1/2 cup pumpkin and spices (mix in blender and cook like normal pancakes)
Burger - Lettuce wrapped burger (At restaurants I just get a sandwich without bread)
Pizza - GF pizza (although can be expensive so I quit pizza)
Cookies - Make cookies with GF flour or get Betty Crocker cookie/brownie mix

I guess those are the big ones that I switched around.

Also these books are very helpful:
The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide: Elisabeth Hasselbeck: 9781599951898: Amazon.com: Books
Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle: Diane Sanfilippo, Bill Staley, Robb Wolf: 9781936608751: Amazon.com: Books

Also there is an autoimmune way to do Paleo, listed in Practical Paleo, and I just try to recognize that and stay away from the foods that cause inflammation.

Also I think that there is something to going closer to Paleo and not trying to replace GF foods with other grains. I am totally off wheat, but I also try to reduce all grains (oats, corn, rice) and dairy in my diet.

Is that helpful?

[annekat]

aewaustin, I'm curious about buckwheat noodles. Obviously, they are a grain, but do they contain gluten as in wheat? However, rice noodles sound like a very good and easy sub for pasta.

Also, it sounds like you are trying to avoid even GF flour, as in freezing GF bread for "emergencies"? Why is that, and what is wrong with just eating it if it is gluten free? Or maybe I am misunderstanding something you said.

[aewaustin]

Annekat - Not sure about buckwheat, but probably have gluten in them as wheat is in the name. Honestly not sure but I just stay away from anything with gluten/wheat. And yes, rice noodles are awesome, and Trader Joe's has them cheap.

I am trying to avoid grains and GF products generally to be more Paleo, it is hard to do, but that is the ultimate goal for me. Also the bread that my friend makes sells for $8 a loaf, so it is a bit of a luxury and that is why I use it sparingly.

[Debbie C]

I was just in the grocery store the other day..I eat whole grain pasta but I did see gf pasta,spagetti and I have noticed alot more items in the store that are gf than used to be. I can honestly say I the only thing I have ever tried was Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookies and you couldn't tell the difference and it seems like it would be tough to just eat gf.Are fruits and veggies all gf ? What about turkey burgers instead of beef ? I will have to look more into this to see what the substitutes are. Thanks for the info.

[aewaustin]

Debra C - Basically all fruits, veggies and meat (if unprocessed) are GF and that is basically what a Paleo way of eating is. Paleo just eliminates dairy and grains.

This is a list of foods that are gluten free Gluten-Free Friday: Naturally Gluten-Free Foods and Your Grocery List and ones that have gluten What Foods Have Gluten? - American Diabetes Association®.

Hope that helps And yes, most folks can't tell the difference between GF and foods with gluten. Seriously is not that hard to be GF, you will just eating more "clean" and not all the processed foods.

[annekat]

Well if you can't tell the diff between Betty Crocker GF chocolate chip cookies and those with gluten, that sounds like a winner! Trouble is, I'd eat them all and OD on the chocolate.

[Barbara N]

Barbara, there is a forum member named Jacquie who has a section on her blog about going gluten free, complete with recipes and favorite products. Her username is Booknut, but it turned out she did not have Wegener's, so hasn't been on here much lately, but may surprise us with a visit and update as she has in the past. Here is the link to her home page, and you will see the link to her gluten-free pages in the list on the left: Wandering Booknut - Wandering Booknut - Libraries and Technology

I'm sure there is lots of gluten-free info on the web, and you might check out the book that aewaustin and I mentioned above, by Dr. Susan Blum MD, which does go into the gluten issue. Also the book Wheat Belly, which aewaustin mentioned, and I have not seen a copy of, but have heard a great deal about. You could look these books up on amazon or other searches and get the drift of their content. Also the Mark's Daily Apple link above, which I have just scratched the surface of looking at, but I'm sure has a lot of GF info. I am not very knowledgeable about any of this, and don't practice it as yet, but just recommending what I have heard about in recent months.

for some reason the doctor said I wasn't to eat much fruit like apples, pears bananas and I am a vegetarian so it really lowers my intake plus she says limited dairy like cheeses and milk, ice cream. I can't chew so it leaves me very few options. I have an old book from the '60's with a section on gluten free so I will look it up. the trouble with dialysis is that it put you in a holding pattern for some with to come farther down the road but <i don¡t have anything down the road. they told me years ago I was not a candidate for a transplant because of the WG and -rhodoyorula, so what would I bve in a holding pattern for? I' checking into the RTX program today to see if I qualify. that might solve everything temporarily

[mishb]

I was just in the grocery store the other day..I eat whole grain pasta but I did see gf pasta,spagetti and I have noticed alot more items in the store that are gf than used to be. I can honestly say I the only thing I have ever tried was Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookies and you couldn't tell the difference and it seems like it would be tough to just eat gf.Are fruits and veggies all gf ? What about turkey burgers instead of beef ? I will have to look more into this to see what the substitutes are. Thanks for the info.

Our grocery stores also have a lot of GF products.
I am currently looking in to GF cooking and I need to learn to make a few things before Xmas time. (some relatives coming over that are Gluten intolerant).

aewaustin, congratulations on your staying power

Is it really possible to have a blood test to see what types of foods you have an intolerance too?
So many foods now (since WG), cause my joints to become red hot and inflammed......I should ask about a blood test

[aewaustin]

Michelle - Thanks The blood tests are not accurate for food intolerance, the best way is to do a food elimination diet. And just monitor what you eat, if something makes your joints red hot then quit eating it and see how you feel. I am going to a natural person, not sure what to even call her, but she is going to do some food testing where you put the food in your hand and do muscle testing. I have done this before and it is really cool to see how your body reacts. Bottom line is that for this stuff you have to find a person who does things differently than western medicine. Good luck!