Category:

Gluten Free Anniversary!

4/10/2014

Three years ago today my daughter and I embarked on life without gluten. It started as a last ditch effort to see if our child's significantly delayed growth rate and gastro issues would improve. Thankfully it worked not only for her, but also making an incredible difference in my life as well. (You can read our story here.)

Our daughter's pediatrician never advised us to do a gluten free trial. When we repeatedly asked about removing gluten we were told it would not make a difference because her tests were not positive for celiac disease. We decided to give it a try anyway and her doctor tracked her growth. He was admittedly surprised and very pleased by her improvements off gluten. He has since suggested this to other patients with unresolved issues who found that they were also better off gluten!

Once I realized how much of an impact this had in our lives, I felt disappointed that we spent so many years not knowing about this simple solution. I was compelled to spread the word to potentially help those who are unknowingly affected by gluten.

Here is a list of symptoms and issues that may be improved by eliminating gluten:
Migraines
Intestinal problems (diarrhea, IBS, constipation)
Lactose intolerance
Bloating/gassy
Reflux
Malabsorbtion
Vitamin & mineral deficiency
Anemia
Osteoporosis
Inflammatory reactions
Autoimmune diseases: Thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s & Grave’s), Crohn’s disease, Alopecia, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Addison’s disease, Vitiligo, etc.
Fatigue (regular persistent fatigue as well as chronic fatigue syndrome)
Chronic pain
Fibromyalgia
Depression
Anxiety
Diabetes
Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Infertility
Hives
Acne
Sinus issues
Erratic heart beat/shortness of breath
Cardiomyopathy
Multiple Sclerosis
Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADHD
Microscopic Colitis
Epilepsy
Ataxia
Neuropathy

Do you know someone with any of these things that are unresolved? Do your own research. Become your own advocate. Please feel free to send me your questions or connect you to information that I have found along my journey.

Disclaimer: I am not and do not claim to be a medical professional or expert. I do not intend for the information that I share to take the place of medical advice. If you have a medical condition you should seek the advice and care of a medical professional. Educate yourself and ask questions to find out if they recommend testing BEFORE you remove gluten from your diet.

1 Comment

Dairy Free Favorites

3/17/2014

0 Comments

I have mentioned several times about the connection between dairy intolerance and gluten intolerance. Many people decide to either eliminate or cut back on dairy when doing a gluten free trial.
So I thought that I would share some of my favorite dairy free/gluten free products. We have found a few substitutes that we really love and have kept as part of our staple foods even though we are now able to tolerate some dairy. My daughter especially prefers to splurge on real dairy in things like ice cream, pizza, and whipped cream.

-Earth Balance buttery spread: I use the soy free and my daughter uses the original. Both are a great substitute for butter or margarine.
-Daiya Cheese Shreds: This stuff is awesome melted in recipes! We use the cheddar in quesadillas and nachos and the mozzarella in lasagne and pizza. I will be honest that I do not care for it unmelted though.
-SO Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer: Contrary to the name this does not taste like coconut. It is a great alternative to cream instead of the chemical based "non-dairy" creamers. This brand also carries some great frozen "ice cream" products!
-Rice Milk: I use rice milk as a substitute for regular milk in most of my cooking and baking and find it works great.
-Almond Milk: This makes a great alternative to milk for drinking or in cereal. And, there is a dark chocolate version that my daughter loves!

Do you have dairy free/gluten free products that you have tried and loved? Please share in the comments below!

Disclaimer: I am not and do not claim to be a medical professional or expert. I do not intend for the information that I share to take the place of medical advice. If you have a medical condition you should seek the advice and care of a medical professional. Educate yourself and ask questions to find out if they recommend testing BEFORE you remove gluten from your diet.

0 Comments

Disclaimer

3/10/2014

0 Comments

As I have stated on the home page of my website: "I wanted to create a place where people could learn the possible benefits of eliminating gluten from their diet, how to determine if they are sensitive to gluten, and share the knowledge that I wish I had known when I started on this journey."

Since many people view my individual blog posts and not the entire content of my website, I feel the need to add the following disclaimer to all future blog posts: I am not and do not claim to be a medical professional or expert. I certainly do not intend for the information that I share to take the place of medical advice. If you have a medical condition you should seek the advice and care of a medical professional. Educate yourself and ask questions to find out if they recommend testing BEFORE you remove gluten from your diet.

That said, once you have been tested and given a diagnosis or ruled out known medical causes then you may wish to explore if you would be better off gluten. There is no test for gluten intolerance so unless you test positive for celiac disease it is unlikely that you will be advised and educated by a medical professional to attempt a gluten free trial.

My daughter is a perfect example of no medical diagnosis and no solution. For over 8 years, she was put through many tests - all were negative. Never once did her pediatrician, numerous specialists or dieticians ever recommend that she try eliminating gluten. Even after we would ask about taking her off gluten we were told that it was not necessary because she had tested negative for celiac disease.

I personally suffered for over 20 years with many symptoms and conditions that were relieved after going off gluten. However, eliminating gluten was never suggested to me by any medical professional. I am thankful every day that I did my own research and decided to try a gluten free trial for me and my daughter without continuing to wait for permission to do so.

I understand that some people perceive sharing this type of information as portraying oneself as an expert giving out "medical" advice. Please understand my intention and motivation is simply to share my story and my research in an effort to help others. More and more people are becoming aware of gluten related issues, although many people simply will not attempt to see if they are better off gluten unless it is prescribed by a doctor. I am hoping that over time stories like mine will help to change that.

Please join the discussion and share your comments below!

0 Comments

Seriously?!

2/24/2014

1 Comment

Ok, so this is where I realize that some people will start to roll their eyes and think, yep she is a weirdo fanatic. However, for those of you who are actually TRYING to be better off gluten this will come as possibly surprising, but welcome information.

You feel you are doing a great job avoiding gluten, but notice symptoms that gluten may have slipped by your lips without you being aware. You are baffled. This is a common feeling among those who are attempting to be gluten-free. In fact, in many cases even miniscule traces of gluten can prevent those with significant intolerance from ever feeling the full positive effects. This can be discouraging and cause people to bail on their gluten-free trial before ever really knowing if it would help them.

Here are places where gluten may lurk that you may never suspect or check:
Ice cream
Tea
Medicine/Vitamins
Lip gloss/stick
Communion wafers
Soda
Liquor
Drink mixes
Tooth floss
Envelopes/Stamps
Play dough
Dog treats

Now, I am not suggesting that ALL of these have gluten. In fact in the case of many examples it may be rare for these items to contain gluten but the possibility means you should always check or avoid unless you are sure. My daughter or I have been glutened by all of the above. No, we did not eat the play dough or dog treats, but handling these items and then touching your mouth or eating something else can be all it takes to react. That stuff you lick on a stamp or envelope to make it sticky - yep, that likely has gluten. Those sticky lip glosses or anything else you put on your lips - that can have gluten in it too, and the source is often very difficult to assess from the ingredients which are not usually easy to find. Tea can contain gluten in an herbal blend or even in what they use to seal the tea bags!

Just stay aware and track your reactions and you are likely to pinpoint the hidden gluten source. When in doubt search the internet! You are likely not the first to question a particular item and with a little research you can typically find a credible answer.

So where is the craziest place that you have found gluten hidden? Please share in the comments below!

1 Comment

New year, new you!

12/30/2013

0 Comments

Everyone loves a fresh start. This could be yours. You have seen and heard of possible links between your ailments and gluten, but haven't really given it up to find out if it may help you. This is your chance. You can decide today to have a shot at a better tomorrow.

I know the thought of giving up gluten seems SO hard, but just take it one day at a time, one meal at a time. Focus on getting through one day, then one week, then one month. If you start to feel better you will be motivated to continue and you could end up feeling better than you ever imagined.

You can do this! You may find a better quality of life. It's hard, but it's worth it. You deserve to feel better!

Happy New Year!!

0 Comments

Gluten Free Anniversary!

Dairy Free Favorites

Disclaimer

Seriously?!

New year, new you!

Author

Categories

Archives