Living (and eating) Gluten-free

This post was inspired by a friend who, after finding out I was allergic to wheat, made me homemade wheat (and soy) free brownies. Thanks LeAnne! She commented, "Wow, finding food you can eat must be hard! You have to watch everything you put into your mouth." I explained that it really wasn't that difficult, and well worth the effort since I feel much better.

While everyone's symptoms are different, here's what happens to me when I eat wheat:
I have a constant runny nose, with post nasal drip.
My fingers, toes and feet are swollen. (See picture below!)
I gain weight, and can't lose weight despite a diet and even a prescription from my doctor.
I have severe leg cramps (and sometimes muscle spasms in my back).
My energy levels are extremely low.
My finger nails are thin, brittle.
I have intestinal distress.

 Here's my hand after having eaten wheat. Notice on the second finger from the top (my ring finger) that you can see how my ring created deep lines on my finger and a swollen pocket just below the knuckle. All this from just eating wheat. Astounding.

All of these symptoms disappeared once I started eating a gluten-free diet. Why would I go back? Yes, it takes an extra effort to be sure what I'm eating is wheat (and soy) free, but I'd rather feel good!

I know most people are fearful of dietary changes. What you eat is usually habit, what you've been taught growing up, or what you came to learn to cook (or buy) as an adult. So, when it is suggested that you 'change your diet', most people freak out. Take Mr. B for instance, he's on a low cholesterol diet, suggested by his doctor. He was very upset, and confused about what he could and couldn't have. I knew, and could readily adapt. I moved us to a more vegetarian and fish based diet. But, he's also not a real fish fan, so that's where I had to do most of my work. I created many different fish recipes, and now he'll tell you that he actually likes fish. See, it's all in the preparation.

One tip for cooking fish - make certain it's fresh. Fish shouldn't smell fishy! If it does, don't buy it!


So - eating gluten-free is easier now than ever. There is a growing assortment of breads, mixes, cereals, pasta, and other baked goods available in your supermarket. And I can honestly say, there really isn't much difference in taste and texture. The texture is slightly off, but not by much, and the taste is spot on.

Restaurants present their own challenge. But here is my tip for eating out (when on a restricted diet):
'Have a list of things you CAN eat. DON'T focus on what you can't have!'
I know when I go into the restaurant, I look for these things (soy and wheat-free):
Fish, and meat (plain, grilled, baked or sometimes with sauce - depending on what sauce)
Rice, risoto, polenta, potato (these starches are easy to find and filling)
Vegetables (be careful here - some preparation methods will have soy or wheat - ask for it just plain if it's a question!)

Also, learn to ferret out restaurants that are easier on your food allergies.
For instance, Mexican is a better choice for gluten-free. Look for things made with corn tortilla's. Kudo's to Moe's Restaurant  - they have an allergy-free menu that is accurate. So if you don't feel like digging through a Mexican restaurant's menu, go to Moes! They've already done the hard part for you.
Chinese food is great for those looking to eat gluten-free, but in my case, since I'm also allergic to soy, it's a bit more complicated. I can still pull it off, but again, it means more 'can't have' than 'can'.
Italian restaurants are more challenging for the gluten-free diner. However, here is where you knowledge is essential. Look for polenta, or risoto. Both are gluten-free and a staple in the Italian menu.
Most restaurant's are willing to work with you, especially if you can ask a few pointed questions about a particular dish. If something in a menu piques your taste buds, but makes you leery of ingredients and preparation, just ask. I'm sure the chef will be happy to tell you what you need to know, and might be able to make a simple substitute to allow you to change your dish to your liking.

So, if you've been told that a gluten-free diet might help, or that you are allergic to wheat, don't fret. Go for it! Trust me, you have nothing to lose, but those old nasty symptoms making you feel ill in the first place. Your body, and taste buds will thank you for it.

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Posted in: food allergies,gluten-free,Living with food allergies

Calcium - It's Not All About the Milk

Good news today for my lactose intolerant friends, and vegetarians alike! This article explains that milk and dairy products are not the best source for calcium. Leafy greens and other vegetables are a better source of calcium.

I'm not saying, "Stop drinking milk and eating dairy products", but rather this article suggests that calcium is best absorbed by the body when combined with proper proportions of magnesium at the same time. Vegetables are high in many different vitamins and minerals. In an Eastern diet (such as in China, or Japan), milk or dairy products are barely consumed, if at all, thereby these cultures get their daily intake of calcium through their fruits and vegetables.

So, basically, if you're a milk lover, don't stop! Just be sure to eat your dark greens as well to maintain the proper calcium and magnesium balance. And remember just because you eat it, doesn't mean you'll absorb all of the goodies a particular food has to offer. The body is a complex machine, and making sure you have the right combination of foods is very important for optimal health and body function alike!

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Posted in: dairy,food allergies,lactose,milk,vegetarian

Dear Applebee's - Is it Soy or Not?

Okay, so in the foodie world finding any restaurant anywhere that is willing to list a menu for those with food allergies is RARE! But I recently learned that a major chain, Applebee's has done just that. They have an entire menu listing of foods that are 'x' allergy free. WOO-HOOO!!!! NOT! 


So in glancing upon the 'soy free' menu I immediately spot mayonnaise and several salad dressings. The red flags go up. . . almost EVERY salad dressing (EXCEPTION is home-made) has soy oil. And ditto for mayonnaise. Dang. I'm mumbling under my breath. 
Hubby is very optimistic. "They're a large chain, they actually may have these items made with a different oil."
"Harrumph", I say. Chains are notorious for using the standard, whether it's Hellmans Mayo, or the like, they STILL all have soy!
So, I shoot off a query. Short, sweet, and simple. I indicate that I am allergic to soy and read their soy free menu. I noticed the salad dressing and mayo. . . so what gives? I specifically asked, "what oils are contained in your salad dressings, and mayo, which you call soy free?"


{Choke, gag. . .} received my response tonight, and thought I'd share. This IS the full email, not any revision or changes made:

Dear Christina,

Thank you for your recent request for a list of Soy-free menu items available at Applebee’s. As America’s Favorite Neighbor, the health and safety of our guests are top priorities at Applebee’s. As part of our commitment to you, we provide the most current allergen information available from our food suppliers on eight common allergens: milk, soy, wheat, eggs, fish, shellfish, treenut and peanuts.  We do not use peanut oil.  The items listed that would be soy free, are made free of soy.  Oils can vary from soy or vegetable oil from location to location.  Please contact your local Applebee's if you have any additional questions.

You can view our allergen listing at www.applebees.com under our Menu tab.

If you have any questions or comments, please call us toll-free at 888-592-7753 (888-59APPLE). You can reach us between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, central time.

Sincerely,
XXX
Guest Relations Coordinator

Case # 1181089

Okay, I was nice and XXX'd out her name. So, let me get this straight. . . I ask you about your soy free menu. You tell me that everything on that soy free menu is free of soy, yet in the next sentence you tell me the oils you use (in your dressing and such which is listed as part of your soy free menu) IS SOY OIL?!?!?!?

Am I the only one missing the boat on this?????

I told Hubby and he was just as shocked as I was. One would think that a large, major restaurant chain that went through the trouble of actually including a menu for us allergic folks, would ACTUALLY KNOW or at least hire a consultant for such matters. . . the stupidity astounds me!

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Posted in: food allergies,gluten-free,recipe

Hive, Hives, Hives. .

You know, sometimes I willingly subject my taste buds (and body) to things I can't/shouldn't eat. There's nothing like biting the bullet and having a full-fledged Chinese meal. Yes, soy sauce and all. I, know. I know I shouldn't eat things that I'm allergic to, but every so often I just go for it! And knowingly subject myself to after effects of hives, stomach distress, etc all  in the name of food.

But it's different when I think I'm being mindful, not eating soy or wheat, then WHAM! I wake up covered in hives. Times like that I just want to kick myself. And two days ago I discovered yet another item I'd better steer clear of - Ben and Jerry's Ice cream. I just want to cry!

It started out simple, "Ohhhh, haven't treated myself to ice cream lately. . . {scans freezer at local supermarket} and here's Ben and Jerry's 'All Natural' ice cream! {grabs container of coffee with heath bar crunch} Mmmmm."
Foolish me was so enamored with the thought of the ice cream and the natural contents that I didn't even bother to scan the label. So, home I went with my purchase. After dinner I announced that I was having ice cream. It's a big deal in our house when I actually have dessert. Hubby and daughter are sweet hounds and take every opportunity to catch a dessert, but me. . . it's a real rare occurrence. So I scoop out just a little bit of ice cream into my bowl, and then savor it's coffee-chocolate goodness.

Next morning as I'm about to climb into the shower, I notice a small red dot on my shoulder. Uh, oh. I move over to the mirror and turn to view my back. Yup. Hives. Covered in 'em. "NOOOOOO! " I wail. I knew the only thing that could have possibly been the cause was the ice cream. But maybe, it was something else (what I hadn't a clue). . .  I had a few moments of fleeting happiness before I looked at the label. Yes, all natural ingredients, milk sugar, chocolate, etc. all up until I got to the soy lecithin part. Dang. And you know what's even worse is that 'They' say that most people who are allergic to soy can tolerate soy lecithin. Obviously, I'm not one of 'Those' people.

So - shall we sing? "Hives, hives, hives, hives. . . Hives! Wonderful Hives!" Not.

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Posted in: allergic reaction,food allergies,hives,soy

Dark Green Leafy Veggies - They Rock!

After posting about my daughter and her experience with her nose bleeds at school. . . it reminded me of something very important - dark green leafy veggies! I know, it seems like a non sequitur, but here's the scoop - dark green leafy vegetables are high in many vitamins, including vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and contains iron.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, chard, collard greens, are super powerful foods! They contain a ton of vitamins (including C and K), contains iron, aids in weight loss (they keep you feeling full since they are loaded with natural vegetable fiber), contain antioxidants, and help inhibit the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Now THAT is a super food!

My daughter prefers not to eat meat, and we monitor her carefully, making sure she gets all her necessary vitamins, but when she gets her seasonal nose bleeds, we need to step things up a bit and she knows the routine - Spinach, and if she's still feeling ill, then we break out the burgers.

Green leafy vegetables are a great addition to a pasta dish, or on the side of other foods. Just remember do NOT over cook it! The rule of thumb is that the vegetable should remain a dark green color, and be fork tender. If you over cook it, not only do you lose flavor, but all those wonderful vitamins as well.

So - grab yourself a few leafy greens at the grocer and get cookin'!

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Posted in: food allergies

School and Food Allergies

I wanted to share this story with you - this comes from my daughter and her experience a few weeks ago at school.

She'd been sitting in the nurses office with a bloody nose. Unfortunately, this time of year it happens frequently for her. We've been to doctor after doctor, and it is pretty much just a case of dry air, etc. So, anyway, she's just 'waiting it out' at the nurses office when a child arrives who was experiencing a major allergic reaction. She told me that his face and tongue were swollen. Apparently what happened was his friend shared an Oreo with him, but didn't know the boy was allergic to peanuts. . . and the filling had peanuts. Well, my daughter was in the corner of the nurses station, and though she desperately needed a new tissue for her own issue, she told me she knew this boy was in serious trouble, and she just stayed put. She told me the nurse called 911 and shortly thereafter the ambulance and crew arrived at the school. They took the boy (in a wheel chair - despite his argument that he could walk) out and into the waiting ambulance. When the nurse returned to her room, my daughter finally moved from her chair. The nurse was quite shocked that my daughter, whose arm was blood drenched, but didn't get tissues. My daughter told her that it was very obvious to her that the boy needed space and help, and she could just wait until his emergency was handled. I was very proud of her, and let her know. We've always told her what could happen to those with food allergies, and though she's never seen it (until that day), she knew it was a very serious situation.

I think educating people about food allergies and the seriousness of the situation is very important. Many people just do not understand. Learning signs, symptoms, and what to do in case of a food allergy emergency can save a life!

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Posted in: food allergies

Homemade Gluten-Free Pasta

Here's my newest recipe. This was adapted from my regular (wheat) pasta that I made many, many times. While I use a pasta maker to roll out the dough, you can do it by hand if you don't own a pasta maker.

Gluten-Free Pasta Recipe

1 Cup Flour (I used Bob's Redmill All purpose GF Flour)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Water (as needed)

Using a food processor, place flour, salt and olive oil into machine. (you can do this on the counter-top if you don't have a food processor - just make a well out of the flour then add other ingredients). Slowly add eggs and blend until mixed well.

(here is going to be a little guess work on your part) Add small amounts of water (drops at a time) until flour mixture comes together and sticks, creating a ball. Knead ball until dough is elastic. (while most dough can be over kneaded, it seemed this dough only improved with more work)

Reform into a ball, cover, and set aside for an hour, allowing pasta to rest.

After an hour, run through pasta machine. You may need to add water again, based on humidity levels, and texture of your dough. If you find the dough is breaking apart, add some water, reshape by patting it together, and retry. Again, this dough seems to get softer, more elastic, the more it's worked with.

Place lasagna noodles onto clean towel and let dry for an hour. These can be added directly into the pan (no need to boil!). 

This mixture should yield around 6-8 lasagna noodles, depending on thickness of dough once rolled out.

Hope this helps some others who are craving GF Italian food!

Happy, Allergy-Free Eating!
Christina

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Posted in: food allergies,gluten-free,recipe

More Gluten-Free Information

So, I've now added wheat to my allergy list. Over the next few weeks I'll be trying new products, and experimenting with recipes. Tonight the experiment will be making a homemade gluten-free pasta. Yes, I've had the store-bought variety (and will recommend a brand in a bit), but one thing the stores do not have are lasagna noodles or ravioli. I LOVE Italian food, and also love to make homemade pasta with my handy, dandy pasta maker. Another great thing about making pasta is that the whole family joins in to help since it's such a tedious process, thus making it more pleasurable.

I'm geared up with my pasta maker, eggs, and Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF Flour. I don't think it's possible to make a pasta that's egg free, since eggs are the binding element, but if someone would like to know the answer to that question, shoot me an email.

Product recommendations:
I can say that Udi's makes awesome bagels. This week I've purchase their bread, so we'll see how that tastes.

My pasta recommendation is Tinkyada. They make different varieties of pasta (spaghetti, fettucini, etc.), and they've all tasted good. It is an interesting food - made with three ingredients - brown rice, brown rice bran, and water - hence it is THE perfect food for people with multiple allergies!

Oh, and one odd thing that I've noticed about these products - they fill me up quicker than if it had been wheat. Seriously, I used to eat a whole-wheat english muffin in the morning. Now, I can only eat half of an Udi's bagel and I'm stuffed!

Hopefully this information will help. I'll post more about other products, and information on how my pasta making went.

Happy eating!

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Posted in: food allergies,gluten-free

The Power of Food and Allergies - Being Allergic to Wheat

So - it's been a week since I've gone gluten-free. And the results are amazing! Little did I know, but I must have been allergic to wheat as well as soy.

Here's the tally:
No more post nasal drip, stuffy/runny nose, itchy eyes.
No more night-time leg cramps.
Energy has returned!

And now for some unpredicted results:
I am once again losing weight. For years I've been struggling with my weight. And it doesn't help that we have a family history of an under-active thyroid condition. Every year I get my thyroid checked, and every year we have the same results - all normal. But I didn't understand why, though despite my healthy diet and exercise program I couldn't lose weight. It didn't make sense! Two years ago, I sat in my doctor's office on the verge of tears. We talked for a bit, I showed her what I ate (kept a chart for two months!), and she listened.I explained that if my husband ate what I did, he loses weight in no time (he's done it before and really annoyed the hell out of me!. Her only comments were, "well, your thyroid is normal, and everyone's metabolism is different." She put me on a prescription that would help boost my metabolism and assist in losing weight. And it worked, I'd lost 15 pounds. I kept the weight off for a few months, then it all returned (and then some). I tried and tried to lose weight on my own. Salads without dressing, extra exercise, etc, the whole works. Nada. Not even a pound! Back to see the doctor I went. And again she placed me on a prescription. However, this time the weight didn't come off as quickly, and after three months I'd only lost 8 pounds. Yes, a loss, but still. . . it didn't make sense to me!
So, I go on this gluten-free diet (expecting it to help with other symptoms), and voila! In one week, I've lost one pound, and I'm thrilled! I'm not into fast weight loss diets, so even knowing that what I've eaten, combined with the exercise I've done can result in a loss (ANY loss) - I'm overjoyed!

Another unexpected joy: I've not worn my engagement ring for years. Honestly, my fingers had become larger. I chalked it up to child birth, and weight gain, though even last time when I'd lost 15 pounds, the ring still didn't fit. So, this morning I'm walking around the house and my toe ring was flopping around, and it felt very weird. I thought somehow it had been bent out of shape or something. I bent down to find it was just fine, nothing wrong with the toe ring. Hmmm, odd, I thought. It seemed like somehow my toe ring had been mysteriously replaced with a much larger sized one overnight. So after a bit more reflection, I wondered. . . could my engagement ring fit? I pull the ring out of my jewelery box - and, YES! It fit! Actually, it seemed almost loose too, and spun several times throughout the day (yes, I've had it on all day!)

So, to sum this up:
I can add wheat to my 'allergy' list.

And as my husband said, "you know, life is funny. You're writing a book about food allergies, and now you come to learn you're also allergic to wheat. Talk about real research."

My thoughts - as Alanis Morissete would sing, 'Isn't it Ironic'?

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Posted in: food allergies,gluten-free