By: Lisa M. Pressey – massage therapist, cancer survivor and presently in Nutrition Coach Course
Going gluten free is not as difficult as you think. You have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.
What’s next? You need to revamp your entire lifestyle, which can be utterly overwhelming. This transition is a total upheaval of your current sustenance, hair products, make up, toiletries, etc. Now, take a deep breath! Enlist a family member or friend to help you get through this grueling process. Once you get started it will become easier.
I have made a list of important things to help you get started. I have been living gluten free for over 20 years and things have come an extremely long way.
- BE STRICT ABOUT YOUR DIET
- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
- GET INFORMED
- HIDDEN GLUTEN
- BECOME A LABEL READER
- RESTOCK YOU PANTRY
- GLUTEN FREE VS CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE FOODS
- GET SOME GLUTEN FREE RECIPES
BE STRICT ABOUT YOUR DIET
Following a strict gluten free diet in my opinion is the one of the most important things to remember. I speak from experience when I tell you DO NOT CHEAT! I always thought a little bit won’t hurt me. Guess what? I was exceedingly wrong. Every time I cheated I paid for it with stomach pain, headaches, bone pain, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, etc. You need to stick strictly to gluten free foods if you want your gut to heal.
Being told you have celiac disease or you are gluten intolerant is an overwhelming feeling. The sooner you cut all gluten containing foods and drinks from your diet the quicker you will begin to feel better. It took me about 1 year to really start feeling like a functioning human being again. This is a lifelong commitment that you have to make. It sounds difficult, but I assure you if you are diligent you will be rewarded with good health.
You are not going to feel better right away. The gluten has caused a reaction in your body that destroys the lining in your stomach and the ability to absorb nutrients becomes greatly diminished. A gluten intolerance will not cause permanent damage to your small intestine, but celiac disease will.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Listening to your body is imperative if you want to feel better. Contrary to what you think your body gives you signs when something is wrong and it cannot fix itself. The human body has the ability to maintain a healthy state by constantly adjusting things internally. If you eat gluten and are not able to break it down, your body becomes toxic. This triggers reactions in your system to let you know something is amiss.
Example: I had a lot of these symptoms and thought it was allergies or a stomach flu. Eventually, I lost 15 pounds and would feel nauseous after taking one bite of protein. I was experiencing severe malabsorption at this point.
Pay attention to what you feel like after eating a meal. For example, do you get a headache, stuffy nose, stomach cramps, joint pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, or maybe even hives? Some of these symptoms may happen immediately, while others may take hours before they occur. Don’t dismiss your symptoms! It may be something simple like a sensitivity, or it could be something much worse that could cause permanent damage to your body.
Consult a doctor if your symptoms persist. It may be Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, or a number of other things. Keep a food diary and bring it to the doctors office with you. List the food and what reaction occurred after eating. No one knows your body better than you. This will help the doctor better understand what you are experiencing and decide what tests are needed.
GET INFORMED
If you have received a positive diagnosis of celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity from your doctor the next step is informing yourself on what you can eat, how to recognize hidden gluten, what products can you put on your skin, etc. If you make all the proper changes and are still experiencing problems, then you may have another underlying issue. Sometimes people with gluten issues also encounter problems with dairy products. Perhaps you are taking in gluten and you don’t realize it, which brings me to the next topic.
Ask your doctor if he or she can supply you with any information or suggest where you can get accurate information. The Celiac Disease Foundation is a great source of information. For example, you can read about the disease, learn how to go gluten free, get recipes, read research and much more. You can also find information at medicalnewstoday.com, mayoclinic.org and some other places.
Before you know it you will be converting your favorite recipes into gluten free versions.
GLUTEN AND HIDDEN GLUTEN
Gluten comes in many forms. Some are easily spotted while others are remain concealed (hidden gluten). Hidden gluten refers to the forms of gluten we can not easily spot on a label. It is important that you know the various forms that gluten comes in and how to spot them.
Common forms of gluten include: wheat and wheat derivatives such as semolina, durum, emmer, wheatberries, spelt, farro, kamut, eincorn wheat. Also, rye, barley, triticale, malt, malted barley, malted syrup, malt extract, malt flavoring, malt vinegar and brewers yeast.
Common forms of hidden glutens include: natural flavors, starch, modified food starch, hydrolyzed plant protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, dextrin, maltodextrin, glucose syrup, caramel, malt flavoring, malt extract, malt vinegar, and brown rice syrup. These ingredients can be made with gluten containing ingredients, but they can also be made with non gluten containing ingredients. For example, modified food starch can be made with wheat or corn. If the label does not specify the source don’t buy it.
Hidden glutens are not only in foods. They can be in medication, supplements, toothpaste, hair care products, make up, suntan lotion, skin care products, etc.
If the label states anything about wheat products processed in the same facility, put the product back on the shelf. This can lead to cross contamination.
RESTOCK YOUR PANTRY
The first thing you want to do is clean our your pantry, freezer, and fridge. Get rid of all food that contains gluten. If you are not sure, toss it. Give unopened products to a family member, neighbor, or a food bank. This will include things like flour, bread mixes, cheeses, some meat products, beans, salad dressing, spices, etc.
Now it’s time to go shopping and restock your pantry. You will want to buy new condiments, sauces, canned goods, meat, bread, flour, pancake mix, snacks, etc. Also check things like toothpaste, shampoo, pain reliever, lotion, etc. The first shopping trip can be very overwhelming, but it does get easier.
Do some research about gluten free products. Look to see what are some of the favorite products out there. Keep in mind there are some misleading products. Read the label in its entirety. I have compiled a list of my favorite foods on this website. For a list of certified foods you can check on https://www.gfco.org.
Your food should be enjoyable and palatable.
GLUTEN FREE AND CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE
There are two categories of gluten free food. Some foods state that they are gluten free and others say certified gluten free with a symbol to assure you these products have been tested and are safe for your consumption. If you are not super sensitive to gluten then products with 20 ppm will probably be okay. If you have a higher sensitivity or have celiac disease you should stick to the products that are certified gluten free.
GLUTEN FREE
For a food to be labeled gluten free it must adhere to the requirements of the FDA. This means the product cannot contain more than 20 ppm of gluten. As per the FDA website, “Manufacturers may also label a food gluten free as long as it does not contain any of the following:”
- any ingredient that is any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains,
- an ingredient derived from these grains and that has not been processed to remove gluten, or
- an ingredient derived from these grains that has been processed to remove gluten, if it results in the food containing 20 or more parts per million (ppm) gluten
- Also foods that are not naturally gluten free, such as, fruits, vegetables, eggs, etc.
If a food is termed gluten free and fails to meet the FDA requirements, it is considered misbranded and subject to regulatory action by the FDA.
CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE
There are a few companies who certify that products are gluten free. This means that unlike the FDA these companies require products to contain no more than 10 ppm of gluten.
The companies that certify products as gluten free have very strict standards. The gluten free certification organization (GFCO) states, “The GFCO certification program protects consumers with gluten-related disorders by confirming that a product meets strict standards for gluten-free safety. GFCO is the only gluten-free certification that holds companies and products accountable through audits, random product testing and process surveillance. The GFCO mark meets both the USDA requirements as well as international trademark registration requirements.”
You can verify this information by visiting: https://www.fda.gov or https://gfco.org
GET SOME GLUTEN FREE RECIPES
Where can you find gluten free recipes? They can be found in magazines dedicated to gluten free eating, on the internet (proceed with caution), cookbooks from the book store and I am sure there are other places as well.
Some websites or people push certain products. I do not push products, I simply give you a list of what I’ve found palatable. If it makes me feel even slightly sick I will not list it.
My website is dedicated to helping people enjoy meals that are gluten free and dairy free. I also have some recipes that are vegan. I can assure you my recipes are 100% gluten free. Most of the products I use are certified gluten free, but some simply say gluten free. If a product does not list the words gluten free it does not even enter my home. My whole family is gluten intolerant. My dogs even eat grain free food.
After 20 plus years I know what which products I can trust. If I want to try a new product I do some research, read about the companies, and make a choice. For example, I can no longer eat soy sauce and had to look for an alternative. I researched it and tried out coconut aminos. It totally works as a replacement!
If someone tries to make me a meal I either have to scrutinize the ingredients or politely decline. If someone asks what could possibly be in this that could make you sick. Just reply with, it does not say gluten free and I don’t feel comfortable eating it. Would you rather hurt their feelings or be sick later?
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, you will still hit some road blocks, but with the information provided you should be able to figure them out. If you cannot, feel free to email me and I will help in whatever way I can. Best of luck!
everythingglutenfreedairyfree@gmail.com
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