The Gluten Free Diet - Who needs it?
You will be interested in living a gluten free lifestyle for better health, if you are a person who has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, or are wheat /gluten intolerant or carry the gene that could cause you to develop an intolerance through over exposure to gluten. Best to consult your physician. However, some people have gone undiagnosed for years, only to find their health improves once they adhere to a gluten free diet. Because symptoms are so varied, and can mimic other health problems it can be hard to diagnose. Those who are Celiac, know what their problem is. Some people are wheat/gluten intolerant and yet do not test positive for Celiac.
I recently met a man who had suffered for forty years before finding out what the problem was.
However, there is no need to feel deprived of your favourite foods like Bagels or Chocolate Chip Cookies. The Bagels pictured here were made with the same dough I use to make my Braided Artisan Bread, recipe in Gluten Free Goodies.
The Chocolate Chip cookies seen here were made using my Rice based flour mixes, why not try a few of my best basic recipes in my new book called A Sampler.
There is a wide discussion on how much gluten qualifies to be included in a gluten free diet. How much gluten is harmful?
As the celiac condition varies widely among celiacs, and continued consumption of any gluten can be extremely harmful to some, while others seem be asymptomatic to a small percentage. The FDA proposed threshold of 20 ppm for labeling a product as "gluten-free" because, the ELISA test, the only currently FDA approved test for gluten, has only a 20 ppm lowest level of detectability. In other words, it cannot detect smaller amounts. There is still much research to be done in this area. European standards accept a minute portion of gluten containing foods to be gluten free. It really is up to the individual to see how they feel with certain foods.
I can only speak from personal experience. My husband who suffered for many years before finally understanding the level of gluten that made him feel ill, was only able to eat literally three things when we met. Brown rice, cabbage, and steamed fish. After years of strict adherence to a gluten free diet, he is now able to eat anything, as long as it is gluten free. His system has healed to that extent. If you would like recipes and a method for starting out on a gluten free diet, see my book, Health & Nutrition
Those with Celiac or Wheat/Gluten Intolerance are from all walks of life, they are wonderful contributors to their communities and society. Live interesting and useful lives, enjoy all that life has to offer. Once their diet is maintained they live happy healthful lives. A recent 2008 Olympic participant was a Celiac.
Having good recipes, both nutritious foods every day and foods that are treats and special occasion foods go a long way to help you not feel deprived and stick to the gluten free diet.
In my immediate family and experience, and in talking with others about this issue, it is my opinion, that if a person is mildly affected by gluten, it is best to eliminate it from your diet at the earliest possible time as continued exposure is like carrying around a hand grenade. It is perfectly safe to do so, until the pin is removed. And then bang. That is the state I was in, I never knew.
Those who are diagnosed early are the lucky ones, as they can, once they heal, eat so many of the more nutritious gluten free grains, gluten free oats etc. Those whose systems have been severely damaged will get much better on the gluten free diet, but many find that they can still only tolerate the easiest to digest rice based mixes.
Contrary to what you may think now, your life is not over if you can't have gluten or wheat, or even if you are sensitive to casein, corn, milk, eggs or nuts. There are many more alternatives available today than there used to be. More and more ready made gluten free products are available all the time.
It really helps if you or someone close to you loves to cook though,
as the best gluten free foods, like traditional foods, are still ... home made!
It is often hard to explain to those not familiar with CD or gluten intolerance that even a little can be toxic to you. In a recent workshop given by a Naturopath, Dr. Stephanie Jennings, in Whitby Ontario Canada, where I gave a taste testing of some of my GF breads, Dr. Jennings, stated that even a miniscule amount of gluten can show up on tests for Celiac Disease. Other doctors insist that one must eat gluten for four months in order for a test to be effective. As I said, there is much more research that needs to be done, and each individual needs to decide for themselves about their health.
I also found out recently, while talking with someone suffering from an Autoimmune response to Gluten, that, it took her much longer to be diagnosed properly, since there seems to be no absolute test for the Autoimmune Disorder associated with Wheat and Gluten. Because a Gluten Intolerance/Autoimmune response is hard to detect as the culprit, many doctors are now telling people that the only way to tell, is to remove the offending allergen for about 3 months to find out if you feel better. My friend has a constant challenge to try and gain weight. That seems impossible to some of us who have the reverse situation.
Nutrition and the Gluten Free Diet
If you are new to the gluten free diet, it is important to eat a very simple diet for the first 3 to 6 months so that your system can begin to heal. Then you can add more things, try out and experiment, as long as what you are eating is gluten free. Then after a year you should be well on your way. This sounds easy, but as those of us who have faced this gluten free diet for the first time ourselves will tell you, it was not. It seemed to me that foods containing gluten beckoned me almost like an addiction. I was very skilful at convincing myself that only a little and I would then recover, but it is not that easy as you get progressively 'glutined'. So I would tell myself, when faced with delicacies I dared not touch, “Trina you can go home and make that later!” Sometimes it was a tall order, but my baking system worked for me. And now my experimenting ways are paying off for others. I can help you avoid the desperation of not knowing what to eat and help you have easy things to eat on hand.
See my book, Health & Nutrition
We all have busy lives other than just feeding ourselves. The convenience of ready made foods and restaurants have made modern life easier, but is it really healthier? Most people today only bake bread as a hobby, not a necessity. With my easy recipes you can have fresh breads all the time and they are not difficult to make.
Many food additives, stabilizers, and preservatives contain gluten, best to read labels carefully and when in doubt it is best to check with each manufacturer for clarification. Wheat 'starch', is another culprit to watch. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescribed or over-the-counter medications, some have wheat based fillers. Because a return of symptoms was noted in most patients consuming gluten in products, it is recommended that a strict adherence to a gluten free diet is your best protection.
Foods labeled as gluten-free in Canada and the U.S. are not supposed to allow for the presence of any gluten-containing ingredients. However, there have been instances where mistakes were made. Joining a gluten support group, or group of others interested in this will help you keep up with the latest information. Some harmless sounding things can contain gluten if a gluten containing ingredient was used in the process of making it.
Taking care of your nutrition is important in any instance, even more so if you are gluten intolerant. In severe, cases of CD, malabsorption of fat, calcium, magnesium, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, folate, iron, and vitamin B12 can occur. If the initial symptoms are severe, such as nausea, bloating, and diarrhea, avoidance of lactose-containing foods in addition to a gluten-free diet may be beneficial until the intestinal mucosa has recovered. Lactose intolerance often normalizes within months after starting a gluten-free diet.
Supplemental vitamins and minerals can help as intestinal villi regenerate, just make sure the supplements contain, no wheat or gluten.
The good news is that you heal on a gluten free diet! Once the intestinal villi have regenerated, depending on how badly damaged they are. This can take from six months to several years, adequate amounts of most nutrients can be obtained from a well balanced gluten free diet. It is important that you ensure that you enrich your diet as much as possible especially with foods containing B vitamins, iron, fibre and minerals. In my book Health & Nutrition I have included an Encyclopedia with references to the nutritive elements contained in gluten free foods.
A Gluten Free Diet requires many lifestyle and household changes. Often the hardest thing to overcome is the
misunderstanding of those around you. People with this condition are not faking, just because they don't have such an immediate reaction like those with a peanut allergy for instance, does not mean their life is not threatened by the wrong foods. In some the reaction is almost immediate, it is just only apparent to themselves. In others, the damage is a little at a time. Often by the time a person is actually diagnosed, this damage has already progressed to a critical stage.
Symptoms also differ between people, some are exceptionally thin due to not being able to absorb nutrients, some are puffy and appear obese because foods are not properly digested, they are in fact starving, though they don't look like it.
Some symptoms make the person feel ill, are very noticeable to them and others, some symptoms are less noticeable and some people it has been learned recently have very few symptoms or are called asymptomatic until a trigger, like too much gluten or stress can trigger a full blown case.
Patience and understanding is very much needed both by the person and those around them. One mother who had taken her child off gluten for three weeks and noticed a great deal of change, asked if one of the symptoms like, clearing the throat because of too much mucous was now only a habit and should be treated accordingly. Alas,the child was most likely not doing this out of habit, it takes much longer to actually heal. This clearing of the throat, sort of a gagging sensation of too much mucous all of a sudden is one way my husband knows he has been accidentally 'glutened' and must go into treatment mode again.
Preparing a gluten-free meal for a friend is not impossible it just takes a little more care.
Special care should be taken to avoid contamination with products which contain gluten .
Preparation should be done on very clean, sterilized surfaces, utensils, pots and pans. Items should be cooked separately from those containing gluten. Even cooking something in the same oil as a wheat/gluten item will cause contamination. Appliances such as toasters that come in direct contact with foods can cause contamination. As can happen in a mixed household when dipping into the jam jar.
There are plenty of safe items in the Gluten Free Diet. It is my nature to want to concentrate on the positive side of things. Many will tell you all about what you cannot have on a gluten free diet, in my book Health & Nutrition the Encyclopedia contains hundreds of foods and their nutritional value, that you can eat!
A good rule of thumb is to choose fresh and unprocessed foods in general. Such as fresh meats, fish, fruit and vegetables, eggs and cheese. Salads are a healthy and easily made item on the gluten free diet. When you are eating out, salads can be a life saver, just make sure they don't contain any croutons! It is important the people serving you at a restaurant understand your situation.
Safe Carbohydrates for energy are rice, corn, soy and potatoes. Although, some people are also intolerant to soy or corn, and a variety of other things, depending on the damage to their systems, so you must determine your own diet, even if it is gluten free in some instances. My husband couldn't tolerate almonds for a number of years, then after being on a gluten free diet for about 3 years, was again able to eat almonds and almond meal.
There are many flours besides those containing wheat or gluten, such as Rice flours, Sweet Rice flour, Amaranth flour, Arrowroot Flour Bajri or Bajra Flour, Black Millet Flour, Buckwheat flour, Cassava or Tapioca starch, Chestnut flour or Castagnaccio, Chickpea flour, Also called Besan, Gram, Cici flour, Chana flour, and Garbanzo bean flour, Panelle, Chuno, Corn Flours/Starch, Harinilla Corn Meal, Cornstarch, Dal or Legume flour, Manioc flour. Flax Flour, Garbanzo Bean Flour, Garfava, Bean Flour, Gari or Garri Flour from Chick pea, Hemp Hearts, Jowar Flour, Konjac Flour, Lupine, Malanga Flour, Mesquite flour, Teff Millet Flour, Montina™. (Indian rice grass). Mung dal Flour, Nut Flours, Plantain flour, Polenta meal.
Potato Flour; Potato starch; Psyllium; Peasemeal; Pumpkin Seed Flour Quinoa flour; Brown Rice Flour; Rice Bran; Sweet Potato Flour; Sorghum Flour; Bean Flours; Soy Bean Flour; Soy flour; Tapioca flour; Expandex®, which is made from Tapioca. I have tested this, and am working on another book using Expandex additions. So far, in my testing, I have found there are some beneficial properties, a little goes a long way. Taro; Urad dal flour; Water Chestnut Flour; Yellow Pea Flour; & Yams. All these items are discussed in detail in my Health & Nutrition Book.
Foods to strictly avoid are:
Any foods containing, wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats (unless milled in a dedicated facility and then only if you test yourself for tolerance, and you are on the third or final stage of the healing diet.)
Learn to recognize how most foods are made when you are dining out.
Foods normally made with a wheat base are breads, rolls and croutons; cakes, pies, cookies and muffins & noodles, crackers or cracker or bread crumbs.
Commercially made Soups, sauces, & gravies as well as batters or breadings are normally made with a wheat/gluten base.
Many times a normally gluten free food, is laced with something extra containing gluten, watch for these hidden gluten containing items.
H.V.P. - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein H.P.P. - Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Malt flavouring; Malt Malt Vinegar; , (Regular White Vinegar is gluten Free)
Modified wheat starch or other unidentified food starch
Many gluten containing ingredients are found in Bouillon cubes; Sliced or processed meats; Worcestershire sauce; Ordinary Baking powder, look for the Gluten Free, non aluminum kind of baking powder.
Salad dressings are another notorious hider of gluten, so read the labels carefully or learn how to make your own.
Soups or gravy bases as well as blended Seasonings often contain gluten. Pure spices are gluten free. Pepper comes in varying grades., I buy the peppercorns and grind them in a coffee grinder. Because good pepper is expensive, the shaker kind is often 'cut' with fillers.
Soy sauce is usually made from Wheat, so is also a no no, except in Canada the VH soy sauce is gluten free, while that sold in the USA is not. There are other soy sauces which are gluten free, you just need to choose those.
Butter is gluten free, but mixtures and blends may not be, so again, read the labels.
A Gluten Free Diet requires some lifestyle and household changes. Well worth it though!
And you will only need to make these changes once, and then live by them. Did you know that people practicing the Jewish faith are required to eliminate many gluten containing items from their homes once a year? This turns out to be a boon for those of us who need to do this all the time. Look for 'Gluten Free for Passover' items. Be ever vigilant to read the labels though.
Children on a Gluten Free Diet often have the hardest time coping as a natural tendency is to not want to be different when you are young. Maturity brings more understanding.
Other Interesting Articles about the Gluten Free Diet to share with you.
Excerpt from the American Family Physician ~~~~ AAFP Celiac Disease (December 15, 2007)
Celiac Disease
An article appeared in the American Family Physician December 15,2007 about Celiac Disease. It was researched and written by, R. John Presutti, DO; John R. Cangemi, MD; Harvey D. Cassidy, MD; and David A. Hill, DO Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. If you are looking for answers and having a difficult time finding out what is wrong or communication with your health professional, having a look at this article by following the link may give you the answers you are looking for and help in beginning your journey through life on the Gluten Free Diet.
There is hope, many now adhering to the Gluten Free Diet, say they are eating better than ever, it just takes a little education, time, and dedication to follow. There are many places you can go and eat out and more becoming aware all of the time. You don't have to stop living. Just take the necessary steps, it will be hard in the beginning, but not forever. Although you will be eating Gluten Free always, there are wonderful substitutions.
The Article American Family Physician stated that almost, "One in every 100 to 200 persons in the United States has celiac disease, a condition resulting from an inappropriate immune response to the dietary protein gluten. The manifestations of celiac disease range from no symptoms to overt mal absorption with involvement of multiple organ systems and an increased risk of some malignancies. When celiac disease is suspected, initial testing for serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies is useful because it offers adequate sensitivity and specificity at a reasonable cost."
As is already mentioned in this website and many others, the article went on to state, that strict adherence to the Gluten Free Diet is the only treatment that can help. It can also take several months to alleviate the symptoms.
Those suspecting or diagnosed already should also be evaluated in other areas such as bone density, thyroid, folic acid levels, vitamin B12, fat-soluble vitamins, and iron. Also, "Serum IgA tTG levels typically decrease as patients maintain a gluten-free diet."
Those on a Gluten Free Diet need to take steps to assure that they are getting enough vitamins and minerals in their diets, in particular, as stated above, iron, folic acid, etc.
A surprising finding is that, "Because IgA deficiency can cause false-negative results, total IgA levels should be measured in patients at high risk for celiac disease who have negative results on serologic testing."
The article in American Family Physician December 15, 2007 about Celiac Disease also brings to our attention the relation of genetics in a disposition to being either Celiac or having a gluten/wheat intolerance or autoimmune response. Family members need to be aware of the possibility that they could be susceptible and possibly pay attention to not overindulging in gluten containing products. A healthy diet full of vegetables, fruits, unprocessed meat, fish and poultry is best, with the addition of gluten free whole grains, rice and potatoes etc.
Symptoms that may alert you to try a Gluten Free Diet.
Some of the symptoms are as follows, different people can exhibit more or less of these symptoms or also be almost asymptomatic.
Diarrhea, continual fatigue, unusual stomach growling, abdominal pain, extreme weight loss, puffiness, and inability to lose weight, abdominal distention, flatulence, Stephen or osteoporosis, liver disjunction, nausea, anemia related to iron deficiency, Neurological dysfunction, affectionately referred to in the Celiac community as 'Brain Fog', and consistent constipation. Some also have a skin reaction to gluten, unexplained pains and swelling in joints, and even depression can be results of gluten intolerance.
Gluten Free Diet, Recent Reports
Milwaukee, February 2008
"Celiac Disease Patients Now Typically Asymptomatic at Diagnosis With the advent of modern screening tests and increased awareness of celiac disease, the clinical profile of newly diagnosed pediatrics patients has changed, physicians in Milwaukee report. Most are school-age and asymptomatic, having been referred for screening on the basis of their high-risk status." Reuters Health Information 2008
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
"Cases in Pediatric Gastroenterology from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - A 10-Year-Old Girl With Mild Elevation of Liver Transaminases. A 10-year-old girl presented for investigation of mildly elevated liver transaminases found incidentally while being evaluated for urticaria."
Medscape J Med 10(2) 2008
Celiac Disease and Wheat/Gluten Intolerance as a cause for certain ailments was only discovered in 1950. Many people before then, did not know what it was that was causing their ills. Even until the 2000's it has been said that it has taken, on average, 11 years for a person with CD or Intolerance to be properly diagnosed due to the lack of prevalent knowledge.
Gluten Free Diet History:
The "Coeliac Situation" was first reported by Gee in 1888, however it was not until 1950 that wheat, and specifically gluten, was found to be the cause of celiac disease. Observation by a Dutch physician named Dicke, noted during World War II, a time when wheat grains were scarce in Holland, that children with celiac disease who had otherwise failed to thrive improved on a diet devoid of wheat.
The genetic background of the individual was also found to play a part in the development of this condition. Celiac disease runs in families. First degree relatives of individuals with celiac disease may or may not manifest symptoms of the disease.
The intestines respond to inflammation caused by a gluten intolerance:
The main function of the small intestine is to absorb nutrients and fluid and electrolytes, a process dependent on adequate surface area. Intestinal inflammation of any etiology, if severe enough, is associated with flattening of the villus epithelium which results in a decrease in intestinal absorptive surface area. This gives rise to mal absorption, which in turn causes varied symptoms. In some cases it is a slow process which is in my opinion is why some people don't exhibit any symptoms for much of their lives and then all at once become severally affected.
The above information is given in order to help you understand more about why certain people should examine the Gluten Free Diet as a way of life. It is not meant to scare, there are surely enough of those sites and they take their place. Here, I would like to concentrate on the upbeat and positive side of things, give people hope and resources.
Those with Celiac or Intolerance are from all walks of life, many are wonderful contributors to their communities and society. Live interesting and useful lives, enjoy all that life has to offer.
The Gluten Free Diet can help you live life more fully!
Having the right recipe books will also make your life much easier, let me help you avoid the years of searching that I went trough. If I could, I would bake you a loaf of my bread and give it to you. Since I don't have a commercial facility, I can only help with recipes. Take care, there is a fabulous life awaiting you!
