By Elizabeth Kaplan
G-Get a blood test before you go gluten-free.
L-Learn to cook and eat together as a family.
U-Understand what gluten is and where it is found.
T-Take supplements to support your health.
E-Eliminate all gluten from your pantry.
N-Natural Food Stores and Farmers’ Markets are your new BFF’s.
F-Focus on whole foods diet.
R-Read labels.
E-Enjoy eating out, with caution.
E-Embrace the benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle.
Get a blood test before you go gluten-free.
See your health care practitioner before you eliminate gluten completely. A person seeking diagnosis MUST be following a daily diet that contains gluten for at least 4 weeks in order for test results to be accurate. Specific antibody blood tests are the initial step in screening for Celiac disease. Further testing options can be decided upon with your doctor after the blood test.
Learn to cook.
Our society has become reliant on fast food drive-throughs and take-out joints, and dependent upon packaged and prepared foods for daily sustenance. According to the National Restaurant Association, 69 percent of adults surveyed said “purchasing meals from restaurants, take-out and delivery places makes it easier for families with children to manage their day-to-day lives” — not proof that they never cook, but that they would prefer not to. According to a 2009 CBS News Report, only 17% of families surveyed had home cooked meals together 7 nights a week, and only 23% had home cooked meals 4-5 nights a week.
Convenience comes at a cost. Serious health issues including rampant type II diabetes, increased heart disease, and obesity are plaguing our society. When you are gluten-free, stepping back from society’s pull to eat all things convenient is a not only a healthy step for the aforementioned reasons, it is an assurance that your diet will be free of the allergens you must avoid. Most convenience foods are laden with gluten, high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified ingredients, sodium, and preservatives. Learning to prepare healthy meals for you and your friends and family will bring the joy of eating back into your family’s life and keep everyone healthy. Check out The Pure Pantry cooking class schedule here: (link)
Understand what gluten is and where to find it.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Oats contain gluten through cross contamination. It is surprising to find out how many food items contain gluten. In addition to wheat, barley, rye and oats, many food additives contain hidden sources of gluten.
- Packaged mixes and spices
Take supplements to repair the damage and support your health.
When you first get your blood panel done you will find out from your health care practitioner if you have deficiencies. The gut is most likely not able to break down foods appropriately as it is healing from the injury caused by gluten.
Whether you’ve been living with gluten intolerance or celiac disease for a short or long period of time, attention should be paid to healing the lining of your gut as well as boosting your immune system. Often those with celiac disease have deficiencies in iron, magnesium, calcium and other minerals due to lack of absorption in the gut. In addition to adding healing foods such as whole/organic/ unprocessed foods, and high-quality fats and oils, talk to your health care practitioner about adding in the following supplements to boost your body’s ability to heal, rebuild and sustain optimal health: silica, multi-mineral, aloe vera, L-Glutamine, probiotics, and iron if anemic.
Eliminate all gluten from your life.
Time to clean out the pantry! Remove from your pantry and refrigerator of all items containing wheat, rye or barley and oats. This includes many breakfast cereals, pancake mixes, cake, cookie mixes, breads, frozen dinners, frozen waffles, salad dressings, soy sauce and anything with soy sauce in it, bar-b-que sauces, marinades, snack foods such as crackers, some chips, protein bars. A full list of gluten containing foods is available at: www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php.
Natural food stores and Farmers’ Markets are your new BFF’s.
Shopping at a traditional grocery store is difficult and frustrating when you are hunting for gluten-free items. Alternatively, Natural food stores are geared toward accommodating gluten-free shoppers. Many stores have “gluten-free” shelf tags to help shoppers locate gf options. Shopping at the Farmer’s Market is a shopping “experience”, an opportunity to reconnect both with the food you eat, and the people who grow it. See “Farmers’ Market Has Multiple Benefits for Gluten-free Families” blog entry.
Focus on a whole foods diet.
“What can I eat if I can’t eat pasta, bread, donuts, and all my other favorite foods!” If this is what you are thinking, you are a perfect candidate for the gluten-free diet as you have been focusing on a carb centered diet and most likely not getting the nourishment you need from nature’s bounty.
A healthy gluten-free diet is based on whole gluten free grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and good fats/oils. Eating whole foods and avoiding packaged foods will keep your diet healthy.
What are most nutritional food for people with gluten intolerance?
Grains and Flours:
Rice: go for a variety, from brown to wild rice but beware of too much white rice consumption as it spikes blood sugar levels
- Gluten free pasta: go for the wholegrain varieties
- Gluten free cereals with flax, buckwheat, brown rice
- Quinoa: versatile and a complete source of protein
- Chia seeds: high in antioxidants, fiber and omega-3’s.
Most beneficial for individuals with celiac disease:
- Flax meal- high in Omega 3 fatty acids, protect stomach lining
- Buckwheat-high in protein, fiber and essential amino acids
Fruits:
Fresh fruits – all varieties
Most beneficial for individuals with celiac disease:
- Avocado- high in Omega 3 fatty acids
- Acai Berry and Blueberries- high in antioxidants
- Pomegranate- potent antioxidant, cancer fighting, brain and heart health
Nuts and seeds:
Almonds and walnuts; pumpkin, sunflower, flax and chia seeds
Most beneficial for individuals with celiac disease:
- Almonds – anti-inflammatory, high in vit E for healthy skin and hair, reduces blood cholesterol
Vegetables:
Fresh vegetables – all varieties
Most beneficial:
- Spinach- for blood, brain and heart health, cancer fighting elements, rich in carotenoids, iron, folic acid
- Garlic- cancer fighting, intestinal health, infection fighting
- Tomatoes- cancer fighting agent lycopine, anti-oxidants, carotenoids.
- Broccoli- high in fiber, high in cancer preventing anti-oxidants, high in calcium
Beans:
All varieties of beans and lentils; when making from scratch be sure to soak your beans before cooking and add in kombu (a sea vegetable, available in the Asian foods section) to make the bean more digestible and to impart extra minerals.
Most beneficial for individuals with celiac disease
- Lentils- highest in fiber -15.6 grams of fiber in 1 cup cooked
Protein:
Organic and/or grass fed meat and poultry, wild caught fish
Beans, lentils and high protein vegetables for vegans/vegetarians
Most beneficial for individuals with celiac disease
- Wild caught salmon – high in protein, omega fatty acids for brain health
Oils and Fats
Olive oil, walnut oil, coconut oil, flax oil, borage oil, (Udo’s blend contains gluten – beware)
Most beneficial
- Olive Oil- cancer fighting, brain health, intestinal health
- Coconut Oil – contains lauric acid which promotes healthy bacteria in the gut
Dairy (if tolerant)
- Yogurt with probiotics – promotes intestinal health, reduces inflammation, calcium rich, protein
- Goat & feta cheeses – high in calcium, easier to digest
Read Labels.
Many manufacturers are now labeling their products “gluten free,” so look for this on packaging. Remember to be a vigilant reader because allergen labeling is currently voluntary for manufacturers. You will find this information under the list of ingredients on a product. But beware, just because it is labeled GF doesn’t mean it’s a healthful choice. And just because it’s labeled gluten-free doesn’t mean you won’t have reactions. Many gf labeled products are processed in equipment that also processes wheat products. Cross contamination is often a problem.
Enjoy Eating Out – with Caution.
Thank goodness many restaurants are starting to provide gluten free menu items. You still need to be careful about cross contamination. Everyone has different levels of sensitivity, but if a restaurant uses the same grill or pans as gluten containing foods, you may feel the effects. Some tips for eating out:
Search the web for gf restaurants. There are many sites that help gf diners find a place to eat.
Talk to the waiter. Ask what the gf options are on the menu. Many restaurants now have a gf menu and have trained their servers to be aware of special dietary needs.
Make or purchase a dining card that indicates your food allergies – hand this to the food server and ask him/her to show it to the chef. These are available at: http://glutenfreepassport.com/
Embrace the benefits..
You’ll now be a conscious shopper and eater! Creating a conscious lifestyle is not about deprivation, but rather abundance. Look at this challenge as an opportunity to nourish yourself with better quality foods than you were previously using in your diet.
