Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Going Gluten-Free, Am I Crazy???


My husband making gluten-free muffins with the boys.  Notice how they trashed my kitchen, but after they were finished it was spotless, thanks to my sweet husband.  And the muffins were incredibly delicious.

As I am sure you are aware, there has been so much talk about gluten-free lifestyles the last few years.  I personally pooh-poohed the entire thing (unless you had celiac disease) because I am not a fan of "fad" diets and kooky eating styles.  After all, people have been eating wheat forever and why would it suddenly be an issue? But as often the case for me, I had to eat my words.

I have always been pretty "average-sized for my height" without trying (not too thin, not too big), but I have exercised pretty regularly (walking, elliptical, exercise tapes, etc.) since my 20's.  I don't go crazy, but I try to get at least a couple of hours of aerobic exercise every week.  However, the few years or so my weight has been creeping up and I have the dreaded "muffin top". Even my husband who is stick-thin and works out regularly has a small pouch (invisible as far as I am concerned, but it haunts him) that he can't eliminate.

I blamed it on my hypothyroidism, but I have had that for years and am medicated (natural thyroid), and my numbers are fine.  I blamed it on my age, but that just seemed lazy.  I blamed it on my late-night snacking in front of the TV.  That one was real.  ;-)  But why I was suddenly gaining weight when I didn't have any changes in my lifestyle was concerning, so I decided to start investigating on-line and found this book: Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health.  This started my new adventure in going gluten-free.

I think I read all of the reviews (over 700, almost all positive) and decided to go ahead and order the Kindle version.  I read it in one evening (parts of it were too detailed for this genetics major), but found it very interesting and inspiring.  His theory that the wheat we eat these days is different (modified beyond all recognition) than the wheat of 50 years ago makes sense.  I had noticed that all of my family in old photos were thin, and even the overweight ones of that time where not much bigger than I am now.  And every one of them would have been mortified to be caught exercising...

There are so many arguments (some good, some bad) why Americans are gaining so much weight, but the gluten theory makes some sense to me and I decided to try to go gluten-free for a while to test it out.  I would like lose some fat, but most importantly, I want to be more healthy.  And since I am the major "chef" of the family, if I am going gluten-free, everyone is going gluten-free.

I already had a Paleo recipe book Paleo Comfort Foods: Homestyle Cooking for a Gluten-Free Kitchen (love it), and I also am using the recipes from Wheat Belly (love the blueberry muffins, flaxseed wraps and flaxseed cereal) and free recipes I find on the web.  Eating gluten-free has not been too difficult for us because we like to cook and most of the ingredients are things we already buy; such as fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy meats and hard cheeses, and even hummus.  It does make it more challenging to go out to eat, but I won't complain since staying at home saves us money and we eat better.

The items I ordered on-line in bulk to save money are almond flour, coconut flour, and coconut oil.  I am staying away from most gluten-free snacks (since I am trying to lose weight), but I do keep a few on hand for the boys.  The boys are 100% OK with this diet since I still make brownies, cookies, and muffins (almond flour) and they love fruit.   We also include dairy in our diet; mostly yogurt, smoothies, and hard cheeses.  I can't go Paleo because I love my dairy, but I do limit it somewhat (as I do meat).

It has been almost two weeks and so far so good.  We aren't eating out much (once so far) and our diet is so much healthier. I have lost a few pounds and my stomach is already visibly shrinking, and my husband says he has not had this much energy since he was in his 20's.  I have also cut out most unhealthy carbs including potato chips and most sweets (this is probably why I am seeing some weight loss), but we do have roasted potatoes, and some rice and quinoa.  I can't see going completely carb-free, especially for the boys.  Funny, we haven't miss the bread, but I do plan on making some gluten-free bread this week for peanut butter sandwiches.

Some weird but good things are already happening.  My carpal tunnel issue seems to be disappearing.  It started about a year ago in my right wrist due to bad typing positions and was really painful.  I wear a brace when I work on the computer, but it would still ache at times.  Since I have stopped eating glutens I can type for hours without a brace, and no pain.  My index and middle finger were stiff and now they are loosening up.

My husband was sure he was lactose intolerant.  Since going gluten-free, he eats cheese quite often, along with some yogurt and milk and has no issues.  Perhaps it was the wheat in the cheese pizza and cheese sandwiches that affected him?

The boys are pretty much unchanged, still crazy and adorable.

Some people say going gluten-free is expensive, and it can be if you buy gluten-free prepared foods.  $8 for a small frozen pizza, $6 for a small loaf of frozen bread, and $5 for a small pack of spaghetti; crazy, right?  But if you like to cook at all, you can make your own gluten-free food for a reasonable price.  The only thing that I find really expensive are the  special flours, but I would rather eat ground-up almonds than wheat flour anyway; almonds have more protein.

For dinner we usually eat a snack plate.  We have a small salad and a plate with some uncured or naturally cured meat (like smoked salmon, Canadian bacon, pastrami, sardines, etc.), some hard cheese, olives, uncooked veggies (carrots, celery), bits of fruit (apples, grapes, etc.), and hummus for dipping.  The boys love finger foods and this substitutes for the sandwiches we used to eat.  Plus it is easy for mom to put together.  :-)

I will keep you updated on our new gluten-free lifestyle (and if we are still sticking to it in a month).

If you are gluten-free and know of some good blogs/websites with recipes, please link them in the comments, I would love to visit them.  And if you think I am crazy for going gluten-free, I was you just two weeks ago!!!

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36 comments:

  1. As a photographer, I happened upon your blog b/c someone in one of my facebook groups recommended your lightroom presets. Funny thing, my husband has hypo-thyroidism and his doc just last week told him to get the book "lose the wheat; lose the weight"! Imagine my surprise when i read your latest post about going gluten-free... We are planning on starting the gluten-free regimen next week. Glad to hear it's going okay for you and your family! I'm looking forward to hearing how the coming weeks are working out as well.. Thanks!

    r/sandy
    www.petsinmotionphoto.com

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  2. I loved reading this post post. I am also hypothyroid and after a long discussion with the lady at the health food store decided to gluten free. It really does seem to be quite easy. Although I am still feeling quite tired unfortunately. If you want to want to make your almond flour etc. you want want to get a Thermomix. They are excellent for this way of living and do so many things. They are expensive but pay for themselves quickly and check out quirky cooking blog she does lots of exciting recipe. I look forward to seeing all your updates on your going.

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  3. Sandy, hypothyroidism seems quite rampant these days, doesn't it. I would love to hear how it goes with your change in diet, please come back and comment!

    And Lisa, I am feeling better this week than I did last week. I would love to hear how you feel in a few weeks. And I will check out the Thermomix. Almonds alone are expensive, so I don't think I can make cheap Almond flour...

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  4. Hi Rita,
    I read your blog all the time but have never posted a comment (pure laziness on my behalf) but this particular post caught my attention! I have been eating gluten-free for about four years now....not by choice. I actually write recipes occasionally, or share good ones that I've found and post them here:
    http://butcherblockstophotoshop.blogspot.com

    Good luck with your new endeavor! It's certainly a challenging, yet rewarding one.

    Kimberly

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  5. Good for you and your family!! Have you see the movie "Forks over Knives"? That's a real eye opener into the american diet. It's free on the internet, if you are interested. Or it can be rented from Netflix.

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  6. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Ugh on the conviction. ;)

    I, too, have never commented on your blog, though it's been lurking in my reader for a while, but here I go...

    This one caught my attention, too. I am not wheat/ gluten free - and I love my cookies, I tell you... and just about everything else carb-y.

    But I get these occasional thoughts of "Hmm. I wonder if doing this would make me feel healthier." It's hard to imagine that eleminating something like this from one's diet could make such a drastic improvement in one's overall health, and I, too, think, "But wheat isn't bad for you!" And yet so many people I know and whose blogs I read have stated that it, indeed, has. When I read about your carpal tunnel even improving, I was even more struck - whaaaaat??? Seems completely unrelated! Wow.

    So I am still mystified, still intrigued... and still wondering - even more, maybe - if this is something we should be trying. I just don't know. We are missionaries in Nigeria, and there are a couple thoughts I have related to that: Could the wheat here be not as bad, I wonder, as in the States (where we're from)? Most of the whole wheat flour we get here is freshly ground in the market from wheat stalks bought in the market bought from the farmer. Would that make a difference? Don't know.... THe othet end of that is that going wheat free seems really hard to do here. Not impossible, but certainly not easy. Almonds not really available, as a lot of the things that one might turn to are not.... Can one do this sort of half-heartedly and still see results?

    Anyway - wow, that was a long comment! It's like I spewed forth every thought I've ever had about trying this!!! Sorry about that - you've just made me think!!

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  7. I am totally not knocking the gluten-free thing, because I do believe that it's healthier for most people to go grain-free. But I do want to point out something about how more people are overweight in this generation than in previous ones. A BIG part of it is that we spent more time sitting now. Back then, there weren't a lot of office jobs. Everybody was on their feet, working. Being overweight was associated with affluence, and that's largely because rich people didn't have to do physical work. They had servants. No, people didn't "exercise," but they worked in the fields, they scrubbed the floors, they washed their laundry by hand, and so on. I'm sure there's some truth to the notion that the wheat we eat now is different from the wheat they ate then, but you can't discredit the fact that the average person was simply more active in their daily lives, and they didn't sit around snacking the way we do now.

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  8. Kimberly, love your blog and congratulations on the baby! Dar, I will check out that movie, but I am almost scared to watch it. :-)

    Christie, I don't know about the wheat there, but from my understanding most wheat has been modified to grow with low water, and be pest tolerant. They did this to increase the amount of wheat around the world for starving countries. Modern wheat also has had a huge increase in genes (can't remember the numbers).

    And the carpal tunnel thing is strange, but I noticed it was feeling better and googled and it apparently is a real result from a gluten-free diet. Something about wheat/gluten causing an inflammation response maybe? My mother has been so achy the last year or so and she was blaming it on age/arthritis, but she has been wheat free as long as us and she said she hasn't had to take any meds the last few days. She just doesn't ache anymore. And if you google this people say it is also a result of going gluten-free.

    I really want to believe the hype and will keep everyone posted!

    And Amy, I do agree that we get less exercise. You are so right. But I don't know that housewives in the 40's and 50's were that active. If you look at photos of them they were tiny compared to modern Americans. But they ate more "real" food and less junk food. I completely agree, exercise is a huge part of it, but I feel that there has to be more.

    I don't think everyone is gluten sensitive, but there are theories that many people become so as they age. Personally, I love to eat, but I love being healthy more, so I am willing to try eating differently. If I don't feel/look better and have better numbers (cholesterol and bp) in a few months I will probably add wheat back in our diet. But I am excited to give it a try!

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  9. When you say "natural thyroid" what do you mean? I'm hypo and take a generoic form of Synthroid. I'm curious about what you are taking.

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  10. I have been following you for over a year. I am happy to hear you are considering the effects that food has on your family. I am hypothyroid and had a number of other issues and diseases. I started a food blog for people in transition from processed foods. You can find it here:
    http://thequeenstable.blogspot.com/

    I have many pages across the top with tons of links and info. I have lost 55 pounds and my daughter has lost 80 pounds in a shorter time as she is not hypo. I have reversed Diabetes, lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol among other improvements. I highly recommend you watch some of the films I list on my Inspiration page. Happy eating!

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  11. I love your post! Yep, I am gluten free too and have been for about 4 years. Our only glitch is that you can substitute more with nut flours. My son has a nut allergy, so I can't do that. I make do and have a sister in law that is also gluten free and she makes delicious gluten free treats. I haven't shifted my whole family over yet, but I personally have notice a huge change in my own life. I actually changed over because of the upset stomach that I had and the fatigue. Although some of the gluten free alternatives also cause me troubles, so I no longer eat corn chips or popcorn. That is unless I want to fall asleep all the time. Tapioca starch also causes fatigue, so my trials and errors have led me to other alternatives, but I am grateful for finding it out. If I eat too many grains at all, even gluten free ones, I have noticed that at times I still swell up with my joints and feel achy. So, I eat lots of protiens, fruits and vegetables and I am quite satisfied. If I am hungry and just not sure what I want, I drink a smoothie or gluten free protien bar and am good to go. Anyway, you asked for great sites, here are the ones I enjoy. http://simplygluten-free.com/
    http://glutenfreegirl.com/ and http://keepitsimplekeepitfresh.blogspot.com/. Enjoy your journey :)!

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  12. Hi Rita!

    We have been gluten free at our house for 1 year now....We discovered that my husband and daughter are gluten-sensitive. They had horrible bouts with ezema. Once we went Gluten free their skin cleared up within 2 days. My favorite blog for GF recipes is http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/
    After trying 10 different bread and pizza crust recipes her flour mix and reipces are the best. Note: I use Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Sorghum Flour and Tapioca starch over anything else. I do not like the taste of anything with Cornstarch in it. Happy Eating!

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  13. Welcome to the gf world! :) My 6 year old granddaughter has celiac disease, and asked me a couple of months ago if I would go gf with her! I have done so, and will never go back. I look forward to you sharing your favorite recipes and tips. You are an amazing, wonderful woman! Thank you for all you do, and all you share. LOVE your blog!

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  14. Just a heads up - sometimes with thyroid issues, when you cut out gluten, you end up needing less meds over time - so watch for signs that you're getting hyper. My mom cut out gluten, and after 20 years on thyroid meds, went hyper, and needed a lower dose. She has Hashi's and had thought there was nothing left of her thyroid at that point, but she was pleasantly surprised :)

    Our whole family is gluten-free and has been for 6 + years now. Best decision we ever made :)

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  15. Most of the foods we eat are hughly processed, contain additives and chemical residues. Some people have a higher sensitivity to all this stuff, as well as causing weight gain, high blood pressure, etc..

    If you go gluten free ensure you are not missing out on essential nutrients! Check the ingredients of all processed foods, gluten-containing foods may be found in the unlikeliest foods.

    Checkout Wikipedia and sites for Coeliac and IBS sufferers. You will get plenty of impartial info and advice from these sources.

    Good Luck

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  16. Lisa, I am taking Nature Throid. It is natural thyroid and works great for me. I have never taken synthetic thyroid. My sister and Mom take synthetic and that works great for them. And Heather, I have heard that some people have to lower their thyroid medicine. I am fine with that!

    Thanks for all of the links, I will go visit them all. And I am having no problem eating a healthy diet because I am staying away from almost all processed food. Pretty much everything we eat are "real foods". And the best part is we all feel full after we eat because no empty carbs! I don't snack as much, and when I do I grab healthy things.

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  17. I've read lemonademakinmama blog , she posts lots of Gf dessert recipes

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  18. I've been avoiding wheat and so going gluten-free: found lots of helpful info especially re the metabolism of wheat/inflammation issues on Mark's Daily Apple. Hope all goes well!

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  19. Interesting. I have thought I may be gluten sensitive for years. I recently began breaking out in a horrible blistering rash on both my legs. Three times in a week, all about two hours after eating wheat products. I don't eat a lot of carbs, this happened when I actually ate spaghetti and then pizza. It was unbearable! so I have cut out gluten from my diet, and no rash! And also a lack of my usual stomach pain and other problems! Odd, how you have no clue what is affecting you sometimes!

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  20. Babycakes by Erin McKenna are my favorite GF cookbooks. The ingredients can be a bit pricey, but I buy in bulk and look for sales. The recipes are relatively healthy for baked goods (they do still have sugar in them, after all), and so yummy. The brownie bites are the best!

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  21. My family (kids too) has been largely grain/gluten free for over a year now. Love it! My favorite blog is Deliciously Organic, and there are lots of paleo blogs that have great recipes too. We drink raw milk, so we haven't cut out dairy (paleo is dairy-free, if I understand correctly), but so many of the paleo recipes work perfectly with gluten-free lifestyle. "Life as a Plate" is a great blog for recipes, Texas Homesteader is another fantastic blog (their whole family did I think the GAPS diet for a year, and she's got some really great recipes as well as awesome information, like Deliciously Organic). Against All Grain, Paleo on a Budget, The Paleo Mom... sorry! I know it's a lot! Most of these have FB pages too. A great book is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Okay I'll stop, this is probably overwhelming. Also, you're right about the gluten causing an inflammation reaction. THANK YOU for your blog! I have learned SO MUCH from you, and I use your actions all the time. My favorite, that I can't live without ; ) is Little Perk. I live near San Antonio, am a homeschooling mom of 4, and a photographer. I've been reading your blog for a really long time, so I already know we have a lot in common and would be great friends! LOL easy for me to say, right? ; ) Hope you're having a great weekend!

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  22. Here is a favorite gluten free site

    http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

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  23. There is also Elana's Pantry, though I stopped reading it because my daughter is not only allergic to wheat and dairy, but also nuts, and Elana uses a lot of nuts. But her recipes always sounded yummy to me! http://www.elanaspantry.com/

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  24. Hi, almost first time here, I came before, but didn't stick around :(, today I came and see this, and I want to tell you, yes, you will see changes in your body, we are doing it because my husband realize after eating a fresh yummy bread that I made with wheat a few month ago, that he couldn't move, and this happened before plus all his intestines problems,we didn't know what was happening, he feels much better without wheat for sure and I do not get inflammation like before on those "woman" days. I 'm not used to do diets because I never really need it, and I'm a very healthy eater, for me been like a ball and not be able to loose that was really not me, not matter what i did, now I'm feeling me again. It is not just because the wheat is also that on this days the sprays that are used to keep the bugs out and all the chemicals help a lot with the allergies in humans, soon would be the cows and who knows.I do believe after seen it in our lives that wheat as it is this days is affecting humans for bad.Last night I made a GF pizza and a delicious cake that didn't last long, not extra for breakfast :0, you will discover more flavors in your life...read the glutengirlfree blog that somebody recommend you, her case is more extreme than us but her story is really amazing and the doctors this days still are not getting it.Enjoy and embrace the journey. (remember that beer contain wheat, look for the ones that are not made with wheat to bring to the party)

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  25. Hi, almost first time here, I came before, but didn't stick around :(, today I came and see this, and I want to tell you, yes, you will see changes in your body, we are doing it because my husband realize after eating a fresh yummy bread that I made with wheat a few month ago, that he couldn't move, and this happened before plus all his intestines problems,we didn't know what was happening, he feels much better without wheat for sure and I do not get inflammation like before on those "woman" days. I 'm not used to do diets because I never really need it, and I'm a very healthy eater, for me been like a ball and not be able to loose that was really not me, not matter what i did, now I'm feeling me again. It is not just because the wheat is also that on this days the sprays that are used to keep the bugs out and all the chemicals help a lot with the allergies in humans, soon would be the cows and who knows.I do believe after seen it in our lives that wheat as it is this days is affecting humans for bad.Last night I made a GF pizza and a delicious cake that didn't last long, not extra for breakfast :0, you will discover more flavors in your life...read the glutengirlfree blog that somebody recommend you, her case is more extreme than us but her story is really amazing and the doctors this days still are not getting it.Enjoy and embrace the journey. (remember that beer contain wheat, look for the ones that are not made with wheat to bring to the party)

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  26. Hi, almost first time here, I came before, but didn't stick around :(, today I came and see this, and I want to tell you, yes, you will see changes in your body, we are doing it because my husband realize after eating a fresh yummy bread that I made with wheat a few month ago, that he couldn't move, and this happened before plus all his intestines problems,we didn't know what was happening, he feels much better without wheat for sure and I do not get inflammation like before on those "woman" days. I 'm not used to do diets because I never really need it, and I'm a very healthy eater, for me been like a ball and not be able to loose that was really not me, not matter what i did, now I'm feeling me again. It is not just because the wheat is also that on this days the sprays that are used to keep the bugs out and all the chemicals help a lot with the allergies in humans, soon would be the cows and who knows.I do believe after seen it in our lives that wheat as it is this days is affecting humans for bad.Last night I made a GF pizza and a delicious cake that didn't last long, not extra for breakfast :0, you will discover more flavors in your life...read the glutengirlfree blog that somebody recommend you, her case is more extreme than us but her story is really amazing and the doctors this days still are not getting it.Enjoy and embrace the journey. (remember that beer contain wheat, look for the ones that are not made with wheat to bring to the party)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi, almost first time here, I came before, but didn't stick around :(, today I came and see this, and I want to tell you, yes, you will see changes in your body, we are doing it because my husband realize after eating a fresh yummy bread that I made with wheat a few month ago, that he couldn't move, and this happened before plus all his intestines problems,we didn't know what was happening, he feels much better without wheat for sure and I do not get inflammation like before on those "woman" days. I 'm not used to do diets because I never really need it, and I'm a very healthy eater, for me been like a ball and not be able to loose that was really not me, not matter what i did, now I'm feeling me again. It is not just because the wheat is also that on this days the sprays that are used to keep the bugs out and all the chemicals help a lot with the allergies in humans, soon would be the cows and who knows.I do believe after seen it in our lives that wheat as it is this days is affecting humans for bad.Last night I made a GF pizza and a delicious cake that didn't last long, not extra for breakfast :0, you will discover more flavors in your life...read the glutengirlfree blog that somebody recommend you, her case is more extreme than us but her story is really amazing and the doctors this days still are not getting it.Enjoy and embrace the journey. (remember that beer contain wheat, look for the ones that are not made with wheat to bring to the party)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi, almost first time here, I came before, but didn't stick around :(, today I came and see this, and I want to tell you, yes, you will see changes in your body, we are doing it because my husband realize after eating a fresh yummy bread that I made with wheat a few month ago, that he couldn't move, and this happened before plus all his intestines problems,we didn't know what was happening, he feels much better without wheat for sure and I do not get inflammation like before on those "woman" days. I 'm not used to do diets because I never really need it, and I'm a very healthy eater, for me been like a ball and not be able to loose that was really not me, not matter what i did, now I'm feeling me again. It is not just because the wheat is also that on this days the sprays that are used to keep the bugs out and all the chemicals help a lot with the allergies in humans, soon would be the cows and who knows.I do believe after seen it in our lives that wheat as it is this days is affecting humans for bad.Last night I made a GF pizza and a delicious cake that didn't last long, not extra for breakfast :0, you will discover more flavors in your life...read the glutengirlfree blog that somebody recommend you, her case is more extreme than us but her story is really amazing and the doctors this days still are not getting it.Enjoy and embrace the journey. (remember that beer contain wheat, look for the ones that are not made with wheat to bring to the party)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi,a few months ago after eating a delicious bread that I made with wheat my husband couldn't move and keep working, he realized then that that something was wrong with wheat and we start trying living without it!, He not only lost weight,his intestinal problems are gone and his energy now is normal. I didn't know why I was getting really bad inflammations around those "ladies days", I was overweight really bad around my period and my ovulation time, now I'm normal again. I'm not into diets, not need because my weight never was before a problem and I eat pretty healthy in general, after going GF not more of that ball and around my waist. Yes Big change! The sprays and the chemicals that are used this days in our soils and trying to keep the bugs out are making people sick for sure, more allergies and less strength in the bodies to fight them! soon the cows and the chickens are going to need allergy medicine. Remember that many beers are made with wheat look for the ones that not contains wheat to take to the party!
    Somebody recommend you glutenfree girl, her story is extreme compared with others like mine, but is good to read it to open our eyes, because doctors are still in denial of how much we are affected from wheat and other sourced of food.20 years ago, milk, eggs, chickens, meat and cereals were a different story.In the process you will discover different flavors, enjoy and embrace your journey!

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  30. Sorry If I comment twice...first time here!!!!
    :)
    I think I did a mess, but you might be used to...
    Claudia

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  31. glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com is my most favorite GF recipe hot spot. Karina is so gifted!

    Also the puffiness decreases because the puffiness is inflammation. Makes perfect sense to hear your carpal tunnel has improved then.

    Also, logically speaking, if we know people get beer belly (and it's not just run of the mill fatness, when approaching this from the inflammation perspective), then wheat belly makes the same sense! :)

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  32. There's some stuff here and there about some of my fave GF stuff/ideas on my family blog. I don't care about increased traffic, just wanted to pass along what I've learned & loved & learned to love. :) http://therommfamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Gluten-Free?m=1#.UJGSQ7e9Kc0

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  33. I love all of the websites, please keep them coming!!! Rita

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  34. Hi Rita -

    I love your blog and sometimes use your fantastic 'actions' on my photos. I cook 100% wheat-free and mostly also gluten-free (although I do use things like 'spelt' flour which has a small amount of gluten).

    Thank you for your wonderful blog and keep 'em coming... :-)

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  35. Thanks for this post, it's nice reading stories that are similar to mine! I am also hypothyroid and currently eating gluten free and I have seen such a dramatic difference. I am also blogging about it now and trying to put info together about how thyroid relates to gluten, you might want to check it out: http://writingtheleftunsaid.blogspot.com

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  36. Heather, I read your post and it was excellent. I wish I had done this earlier, I might have saved my poor thyroid… We have been gluten-free for almost 2 years and it has been such a blessing.

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Rita