Gluten free/ Celiacs?

[Poppy Fields]

Hey everybody,

Just sending out a *blip* to see if anyone else here is GF or celiac. If not, I'm just going to have to convert some of the "wheaties" ;)

I looooove to bake and am slowly recovering from the holiday madness (there's still half a tin of cookies to, um, "dispose" of). Have learned a lot from sheer experimentation in the 4 years (in April) since going GF. I would enjoy sharing tips and recipes!

[That Cat in the Hat {★}Manfriend]

My exes sister swears up and down that wheat gluten is causing the fall of western civilization as we know it. Unfortunately hers is the only opinion I've heard on the subject. Beyond an allergies perspective (which is obviously an understandable reason to cut anything out of ones diet) is there something deeper that would cause someone to cut wheat out of their diet?

Not meaning to cause offense to any who choose that way, one of my best friends is raw vegan so I understand the making of a personal choice, just honestly curious.

[Poppy Fields]

"...wheat gluten is causing the fall of western civilization..."
HA HA HA!!! Hey, I can get behind that reasoning if it means I'll be able to eat dessert at restaurants again :D

Besides an allergy or celiac disease, lots of people are intolerant to wheat or have a sensitivity. The difference between these definitions is the reaction and the amount it takes before such a reaction occurs. (Celiac is an auto-immune condition, so it's not really an allergy.) These reactions could be as simple as bloating after a meal, water retention, itchy eyes etc. so cutting down or out just makes life a little more comfortable. Wheat products are also generally highly refined, so many people switch to other products for health reasons.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head, without going into 5 pages on the biological history of wheat etc. :) I encourage my family and friends to try my GF food because it tastes different and, if you only ever eat the wheat version of something, you miss out on all kinds of other wonderful food experiences!

[Bunny Bailey]

I've told myself I'm gonna try going wheat free for a month and I still plan on it, but I need to do more research. Plus we just got some wheat germ to supplement our "vegan" diet about a month ago and I hate to see things go to waste. I've read though that the symptoms one can display as a result of a wheat allergy can be anything. That makes it hard to know if you are or aren't.

[Poppy Fields]

When you're done with the wheat germ, you might want to try hemp seeds, also called hemp hearts. They're delicious & nutritious! Do you ever eat quinoa? It cooks up just like rice, has a lovely nutty flavour and is more nutritious than standard white rice. Montina is another grain that is insanely high in nutrients, but finding it may take some trips to the health food store.

You're right - the symptoms are very wide ranging. It took me a lifetime of being sick all the frikkin' time and then I was the one who stumbled on the solution, not my doctor. There is allergy testing for sensitivity or intolerance, but the only way to be definitively tested for celiac is through a biopsy.

BunnyBailey said:

I've told myself I'm gonna try going wheat free for a month and I still plan on it, but I need to do more research. Plus we just got some wheat germ to supplement our "vegan" diet about a month ago and I hate to see things go to waste. I've read though that the symptoms one can display as a result of a wheat allergy can be anything. That makes it hard to know if you are or aren't.

[Soda Shop Sue]

do you have any good links.... there is a LADY at my Salon, that i work with, that recently found out she had to be Gluten free/Celiacs... message me some links... it would make her day!!!
please!
xoxo SSS

[Poppy Fields]

[messaging you and putting it here for anyone who's interested]

Celiac.com: the place to start. Information, links to other sites and active forums - all the good stuff! [Look at the "Site Map" page if it's all a bit too much at once]
Celiac at alltop: top celiac stories and links updated hourly!
Gluten Free Gobsmacked: GREAT recipes! [there are so many celiac blogs now - best just to follow links 'til she finds the ones she likes best]
Celiac Forums: can be a little hard to navigate, because there is just SO MUCH information. But when she's ready, there's lot to learn here and fantastic recipes. User mireille is an unbelievable resource!

She should also google her city/area + celiac, as there is most likely a local chapter of the celiac association. She *should* be able to get help and information from them, especially about which restaurants in the city are safe to eat at etc.

Please let her know that, even though it's overwhelming at first and it seems like she'll never eat anything ever again, it gets easier. Promise. And once she adjusts, she'll realise that there are plenty of things she can still eat. Family and friends will be the hardest to convince that it's real and necessary, and this hurts. But it too gets better over time. Just stick it out and know that your health trumps everyone else's dysfunctions :)


Soda Shop Sue said:

do you have any good links.... there is a LADY at my Salon, that i work with, that recently found out she had to be Gluten free/Celiacs... message me some links... it would make her day!!!
please!
xoxo SSS

[Soda Shop Sue]

thank you, i'll pass along the info!!

Poppy Fields said:

[messaging you and putting it here for anyone who's interested]

Celiac.com: the place to start. Information, links to other sites and active forums - all the good stuff! [Look at the "Site Map" page if it's all a bit too much at once]
Celiac at alltop: top celiac stories and links updated hourly!
Gluten Free Gobsmacked: GREAT recipes! [there are so many celiac blogs now - best just to follow links 'til she finds the ones she likes best]
Celiac Forums: can be a little hard to navigate, because there is just SO MUCH information. But when she's ready, there's lot to learn here and fantastic recipes. User mireille is an unbelievable resource!

She should also google her city/area + celiac, as there is most likely a local chapter of the celiac association. She *should* be able to get help and information from them, especially about which restaurants in the city are safe to eat at etc.

Please let her know that, even though it's overwhelming at first and it seems like she'll never eat anything ever again, it gets easier. Promise. And once she adjusts, she'll realise that there are plenty of things she can still eat. Family and friends will be the hardest to convince that it's real and necessary, and this hurts. But it too gets better over time. Just stick it out and know that your health trumps everyone else's dysfunctions :)


Soda Shop Sue said:

do you have any good links.... there is a LADY at my Salon, that i work with, that recently found out she had to be Gluten free/Celiacs... message me some links... it would make her day!!!
please!
xoxo SSS