Need Help going gluten free beginning Today!

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Kristtene
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Need Help going gluten free beginning Today!

Post by Kristtene »

I strongly suspect I have celiac disease, but am only now in the preliminary investigative stages. But was dx'd with LC June 2010, and Enterolab says I have one copy of the CD gene and one copy of the non-CD gene, plus elevated antigliadins and transglutaminase.

My question: Is the pot I've been using to cook barley permanently contaminated? I don't want to just throw it out until I get further information, because it's an expensive ceramic/glass pot that I ordered online (couldn't find this type locally; will not cook in metal). I'd use it to cook rice now and not barley. I know about the better safe than sorry approach, but I just want to throw this question out there to see what the responses are. If I toss out, I'd have to buy it online (it comes in a set of three sizes and it's quite pricey).

Cutting board has had bread on it in the past, but has since gone through many wash cycles. But I can easily ditch a cheap cutting board. Should I get all new silverware?

I'm willing to scrub the ceramic/glass pot with a brillo-like pad and put it through the dishwasher a dozen times to decontaminate.

Also, what other names does gluten go by? Autolyzed yeast extract I know is one.

What foods contain gluten that seemingly don't? In other words, their ingredients list is deceiving. By the way, I avoid processed foods, so going GF should be logistically pretty easy, but still, a few tips would be appreciated.

Thanks ahead of time!
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wmonique2
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need help going gluten free

Post by wmonique2 »

I think if you decontaminate your pots and pans in your dishwasher, you're fine.

If you stick to real foods, you shouldn't have any problems: protein, rice, sweet potatoes, well cooked vegies, skinless fruits. Stay away from foods that have sauces because most often the sauces are thickened with flour. You can thicken your own sauces with corn starch. I buy rice cakes and use for lunch with tuna, salmon etc . Dinner is always fish or chicken with very well cooked green beans or kale and skinless red potatoes or rice. We generally do well with squashes and sweet potatoes and this is the season for them.

Just keep it simple. The simpler it is the faster you'll heal and the easier your life will be. For this thanksgiving, I saw in the market GF stuffing (probably made of corn). I eat corn tortillas too with chicken. I cook many soups during the winter and freeze immediately in small containers so that I am not a slave in my kitchen..

For treats, I make my own granola bars--GF,SF,DF but you can find some everywhere in health foods stores and regular supermarkets too. Just pay attention to the ingredients.

Good luck in your journey (because it is one).

Monique

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Diagnosed 2011 with LC. Currently on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
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Lesley
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Post by Lesley »

You can thicken your own sauces with corn starch
That's if you can eat corn. And rice. I can't have either. I have tried to thicken withe potato starch, but it's not very successful.

What do you use for granola bars? I make granola, but since I can't have almonds, I am having a hard time finding a bar or a good recipe for them. The last time I tried they fell apart.
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wmonique2
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Post by wmonique2 »

Lesley,

Here's the post I had a couple of weeks ago. I copy/paste for you. You can change any of the ingredients depending on your intolerances. Since you cannot have rice, then I'd use just oats. Since you cannot have almond butter, then peanut or cashew butter. You'd need a little more than 1 1/2 c of liquid. You can use coconut milk instead of almond milk.

Hello Friends!

I've been feeling very deprived lately (having a kitchen remodeled can do that) so I went to Kroger and bought from the health food section (from the bulk bin) bite size, chewy granola type bites for nearly $16 a pound. I thought that was a ridiculous price for so little, so I came home and started checking what I had in the pantry.

Since I can never find anything that isn't loaded with gluten, soy, dairy, or some unpronounceable chemical I decided to make my own. Well, ladies and gentlemen, my concoction is a winner (if I may say so :-)

Here we go--this is all GF and organic, you substitute based on your intolerances.

2 cups quick oats
2 cups rice crispies
1 cup cranberries (or raisins)
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup honey (corn syrup or your favorite sweetener)
1/2 almond butter (or peanut butter)
1/2 almond milk
1/2 chopped almonds or cashews (optional) or you can add chocolate chips if you can handle chocolate.

Put the honey, almond butter, milk in the micro for a minute or so. Mix it well.

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients well. Add the wet ingredients. The binding agent here is the honey, almond butter and milk.

Make sure that it is nicely moist and well mixed. Spray a cookie sheet (9x11) with Pam. Pour the mixture and using your hands, press firmly and evenly. Keep in the fridge covered with a towel or whatever.

What you'll get is a chewy and moist granola bar. It is so good that the only danger is eating too much of it! Drink it with a cup of hot almond milk before you go to bed. You'll sleep well.
Diagnosed 2011 with LC. Currently on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
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tex
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Post by tex »

Kristtene,

As long as a pot/dish is not cracked, or deeply scratched, you should be able to clean it up OK. Be especially careful around rivets, corners, etc., or anywhere that gluten might be able to stick and escape removal. Be especially careful to remove any baked-on residue that can sometimes be found on baking dishes. Make sure that nothing is sticking between the base of the tines on forks, in grooves on knives, etc. I would throw the old cutting board away, because they are usually loaded with cuts/scratches that may contain who-knows-what. Wooden bowels, wooden spoons, etc. that have contacted gluten should also be avoided.

You can find lists of suspect foods for various food sensitivities at the following link. Note that an asterisk beside the item means that it may contain gluten (or whatever food ingredient the list refers to), but that's not always the case (for example, this can vary by country of origin).

Foods And Food Ingredients That Should Be Avoided

As Monique pointed out, by avoiding processed foods, that alone makes avoiding gluten and/or other food sensitivities much, much easier, and much more reliable (since many processed foods are cross-contaminated, despite what the label says).

Congratulations and good luck. This is the first day of your journey back to good health. :thumbsup:

Tex

P. S. I notice that you list grapes as a food sensitivity. They clean me out too, roughly 3 or 4 hours after I eat them.
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Kristtene
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Re: need help going gluten free

Post by Kristtene »

wmonique2 wrote:I think if you decontaminate your pots and pans in your dishwasher, you're fine.

If you stick to real foods, you shouldn't have any problems: protein, rice, sweet potatoes, well cooked vegies, skinless fruits. Stay away from foods that have sauces because most often the sauces are thickened with flour. You can thicken your own sauces with corn starch. I buy rice cakes and use for lunch with tuna, salmon etc . Dinner is always fish or chicken with very well cooked green beans or kale and skinless red potatoes or rice. We generally do well with squashes and sweet potatoes and this is the season for them.

Just keep it simple. The simpler it is the faster you'll heal and the easier your life will be. For this thanksgiving, I saw in the market GF stuffing (probably made of corn). I eat corn tortillas too with chicken. I cook many soups during the winter and freeze immediately in small containers so that I am not a slave in my kitchen..

For treats, I make my own granola bars--GF,SF,DF but you can find some everywhere in health foods stores and regular supermarkets too. Just pay attention to the ingredients.

Good luck in your journey (because it is one).

Monique

Monique
Thanks Monique. Why go skinless on the produce? This doesn't cause me diarrhea, assuming that's why you go skinless. Also, why emphasize cooking for the vegetables? I actually eat them raw for the enzymes and to retain other nutrients. Thank goodness I don't eat sauces. I love chocolate, so I know that in general, candy-based chocolate and hot chocolate powders are allowed. I guess this means goodbye to "My Favorite Muffin" -- the absolute best double chocolate muffins anywhere...
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Post by coryhub »

Hi Kristtene,
I did not buy all new pots and pans and did okay with thorough washing with soap and water.
Some of us don't digest roughage well. For instance: seeds, strings in celery, skins on potatoes. Also overcooked vegetables are easier to digest. I know we are all different but many of us have found white rice, carrots, chicken, potatoes, rice crackers, bananas and simple things like that to be safe things to start off with. As Monique said, it's better to keep it simple until you heal the gut's inflammation a bit.
Good luck,
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Post by Leah »

Excellent advice!
Yeah, many of us here can not tolerate any fiber when we are trying to heal. It's very hard on an inflamed intestinal lining ( like rubbing sandpaper on an open wound). If you find down the road that taking the gluten out isn't enough to get better, you might rethink the raw veggies until you do feel good.

Soy sauce has gluten and so does many licorice type candy.

I hope that gluten is your only sensitivity. That would be great. You will probably know within four months. If after that time frame, you are still having symptoms, you might look at dairy next. Many of us here have to stay clear of that also. …. at least until the inflammation is gone.

Good luck and congrats on making this decision!
Leah
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Lesley
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Post by Lesley »

Monique - I will have to make walnut or pecan butter. I can't do any of the others. I will give it a try as soon as I can stand for long enough to take it on.
Thanks!

Hi Kristtene - I did a purge on my kitchen. I kept the pots. When I wasn't getting better. I purged those too. I think I could have kept the pots, but I got a bit desperate.
Do you have a toaster? Get rid of it if you are going to do GF bread toast. Those things will always have residual gluten.
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Post by gluten »

Hi, You could subsititue buckwheat for the flour in your muffins. Buckwheat is not a grain. I use it to make banana bread. Make sure the buckwheat has gluten free on the bag. Jon
Kristtene
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Post by Kristtene »

Is there a such thing as a GF toothpaste that's also free of fluoride? Thought I'd ask first before I research this. I thought I was GF yesterday (for first time) till I found out that the brewer's yeast I consumed is made in a factory that processes wheat, though the can says "gluten free" on it.

While looking through my refrigerator...thought my safflower oil spread was free...till I saw it contains grain vinegar. Tossed out spice with maltodexterin of unknown origin, but I assume that corn-based malto is fine. Organic, no-sugar-added ketchup contains maltodexterin of unknown origin. I wonder how honest the company is when you call them and ask if it contains gluten, or if they actually really know.
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Post by tex »

Kristtene,

In the U. S. and Canada, unless specified otherwise, "maltodextrin" is made from corn or potato starch. That's not necessarily true in other countries, though.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by Kristtene »

Malto is on Jane's list of glutens, though. So that's why I threw out the spice and have the ketchup on deck for tossing out.
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Post by tex »

If you mean Jean's list, the asterisk means that it might contain gluten. The listings without an asterisk always contain gluten.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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