Going Gluten Free Saved My Life

At first I was skeptical about going gluten free (not eating a speck of wheat) and it sounded really hard to do but after checking out a handful of books on the subject at the library and doing my own research on the wonderful web, I grew accustomed to the lifestyle. Now if I were to even think about not eating wheat say, ten years ago, I probably would have starved to death. There just weren't enough, if any choices out there.

Half of my friends are now going gluten free and I believe I know the reason why. Cutting out wheat from your diet is a surprising discovery. While many are and were unknowingly allergic like me, a lot of people just wanted to flush out toxins in their bodies or lose weight, or just feel better. Here are just some of the symptoms I stopped having after cutting out wheat from my diet; headaches, stomach pains, eczema, topical rashes, and diarrhea. Before I went gluten free, I was constantly hearing how tough it is to not eat wheat and continuously scrutinize the nutrition labels of everything you buy. Don't even mention going out to a restaurant to eat something! Gasp! A salad maybe? You can eat meat too while on this so called diet, you just have to be careful because some meats do contain gluten. My latest discovery? I can't drink beer anymore...what?? Don't worry alcoholics; you can still consume wine....well, that's a relief!!

You better know how to cook....or start learning pronto! Also, invest in a bread machine and make your own wheat free version. You can buy them cheap on craigslist if you just want to practice making gluten free bread before actually committing to the lifestyle. True, you do have to cut out a lot of ingredients from your life but at the same time you learn a lot of different ways to make rice! ;) The only place to really shop for gluten free stuff is either Whole Foods Market or New Seasons. (I'm in the NW, so it you might not have those grocery stores in the other parts of the country.)

Great food options include but not limited to are; GF prepared meats, all fresh meats, fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade bread( your house will smell incredible), coffee, tea, potato and grape based alcohol, any type of nuts, cooking oils....you name it, and there is a way you can make it gluten free. You just have to make it yourself in some cases. And here is an added bonus to cooking wheat free, you can experiment with all the wonderful herbs that are out there just for the picking! True, they are expensive but well worth the investment since every kind of condiment you can think of contains gluten. Below, I have listed popular baking ingredients for gluten free greenhorns.

Sorghum

Sorghum is a flour substitute that must be mixed with other GF flour substitutes to prevent baked goods from becoming dried out as I have sourly learned. Sorghum also offers some protein and fiber which helps balance the high carb content. It may also help in lowering cholesterol (like oatmeal which also comes GF) and improve heart health. This brings me too;

Steel Cut Oats

Also have been called Irish or Scottish oats are processed with low heat and not rolled. And because of the manufacturing process required, they require more time to cook but fill you up good and quick. Steel cut oats also contain a high level of beta-glucan which affects the immune system by increasing the body's ability to ward off harmful bacterial infections. Beta-glucan also helps if you have diabetes. There is also a version just plainly called gluten free oats for those of you who don't have time to read the labels carefully.

Almond Meal

Consistency similar to cornmeal. (Hmmmm...cornbread.) Used in macaroons or as a cake or pie filling. High in calories, it contributes moistness to finished baked goods, and a rich, nutty taste to your food.

A variety of ground whole grains, beans, and nuts can supply the texture you need in lieu of flour.

Eliminating flour from your diet thwarts weight gain and evens out blood glucose levels

If you can easily read the nutrition labels on products and know what they mean, then it is probably good for you.

Hidden Gluten sources

Baked Beans (tomato sauce)
Blue Cheese (bread crumbs included)
Imitation crab meat (contains wheat)
Processed meats (contain fillers)
Sausage....really (contains wheat)
Store bought sauces (Thickened with flour)

Going gluten free is a new and wonderful lifestyle, and one I hope you try if you are experiencing any type of bodily trouble because any kind of drugs whether prescription or otherwise can harm you in troublesome ways. I encourage just one of you to go out and purchase a bread machine and make your own bread whether it be GF or not. The smell is divine!