Want to try gluten free - TOTALLY overwhelmed!

[tantrums]

I've been thinking about this for a while - for MYSELF actually. When i brought it up yesterday at the nutritional consult for DS and the doctor said absolutely do it now, it really struck a cord. I was just reading on leaky gut and I fit the bill. I am quite frankly, a pretty unhealthy person myself. I never thought of nutrition much for DS because being the little rebel he is LOL the child gravitates towards all things healthy foodwise. But I think this would be a good thing for all of us.

 

But I've been poking around online today and I am SOOOO overwhelmed! Is there any benefit at all to doing it gradually or does it have to be a full commitment from the start to show any benefit. I'm just concerned it will be such a dramatic change, none of us will be able to hack it.

 

Does anyone know of one very comprehensive website that I can go off of?DH is actually food shopping now, so it won't be started this week, but I really would like to get going next week.

 

Also, I'm reading a lot about PREbiotics. Do we need to be taking those too now?

[Phasmid]

Bruce Semon, M.D., Ph.D. is a child psychiatrist in WI and started Wisconsin Institute of Nutrition and wrote Feast Without Yeast. He has GF recipes in that book. He is the first doc we went to when my son had what we thought was Tourette's. We feel that the anti fungal/gluten free diet and nystatin treatment helped him immensely back then.

 

you can google Wisconsin Institute of Nutrition and find him...

 

His book made it very easy to do the diet. It is very challenging though. Good luck!

 

(I lost TONS of weight on the diet and never felt better myself)

[tpotter]

Our holistic chiropractor had us cut out wheat (ended up GF in the end), dairy, yeast and sugar. Made a HUGE difference. I have been GF for about 20 years, and trust me, it was a whole lot harder then (there's so much available these days.) Here's what I recommend when people are starting it:

 

1) It doesn't do any good whatsoever to only do it part way. If you need to be GF, you can't eat any (bottom line.)

 

2) The cheapest and easiest way to get started is eat fresh fruit, fresh vegies, meat, chicken (check the ingredients, though on the latter 2,) and eggs, etc. You can go to a store like Trader Joes and Whole Foods + many grocery stores now carry GF. If you are also eliminating other things, too, make sure you read your ingredients.

 

3) Look for terms like "food starch" (you don't know what kind of food starch), "modified corn starch" (you don't know how they modified it).

 

4) If it's processed, and doesn't specifically say GF, then assume that it isn't.

 

5) Don't get processed foods if you can help it. It's just too hard to figure out if there's gluten or not.

 

6) If you get GF mixes (such as cake mixes), they are usually, extremely full of sugar, and personally I think they taste grotesque.

 

Once you start, it really isn't that hard.

 

Good luck.

[tantrums]

Thank you! I will definitely look up that doctor and his book. I was looking at everything DH brought in from food shopping. He brought beer and I told him no more after this weekend. He is NOT likely to follow it to the T - LOL!

 

I did realize though that the only way to know if it works is to do it full on so that is what we WILL do.

 

I totally need the weight loss effect! I'm in a catch 22. Gained a TON with 2 back surgeries. And since the first failed, I was unable to do much of anything for two years (even walk one flight of steps). This recent surgery helped a lot, but it's hard to get moving with 50 extra pounds I also have IBS, ezcema, chronic headaches and some other stuff including a weird come and go high blood pressure. Looking at the description of "leaky gut" yeah that is me!!

 

So in a way, this is a VERY good thing for my family in general. Me getting healthier also will benefit DS as I'll have more energy to keep up with him and to deal with him. He won't worry obsessively about me being unhealthy and hopefully it DOES show a benefit to him as well - although as I said, he actually already IS naturally a healthy eater. But I am admittedly the queen of processed and he has to eat a lot of that by default.

[EmersonAilidh]

Thank you! I will definitely look up that doctor and his book. I was looking at everything DH brought in from food shopping. He brought beer and I told him no more after this weekend. He is NOT likely to follow it to the T - LOL!

 

I did realize though that the only way to know if it works is to do it full on so that is what we WILL do.

 

I totally need the weight loss effect! I'm in a catch 22. Gained a TON with 2 back surgeries. And since the first failed, I was unable to do much of anything for two years (even walk one flight of steps). This recent surgery helped a lot, but it's hard to get moving with 50 extra pounds I also have IBS, ezcema, chronic headaches and some other stuff including a weird come and go high blood pressure. Looking at the description of "leaky gut" yeah that is me!!

 

So in a way, this is a VERY good thing for my family in general. Me getting healthier also will benefit DS as I'll have more energy to keep up with him and to deal with him. He won't worry obsessively about me being unhealthy and hopefully it DOES show a benefit to him as well - although as I said, he actually already IS naturally a healthy eater. But I am admittedly the queen of processed and he has to eat a lot of that by default.

 

I don't know if it's this way everywhere but the Super Wal-Mart by us actually has a Gluten free frozen section. The little meals are kinda expensive, but it's nice to have a few. There's also a brand called Amy's Kitchen that most (but not all) Krogers carries that have a few gluten free items. All completely dairy & meat free, too. Not sure if your family eats meat or dairy, but they taste good even to my friends who eat meat!

 

I agree with what everyone else has said. I admittedly haven't been doing the diet for long but fresh veggies & fruits have been a lifesaver. Also, I've been eating a lot of potatoes (baked, mashed, however you want them) & rice as well. It's really yummy just to throw some steamed rice & veggies together with salt & pepper. Good luck!

[Kay]

Also gluten free here for over 25 years. It is so much easier now as someone else as stated. I want for nothing anymore except maybe a grinder on a big old fat grinder roll! I can get a lot of my regular shopping done at Stop and Shop still and I go at least once a week to the health food store and get some of the items that I can't get at S&S.

 

We have found a cake mix for those days you just want something that taste great, you can make cake or cupcakes out of it there is frosting also, ( we don't usually frost) all gluten and dairy free. Cherry Brook kitchen I think it is.

 

There are tons of things now and yes be sure to read labels. We seem to be ok with modified corn starch but not modified food starch and also watch for natural flavorings they can be bad you never know what they are using with that term. We have called companies and they answer you if it is something you really want to use.

 

PM me if you need any additonal information.

[tpotter]

Oh, that reminds me, also watch for "flavorings" (i have sometimes called companies, and told them I am gluten and dairy free...they usually tell me not to eat their product )

 

I guess some people like the frosting you're talking about. I was so excited to use it, and then I ate it (I won't say more...everyone has their own tastes.)

 

I also eat a lot of potatoes, rice, rice cakes (get the brown rice products, including breads, because they're better than the white rice if you want to eat healthy.)

 

And, if you want something sweet to eat, get a recipe for cakes that are Kosher for Passover (but that use potato starch, rather than matzah meal.) If you PM me, I'll send you a really good recipe for Angel Food Cake (uses 10 egg whites.)

 

Chex cereal now has several products that are GF (it's written in big letters on their box.) They're pretty good.

 

But, if you want to lose weight, you can't be eating all the carbs I've been talking about.

[tantrums]

OOOH awesome! DS has been on a chex mix kick for weeks and weeks. I think that would be the hardest to give up! If the packaged chex mix isn't GF, I can probably come up with our own recipe that is.

 

I KNOW I'll be needing sweets - LOL! But I'm also not one to bake. I'm a wegmanns girl all the way I'll go get a GF cookbook this weekend though. DH will cook it for us

[Chemar]

one of our members, Caryn, has a great website with lots of GF recipes and food tips

 

http://healthy-family.org/

[tpotter]

Wegman's definitely has a GF section. If you have a grill, do a lot of cooking on that. Fast and easy, and tastes good.

 

Rice milk, Almond Milk, and Soy milk are good, but be careful, because some Rice Milks used to not be completely GF (read the ingredients, and the warnings on their labels.) They're also fattening...go easy on them, and eating too much soy can be problematic because of the hormone effects (it's ok to eat some, though.)

 

(I think we're getting you excited about going GF?)

[tantrums]

Thank you. Website is marked for reading later. I am torn between hiding from and dealing with the current freak out (JUST when I was thinking the abx seemed to be working...). But guess I best deal and will read later

 

I am getting sortof excited. I just question how well I will manage to stick with it! But years ago, when my GERD was at its' worst, I mean I could only eat "white" foods, I adjusted. So, I'm sure I can adjust again if this feels good. And if I see a difference in DS, well, that will make me stick with anything!!

[Stephanie2]

Something that really helped me when I was starting out with my kids is the yahoo group titled: GFCFkids. There are thousands of well informed members...for example if you need the name of a gluten free toothpaste, etc, you just post the question and you will get lots of responses. I was overwhelmed the first couple months but I do believe it is one of the key things that pulled my 2yo out of autism so we just kept on plugging and now it is basically second nature.

 

Best of luck!

Thank you. Website is marked for reading later. I am torn between hiding from and dealing with the current freak out (JUST when I was thinking the abx seemed to be working...). But guess I best deal and will read later

 

I am getting sortof excited. I just question how well I will manage to stick with it! But years ago, when my GERD was at its' worst, I mean I could only eat "white" foods, I adjusted. So, I'm sure I can adjust again if this feels good. And if I see a difference in DS, well, that will make me stick with anything!!

[AmbersMommy]

I've been thinking about this for a while - for MYSELF actually. When i brought it up yesterday at the nutritional consult for DS and the doctor said absolutely do it now, it really struck a cord. I was just reading on leaky gut and I fit the bill. I am quite frankly, a pretty unhealthy person myself. I never thought of nutrition much for DS because being the little rebel he is LOL the child gravitates towards all things healthy foodwise. But I think this would be a good thing for all of us.

 

But I've been poking around online today and I am SOOOO overwhelmed! Is there any benefit at all to doing it gradually or does it have to be a full commitment from the start to show any benefit. I'm just concerned it will be such a dramatic change, none of us will be able to hack it.

 

Does anyone know of one very comprehensive website that I can go off of?DH is actually food shopping now, so it won't be started this week, but I really would like to get going next week.

 

Also, I'm reading a lot about PREbiotics. Do we need to be taking those too now?

Hi,

 

My daughter has been gluten free for a year and I kind of jumped on the bandwagon with her about 6 months into it. I feel better!!! My daughter gravitates toward things that are good for her too so I didn't have much of a problem with her. She LOVES Chocolate Chex Cereal. Betty crocker has gluten free brownie mixes as well as cake mixes and a chocolate chip cookie mix. They are awesome!!!! Namaste makes a pizza crust mix that is delicious!!!!! We use rice noodles by Thai Kitchen and they are really good too. Good luck to you!!!! We went on the gluten free diet before PANDAS, but my daughter always had reflux problems. Her reflux is for all intents and purposes gone now!

[Joan Pandas Mom]

My PANDAS son's wheat and dairy rast test came back with slight allergies to them. I am trying to go wheat and dairy free with him, but he doesn't go more than 2 days!!! I started it and I feel great. I don't get that 3:00 fall on your face tire feeling anymore! I have lots of energy and seem more focused. I also started taking Spurilina.

 

I've been thinking about this for a while - for MYSELF actually. When i brought it up yesterday at the nutritional consult for DS and the doctor said absolutely do it now, it really struck a cord. I was just reading on leaky gut and I fit the bill. I am quite frankly, a pretty unhealthy person myself. I never thought of nutrition much for DS because being the little rebel he is LOL the child gravitates towards all things healthy foodwise. But I think this would be a good thing for all of us.

 

But I've been poking around online today and I am SOOOO overwhelmed! Is there any benefit at all to doing it gradually or does it have to be a full commitment from the start to show any benefit. I'm just concerned it will be such a dramatic change, none of us will be able to hack it.

 

Does anyone know of one very comprehensive website that I can go off of?DH is actually food shopping now, so it won't be started this week, but I really would like to get going next week.

 

Also, I'm reading a lot about PREbiotics. Do we need to be taking those too now?

Hi,

 

My daughter has been gluten free for a year and I kind of jumped on the bandwagon with her about 6 months into it. I feel better!!! My daughter gravitates toward things that are good for her too so I didn't have much of a problem with her. She LOVES Chocolate Chex Cereal. Betty crocker has gluten free brownie mixes as well as cake mixes and a chocolate chip cookie mix. They are awesome!!!! Namaste makes a pizza crust mix that is delicious!!!!! We use rice noodles by Thai Kitchen and they are really good too. Good luck to you!!!! We went on the gluten free diet before PANDAS, but my daughter always had reflux problems. Her reflux is for all intents and purposes gone now!

[smartyjones]

my son has been gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free for about 16 months. he had an igg blood test that was off the charts for all varieties of these foods. the naturopath that did it was a little freaked out and she runs that test often. traditional drs told us, 'yes, his body is producing antibodies against those foods, but so what'. common sense told me that if i'm concerned about his immune system being haywire, i should try to give it the best rest i can. i don't think we've seen a major effect for him on it -- he's had remission and exacerbations on it. i continue b/c he's still fighting some infections and i think it's helpful not to overload his system, not that i see any differences for him in symptoms. although, he did gain weight the first 2 months and he was starting to fall off the percentile chart.

 

so, we went cold turkey on all those foods for him and reduced for the rest of us. at first, i was so overwhelmed. both my boys, then 4 1/2 and 7, survived the first few weeks on rice chex. they were/are confirmed carbo-holics.

 

i do tend to be an all or nothing person in general, but i think this was the best way to go. we didn't really have grey areas to deal with. we eat gf/df breakfast and dinner. older son gets what he wants for lunch and can order what he wants at restaurants. pandas son gets grilled chicken or steak at a restaurant and depending on how it's cooked, maybe french fries.

 

he currently doesn't eat much fruit or veggies. too bad - i think a gf/df diet with lots of fruit and veggies is probably the healthiest way to eat. i try not to buy too much processes stuff -- it's quite expensive and i tell him - 'if you can't eat some grapes or strawberries, i can't see fit to buy you a $6 bagel!' he does eat more meat than i'd care for him to, but i can't restrict everything!

 

i make some really good banana-chocolate chip muffins and pancakes and a great chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies. gf stuff tastes best hot from the oven.

 

i found much help from the magazine 'living without' those first few months. you might be able to find it at the library and i believe, on-line.

 

it's actually not that bad - it's just that it's so totally different from the usually american diet. dinner is actually pretty easy - we do rice pasta, potatoes or rice and whatever else we would have had. i just get frustrated when i want simple rice and veggies and no one else will eat that.

 

i don't know that i think i feel very different - maybe b/c i still eat gluten at times. what i do feel the best at is when i eat according to fit for life. you eat fruit in the am and then during the day eat lots of veggies and do not eat carbs and meat together.