Help going gluten free

[girlonamission]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this to the right board or not. I'm new here and am trying to go gluten-free to help my environmental allergies. I am not celiac, but celiac sites are the only help to get about going gluten-free. At first, I thought I felt less bloated, less cravings, etc. with going gluten-free. But then I think I over compensated with more sugar than I was used to eating -- which was very little. Now I feel as if I'm gaining weight. It's frustrating to say the least. I'd hope that going gluten-free would help me lose weight that has been hanging on, no matter what I do, as well as help with my allergies. I am discouraged.

It feels like there's nothing good to eat. I can't really afford gluten-free specialty items much. And a lot of that stuff has soy in it anyway. I don't do soy, if I can help it.

If anyone has any other advice that what I've read on this post w/comments, I'd surely appreciate it.

Blessings,

Girl On a Mission

[kareng]

Hello, Welcome

Read around and see what we eat. There are threads on budget eating. Use the google in the top right corner and try using words like "budget" "cheap"

[rosetapper23]

Nothing good to eat? Try meats, healthy saturated fats (e.g., olives, nuts, nut butters, avocadoes, organic butter, etc.), vegetables, dairy, gluten-free grains, and fruits.

If you're interested in losing weight and dealing with allergies, you might try reading, "Primal Body/Primal Mind," by Nora Gedgaudas. Believe me--you will learn a LOT about diet, food sensitivities, and allergies. Best book I've ever read in my life.

[Carebear]

My staples: rice, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, canned winter squash, leafy greens, mushrooms, and a few other vegetables. That's about it, but there is a lot of variety just in those categories. There's also fruit, which I dont eat because I have a combo of oral allergy syndrome and am still fructose intolerant as part of the healing process from celiac. Do you have oral allergy syndrome? That might be worth looking into. In the summer, I can't eat melons, zucchini, bananas, sunflower seeds, or avocados because they cross react with local pollens and make my mouth tingly and itchy. I avoid honey during the pollen season too. Just go for whole foods rather than packaged crap

[nvsmom]

As long as you replace gluten foods with veggies and proteins, I would think it would be a healthier diet and possibly aid in weight loss. Don't replace all calories you cut from removing gluten foods either. For example, if you used to have a peanut butter sandwich with a tablespoon of peanut butter, switch to a small apple sliced with a teaspoon of peanut butter on it.

A gluten free diet often helps with weight loss because you are eating less foods with a high GI index. If you replace the gluten items with sugars or gluten-free replacements (which are more sugary and have a high GI index) you won't really improve your diet.

Good luck.