Completely New To Gluten Free Diet

[alexschatzi]

I don't even know where to start. I just got my diagnoses from my Natruopath on my food sensitivity to Gluten. What do you eat. I am not even sure what Gluten means. Just slightly overwhelmed. I bought a few products at the health food store. What about lunch meats, tomato sauce, fish, dairy etc. What do you cook? Any wine alowed? I am supposed to stay away from sugar as well because of the candida. Any tips will be appreciated!

[dlp252]

Hi, it's a little overwhelming at first but you'll get the hang of it very quickly. I can do the basics...

Gluten = the protein in wheat, oats, rye and barley and anything made with those products. Gluten also can be found in other grains but it is a different kind of gluten.

You'll unfortunately have to read labels because all of those things can be used in other things. Soy sauce comes to mind. Who'd a thunk that wheat would be in soy sauce, but it's there in some brands...but there are also some without.

Tinkyada makes a VERY good brown rice pasta and really, I like every bit as much as "regular" pasta, and I'm part Italian, lol. They sell this brands in some of the major supermarkets now too.

Rice and brown rice are naturally gluten free as are potatoes, fruits, veggies...

Be careful on some lunch meats...I don' t have a list offhand, but there can be some natural flavorings added which could contain gluten...gosh, why can't I remember the name of the brands that are okay, lol.

Basically you have to look at things like tomatoe sauce to be sure that the "flavorings" aren't wheat.

I don't like wine so can't help with that...

Okay, brain fog is setting in, hope that helped a little.

[Pilgrim South]

I don't even know where to start. I just got my diagnoses from my Natruopath on my food sensitivity to Gluten. What do you eat. I am not even sure what Gluten means. Just slightly overwhelmed. I bought a few products at the health food store. What about lunch meats, tomato sauce, fish, dairy etc. What do you cook? Any wine alowed? I am supposed to stay away from sugar as well because of the candida. Any tips will be appreciated!

Its really not that bad, once you get the hang of it, it will become natural. First, wine is a sugar, so I would guess you will need to keep away from it for a while. Lunch meats, unless they are from places like Whole Foods, will have nitrates, which are carcinagenic and can contain all sorts of things. Gluten would be wheat, oats, barley, and rye. There are gluten free lists of do's and don'ts in various places, including Clan Thompson's great food/drug lists. You can get them in paper form or downloadable searchable forms. There are tons of celiac web sites with oodles of information, just google gluten free or celiac and you will have hours and hours of helps and fun. There are tremendous cookbooks, Carol Fensters are my favorite. Bob's Red mill is great...here is where their gluten free foods are listed Open Original Shared Link

They have tons of recipes and you can search for gluten free ones. There are several, actually "many" places on the internet to order gluten free foods, just google gluten free foods and see what wonderful things come up!

I cook normal with normal fresh meats and veg's. I adapt my old favorite recipes to make them gluten free, even chocolate chip cookies. There are many "packaged" gluten free cakes, cookies, breads etc. and etc. and there are more being created all the time! Where I love Whild Oats actually has more gluten free selections, and I think its because Whole Foods bakes their own gluten free things. They have dairy that our family can't have so we can't buy their things. I just ordered 100 #'s of 4 different gluten free flours and mixes because we eat tons of gluten-free waffles, breads and baked goods. You can buy things in small packages or in larger quantities like the 25# bags of mix and flours like I did. There is even a Dummies book for gluten free living! Open Original Shared Link .com/Living-Gluten-Free-D...s/dp/0471773832

I hope this helps a little and just know you are probably going to feel so much better once you get the hang of it! This list is super helpful and they are only a click away! Happy gluten-free living!

[TinkerbellSwt]

Hormel Natural Lunch meats that are sold in the regular grocery store in the dairy sections usually are gluten free, always double check.. these do say gluten free on the back. Oscar Mayer beef bologna is gluten free also. There are a lot of foods out there that are just naturally gluten free.. you will have to become an avid label reader, it takes time to get used to.. but in the long run it is the safest bet.

Welcome to the board, ask any questions you need answered. There are no stupid questions. The only stupid ones are the ones not asked. There are many great recipes on this site, particularly Carrie's and tarnalberrys.. they have lots of good stuff, as do many others.

Please just reach out for the help. The people on this board are great and have been life savers!

Welcome!!

[Gamecreature]

First of all, don't panic.

The basic rule of thumb is that the closer you get to food in its natural state (fresh, unprocessed) the less likely it is to be contaminated with gluten. Fresh fruit and veggies are perfectly safe to eat. Some folks have a reaction to dairy until their intestine heals, so keep an eye out for that. Avoid contamination - keep an eye out for bread or wheat coming in contact with your food - you can't just eat around it or pick it off. The same goes for old cookware that might have particles of gluten (especially pasta) stuck in cracks and crevases.

One of the regulars here has put together a good package of materials that you can download - check it out here:

Open Original Shared Link (scroll down)

Good luck.

[alexschatzi]

Thank you all so much for your helpful insights. I will do some research on the sights and products you all recommended. Its great to know that there are people out there that are in the same boat. Thanks again everybody!!!!

[Aerin328]

Yes, first step is not to panic! Just take one step at a time. There are many great "newbie" directed posts on this forum (you can search for them) which go over all the basics of starting up in considerable detail. As you inevitably have questions you can always turn to this forum, there are so many great people here who are willing to help any time. Also, know that you are not alone - there are millions going gluten-free in the US alone and the number is growing.

And welcome to the forum!

Christian

[happygirl]

Alex,

Welcome to the gluten free world and the forum. This will definitely be the best place for you!

I highly recommend reading the information on celiac.com, including the lists https://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=12

www.celiaccenter.org has great information. Dr. Fasano is one of the leading researchers in Celiac and is at the Univ. of Maryland at Baltimore (it is his celiac center that hosts that link)

I highly recommend getting and reading Dr. Peter Green's "Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic" It is a great, very thorough book that will give you a great foundation for learning about celiac disease. You can order on amazon and some book stores have it, or can order it for you. I wish I had this book when I was diagnosed...it would have all made so much sense.

Tinkyada rice pastas are the best gluten free noodle. They come in all shapes/forms. You can find them in some grocery stores, health food stores, and online.

Amy's frozen foods makes some gluten free frozen products.

I'm not always on and posting, so feel free to PM me if you have any questions. This is so overwhelming, but we really want to help you in any way possible. No question is too off limits...and we mean that. We all started somewhere and all had our day of diagnosis where our head was spinning...so let us know what we can do!

Laura

[Rusla]

Welcome to the forum. Being gluten-free is not bad and if more restaurants will get on board with it, it will become easier. The biggest problem you or any of us will have is accidental glutenings and being glutened by others.

[Guhlia]

I don't have much to add. The others have given you some pretty good advice. I just wanted to pop my head in and say welcome.

[tarnalberry]

Gluten is the protein is wheat, barley, rye, and oats. So, you need to avoid those grains, and any ingredients that come from those grains. The easiest thing to do is to stick to whole, natural foods - produce, non-gluten grains, meats, and dairy. Take a look around the site and look at the safe/unsafe list, and the newbie kit (nini's, I believe?).

It's a big learning curve, and don't feel alone or odd for feeling overwhelmed - that's a VERY common, dare I say universal, response. It'll take time to get past the learning curve and figure out what to eat, how to avoid contamination in the home, how to eat out, and how to deal with friends and family. But in a few months, you will have a lot more knowledge and experience. It doesn't help a lot to know that now, but know that it will be better.

[almostnrn]

If you haven't found it already there is a great string running in Gluten free foods, products section. Its everyone's favorite foods and man I wish I had found that when I was first diagnosed. Good luck!

[Guest nini]

Welcome, I see someone already posted the link for my webpage so that you can download the newbie survival kit. It's just a bunch of files I wish I'd had when I was first diagnosed.

The best piece of advice anyone ever gave me was to focus on what foods you CAN have, not on what you can't.

Also, if you post where you live (city?) then hopefully someone near you can point you in the direction of local sources of good gluten-free foods.

Initially stick with foods that are naturally gluten free and don't go crazy buying specialty products, wait until you've healed a bit and then ask around for most people's favorites (or you can do a search on this forum).

As far as the candida issue goes, IF you have a problem with candida you may want to avoid sugars and yeasts as well until you get better. I personally just used a product called Candida Cleanse. (I wasn't willing to give up my sugar and yeast as well as the gluten!)