Questions

[gluten15]

Thanks in advance...

I really don't want to give up my green tea and I know that all it has in it is the green tea..but I've been doing some reading about being careful of gluten possibly being in the tea bag itself to seal it and being careful of what the tea bag itself may be made of as far as allergies are concerned?

I also just read a post about being careful if you use a water filtrating system because it may be made of coconut or something? And some are allergic to coconut.

Some of this may be more for those of you like me who can't live in a gluten free environment.

I am a anal person to begin with and always anyway have been very close and a almost obcessive hand washer. I am reading and learning that cross cantamination can still happen even to the most anal of us..so let me just ask some questions.

Even if I..as I have always done..rinse dishes off really good before putting them in the dishwasher..I still should wash dishes together in the dishwasher? I am the only one who does all the cooking and cleaning and no one is usually in the kitchen but me.

We have a pretty large toaster oven for toast. It's actually like a mine small counter oven. Even if I have always anywashed washed the rack and bottom crumb tray-rinsing off first then putting in dishwasher..I still shouldn't use the same toaster? Even if I am the only one who even uses it and does all the cooking?

A lot of the above and my next question could sort of go hand and hand. When you eat out at a place that you completely trust and they prepare food for you that is gluten free in a area of the kitchen they just cleaned..are we sure that they used something to wipe down the area that wasn't just used to wipe down another..even if they rinsed it well like I do?

Do they use just plates and silverware that is only used for gluten free and wash them by themselves?

I doubt this. I imagine the plate they serve the gluten free food on was washed with other plates that had gluten.

Getting back to be a really anal person anyway before any of this. Even when I would bake. I always cleaned as I went and I understand flower getting in the air and all that. Let's say I am super careful when working with flour and just going with the breathing it in..is this enough from anyone's experience to get sick?

From reading about not using old wooden spoons and pot and pans..does this mean that gluten sort of lives forever once it is on something?

My fresh mean comes from a really good grocery store. The butchers are super nice and the meat is fantastic..and I know that we take chances with everything..but if one of the guys eats a sandwich that has gluten in it and doesn't wash his hands well..and a crumb get in the meat and I happen to get that one..I know..I know..but I am a obcessive person so just work with me..lol..that can get me sick..right? Some here say even a crumb gets them sick.

For those of you who don't have a gluten free kitchen..what do you make sure you do for sure that works?

I think I have read that Vaseline Lip Vaseline is gluten free? I haven't been able to find much on floss. I use Butler's mint waxed. I already changed toothepaste to Arm & Hammer because the ingredients looked ok to me and my other toothepaste had the same bad thing that my Silk Soymild had in it that could have been also messing with my digestive system.

I thought that all laundry soaps were gluten free..but then I read somewhere where someone said to make sure to use a gluten free laundry soap?

Even though I always wash my hands before touching food and I never touch my mouth I am still beginning to see the importance of a gluten free lotion even though it doesn't affect my skin.

What are some gluten free hand lotions you guys use?

Does anyone here use Pantene shampoos?

Well..that's enough for now..sorry..

On a side note..I am happy and full right now as I just consumed a spinache salad with salmon and that was it..fresh spinache with nothing at all on it and fresh salmon. Well..sort of on the salmon. Luckily I love salmon and it's so good for us in many ways..but even in season I cannot afford to get fresh sockeye salmon shipped from Alaska. Getting salmon from this area is the best source of salmon you can get and so many health benefits. But, while at my grocer..I was looking around deeply at the canned seafood section and a can caught my eye that said 'wild alaskan sockeye salmon', but didn't want to get my hopes up. First off, the price was very descent and second I saw it was manufactured in Seattle from a company I already respect. It's like a direct link from Alaska.

Sure enough it was just pure wild alaskan sockeye salmon and only in water. This stuff is so good that it was actually like having a treat. Since Alaskan Sockeye Salmon isn't even availabel year round..this is great anyway.

I already threw the can out..but if there is anyone who loves salmon and want to eat good proper salmon for all the right reasons..I will be getting more the next time I go to the store and let you know that name.

Lucky for me I love salmon and fresh spinache. Man that was so good!

Thanks again for listening.

[missy'smom]

Welcome.

Don't give up your green tea but do give up baking with wheat flour. I hate to say that. Baking used to be my hobby and was something special that my grandmother passed on to me that I really miss, but it's just not safe.

Your ability to enjoy simple fresh foods will be an asset to you on this journey.

Keep coming back. This is a good community.

[oceangirl]

Hi Gluten 15,

A few things... Yes, please post the brand name of that sockeye in a can. I eat fresh Alaskan sockeye every week but the price kills me.

Tom's of Maine dental floss is gluten-free. Toothpaste, too. I'm not sure about Pantene; I used to use it all the time but I stopped and switched to Fructis as I was certain it was gluten-free. Also Suave is cheap and gluten-free.

Definitely don't cook with wheat. I used to bake all our bread and grew up with a Mom who taught me the same, but you'll end up contaminated by the flour. I am lucky that after many, many cross-contamination incidents my whole family (two teenagers, Michael) made our house gluten-free. It really helps. Last summer I got contaminated at work (as a floral designer) working with DRIED WHEAT! It was all in the air and I was breathing it in.

Yes, gluten hangs around in things like wooden spoons- chuck them or decorate with them!

Hope that helps a little.

lisa

[gluten15]

The name of the canned salmon is Deming's. We don't have a lot of really great grocery stores around here and have no Whole Foods..so I was thrilled to even find this. I was actually thrown back that my grocer carried it. I was very excited to find something easy, yummy, that I could tolerate at a descent price that is soooooo good for me. A very healthy easy way to get a great source of protein plus. As with everything..there is always something better out there. At first I was glad to just find something like this and thought no matter what it will be good..but I ended up really liking it and it came from a source I trust and didn't end up being that much more than gourmet canned tuna..which I try and not eat a ton of tuna because you just never know.

Even with fresh sockeye..you don't always know..unless you know..lol.

At least if you are getting the canned sockeye salmon from a source you trust..you feel better about it and I while I love real Alaskan fresh Copper River Sockeye salmon..I have always enjoyed the same packaged or canned.

At least with the canned it is easy to get year round. The canned is so easy and goes on a salad so easy. Goes so well with just plain fresh spinache.

I quit using Tom's of Maine toothpaste for the same reason I quit using Silk Soymilk. They both contain carrageenan. Well I also quit the soymilk because I too am eliminating soy..sigh..I was downing Silk's sugar free Soymilk on my..what I thought..'heathly' cereal. I really enjoyed the taste of the soymilk so much.

Anyway..after doing so much reading on carrageenan and digestion..I decided to also start cutting that out. After everything I read..I just made my own decision to not take the chance.

There are so many thoughts out there on carrageenan, but I feel that with my digestion problems..why keep taking the chance..so I decided to include anything carrying it in my elimination process.

This elimination process is hard. Just when you think something is ok..you again wonder..then you have to think what might be added with the item you thought was ok..and was that item ok on it's own.

Thanks for all the replies again.