New To Site

[1GreysFan]

Hello All

I have had an endoscopy and one blood test and my GI dr didnt think that I had Celiac. Due to major illness and frustration I went to see another dr and she read the report and said she thought I had celiac. My Ferritin level was very low and so was iron, vitamin D, etc.

I had already been eating a vegan diet, except for eggs. She said I didnt have to go primarily vegan. I can eat some chicken.

Its only been 2 days and Im hungry. I have bought a few things and havent liked them. What is the best kind of bread? I used to eat wheat bread. Also, what seaonings can I cook with ans what salad dressing is good?

Thanks so much!

Also, does anyone know how long it takes gluten to rid your system?

Melissa

[dlp252]

I mostly just wanted to welcome you to the site!

I don't eat bread or many other processed foods, so can't help you with that.

The effects of eating gluten and the aftermath can last a long time. Some people can have symptoms for many days afterwards. If you're referring to the damage caused to the villi in the intestines, that can take months or sometimes years to heal properly assuming you are completely gluten free.

I hope that helped.

[mamaw]

Hi & welcome

If you are dx'd with celiac you must maintain a very strict gluten-free diet for life. This disease does not heal & go away. It is autoimmune. The only way to live a healthy life is using a gluten-free lifestyle. Everyone heals at different rates , some feel a difference in days , others years.Many of us have allergies or reactions to other foods as well.

I'm not sure why you chose to go vegan. On the gluten-free diet you can have plain meats, fruits & veggies....I tell people to start out with naked foods (no marinades & things like that).

McCormick spices will clearly list , so will Kraft Foods as well as many others.....

There are many mainstream products that are fine to use as well......

dinty moore beef stew

progresso soups,( clearly marked)

contadina tomato products.

swanson chicken broth

ortega taco shells

delimex taquitoes

Boar's Head meats

Dietz & Watson meats

Cream of rice

Amy's gluten-free soups ( we love the tomato bisque)

Wild caught salmon & halibut, sardines

Bell & Evans gluten-free chicken strips & nuggets

Heinz vinegar is safe except malt vinegar

Heinz ketsup

french's mustard

plain popcorn

Lay's potato chips

TGIF potato skins

Doritos are clearly marked

Breyers, Dreyers, & edy's ice cream ( do not eat the ones with goodies added to them)

plain rice

Bush Baked beans orig.

There is much much more .

I hope this gives you an idea......

mamaw

[MELINE]

Hello All

I have had an endoscopy and one blood test and my GI dr didnt think that I had Celiac. Due to major illness and frustration I went to see another dr and she read the report and said she thought I had celiac. My Ferritin level was very low and so was iron, vitamin D, etc.

I had already been eating a vegan diet, except for eggs. She said I didnt have to go primarily vegan. I can eat some chicken.

Its only been 2 days and Im hungry. I have bought a few things and havent liked them. What is the best kind of bread? I used to eat wheat bread. Also, what seaonings can I cook with ans what salad dressing is good?

Thanks so much!

Also, does anyone know how long it takes gluten to rid your system?

Melissa

Hello Melissa.

Almost every gluten-free bread I've tasted is horrible.....so me too I can't help you with this...Also I am not allowed to eat sauce so again I will not help you....But you can find pasta that tastes really good and try to search the net for gluten-free recipes. Some of them are really good. Please try not to think of what you can't eat. Think of what you can eat and increase the amount if needed (you said you are hungry....I am an athlete and I really really get hungry so my coach gave me a special nutrition plan that compines protein and carbonate in every meal so I am feeling great now and gluten-free and not hungry. Maybe you should check the combinations you can make so that you can feel ok...)

As you will find out while reading the posts in this site, some of us stopped having symptoms in a few weeks, and some in a couple of years...so it really differs from person to person.For me it was exactly 1 month for the main symptoms to disappear. I think there is a place in the site were you can vote and the rates were 28% got rid of it in 3 weeks, but on the other side there was another 28% who got rid of it in 1 year I think....

Just be careful not to have any accidents that will cause you trouble and read as much as you can. You will find out that there is a lot to learn about this disease. But the most important is that you can deal with it.Just keep your eyes open!!

[bigfoodogs]

The best bread I have tasted is a mix that you order from a web site. It is called Breads from Anna. If you are Lactose intolerant like I am you have to find a substitute for the egg. We are going to try applesauce. I found this bread from my nutritionist and I am just learning my way through the maze. My husband made the bread with the egg forgetting about the dairy issue. The bread is moist and wonderful and best the first day it is made. This bread actually taste like real bread and I can't say that for anything else I have tried.

Good Luck!

[Ursa Major]

The best bread I have tasted is a mix that you order from a web site. It is called Breads from Anna. If you are Lactose intolerant like I am you have to find a substitute for the egg. We are going to try applesauce. I found this bread from my nutritionist and I am just learning my way through the maze. My husband made the bread with the egg forgetting about the dairy issue. The bread is moist and wonderful and best the first day it is made. This bread actually taste like real bread and I can't say that for anything else I have tried.

Good Luck!

Why would you replace the egg if you are dairy intolerant? Eggs are NOT dairy! Dairy are products made from milk only.

[April in KC]

For breads, try the frozen ones vs. the ones you find on a shelf. If you like a hearty, dense, homemade tasting bread, try Food For Life Rice Almond Bread - it will be in the freezer. My kids (Celiac, too) like Kinnikinnick white sandwich bread. All gluten free bread except homemade typically needs to be toasted to be good.

If you are having a hard time finding a good selection of gluten-free foods, try a Whole Foods or other big health food market. Some Hy-Vee grocery stores (not sure where you are) carry a nice selection.

Try Kinnikinnick Montanas for a Chips Ahoy-like cookie substitute.

Try making lettuce wraps instead of sandwiches.

Try Kinnikinnick frozen pizza crusts. They are frozen, small sized crusts - just add pizza or sandwich toppings and heat in the oven. My middle son also likes them microwaved with toppings - they are soft and foldable then, not really like a pizza crust but really good since soft gluten-free bread is unusual.

For carb cravings, you absolutely must try Tinkyada brand rice pasta. Scrub your old pan really well or buy a new one, and THROW OUT your old plastic colander as you will never get it clean enough. My non-gluten-free family members love Tinkyada - and they make every imaginable shape of pasta, including lasagna noodles.

Don't forget potatoes - baked or otherwise - with toppings.

Rice dishes with bottled curry sauces - Target carries some nice ones - throw in whatever veggies, chicken or lentils and it still tastes good.

Don't forget beans - I make 3 or 4 varieties of chili, chicken chili, rice and beans, etc. Careful with spice mixes - look them up here or make your own. There's also homemade refried beans (great with corn chips - check brands here).

You may mourn bread - it was my initial fixation - but you will find you can transition your carb fixes to other foods. A year from now, if Celiac is your problem, you will have discovered a world of gluten-free food, and the old gluteny stuff won't tempt you much anymore. In fact, you'll be able to look right at it and not even think of it as food - kind of like looking at a box full of cardboard or staples instead of a box full of crackers. There are entire aisles that I pass right by now without a sense of loss.

Do you have a P.F. Chang's restaurant near you? If so, treat yourself and ask for the gluten-free menu. They have some terrific dishes that will give you hope for life after gluten. Don't forget to ask them to remove the gluten-containing soy sauce from the table and bring you back the gluten-free soy sauce they keep on hand for such occasions.

Sorry I don't have time to post more. Just keep reading and especially searching here.

April

[sickchick]

Tinkyada pasta is a godsend. Seriously. I like it better than gluteney ones I used to eat.

I also eat lots of hummus. I make it with canned garbanzos lemon juice kosher salt garlic and sesame oil. It's great with brown rice crackers. I make it with black beans too but I use lime juice and cilantro instead. It's great with rice crackers and tortilla chips.

Do you like polenta? I use it like crazy now and I lovelove it!

Kinnikinnick has pretty good cinnamon|sugar donuts... they are in the freezer section.

They have frozen pizza crusts I always keep in my freezer. You can cut them down the middle

and use them to make panini sandwiches with artichoke hearts and red bellpepper and cheese.

Kosher macaroons are yummy.

You will get the hang of things and things will come more naturally and you will find the products YOU like:) be patient with yourself!

lovelove

sickchick

[1GreysFan]

Thanks everyone for your replys! I appreciate the recipes and encouragement.

Melissa

[Wonka]

Also, what seaonings can I cook with ans what salad dressing is good?

I make my own salad dressing, that way I know it is safe.

Do one part acid (lemon juice, vinegar - you can vary the types) to 3 or 4 parts oil (these can be varied). My favourite combination is :

1 clove of garlic (I mince then add a good sprinkle of salt and mash it with the side of my knife)

1/2 tsp dijjon mustard

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (this is usually from 1/2 a lemon)

2 Tbsp walnut oil

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp fresh chopped tarragon (or a pinch of dried)

Add garlic, mustard, lemon juice to a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oils while whisking. Add tarragon. (this is great on salad and on beans it's the only way that my son will eat them)

You can use this as a template. Keep the garlic and mustard amounts the same and play with changing the vinegars and oil. If you use a flavoured vinegar (ie pecan vinegar) then use a neutral oil like grapeseed.