Random Celiac/gluten-free Thoughts For The Week...

[buffettbride]

I was shopping in my favorite local health store yesterday, Vitamin Cottage, loading up on my weekly gluten-free specialty stuff. I really love this store. Now that they are keeping Kinnickinnick pizza crust in stock regularly, I have no need to go to Whole Foods. YAY!!!!

Anyway, I was perusing the gluten-free baking aisle yesterday seeing if there was anything new I wanted to try, and just chatting with the lady stocking some Gluten Free Pantry sammich bread. Another shopper was in the aisle, too, and asked a question about spelt flour and how her husband has Celiac Disease. I mentioned that I didn't think spelt was OK and was told specifically for my 10 year old that spelt was a big no-no. She insisted her husband didn't react to it. Que sera sera.

It was easy enough to let go--no use arguing over it, but how frustrating it is when it is so hard to get it right in the first place, to see someone so misinformed. I had a pretty quick learning curve when it came to adapting to gluten-free when my daughter was diagnosed last year. I really feel for those who manage this disease for themselves, on their own, day in and day out.

Second, Hubby and I are big fatty mcfattysons so we started with the South Beach Diet today. We've had success with it in the past, and it is very easy to do since we keep our house gluten-free anyway. We make enough rice for the kids to have w/ dinner, but not for us, and the rest is a snap. There is a great forum, similar to this (I even thought I saw one of the posters here, Lorka, as a poster there as well). There were post afer post about people who no longer had problems with "IBS" or "reflux" when starting the South Beach Diet (which for the first two weeks is almost inherently gluten-free with the exception of non-obvious glutens in things like soy sauce, salad dressings, etc). No wonder they feel better!!!

Just my random thoughts and observations on the day!

[ptkds]

You are right about the spelt thing. It is so frustrating how even those health food store employees tell people tha spelt is safe. When I first started this diet, the local health food store owner said spelt was safe, and then told me her family was gluten-free (as a personal choice) and they always ate spelt. I am so glad I had this community to come to and teach me the real truth!!

[buffettbride]

The store lady wasn't really saying it was/wasn't gluten-free, but I'm not sure she would have known completely.

It was just frustrating to see someone buying spelt for a Celiac when I know in my heart-of-hearts it is not OK.

GRRRR. Just frustrating because people like that spoil it for everyone else! My SMIL has a friend who has Celiac or gluten intolerance, or something of that persuasion, but she doesn't follow it very strictly, especially when it comes to CC type issues. Well, this poses a problem for ME when SMIL is cooking for my child and thinks because her friend isn't as strict that my daughter doesn't need to be either.

[MDRB]

Oh how frustrating to find someone so misinformed.

I found a gluten free vegetarian cookbook the other day, I was SO excited because a lot of gluten free cookbooks have mostly meat based main meals, anyway I flicked through it and noticed that almost half of the recipes had oats in them!!!! I know that there has been controversy over gluten in oats but the book did not even mention that they MAY have gluten.

Grrrr, what annoys me the most is the possibility that someone new to celiac disease would come along, buy the book and just assume that oats are ok!

I'm so thankful for this forum, we may not be doctors but we know our S%#T