New Member, New Diagnosis, Upset And Confused!

[thecatlady]

I've been having various issues over the last couple of years and being treated for Orthastatic Intolerance. I also was having other tests results coming back abnormal and finally saw a Rheumatologist who had me tested for Celiac Disease.

My Tissue Transglutaminase IGA came back positive.

She is putting me on a 3 month gluten-free diet and boy, is this really stressful. Our family is vegetarian (primarily) and a big pasta/bread/wheat/battered food bunch.

I've also had hives from Cashews (even though I allergy tested negative for nuts) so have been told to avoid them in case.

I went to Trader Joe's and Safeway today and there just aren't a lot of gluten-free foods! And some items that say wheat-free are manufactured on a line with wheat, so its a no-no.

I'm trying to research the board and realize I have to start incorporating fresh fruit, vegetables, and items like Salmon and Chicken. I also found Gluten-Free Chex and Polenta to try. This is a whole new lifestyle and I want to feel better (I do feel not so great now)...but I am at a loss how to begin the diet.

The first thing I did was check my favorite daily 'treat' - my Starbucks' non-fat iced Vanilla Latte. I'm glad those are on the OK list. I just don't have them stir it (in case the spoon touches the Chips or Gingerbread mix, just in case).

Otherwise, I'm almost to a migraine trying to even deal with all this. Where do I begin?

[mushroom]

Welcome to the forum.

I hope that others will chime in with their ideas for you, especially the vegetarians amongst us. Yes, you will have to make fruit and vegetables the backbone of your diet (and they are so good for you anyway!!) You might try a vegetable stir fry over rice, with chicken, shrimp, tofu, your choice for protein). I am sure you will find bags of frozen vegetable mixes in the freezer case and you can add onion, mushrooms, whatever you want. Lots of salads with boiled eggs, avocados, shrimp, chicken. Roast a whole chicken and roast some root vegetables along with it -- squash, parsnip, onions, sweet potato, potato, toss in some zucchini , tomatoes and/or mushrooms near the end, the choice and combinations are endless. Sprinkle with olive oil and season with garlic and pepper before roasting.. You will have to experiment a bit with breads. Some of the mixes are good--lots of folks use Bobs Red Mill; and then there are the premade breads (usually in the freezer) like Kinnikinnick. Once you get to learn what you like in the way of flavors you can consider baking your own. Pamelas Baking Mix is a good basic mix for anything from cookies to pancakes to cakes to quick breads.

Be sure to check labels on everything, like ham, yogurt, sauces, salad dressings; you will be amazed where gluten hides. There are list on the forum here if you search "gluten free foods" of companies and their products.

So that is just a quick "get you started thinking" post. Good luck on your new adventure

[thecatlady]

Thank you so much! I've now purchased my first dozen eggs in quite a while...

I also bought a new skillet (have to learn to make Omelets and Salmon!)...and I have a bread maker I've never used. Are there Gluten-Free mixes for that? I always felt a bit guilty not having used it and now I'm glad I didn't. It's not contaminated! LOL

I'm searching away and going through my lipsticks/lipglosses to see what is safe. Fortunately most are OK so far!

I don't know how much to worry about foundation/eyeshadow/blush/etc. I was told and have read it can't really be absorbed through the skin so I'm not worrying about things I don't put around my mouth so far. I'm a bit of a make-up fan, so this news was moderately detrimental until I realized my fave stuff is OK so far!

[mushroom]

.and I have a bread maker I've never used. Are there Gluten-Free mixes for that?

Yes, there are lots of mixes. Bobs Red Mill are he most popular ones, it seems, but there is also Gluten Free Pantry. Namaste, I can't remember them all now because I am back in New Zealand now and our products are different.

I don't use that much makeup so it was not a big issue for me, but shampoo and conditioner, etc., lip gloss, toothpaste, I bet you have the whole list. Most hair products seem to have hydrolyzed wheat protein You will soon get the hang of things. Sounds like you have made a good start

[sussarliv]

I am new to this also - welcome

As for Traders Joe's, I was very disappointed. I went last week, picked up a few things that we labeled (at the store) gluten free, got the home, only to find out that they were made on shared equipment. Now, those food items are just sitting in my pantry, until I can get back to the store and return them.

I had much better luck at Mustard Seed (which maybe a local place).

Check out Open Original Shared Link - it seems like a great list of foods that are gluten-free.

Good luck!

Susan

[esammarie]

Welcome! I, too, am new to this. Just diagnosed a few weeks ago. I too, have felt depressed and anxious but have been working through the grief stages and moving on the living and loving stages.

I found the following books really, really helpful: Living Gluten-Free for Dummies and Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies. Got them on (Company Name Removed - They Spammed This Forum and are Banned). I love the "Dummies" book line. These gluten-free books are written by someone who really knows and has been living the gluten-free life.

I don't know if you have Whole Foods in your neighborhood. They have a really strong commitment to gluten free products. Things are carefully labeled and researched. They keep a list of gluten-free products on their website, specific to the geographic region and store. Check them out! For great bread and bakery items, check out Kinnikinnick - they sell in retail health food stores like Whole Foods and they also do online sales. The Gluten-Free Mall on this website has good products, too. If you love pasta, then check out DeBoles rice pastas and corn pastas - all gluten-free and I like them a lot. Kroger and Publix and other regular grocery stores carry the line, though you may have to ask the store manager to stock the gluten free products for you - most managers will do that. Lundbergh Farms has great gluten-free and dairy free risotto mixes as well as rice pastas that are quite yummy.

Classico pasta sauce clearly labels their products that are gluten free and they do use good manufacturing practices to segregate and minimize cross-contamination.

Maggiano's Restaurant has gluten-free pasta and a whole gluten-free menu. You need to call ahead to let them know you are coming but they will be happy to accommodate you an the gluten-free pastas are good. Don't know if you have a Pizza Fusion restaurant in your area (it's a smaller chain) but if you do, they have a really good gluten-free pizza crust and sauce, as well as soy cheese. They also have great regular pizza for the non gluten-free people.

I hope this helps you! Keep posting and reading here. It's been enormously helpful to me and could be for you, too!!!

[NewGFMom]

My son and his cousin are both pretty sensitive celiacs and we have had no problems with the Trader Joe's stuff that has no gluten ingredients made in shared manufacturing facilities. As long as they use good manufacturing practices, you shouldn't have an issue.

It may work for you, or it may not.

TJ's also has very good gluten free pasta. Nobody in your family will notice the difference. You can also use cornmeal/cornflour to batter foods.

Good luck!

[cmg4835]

I've Gluten Free for about 10 days....10 days of hell, shock, depression, anger, but I feel better just having the bloating gone ! Ever minute is consumed with gluten free I've given myself a headache. Start with reading, reading, and checking everything you put in your mouth....We will all survive...

I've been having various issues over the last couple of years and being treated for Orthastatic Intolerance. I also was having other tests results coming back abnormal and finally saw a Rheumatologist who had me tested for Celiac Disease.

My Tissue Transglutaminase IGA came back positive.

She is putting me on a 3 month gluten-free diet and boy, is this really stressful. Our family is vegetarian (primarily) and a big pasta/bread/wheat/battered food bunch.

I've also had hives from Cashews (even though I allergy tested negative for nuts) so have been told to avoid them in case.

I went to Trader Joe's and Safeway today and there just aren't a lot of gluten-free foods! And some items that say wheat-free are manufactured on a line with wheat, so its a no-no.

I'm trying to research the board and realize I have to start incorporating fresh fruit, vegetables, and items like Salmon and Chicken. I also found Gluten-Free Chex and Polenta to try. This is a whole new lifestyle and I want to feel better (I do feel not so great now)...but I am at a loss how to begin the diet.

The first thing I did was check my favorite daily 'treat' - my Starbucks' non-fat iced Vanilla Latte. I'm glad those are on the OK list. I just don't have them stir it (in case the spoon touches the Chips or Gingerbread mix, just in case).

Otherwise, I'm almost to a migraine trying to even deal with all this. Where do I begin?

[twe0708]

I've been having various issues over the last couple of years and being treated for Orthastatic Intolerance. I also was having other tests results coming back abnormal and finally saw a Rheumatologist who had me tested for Celiac Disease.

My Tissue Transglutaminase IGA came back positive.

She is putting me on a 3 month gluten-free diet and boy, is this really stressful. Our family is vegetarian (primarily) and a big pasta/bread/wheat/battered food bunch.

I've also had hives from Cashews (even though I allergy tested negative for nuts) so have been told to avoid them in case.

I went to Trader Joe's and Safeway today and there just aren't a lot of gluten-free foods! And some items that say wheat-free are manufactured on a line with wheat, so its a no-no.

I'm trying to research the board and realize I have to start incorporating fresh fruit, vegetables, and items like Salmon and Chicken. I also found Gluten-Free Chex and Polenta to try. This is a whole new lifestyle and I want to feel better (I do feel not so great now)...but I am at a loss how to begin the diet.

The first thing I did was check my favorite daily 'treat' - my Starbucks' non-fat iced Vanilla Latte. I'm glad those are on the OK list. I just don't have them stir it (in case the spoon touches the Chips or Gingerbread mix, just in case).

Otherwise, I'm almost to a migraine trying to even deal with all this. Where do I begin?

Have you had a dexascan done yet to check if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis? I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease and Osteopenia (age 40). You may need additional calcium too on top of watching what you eat!

[tarnalberry]

You can do gluten free vegetarian, but it's true that to keep the diet well balanced, you need to not rely just on grain. Whole veggies (which you can still fry in gluten free flours, if you want), gluten free grains (corn, rice, amaranth, quinoa, teff, buckwheat, millet, sorghum), legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy and eggs if you're lacto-ovo, and fruits can all make lots of good, and complete meals.

You may find that what you really need are some good cookbooks that have recipes that are either already gluten free or easy to convert, and that really inspires you to get cooking. Plenty of recipes are either naturally gluten free, or trivial to convert - things thickened with flour or use soy sauce or use pasta, that are otherwise gluten free, for instance, you can just use a gluten-free thickener, like cornstarch, and gluten-free soy sauce like San-J's Tamari or a gluten-free pasta like Tinkyada.

What comes to mind (because I make them fairly frequently) to cook that is easily vegetarian and gluten free:

Mexican: fajitas, enchiladas, heuvos rancheros

Asian: veggie stir fry, summer rolls (rice paper wraps served cold), curries, phad thai, veggie sushi

Italian: pasta w/ tomato and veggie sauce, risottos, polenta, pasta salads, frittata

Mediterranean: lentil soup, curried vegetables with chick peas

Other: veggie shepherds pie, veggie stew, vegetable-bean soup, veggie kabobs, bean salad

(Of course, many of these can be made w/ meat as well - which is how I tend to make them as I'm gluten and dairy intolerant, hypoglycemic, and currently pregnant.)