What About Smellling Gluten Products?

[detritus]

Hi, I was just diagnosed, and I'm trying to get a handle on everything. I've thrown out the 10 flours and innumerable condiments in my house. But do I have to throw away my favorite (and expensive) non-stick skillet? Can I clean it with alcohol? I understand tossing porous items like wood spoons and cutting boards, but how crazy do I have to get? If the tiniest molecule is bad, what happens if I smell bread baking? Those molecules are going straight up my nose.......Any thoughts/help/ideas? Thank you!

[Lisa]

Hi, I was just diagnosed, and I'm trying to get a handle on everything. I've thrown out the 10 flours and innumerable condiments in my house. But do I have to throw away my favorite (and expensive) non-stick skillet? Can I clean it with alcohol? I understand tossing porous items like wood spoons and cutting boards, but how crazy do I have to get? If the tiniest molecule is bad, what happens if I smell bread baking? Those molecules are going straight up my nose.......Any thoughts/help/ideas? Thank you!

Breathing the "smell" of gluten is not a problem, but loose flour in the air can be. It can get into the mucus of your nose and then you end up swallowing it. I would think that you would avoid those extreme situations.

Alcohol will not remove the gluten, but a good scrubbing with soap and water may remove the gluten. Give your pots and pans a good cleaning and it should not be a problem. And in most cases, a good run in the dishwashed woudl be ok.

[kareng]

If there are no scratches or little edges that can catch food, probably fine. I got all new pans because: 1. old but very good, pans were 20 years old 2. Getting new, very good (read expensive) pots & pans made me happy. Need to find happiness or humor in this when we can. Good luck!

[jststric]

I am gluten-intolerant but very sensitive. I wash all my pans with hot water and soap and do just fine.

[Reba32]

depends on how you're smelling that bread. If you're just walking into a kitchen that happens to have a loaf in the oven/machine, or if you walk past a bakery, it is unlikely that it'll have an affect. But if you stick your nose directly in the bread as it is mixing, whith the flour flying around, yes, that may have an affect in the soft tissue of your nose, and possibly eyes.

[ksymonds84]

I love to smell real gluten bread when my husband gets it fresh at a restaurant, and that is just enough for me now and then will happily eat my gluten free meal. I've become much more relaxed now that I've been at this for over two years but still very careful with cross contamination. I agree that loose flour in the air is not good though, I went into a kitchen where they were mixing bread and did have a problem a few hours later. Must have inhaled some unintentionally. I put my pans through the dishwasher (we are a shared facility kitchen) and have never had a problem but did toss super old ones that were very scratched and don't use wooden spatulas or spoons.

[detritus]

I love to smell real gluten bread when my husband gets it fresh at a restaurant, and that is just enough for me now and then will happily eat my gluten free meal. I've become much more relaxed now that I've been at this for over two years but still very careful with cross contamination. I agree that loose flour in the air is not good though, I went into a kitchen where they were mixing bread and did have a problem a few hours later. Must have inhaled some unintentionally. I put my pans through the dishwasher (we are a shared facility kitchen) and have never had a problem but did toss super old ones that were very scratched and don't use wooden spatulas or spoons.

Thank you! You answered the gist of my question, which was really: how fanatical should I be about this? I can't wait till I'm at the 2-year mark and can relax. Right now it feels like I've been offered a chance to be healthy, but I'm afraid of blowing it by not being diligent enough. Like, what if I think I'm being gluten free and the whole time I'm still poisoning myself? And I don't know how long it will be until I notice any changes, so there's nothing to compare against. That's why this forum is so wonderful, because I can read other people's experiences and not feel so alone and unsure about this process.

[ksymonds84]

Thank you! You answered the gist of my question, which was really: how fanatical should I be about this? I can't wait till I'm at the 2-year mark and can relax. Right now it feels like I've been offered a chance to be healthy, but I'm afraid of blowing it by not being diligent enough. Like, what if I think I'm being gluten free and the whole time I'm still poisoning myself? And I don't know how long it will be until I notice any changes, so there's nothing to compare against. That's why this forum is so wonderful, because I can read other people's experiences and not feel so alone and unsure about this process.

You are so welcome! This forum is how I survived when I was first diagnosed and there are so many wonderful people here who care and want to help you through it. I remember Lisa telling me that the gluten free diet has a huge learning curve and it is VERY steep. Boy was she right! I made plenty of mistakes such as reese's peanut butter bells at christmas (normal reeces cups are fine) contained wheat flour but didn't know it until after I consumed. Diligently reading labels even on things that were gluten free the last time I bought it is so very important. Sounds like you are doing fine and someday gluten free just becomes second nature!

[sandsurfgirl]

Thank you! You answered the gist of my question, which was really: how fanatical should I be about this? I can't wait till I'm at the 2-year mark and can relax. Right now it feels like I've been offered a chance to be healthy, but I'm afraid of blowing it by not being diligent enough. Like, what if I think I'm being gluten free and the whole time I'm still poisoning myself? And I don't know how long it will be until I notice any changes, so there's nothing to compare against. That's why this forum is so wonderful, because I can read other people's experiences and not feel so alone and unsure about this process.

It's so hard isn't it? Beware of chicken when you eat out. I was eating chicken at Wendy's and some other places the first couple of weeks and didn't know it had wheat starch on it.

[Reba32]

Pretty much every single fast food restaurant in the US (probably everywhere else too) puts wheat in or on their chicken in some form or another. Even the "grilled" chicken that's supposed to be healthier for you.

KFC ingredients Open Original Shared Link

Wendy's ingredients Open Original Shared Link

McDonald's ingredients Open Original Shared Link

etc etc etc

Most chain restaurants have websites to check the ingredients.

Chik-Fil-A claims that they have a few menu items that are gluten free.

Open Original Shared Link