I have a mild form of Celiac’s disease (just wheat gluten allergy) and a lot of the time, I don’t want to eat because of it. I just see how much my friends and family have given up because I can’t eat at several places and it disgusts me to the point that I don’t want to eat unless I have to. I’ve been excluded from parties, trips, etc. because people don’t want to be liable in case I get asthma from my allergies and it just pushes me to further not want to eat. Is this really bad and what can I do about it?

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Help I’m babysitting a child that has a gluten and wheat allergy and she really wants an apple. Do you think it would be OK?

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The advice to avoid dairy may not be necessary. *Some* Coeliacs are lactose intolerant for a while as their villi heal, others don’t have the problem. There is no need to go lactose free unless your friend has further problems, but this can be tested by the doctor.
A gluten-free diet is perfectly manageable, but it’s a bit of a shock to get used to it, so restricting the diet further when it’s unnecessary is not a excellent thought.

OK – meal tips: The best place to start is to reckon what your friend likes to eat normally, and find ways to adjust meals to accommodate being gluten-free. For example there are plenty of decent gluten-free pastas (the rice-based ones are generally nicer than the corn-based ones). Rice is fine, as are potatoes, quinoa, millet, corn (and polenta)… and lots of other things (tapioca, buckwheat, teff…).

It may mean more cooking from scratch than your friend is used to, but fresh fruit and veg and plain meat, fish and eggs are all gf. Most cheese is OK, although you need to be careful of blue cheese and cheese spreads.
In some ways the huge range of foods available make it a hard question to answer, but for starters here’s what we are having this week:

Monday: Polenta ‘pizza’ – cook polenta as described on the packet (I used about 150-200g). Spread into a thin layer, top with spinach (cooked), spring onions and ricotta cheese – last 3 ingredients blended together, then dot with gf peperoni, tomatoes and mozzerella cheese. Cook in hot oven (400F) for about 20 min. Serve with green salad (careful with the dressing – balsamic vinegar and olive oil is fine).

Tuesday: Pasta with tuna sauce – gf pasta served with sauce made by frying an onion, adding a tin of tomatoes, tin of tuna, squirt of garlic puree (check this is gf, or use fresh garlic), 1/2 teasp dried oregano.

Wednesday: Quinoa bake – aka “What’s in the fridge” – cook 1 1/2 cups of quinoa in 3 cups of water for about 10 min, then leave covered with a teatowel to absorb the last of the liquid. Chop an onion, then ransack the fridge – celery, mushrooms, peppers, bacon… anything really – fry them all up together then add the quinoa – mix in some grated cheese and maybe an egg, then place in a casserole dish, top with more grated cheese and cook for about 30 min at 350F

Thursday: Sausages (be careful that these are gf, most aren’t, but certainly in the UK it’s getting simpler and simpler to find ones that are) and mashed potato.

Friday: Homemade fish and chips: – the fish can be anything – I don’t usually bother making batter – often I just griddle a piece of tuna. As for the chips – cut potatoes into pieces the length of the potato and about 1cm square in cross-section. Boil for about 5 min, then drain. Place them in a food bag with a excellent splodge (say 30 ml) of oil, maybe some paprika and/or garlic granules (check these are gf) and shake well to coat all the chips. Place on a baking sheet and place in a hot oven (400F+) for about 30 min. They are done when they are starting to brown. Serve with ketchup (check this is gf – in the UK Heinz is fine).
There is plenty of processed food that is absolutely fine (from a gluten/wheat-free point of view at least), it’s just a matter of getting used to reading marks very carefully and rejecting anything questionable.
Excellent luck to your friend – it really does get simpler in time.

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Should glutamate be avoided if embarking on this diet? I specifically have MSG in mind. Trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious allergy here, and I’m drawn between whether it is a gluten intolerance or an alergy to some form of preservative (possibly MSG)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free…

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Hi all I need to know which foods have Gluten in them, as I think I am intolerant to it. Whenever I eat it I bloat out and get immediate indigestion. However I need to have a week free of it before the doc will order a allergy test.

Here is a list – not complete though:

Alcohol (derived from gluten based products such as wheat, barely, malt, rye, etc.)
Ale
Artificial Color (check with manufacturer, could contain gluten)
Artificial Flavoring (check with manufacturer, could contain gluten)
Baking Powder (check with manufacturer, could contain gluten, Clabber Girl is G.F.)
Barley Grass
Barley
Barley Malt
Beer (There are a few Gluten Free Beers on the Market Now)
Bleached Flour
Blue Cheese (generally made with bread, that is wheat based)
Bran
Bread Flour
Brewer’s Yeast
Brown Flour
Bulgar Wheat or Nuts
Buttermilk (some contains modified food starch)
Bouillon Cubes & Prepackaged Broth
Calcium Caseinate (Contains MSG, check with manufacturer))
Cakes & Cake Mixes
Cake Flour
Candy (always check with manufacturer, often dusted with flour to prevent sticking)
Canola Oil (Canola is G.F. but can have a laxative effect in some individuals)
Caramel Color (some types contains gluten, call manufacturer)
Cereal (most contain gluten, Health Valley makes several G.F. Varieties)
Cereal Binders, Extracts, and Fillers (usually contain gluten, verify with manufacturer)
Cheese (shredded cheese is often dusted with flour to prevent sticking)
Chilton
Chocolate Syrup (read label, contact manufacturer)
Chorizo (most contain cereal fillers, check label, contact manufacturer)
Chow Main Noodles
Citric Acid (in the U.S. it is gluten free, but outside U.S. it can be made from wheat or corn)
Cocoa (Check with Manufacturer, Hersheys and Nestles are G.F.)
Cookie Mixes
Couscous
Cracker Meal
Croutons
Dextrins (Check with manufacturer, made from a variety of starches including wheat)
Distilled Vinegar (Check with manufacturer, most apple cider, balsamic, white wine are G.F)
Doughnuts
Durum
Durum Flour
Edible Starch
Einkorn Wheat
Farina Graham
Filler
Fish (some processed fish contains gluten. Ex. Gorton’s Grilled Fish & Imitation Crab Meat)
Flavorings (check with manufacturer, could be gluten based)
Flavored Prepackaged Rice (check with manufacturer, Rice A Roni IS NOT G.F.)
Flavored Prepackaged Pasta (rice or corn pasta makes a great substitute)
Flavored Instant Coffee (check with manufacturer)
Flavored Instant Tea (check with manufacturer)
Flour Tortillas
Food Coloring – (Check with manufacture, Walton’s and McCormicks are G.F.)
Food Starch (check with manufacturer, can be wheat based)
Frozen Dinners (check with manufacturers, Amy’s & Whole Food have some G.F. dinners)
Fu (dried wheat gluten)
Gelatinized Starch (check with manufacturer)
Germ
Glutamate
Gluten Flour
Graham Flour
Granary Flour
Gravy & Gravy Mixes (check with manufacturer)
Groats (barley, wheat)
Ground Spices (check with manufacturer. McCormick’s and Frontier make G.F. Spices)
Guar Gum (this is gluten free, but has a laxative effect on some individuals)
Gum Base (check with manufacturer)
Hamburger Patties (when purchasing or eating out make sure it contains no fillers)
Hard Wheat
Hydrolyzed Oat Starch (gluten free, but could have cross contamination)
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP, check with manufacturer, often contains wheat)
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP, check with manufacturer, often contains wheat))
High Protein Flour
Ice Cream (some contain gluten, check with manufacturer)
Ice Cream Cones (Their are a couple of gluten free brands on the market currently)
Inulin (Usually made from chicory, but best to check with the manufacturer)
Kamut (Pasta wheat)
Ketchup (contains vinegar, check with manufacturer. Heinz is gluten free)
Laxatives (Most contain gluten. Check with manufacturer, read label. Metamucil is G.F.)
Liquor (many are made from glutinous grains, check with manufacturer)
Malt (check with manufacturer, generally wheat/barley based)
Malt Extract
Malt Syrup
Malt Flavoring
Malt Vinegar
Mayonnaise (contains vinegar, check with manufacturer. Hellmans, Dukes, Best Buy, Kraft are GF))
Marshmallows (check with manufacturer)
Marshmallow Creme (check with manufacturer)
Millet (gluten free, but beware of cross contamination)
Miso
Matzo Semolina
Matzo Meal
Modified Food Starch (check with manufacturer)
Modified Starch (check with manufacturer)
Mono and Diglycerides (Check with manufacturer, could be wheat based)
MSG (Made outside USA can be made from wheat. US MSG usually from corn))
Muffins & Bread Mixes
Mustard Powder (check with manufacturer, Coleman’s is not gluten free)
Natural Flavoring (check with manufacturer)
Non Stick Cooking Sprays. (some contain flour or grain alcohol. Pam & Wesson have a G.F. spray)
Oats (oats are gluten free, beware of cross contamination. McCains & Quakers are not G.F.)
Oat Bran (oats are gluten free, beware of cross contamination)
Oatmeal (oats are gluten free, beware of cross contamination)
Oatrim (oats are gluten free, beware of cross contamination)
Pancakes
Pasta
Pearl Barley
Pies (this includes the filling that is often thickened with flour)
Popovers
Pop Tarts
Powdered Sugar (contact manufacturer)

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This supposedly happened to my roommate. Apparently she gets panic attacks and doesn’t feel good after she’s eating gluten now. She already has chronic back pain, depression, has been suicidal, and was vegan. Is she just trying to add to the list for more attention? She is VERY dependent on her parents (that go along with everything and give her attention) still even though she’s in college. I don’t want to be mean but her dad has a gluten allergy and I feel like it would be an easy thing for her to make up. She says she can’t even have a salad if 1 crouton touched it (even if she picks the crouton off).

Well,

Either is possible I think.
She could be looking for attention. Although it’s tough to live a strict gluten free diet. For example, no wheat, no rye, no barley, no oatmeal, no pre-made soups (most have hydrolyzed vegetable protein or food starch which is wheat or gluten), many dressings and cereals and chips use wheat to “bulk up” their content since it’s cheap. You have to carefully read every box to make sure there is no gluten. I mean, living gluten free means a lot of time in the kitchen. Not sure if she knows that, but if she does thats a lot of work for attention. Maybe for her it’s worth it though.
You could encourage her to get tested, otherwise there is no way to take merit in what she says.
If her dad has a gluten intolerance or Celiac’s Disease there can be a genetic link.
And before I got diagnosed with a gluten intolerance I suffered with a lot of symptoms that wouldn’t necessarily be thought as related. For example as well as stomach aches, gastritis, and heartburn I had a lot of depression, headaches, joint pain, and eczema so I mean, who knows? Its tough to say.
I would hope that as a college student she could at least cut the umbilical cord lol…it’s got to happen sometime.

Trouble of getting you child to sleep? Try a race car bed – a great way for the little “driver” on the family to jump to bed!

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okay- I have two functions to make some kind of allergy free dessert for- I definitely want to use pumpkin-
we all know that butter, milk and cream make for the yummiest kinds of desserts but I am very limited on the ingredients-
I have 2 people with dairy allergies, 4 with gluten allergies, one with a corn allery and two with egg allergies . . . soooooo . . .
I am making pumpkin muffins for one event- I found a recipe that works.
I would like to do something a little more desserty for the second function, sooo besides just adding a cream cheese frosting as a side for those who don’t have problem with dairy- does anyone have an absolutely delish pumpkin rescipe that has :
NO gluten
NO eggs
NO milk
NO butter
NO corn
And if that is not a challenge for you, can I hire you as my personal chef??!!?
LOL

Try this……..
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups water
6 1/2 T. corn starch (use arrowroot instead)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
pie crust*
Topping (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Remove pie from oven, sprinkle coconut topping on top. Bake 5 more minutes.
* See recipe below.
Pie crust
3/4 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup butter or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold water
Stir dry ingredients together, making sure xanthan gum is evenly distributed. Cut in butter or oil and add honey. Add cold water a little at a time until a ball is formed. Roll dough to 1/8″ thickness between two sheets of aluminum foil. Peel top sheet of foil off, and invert dough onto a 9″ pie pan. Peel off other foil sheet. Prick dough with fork, and bake at 350 for 15 minutes until brown.
I noticed that one of the recipes above calls for marshmallows. They are made with corn syrup so check the package. You may want to omit them.

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Living with gluten allergy, so we’re checking all the snacks we buy for him. Is amylase gluten-free? The wikipedia article is a bit technical.

Amylase is an enzyme that breaks starches into sugar. You have it in your saliva, and the pancreatic juices used in digestion also have amylase in them.
Most of the amylase used in processing of human food is made by culturing bacteria that make amylase, and then purifying and filtering the amylase. Some amylase also comes from yeast cultures or animal origin.

There is no gluten in amylase.

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I’m at a loss on what my husbands allergic to. At first I was thinking it was wheat, or yeast or gluten but now i’m lost again. He can eat tortilla shells and grapenut cereal, but can’t eat 100% whole wheat bread. He seemed fine with white bread last time he ate it, but yet he’s allergic to baked ritz crackers.
I’m so confused and I’ve looked many things up and checked labels trying to find the one ingredient that he’s allergic to just to find it on the list of ingredients in something he can eat which brings me back to square one….again.
We have gone to an allergist but he was of no help with my husbands food allergies. He refused to do a food allergy test. And yes we’ve done the writing down what he eats for a week and checking ingredients. I’m lost, i’m frustrated and I’m rather angry because i’m not getting anwhere on figuring any of this out. I’ve checked out many web sites but still haven’t been able to find much. Please help. Serious answers only. Thank you.

—–

Your doctor sounds too proud… Go to a general practice doctor. I went to a new one, and she did a full workup of allergies in the form of a blood test. I found out I’m allergic to shrimp (and all its relatives). Good thing I stopped eating it as a kid!
This may sound totally nuts… but have you checked for hypoglycemia (or something related)?? I used to wheeze really bad EVERY time I ate wheat, dairy, fruit, sugar anything. I have to exclude all sugar ingredients (i.e. sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, honey, etc). My doctor had me do a food diary of all my food and reactions. I was literally having a reaction to EVERYTHING I ate. She looked at it… told me I was having trouble digesting gluten and milk sugars. Now, I’ve been on a perfect hypoglycemic diet, gluten-intolerant diet, and lactose-free diet. My symptoms are pretty much gone… I do still wheeze when I eat too much starch at once.
Everyone’s reactions to their blood sugar messing up are different. I’ve heard of people sneezing (like I wheeze) when their blood sugar changes… some just get really sleepy. Everyone’s bodies different.
I’ve got two books I think would be really helpful. They’ve helped improve my life drastically:
“Hypoglycemia: The Classic Healthcare Handbook” by Saunders & Ross (dr reccomended this book)
“Never Be Sick Again” by Raymond Francis (amazing book! every health topic in one book)
If diabetes runs in your husbands family… hypoglycemia might not be too far off. It means you are going to develop diabetes. Its basically your bodies way of flashing a neon warning sign. I was born with mine (hypoglycemia, gluten-intolerance, lactose-intolerance). My mother ate wayyyy too much sugar when she was pregnant with me.
I hope this helped!Contct me if you have any more questions. = )

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I have experienced some rather severe “reactions” to food. I have explosive diarrhea, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal problems. I have already gone to a gastroenterologist who has ruled out the standard irritable bowel, colitis, etc. She even ruled out a gluten allergy..which to be honest I really thought it was because when I’m on South Beach Diet, which removes all breads, pastas, etc I have no digestive issues. I had been “issue-fee” for several weeks, but all of a sudden I had a soup and salad at Olive Garden and BAM, within 20 minutes the issues were back…full force. I found out there was cream in the soup. That was the only thing I could think that I ate differently (Nope, I didn’t eat any breadsticks). On South Beach, I eat a lot of cheese, so I’m thinking that lactose intolerance can be ruled out. But, I also haven’t been drinking milk like I used to.

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