Jenny (AZ via TX)

That article is so gross! At least now I won't be salivating over the bread and butter sitting on the table in restaurants.

Crystal,

My CRP was very high right before I was diagnosed. I had infection and inflammation in the small intestine. After antibiotics and another CT scan, by CRP came way down. Keep pursuing this!

PS Hope the colonoscopy went well this morning.

I have only been gluten-free for a very short time. Do I need to heal more before doing this?

Jason, try not to panic here. Not everybody who swallows river water gets ill every time. Nobody would ever swim in a river or lake ever again if that was the case. I must have swallowed river water a million times in my life, and never had giardia!

If you want to be safe, why not do a parasite cleanse? Almost everybody in North America (and everywhere else in the world) has parasites, you included. Therefore it is a good idea for all people to do a parasite cleanse once or twice a year anyway, so maybe in order for you to feel safe, now might be the time for you to do one.

And don't rely on a doctor to do a test for parasites, I was told I didn't have any (they only test for a fraction of what is out there), but I had thousands of parasites come out when I did a cleanse in May.

An excellent (and inexpensive) cleanse can be found here: Open Original Shared Link . My naturopathic doctor checked it out and told me that he was switching for his patients, because it was better than what he had been prescribing.

Also, eat lots of garlic, it kills parasites, viruses and other intruders. Eat it raw if you can handle it, it works best that way.

Yea, one more thing we can eat! Where did you buy them?

You just ask for it when you go to the restaurant. It's printed out, so you don't have to worry what's what. I live in Arizona, so I don't know if they all have the menu, but I would think they would. You may want to call first and ask for the manager. We go to the one out here quite often and never a problem.

I cannot find the gluten free menu, where did you see it?

I've been wanting to do this as well. Can't our doctors (Allergists) run the test or are they (the tests) too specialized? That way, insurance will pay. Has anyone gone to an Allergist or their family doctor to have the tests run? Just wondering.

Sounds great. I've never seen almond yogurt. What kind do you get?

I have warm peach cobbler on my stove right now.

I cant have so many things right now, but can eat this. My recipe is very simple:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

6 Tlb almond yogurt (could use any kind)

Dash of salt

2 Tlb honey

Mix all together and press into pie pan.

Filling:

2 cups Fresh or frozen peaches sliced.

2 Tlb Coconut oil drizzled.

Honey for drizzling to taste

Layer peaches, coconut oil and honey over crust really pressing the peaches in.

Bake at 375 for about 20-30 minutes. Watch for "golden brown" edges.

Wow, it looks like there's a little of everything here. I'm mostly French, then Spanish and a little Irish and Welsh(sp). My gastro asked me if I was Irish.

I reside in Ontario but grew up with my family in England.My family believed themselves to be true English.Recently we found out that we are of Irish decent through my fathers side the same side that has passed on Celiacs to me.There is some belief that Celiacs originate from Ireland.Whats your background?

Sorry. Just re-read it and found the name. Thanks.

What is the name of it?

A new restaurant just opened in Sterling Heights, MI on Mound Road between 16 and 17 that has 100% gluten-free menu!

gfcucinas.com

Thank you so much for the suggestions. This will make my visit much happier! I always get a little anxious traveling not knowing if I can find somewhere to eat.

Open Original Shared Link is in Sterling Heights.

There's a PF Changs in Somerset mall (very close to Birmingham) that I've had good luck at.

www.sweetlorraines.com/ has a few locations and they have a pretty good gluten-free menu.

I will let you know when I go to one in Dallas. It will probably be around the end of the year. Also I will try to PM you if I can figure out how to do this. There used to be a Cantina Laredo in Addison off of Beltline. Also one further north I think off of North Dallas Toll Road (maybe around Frankford?)

When you do make it to one in Texas, I'd be curious to know what you think!

I'm in the north Dallas area, so if you can find out the name of the seafood place, I'd love to go try it out.

I don't get over towards Highland Village very often (unless I'm going to visit the in-laws), but I'll keep an eye open the next time I'm over that way to see if I can spot it.

I'll bet the place in Plano you're thinking of is Delicious N Fit/Laura's Bistro. I've heard that's really good too, but haven't been there yet.

I'll be sure to keep an eye out for other restaurants, and if I discover any I'll definitely let you know!

Anyone know of a good dietitian in Scottsdale, AZ? So far, I haven't found anyone that specializes in celiac (or knows a lot about it) and my gastro told me not to bother if they didn't.

Thanks.

Sorry, but I haven't been to any of the ones in TX. I get back to Dallas 4-6 times a year and I'm going to try it on my next visit. I think Cantina Laredo started there. I love going there because I love Mexican food and don't have to worry about every little thing there! I don't know what part of Texas you are in, but there is another restaurant that I did go to, not Cantina. It was a seafood place. Sorry I can't remember the name. I'll ask my sister where we went if you want to know. It was in a new shopping center in Highland Village.

I also heard about a great gluten-free restaurant in Plano. I'll have to look for the name of that also. If you are in the Dallas area and know of some great restaurants, please let me know. Sorry about the rambling, but I get so excited when I go to a restaurant with a gluten-free menu.

Hi Jenny!

Just wondering if you've been to any of the ones in TX?

I was just curious if one was any better than another.

Thx!

I will be going to Michigan to see a doctor there and would love some suggestions on where to eat. The doctor is in Birmingham which is pretty close to Detroit. I'm not that familiar with the area, but there seems to be a few cities in the vicinity. Thanks!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Cantina Laredo has a great gluten-free menu. You can even eat the chips and salsa (the red, not green). I live in Arizona, but the restaurant is also in Texas. Each time I go to Cantina Laredo, the waiter seems very knowledgeable. I've been several times and have never had any problems. The gluten-free menu also has more than just a couple of items on it. Hope that gives some of you one more place to out.

I use the Fresh Foaming Cleanser and the Body Oil. The oil is great right after the shower while you are still a little damp. I used to love the Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 45, but I saw that it had oats in it, even though it was on this "list" so I gave it away. Hope that helps.

The facial cleanser (Clearasil Sensitive Skin) that I get I cannot find anymore in the stores by me so I was thinking about going with a Neutrogena product (want something local).

From the list that I got from them it says Wheat Free (not Gluten Free).

I called and spoke to one of the ladies at their company and she said that the product I was looking at was only tested for Wheat Gluten. She said that they are doing tests on their products for Gluten ingredients but do not have the findings yet.

I would like to try their new Advanced Solutions - Acne Therapy System (they are comparing to ProActive).

What is everyones experience with Neutrogena (I haven't used it in about 5+ years)?

Or if anyone has had any luck with a facial product that you can find in a normal store (not health food store) please let me know.

Thank you very much

Well, I was recently diagnosed (March 2008) and it does get easier reading labels. It's still frustrating and I made a mistake thinking I was totally gluten free when one of the supplements I was taking had oats in it. It said wheat free, I just didn't look at it carefully. I read the book "Living Gluten Free for Dummies" which was a huge help. I also went to celiac.com and printed out the safe and unsafe foods list. Some grocery stores have lists you can print out. Also Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joes, etc.

I still have to take lists to the store with me, but you get used to it. You will get a lot of great info just from this forum. One of the best things I read I believe on this form is when checking for gluten is to google what you are checking and add the work gluten after it, such as: Neutrogena gluten. Lots of info will come up.

Hope that helps. It does get easier, some days better than others.

I know the pain you are talking about. It was excruciating. It felt like it started around my belly button and would move up to my chest. I had this for hours. Anyway, I did go to the emergency room where they did a CT scan. It turned out I had an infection in my small intestine as well as an inflamed small intestine. They gave me some antibiotics. I would go to the emergency room if you have had this pain for several hours. Of course, I am new at this too so I don't know how long the pain usually lasts after being glutened.

I apparently ate something at a restaurant today that caused an accidental glutening. I am in SOO much pain from my chest to lower abdomen (worse than ever before). I have taken zegrid (antacid) and phenergran but the pain hasn't been touched. Has anyone ever felt like going to the emergency room they feel so bad?

Has anyone tried immune boosters? Is so what brand and did you feel better after taking them?

Thanks.

Welda,

Thanks for all of the information. You are absolutely right, I need to change the attitude. I know this and I'm working on it day by day. Some days better than others.

I love the Rosarita refried beans, but did not know if they were gluten free so I've just been buying the Safeway brand. Safeway sent me a list of all of their gluten-free foods. Do you know if the fat-free Rosarita is gluten-free as well? At least I can get some fiber with the beans.

Hi,

I'm so glad to hear that you're on the path to good health. This diet is a great one once you get used to it. I suffered with severe asthma from the age of 8, and now at 63, on this diet, I'm healthier than I've ever been. I think the biggest shift is one of attitude, whereby we learn that we are responsible for our own well-being. Others will help us, of course, but I have seen my own self-pity take a back seat to working for my own good health.

When I socialize I always take along my own food, and have been doing this for years. I have special styrofoam containers and special bags to contain my cooked food, and I carry utensils and napkins as well. My family and friends just kind of wait to see what I will come up with next I think. Sometimes I eat the restaurant's offerings, but if I don't feel comfortable with their food, then I reach into my bag and pull out my own treats (pineapple, refried beans, corn tortillas, my own created gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough, etc. etc. etc.). Sometimes someone I'm with will start to explain to the waitperson that I have food allergies, but I've pretty much gotten past that step, since most people don't really understand Celiac anyway, without great long discussions. In such a case, when they ask, "Are you ordering?" I simply say no. They've always been cordial and friendly no matter what.

In April I went to Legoland with my son, daughter-in-law and grandson, and we celebrated my grandson's fifth birthday. I had salad without croutons or cheese, and Italian dressing, and did just fine. When they asked me to their house for pizza and cake from Costco, I went in too and bought corn tortillas, refried beans and Ortega chiles. In fact I bought 36 tortillas, 10 cans of beans, and 3 large Ortega chiles! That's Costco for you. However, because I am eating pretty much the same general foods most of the time, just rotating my menus, I knew that I would soon consume that food and need to buy more. Plus, I could offer part of my dinner to others at supper that night.

Believe me, you WILL see that light at the end of the tunnel, once you begin to see the patterns that this diet involves. I am intolerant of all grains, all milk & dairy, egg whites, and yeast, and have stopped eating meat, poultry and fish as well, since I seem to breathe better when on a vegan diet. Today I had 2 whole pineapples for breakfast and brunch, chocolate chip cookie dough made with soy protein powder, and a huge bowl of corn spaghetti with spaghetti sauce and a pretend parmesan cheese sprinkle-on-top (made of that same soy protein powder made by Genisoy, which I order on-line and have delivered to my door). I also eat green salads with Wishbone Italian Dressing, corn tortillas, Rosarita Refried Beans, Dennison's Chili Beans, yams, potatoes, corn pastas, soy ice cream, rice, etc. The ways of utilizing all the fruits, vegetables, corn, potatoes and soy products are seemingly endless, and I'm learning that rotating the foods really helps,.

I hope this helps. Best wishes as you continue on this path! Welda

Gymnastjlf,

Thank you for responding. You are so right that eating the right foods is a small price to pay for our health. Actually, I'm too scared to purposely eat anything with gluten in it. You sound like you have an awesome family that understands your diet. I will definitely start calling ahead to restaurants to see if they are aware of gluten needs and that way I won't be so anxious when I go out to eat. I'm working on being more positive about this whole thing and am fortunate it's just Celiac and not cancer. I just have to adjust to a different lifestyle. BTW, I live in Fountain Hills.

Jenny,

You'll learn to adjust. I treat different social situations differently....

My immediate family (parents, younger brother, and grandparents) are very good. I was almost 20 when I was diagnosed, so none of them learned all the intricacies of the diet, but they are all aware of the possible concerns (from hidden ingredients to cross-contamination). My grandma makes many of the family meals on holidays, and what we did the first few times (we stick to pretty similar menus) was she would call me (I was away at college) and read the recipes to me. I would give her specific brand names to buy for certain ingredients. I also told her things like butter/margarine, please open a new container for making the dishes. Grandma is VERY concerned about me having "everything," gluten-free, and there's a gluten-free bakery not too far from her house, Foods by George (you can order their stuff online, it is fantastic!), so she would always make sure to get a package of English muffins and a brownie for my dessert at every meal. Did I ask her to, no, did it make her feel good to "include" me, yes :-)

My younger brother (he's 3 years younger than me) would sometimes make dinner when I was still at home, usually on the grill. Now, he doesn't always think ahead. So sometimes, he'd be out shopping and come up with a marinade he wanted to use on meat. So he'd call me-- "I need to buy soy sauce. What brand should I get?" I'd tell him, he'd hang up. Two minutes later the phone would ring again-- "I need... what can I get?" Sometimes a single shopping trip could net 3 or 4 phone calls. But most importantly, he was focused on making sure I could eat it. The one time he accidentally made something I couldn't eat (I realized it before I ate anything), he was so devastated, I felt so bad!

Out socially with friends (rather than family), it depends on the crowd. My closest friends (particularly at college) were awesome to go out to eat with or cook in with. They got a good laugh out of me playing 20 questions at restaurants, they knew the rules when it came to cooking. When I go out with acquaintences, I'll stick to the simpler options to limit the questions. I've also been known to call ahead to restaurants and try to ask some questions over the phone to limit the in person questions. It's all an adjustment, but when I think about it, I guess it's a small price to pay for our health!

I see from your name that you're living in Arizona... whereabouts? I'm also in AZ, I'm down in the East Valley (Queen Creek).

Good luck, and try not to focus on the negative and what you're missing out in the diet. Instead, think of all you're gaining (nutrition, health, etc). I also tell myself that if someone's not willing to put up with the questions I have to ask about food, or gets annoyed with my restrictions, then they are probably too shallow a person for me to keep as a friend!

Hi.

I have only been gluten free since the middle of March, but have had gluten accidentally in some supplements. I have since gone through all supplements and made changes.

The hardest part of this diet is having a social life! Is this hard for anyone else? I don't know how y'all do it. I am OK going gluten free when I'm home, it's when I get together with friends and family (I'm still gluten free, but hate it). I miss out on so much, because I am afraid to go to many of the restaurants where my friends want to go and yes, we go to some of the restaurants that have gluten free menus. Also, it is so embarassing to go through what I can and can't have with the waiter (who half the time look at me like they have no clue at all). I have actually gone to lunch with friends and not eaten!

I also have a large family in Texas that I visit. One of my sisters is really good about doing the gluten free thing for me, but I don't think anyone else really knows much about it. When I tell them that even one bread crumb can contaminate what I'm eating, they look at me like I'm exaggerating the extent of how careful I have to be. I don't expect them to be gluten free (I surely wouldn't be if I didn't have to be), but I do feel they should respect that even a little bit of gluten is bad for me. I also suggested that they all get tested and not one of them has.

I miss the foods I grew up with. I guess they are more like comfort foods. I think it is the memories associated with them. I'm originally from New Orleans and grew up in Dallas, so all that great food is a no no. I am probably healthier now than I used to be just be cutting out a lot of the bad foods, but oh just a taste would be great!

What do you do when you visit friends and family? I don't want to come across as some prima dona that has to have everything special. How do you graciously and tactfully explain all this.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for letting me vent.

This is the first time I've posted, so not sure if I'm doing this right. Can anyone recommend some restaurants in Helena, Montana?

Thanks.

Jenny