luvs2eat

You and my daughter (princesshungry on here) may run into each other sometime! I think she goes to see her today!! Thanks again!!

My daughter lives in Portland. She was diagnosed w/ celiac disease last fall... and since then her symptoms have escalated to the point where they've investigated interstitial cystitis and other crazy things. I think it was "celiac mommy" who recommended Dr. Char Glenn in Portland... an internist who specializes in celiac disease. Daughter has seen her and is also seeing a naturopath who says Dr. Glenn is the best. She's having more testing done (she had bloodwork and an eodoscopy to diagnose celiac disease) to see what the heck is going on... but she LOVES Dr. Glenn!

Thank you celiac mom for recommending her!!

Fad diet or not (it's not for me!) ... if not eating gluten has made all the symptoms you listed GO AWAY... why on earth wouldn't anyone support your decision to go gluten free... w/ or w/o a diagnosis??

Others are correct in that this forum is the most supportive place to be. There is not ONE question you can ask here where SOMEONE doesn't have the answer... or can tell you where to go to find the answer.

Good luck! Sounds like you're doing great!!

I've told my tale of weight woe before, but I was diagnosed very quickly... after only a few months of symptoms. In the next year, I put on about 30 lbs... happily filling up on all the foods I COULD have to make up for the foods I could no longer have.

I do know that a lot of gluten free foods (rice pastas, breads) have a higher glycemic index and often more calories per serving that a lot of gluten foods. And there are no "diet" breads, etc. for us.

I've had to cut way back on obvious carbs... breads and pastas... and I eat mostly lean meats, veggies, fruits... low fat too. I've lost almost 20 lbs. in about 3 months w/ another 20 or so to go!

I feel your frustration! I once begged off dinner out w/ friends because I knew there was nothing I'd be able to eat... except salad. My "friend" said, "Can't you have a salad w/ grilled chicken??" I asker her, "What if EVERY TIME you went out to eat... the ONLY option was a salad w/ grilled chicken??" It got so boring so fast... I stopped going out to eat!!

I've had to cut way back on carbs for 2 reasons... 1. I love them too much... I ate a sandwich every day for lunch and rice or potatoes or pasta at supper... and 2. It seemed my digestive system was revolting at my carb addiction.

So, now I only eat bread, etc. twice a week. On Tuesdays, we make burgers and oven baked fries to eat while we're watching LOST (ha ha) and Saturday is my diet "cheat" day.

I've lost 20 lbs... only another 15 to go!

I'm not a huge breakfast fan and will often combine breakfast and lunch. Here are some of the things I eat:

Stoneyfield vanilla yogurt w/ fresh and frozen fruit and chopped nuts on top.

Scrambled eggs w/ crumbled turkey sausage mixed in

Lettuce wraps... thinly sliced ham or turkey w/ a teeny bit of cheese

About 1/2 cup already cooked brown rice w/ lots of baby carrots and fresh broccoli nuked together and mixed up w/ a little ranch dressing and a little sliced ham or turkey. This one is my "go-to" lunch/brunch

Supper is whatever meat we decide to cook/grill... chicken or flank steak or pork tenderloin... and roasted veggies... broccoli, carrots, asparagus, etc. If I haven't had brown rice at lunch, I might have it for supper.

Unfortunately, my digestive system seems to be unhappy when I drink alcohol... so I'm cutting that out too.

So... today is "cheat" day and I'm making a killer (TINY) macaroni and cheese. Hubby will eat the remaining pasta... as I can't even have it in the HOUSE. I'm terrible in the willpower department!

Why would you risk it at all? Especially when you're talking about reactions that affect your breathing and having to carry Benedryl?? I don't know... but I'm thinking your god would understand your very SERIOUS issues and not expect you to put yourself in danger!!

I completely understand how you feel. I've had to tell people who look at me w/ that furrowed brow "OH YOU POOR THING" look and say, "Ya know what?? Compared to the awful things that happen to people... this is NOTHING. I just had to learn to cook differently." I bring food w/ me and tell people (w/ a smile), "If I don't prepare it, I just can't eat it."

Your positive attitide is really great! And people will respond to that.

With regard to your family... they'll get it too... someday. Just keep on doing what you're doing!!

Nope, we can not... period. It's cross contamination and will do damage even if it doesn't cause physical symptoms. It stinks, but there it is. There ARE places w/ dedicated fryers and I'm grateful for them!

My Hub just saw a garden store ad for blueberries or raspberries. How easy are raspberries to grow? We are lazy gardeners.

I've just gotten a tutorial from my neighbor who gave me a bunch of plants. She said to plant them about 3-4 feet apart and to put in 2 poles at each end of the row and run wire or string on both sides of the plant to keep them kind of contained. Otherwise they'll grow to huge unruly bushes. They send out runners under the ground. Neighbor had many plants coming up outside the garden box. Also, don't plant blackberries anywhere near raspberries.

A few months ago my BMI was 31... considered obese. I'm trying hard to change my eating habits and am now at a BMI of 29... just overweight.

I was diagnosed very quickly... only about 2 months after symptoms showed up. Then I went way overboard cooking/baking/making the things I COULD have to make up for all the things I could no longer have. People would ask me what the symptoms of celiac disease are and I'd say, "Well, the first is often unexplained weight loss," and then I'd look down at myself and say, "ummmm... I didn't GET that one."

I've come to the depressing conclusion that I am a total carb/fat/dairy addict. I always crack up when I see shows about food and the psychological reasons people eat what they do. I always yell at the TV, "WHY can't it be that I just LIKE macaroni and cheese better than salad???"

I had to cut way back on my carbs. I eat bread only once or twice a week. My normal lunch is 1/2 cup brown rice, broccoli and carrots and a few tblsp. lite ranch dressing. Suppers are lean meat and veggies. Snacks are fruit. I limit dairy ... cheese especially. I can't have butter in the house!

I've lost 15 lbs. w/o too much effort and have another good 15 to go. Exercise would help, but I'm kind of slothy.

I haven't found one I like yet, depressing. BUT I need to lose weight so no pizza for me!

I HEAR ya on that one!! I've been treating myself to a pizza on Saturday nights while dieting the rest of the week. Namaste pizza crust mix is my new fave product!! The crust is thin and crispy... delicious!!!

I tried a crust made w/ cheese and it was just okay. It got completely soggy w/ toppings. I'm now a huge fan of Namaste pizza crust mix that I just found in my health food store (I live in rural Arkansas and gluten-free options in stores are mighty slim). One bag makes 2 pizzas, but you can measure out just 1 crust's ingredients. I spread it out on parchment paper on top of our Pampered Chef pizza stone and the resulting crust is PERFECT... thin and crispy!!!

I'm glad y'all got the computer glitches figured out so we could read the letter! What a completely disturbing revelation by Snyders!! I'd like to send them a letter telling them about the letter and WHY I'll never try their gluten-free products... AND to write a letter to Glutino thanking them for their efforts that can be trusted.

I live in north central Arkansas, where there's no dirt... literally!! It's all hard-packed clay and rocks! Last year I gardened right in big garden soil bags (read about it in Mother Earth News and their new April/May issue shows it again!) and I have 'em ready to go again.

I've already planted mesculin, kale, and arugula in one. I have sugar snap peas in and cukes and zucchini. Tomato plants will have to wait till it's a bit warmer. I can't find butternut squash seeds but do have spaghetti squash ones that need to go in.

I have basil, parsley, thyme, and chives in big pots. I think I can take them outside today... we have gorgeous weather and night temps are not so cold.

I also ordered 2 blueberry bushes that went in last weekend and have 3 or 4 raspberry plants to go in when I can finish filling up the trench that hubby dug for me w/ a machine w/ good dirt and garden soil... backbreaking work!

Last year, we made our own "topsy turvy" tomato planters w/ old pastic hanging basket containers. We had cherry tomatoes right outside our kitchen door... it was great!

My kids were good veggie eaters but occasionally I'd serve something they turned up their noses at. In that case, they got a "no thank you" portion... maybe a tablespoon that they were expected to eat. Once my youngest DD stuffed the "no thank you" portion of spaghetti squash in her mouth and was trying to say, "Yum... this is good," inbetween GAGGING. ha ha. They were such good veggie eaters, I didn't make her swallow it!

Don't know how old she is, but I've seen kids go nuts for veggies served raw in muffin tins w/ some sort of dip... hummus? Salad dressing?

When my kids were small... if they absolutely refused to eat supper, which was really rare, and were hungry after supper... I'd let them have a piece of fruit. We weren't junk food eaters anyhow, so it wasn't much of a battle of wills.

I'm w/ you, FMMcGee... I'd rather have a tiny little bit of something real than a whole container of the fake stuff out there! I remember a friend challenging me to be able to tell the difference betw. REAL ice cream (cream, sugar) and fat-free ice cream (fake everything). It was a no-brainer... or a no-taster!!

This tastes JUST LIKE RITZ. I let my "normal" husband and mom try them and they actually liked these better! Recipe is by Elizabeth Barbone. I highly recommend her cookbooks.

"Ritz-y gluten-free Crackers"

DRY STUFF:

1 1/4c white rice flour

1/2c cornstarch

1/4c sweet rice flour

1t salt

1t baking powder

1/2t xanthan gum

2 1/2T sugar

WET STUFF:

1/2 stick COLD butter, cut into 1/4" pieces

1 lg. egg

6T heavy cream (I used evap. milk)

3T melted butter to brush tops of crackers

Kosher salt, for sprinkling

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in lg. bowl

2. Using fingers or pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture looks like a course meal.

3. In a separate bowl. mix together egg and cream until smooth. Pour egg mix over dry ingredients. Stir w/ a fork until dough forms a loose ball.

4. Using your hands, gather dough together and pat into a 1" thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for AT LEAST 1.5 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 425. Line 2 baking sheets w/ parchment. Dust a work surface lightly w/ rice flour. Roll dough out to 1/8" thick. Using a round cutter, cut out crackers. Place on baking sheets and prick all over with a fork. Press scraps together and repeat until all dough is used.

6. Bake first sheet for 6-7 min. Remove pan and carefully turn crackers over. Bake for an additional 4-6 min or until Ritz colored (golden brown).

7. Remove from oven and lightly brush w/ melted butter. Immediately sprinkle kosher salt over tops of crackers. Transfer to wire rack to cool. While first sheet cools, bake second sheet.

I use a cutter that looks just like a Ritz cracker, about 1.5" across and this recipe makes about 7 dz. crackers. You can use whatever cutter you want. I warn you: these things are addictive!

/quote]

Would it be easier to form the dough into a log and refigerate it and then cut thin cracker slices? I'm going to try it out!

When I was diagnosed, my doc told me it was more common in those of Irish ancestry. I told him my mom was "right off the boat" ... she was born in Belfast. I'm the only one in my family and in my extended family. In my own research, I found it can be more common in Jews... so my kids have a double whammy... Scots/Irish mom and Jewish father.

I make gluten free waffles and freeze them. A few min. in the toaster and a banana sliced or smashed on one w/ the other as a top makes a great "in-the-car" breakfast sandwich. I've also taken rice cakes smeared w/ peanut butter.

My only two symptoms about 8 years ago were unrelenting diarrhea (like getting up a few times a night and all day) and belly noises that sounded like wolverines were trying to fight their way out of my intestines! I had no pain at all. I only had the diarrhea for about 2 months before I saw a GI doc who treated me for giardia (parasites) while waiting for blood work. My blood work was so positive, my doc told me, that he didn't even recommend endoscopy. I went gluten free right then.

About a year later... I made beautiful (regular wheat) loaves of bread for a party (one of my fave things to do) and cut off a hunk, buttered it, and ATE it!! It was so danged good!! And guess what? NOTHING happened!! I was so excited and thought maybe I could "plan" a cheat from my gluten-free diet... maybe once a month. Well... the next time I tried it I was as sick as a dog... nausea, diahhrea. So... I've never eaten gluten intentionally since.

Middle daughter was diagnosed about 4 years later and youngest daughter was diagnosed this past fall. Oldest daughter is scarfing up all the gluten she can... ha. None of my siblings or any extended relatives have Celiac.

wow...I feel so loved here! I only eat dinner and it is usually lots of raw veggies a littler grilled chicken and rice bread I make myself. I have a cup of non-fat frozen yogurt and go right to bed. I think I could cut out the yogurt and bread. I also have a thyroid disease, but my levels are good...so I don't think it's that. I will say goodbye to my yogurt and bread later and if that don't work...I'm going back to the Dr. and telling her to test me for fat ass disease! I guess I'm lucky my fiance likes my new meat even if I don't. Maybe he pours sugar down my throat while I am sleeping.

If you're only eating dinner (i.e. one meal a day), that could be a big part of your problem right there. Extreme low calorie diets don't work because your metabolism goes into "starvation" mode and slows way down to hold on to the weight. The other's advice of eating more frequent, small meals will really work! I did a 6-meal-a-day diet years ago where I had 2 oz. of protein at every meal... low simple carbs (little bread and lots of veggies) and low fat and lost 25 lbs in about 2 months.

Whenever we go out, even to restaurants w/ gluten free menus and places we've been to before, we go out of our way to make friends w/ our server.... "Have a seat and let me tell you about my food needs." Ha ha. It helps that my husband is super friendly and we are always treated so well. I tell them about celiac disease and let them know just how important it is that saying "no croutons" is serious enough that if my salad comes out w/ croutons on it, I'll have no choice but to ask that the salad be tossed and made again... or the burger will have to be remade and not just lifted off the bun. Every single time, our servers go far out of their way to see that my food is done right. We tip well and thank them for their effort! I've spoken to managers several times about how well our servers have accommodated me.

I think you can trust the menu... but the handling of your food needs to be discussed w/ your server!

I'm so sorry. Heartfelt prayers for her family and friends.

I've had them several times without incident, but ... not ONLY do I not need to be eating fast food french fries... it always seems that the times I would eat them is while traveling (convenient) and always think after eating, "Wow... I sure hope these really ARE gluten-free cause it would really stink to get sick while traveling!" So, I avoid them as a rule.