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Have you recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that requires you to change
your diet? Did your medical practitioner ask you to stop eating gluten? If so, you may be
completely overwhelmed, and not even sure exactly what that means. Many people
believe that if they have to give up gluten, they have to give up eating bread. Well, this is
true, but it goes way beyond not eating bread. Breads are typically made with wheat
flour, and wheat flour contains gluten. Gluten is a cohesive, elastic protein found in
wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Gluten is made up of proteins classified in two groups, the
Prolamines and the Glutelins.

Gliadin, a prolamine, seems to be the catalyst in Celiac Disease. For a gluten intolerant
person, this offending substance damages the lining of the intestines and flattens or
atrophies the small airlike projections that normally protrude from the intestinal surfaces to
absorb food. These projections are called villi. Because the villi become damaged they
are unable to absorb water and nutrients. This causes the celiac to be susceptible to a
variety of other conditions related to malabsorption.

Gluten is often used as a thickener. Be sure to read the labels on canned soups, catsups,
mustards, soy sauce and other condiments -- many contain gluten. In place of soy sauce,
you can use wheat free tamari, and you can buy organic catsup that doesn’t contain
gluten/wheat.

The best way to shop when on a gluten free diet (or any diet in my opinion) is on the
outside aisles of the supermarket. That is where all the fresh food is located, such as
produce, meats/fish, dairy, etc. During the summer months, or in warmer climates, farmer’s
markets are a great place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Meat and fish markets are a
great choice for the freshest meat and fish. I know you are busy, we all are, myself
included, but what we eat is so important. We have to take the time to prepare good
food, as that is what sustains us. Grabbing fast food today is the worst thing we can do.
Think about it. Obesity is at an all time high in our country, and breast cancer, diabetes,
autism and other brain disorders, along with autoimmune diseases and other cancers are
climbing. We have to ask ourselves why? I believe the overuse of hormones, antibiotics,
chemicals and processing of our foods have stripped them of their nutritional value, and
we are left with foods that are full of chemicals that get into our bodies and make us sick.
So, with that said, I encourage you to eat the freshest organic foods that you can find.
Stop shopping down the center of the store. That’s where you will find all the foods that
contain gluten. It is used in soups, stews, sauces, cereals, crackers, breads, and much more.

What do you do? Read labels. Buy organic. Buy fresh foods.
Send me an email. I can help you get started.

This isn’t hard, it’s frustrating, and I can relate. I gave up wheat/gluten several years ago,
and I was mad at first. I didn’t know what to eat, and so I didn’t eat. I lost weight, and I
didn’t feel well. Believe me, there are plenty of options out there, you just need to make a
shift in your thinking about food.

When I was a kid, we drank whole milk. Then one day my mother said no more whole milk.
We were switching to skim milk. Well, we all thought we would die drinking skim milk. Over
time, we adjusted, and today I couldn’t imagine drinking whole milk. So, that’s what I
hope happens for you. It will take awhile to adjust to life without gluten, but you will adjust
if you are committed to improving your health outcomes. I believe the energy we put into
food is the energy we derive from food. That’s why I take the time to prepare foods that I
enjoy, and are good for me.

I spent a lot of time developing the recipes in my cookbook. Sometimes a recipe flopped. I
knew it was a flop if my dog wouldn’t even eat it. Be patient with yourself. That happens,
and it’s ok. Try again. You will also be happy to know that many healthfood stores now
carry pre-made gluten free meals. Check the frozen food section. You can also get soups,
stews, mixes, and much more.

I hope this has been helpful. I’ll write more next month, but I just wanted to give you some
hope that eating gluten free is do-able, and won’t take more time than preparing other
meals. It’s not about the time, it’s about the ingredients. Go for it!

Live well, laugh often, and love………………………………