Help going gluten-free

The simplest way to go gluten-free is to simplify your meals and eat 1)a protein and 2)veggies-either cooked or raw as in a salad. Just eliminate the pasta/bread element. Desserts are a different matter (see below for ideas).

It takes a while to get your head around the idea of eliminating bread from sandwiches (just eat what is in the sandwich-skip the bread) and dropping casseroles that have pasta in them. Gluten-free can be an incredibly easy way to cook (look up "Paleo diet" for ideas).

Shopping in the supermarket is a different experience when you begin to realize how many prepackaged foods are made from wheat. I generally head for the Produce, Frozen Veg and Meat sections and skip quite a lot of aisles.

I have tried most of the "gluten-free" products and don't like them much which is good because they are more expensive. I prefer to spend my money on higher quality meat and fish (although we don't eat large amounts per meal) and veggies.

I did miss baked goods, my soft spot, so I make muffins and cookies using almond butter. I used to use almond meal but my gut likes the butter more. Baked goods made this way are really nice, you won't miss the wheat at all. If you aren't a baker then store bought gluten-free desserts could be OK for you. Or you could switch to fruit-based sweets or ice-cream instead.

Gluten-free is as much about changing the way you think as it is about changing your diet.
My husband, non-UC, is very happy eating gluten-free and he actually pushes for an even healthier diet and eliminating white rice and eating brown rice instead. I'll probably switch to that soon.(This has nothing to do with gluten BTW).

Good luck. Change is good but don't get overwhelmed to feel you need to do it overnight. Take it one meal at a time and don't eat more "gluten-free" substitutes than necessary.

Somedude said...
Brown rice is better than white rice?
Can you explain that gardener?
I like brown rice...white rice too, they taste the same.

The best way to explain why brown rice is better than white rice is to look at the history of the disease called beri beri. Now there are some who say that white rice is just as good as brown rice as long as it is enriched with vitamin B1.

But that does not take into account that the brown husk of rice contains much more than B1. Who knows whatever vitamins, minerals, and fiber are missing from white rice? We only know about vitamin B1 because its deficiency causes disease. Besides beri beri, for all we know maybe the missing cure for UC and cancer is also within brown rice.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriberi

Congratulations Pam! No meds, wow! I remember how much you have suffered from this DD.

I have no advice other than buying in bulk. In my area of NY, there are a few Mennonite-owned stores, all of which sell many different products in bulk -- rice, beans, baking goods, etc. I haven't ever looked for quinoa, but it wouldn't surprise me to find it there. So maybe a google search of "bulk foods ______" and fill in the blank of towns in your area. Ethnic food stores also often have this kind of stuff. For example, my sister found semolina flour at an Indian store in her area for quite cheap. Club stores like Costco, Sam's, and BJ's are also possible places, but I'd price check, because they aren't always cheaper. Amazon is a good source as well.

Are you a dude or a dud?

Keep up the good humor. I think most of your posts are hilarious.

Mennonite and Amish are different. In my area (Finger Lakes) the Mennonites all use electricity, drive cars, etc. Basically, the only way they appear to be different is in how the women dress. The Amish in my area do not drive cars or use electricity. The women dress differently than the Mennonite women, and the men also have non-mainstream clothes and hats, and have beards. But this all varies from region to region.