By Lauren Harrell
Recently, one of friends found out that she has gluten intolerance. That means she can no longer eat foods with gluten, which is found in most pastas, noodles, breads, crackers, cereal, granola, and tortillas. Many people have to go gluten-free in order to manage the symptoms of gluten intolerance or Celiac’s disease, which include abdominal pain, bloating, skin sensitivity, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. Changing her diet will be a major adjustment as more foods than you realize contain gluten. However, there are an increasing number of gluten-free foods as well as plenty of foods that do not contain gluten. It’s all about being creative and open to new ideas. Even if you are not gluten intolerant, many people are moving towards a gluten-free diet as claimed benefits include better overall health, weight loss, and more energy. However, you should always talk to your doctor before changing to a gluten-free diet as you may miss out on a well-balanced diet. For people facing gluten intolerance, going gluten-free is attainable!
Here are some tips and ways to eliminate gluten in your diet and daily life…
· Read the labels on everything!
o Most foods with gluten will not say that they contain gluten. However, look for ingredients, such as wheat flour, rye, barley, flour, malt, and oats, and avoid products containing these! Fortunately, gluten-free items are becoming more common, so also be on the look out for products marked “gluten-free.”
· Try gluten-free products.
o Look for gluten-free options for food that typically contains gluten. Most grocery stores will have a variety of options. Check out Whole Foods and Trader Joes. They tend to have the largest variety of options, and both have lists of gluten-free items on their website.
· Do your research.
o When in doubt if a product contains gluten, do a quick search on Google. Try searching “does _______ contain gluten” and you will get a number of hits with answers.
· Many foods naturally do not contain gluten.
o Focus your meals and snacks on fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs. None of these options in their natural states contain gluten, so try to incorporate more of these foods in your diet.
· You can still eat out.
o Most restaurants now have gluten-free options indicated on their menus. By doing an internet search, I found that both Panera and Moe’s (as well as a number of other restaurants) have pages on their websites dedicated to people with gluten sensitivities. Ask your server about gluten-free options and be wary of cross contamination, or the possibility of your food coming into contact with gluten-containing food.
· Try new recipes.
o As a substitute for pizza crust, try using cauliflower or even mashed potatoes as your crust. Swap out granola for chopped nuts. Use almond flour, coconut flour, or rice flour in place of traditional all-purpose flour. Make squash or zucchini noodles in place of spaghetti noodles. Swap out your flour tortillas for lettuce wraps. Be creative and you may find that these substitutes are even better!
· Be careful with makeup, shampoo, and other beauty products.
o If you are very sensitive to gluten or have been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease, many cosmetics and hair products may cause your skin to have an adverse reaction, such as redness, irritation, and break outs. Read the labels and do your research before choosing your products.
· Use your resources.
o Seek advice from a nutritionist. Do your research online. Talk to your doctor. There are so many resources out there to help you and answer your questions in pursuit of a gluten-free lifestyle.
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