Questions about GF Living

People have questions when it comes to my gluten free necessity and choice and I answer a few of them below.



How long have you been gluten free? I have been gluten free for 11+ years. It's hard to know exactly how long it's been because in the first year or two, I was not completely gluten free. It's a hard process to turn your entire eating habits around.

When I first tell someone I am gluten free their first response is, "yuck, how can you eat that stuff"? I don't think they fully realize that being gluten free is gross. They don't seem to realize that, they might have at least one food item that they dislike, and would ask the same question about that particular food item, whether it be gluten free or not. Is gluten free food truly a "yuck" response food? I would say not, yes there are certain brands of gluten free items that I would consider to bland, but never to the point of never eating it.

Some people don't realize that are many gluten free foods that they probably consume, Vegetables, fruits, meat, coffee, tea, dairy and a few grains just to name a few.

Don't you miss your carbohydrates and desserts? Trust me, being gluten free doesn't mean you stop eating foods loaded with carbohydrates or delicious desserts. On the contrary, most gluten replacements for flour are even higher in carbohydrates. When it comes to desserts, there are plenty alternatives for desserts that are absolutely delicious.

Can you eat out? Yes, yes, yes. There are plenty of restaurants and fast food places that have gluten free options. (Here is a list of places I go in northern Illinois). :)

Do you feel bad when people eat gluten filled food in front of you? No, absolutely not. Just because I can not and will not consume gluten does not make me wish others did not! Yes, when I see people eating donuts I wish some place served fresh inexpensive gluten free donuts. Or when I see all the cheesecake options, I wish more were gluten free friendly at the Cheesecake Factory. There are a few Polish dishes and desserts that I wish were gluten free friendly as well.

Will you be gluten free, FOREVER? Yes, I mean, I want to live a long and healthy life, and one of the ways my body will achieve this goal, is by staying away from any and all gluten. As, I have mentioned in a previous post, "I choose to live a gluten free lifestyle because I don't enjoy feeling like garbage shortly after consuming gluten, but I also don't want to face more long term problems down the road!"  Just like in anything, we make choices, whether with the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the route we drive, or even the thoughts we let consume our mind. There is a choice, and my choice it to live a life without consuming gluten foods.

Does your family avoid gluten? My husband is not gluten free, however when it comes to most meals in our household they are gluten free. Why make two different meals?! Most of the food in our house is gluten free friendly besides a loaf of bread, some soup, and some candy!

When you have company over do you make everything gluten free? I have been working hard at making most dishes gluten free even for guests. Most do not complain, but once in a while I will have someone not eat something because it's gluten free. A few items I don't make gluten free pancakes, buns, and pasta, for more than 4 non-gluten free guests. At that point I make non-gluten free dishes and gluten free dishes.

Gluten Free Restaurants (including fast food)

I live in northern Illinois and here are a few places that are gluten free friendly. This is not an exhausted list. It's a list of places I feel comfortable ordering gluten free food from/have gluten free options around me. I am sure there are more small restaurants that will have gluten free options. I always have to remember that many restaurants will have a salad option of some sort (even if it's only a small small side salad), and breakfast places should have some gluten free options, though they might be limited.

Applebee's
Baskin Robbins
Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
Buffalo Wild Wings
Burrito Express
Chili's Grill and Bar
Cheesecake Factory
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chick-fla-a
Cold Stone Creamy
Dairy Queen
Domino's
Dunkin Donuts
Famous Dave's
Five Guys
Jamason's Char-house
jamba Juice
Jimmy Johns
Maggiano's Little Italy
Mod's Pizza
Olive Garden
On the Boarder
Orange Julius
Outback Steak House
Panera
Starbucks
Sophia's Place (a local Mexican restaurant)
Steak-n-Shake
Subway
Taco Bell
Uncle Julio's Mexican From Scratch
Walker Bros
Wendys

* On some restaurant menus a GF or Gluten Friendly is displayed next to some of their options*

My Gluten Free Journey

Being gluten free has always been tricky when I am with other people besides my family... though in the beginning it was tricky with them too! With six family members in one household remembering what everyone likes/dislikes is hard, adding a dietary restriction is even harder!

It took getting used to and finding something that I could eat AND that tasted good. Now there are plenty of options available, even at restaurants.

If you didn't know gluten is, "a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough."  It is found in pretty much anything that has wheat, barley, malt, rye, or brewers yeast. The gluten protein is also found in foods like processed meats (including burgers), fries, most Chinese food, pastas (of course), anything breaded, sauces (including soy sauce), most "American" food, spices/seasonings, soups (as thickener), drinks, etc. I could go on!

I am going to be open for a moment, being gluten free for me is a need AND a choice! Having gluten causes my thyroid to attack itself and my body. (the thyroid is very important in almost ALL the functions of the human body).  About 10 years ago I was having problems related to my thyroid and when I was tested  it was discovered that I had antibodies to my own thyroid. The level was greater than 6500!!!

You see, having antibodies to your own thyroid is not good at all, they destroy it little by little. My doctor recommended that I avoid gluten and within those beginning months my antibody level went down to 600. Today my levels are under 20 which is a gift from the Lord!

I choose to live a gluten free lifestyle because I don't enjoy feeling like garbage shortly after consuming gluten, but I also don't want to face more long term problems down the road! If I accidentally consume alot of gluten, I have terrible muscle pains and long term internal damage. If I consume a little I may not feel the pain at once but the gluten will continue to attack my thyroid which causes inflammation,bodily harm, and can lead to cysts of the thyroid.

Having to be gluten free due to health reasons caused me to struggle emotionally, I would get down after many of my friends and even extended family members would criticize gluten free food, always ask when I can have gluten again, and tune out when I would start to briefly explain. It made me feel like it was MY fault that my body acted the way it did. and made light of when I chose to help it "recover" by changing my lifestyle.

Well, let me tell you, it was terrible being gluten free in the beginning. The food did not taste the best, I was tired of people asking the "why" question, etc.  But a positive during this whole adventure was that my relationship with the Lord grew and He was my support!

One hurdle that I had to "overcome" was with communion. For the first couple years I struggled with the thought of  "God, I know this is between You and I, but why do I feel like people are judging me?" When passing the tray with the bread (which represents the body), I felt the looks and put downs of those around me. I felt like I was being judged. I know that people probably weren't judging but the thoughts would come!

I finally got over the thoughts a few years ago but I still couldn't partake in communion of the body. I had gotten to the point that I was able to partake in communion in my own way (partaking with the wine, his blood)!

Just recently my church decided to have communion become gluten free so that those who have this dietary restriction can finally partake with the church body of partaking of "the body of Christ".  It has made me think about my gluten free journey the past few years in regards to communion and reminds me that through a somewhat bad situation (being gluten free) I was able to grow even closer to my Lord and Savior!




Workcited:
"gluten" dictionary.com

Gluten Free Options

After being gluten free for so long I have tried some amazing and some pretty gross gluten free bakery options. Here is a list of items that I have found taste the best.

Udis 

• GF Bread
• GF English Muffins
• Bagels
• Blueberry Muffins

*I purchase the 12oz bread loaf*

Barilla gluten free pasta

Pillsbury gluten free

• Cake Mix
• Cookie Mix

*The least expensive and best tasting mix*

Spices can contain wheat/gluten so look at the packaging label. A safe brand that's not certified gluten free is, Mrs. Dash. 

Bob's RedMill gluten free

• Cornbread
• Pizza crust 

Items to Double Check Before Consuming

Going gluten free can be hard. One day you can eat whatever you want, and the next you have no idea what is gluten free or not. You are now thinking about every food option on the shelf, and asking yourself, "Is that gluten free? What about that? Oh, ___ should be gluten free, right?"  The struggle is real!

Here are some items that you should double check the label before consuming.

Soy Sauce
Ketchup 
BBQ Sauce  
Soups

*Many companies add wheat/gluten as a thickener within sauces as it aids in providing moisture and keep its elasticity*

Raisins  
Nuts

*Flour is sometimes added to help with pieces sticking together*

Jerky, an type

*It is very hard to find gluten free jerky and the few packages that are gluten free and way too expensive. 

Vitamins
Protein Shakes
Juices

*Some companies add wheat as a preservative to their vitamins and protein shakes. Also, many green juices add wheat-grass as a green. Wheat-grass is NOT truly gluten free. If you are truly trying to be gluten free AVOID wheat-grass.