Hope for Gluten Free Living

The other day I was walking home from the store and saw a flyer for a “Gluten Free Gala”. It was interesting to me because 3 years ago, I had never heard the word “gluten” until my sister was finally diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Suddenly we had to read every single ingredient label and search for any words containing wheat, flour, barley, rye and oats. We soon learned virtually every packaged food in the grocery store contains some form of gluten, at least all the good stuff. The worst part of it all is that our family’s favorite meal is spaghetti. After my sister’s diagnosis, we all tried to avoid gluten during family meals to help with her new diet change. We soon began a quest of sampling different types of pasta that were gluten free and it was not very enjoyable. We tried pasta after pasta, none of them being a satisfying replacement for good old spaghetti noodles. Eventually we found a pretty good brand of quinoa noodles and that was the best we could do. Now that my sister and I are both married and live in our own places, I’ve been able to embrace good old regular pasta but my sister still has to search for gluten free foods that taste good.

Becoming gluten intolerant was very difficult for her, but I have to say, on the plus side, she has slimmed down and looks like she did in high school! Sometimes I wish I were forced to have her diet restrictions. If all the gluten containing foods I loved made me sick, it would make it much easier to go without. Becoming gluten intolerant has made my sister a much healthier person and a very healthy cook. The best way to avoid gluten is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. She makes a lot of Polenta and Stir Fries. She can’t have beer, but she can enjoy cocktails and wine. After my sister was diagnosed as a Celiac, another friend of mine was soon diagnosed as well. He, however, did not make any of the lifestyle changes required and looks more sickly each time I see him. He doesn’t want to give up beer, bread or cookies.

What happens if someone who has celiac disease or a gluten intolerance eats gluten? The gluten causes problems in the small intestine and can create holes in the stomach lining. These holes leak stomach contents into the person’s bloodstream, resulting in nutrient deficiencies as well as setting off the immune system causing symptoms, which include:

• Weight loss due to malnutrition or,
• Weight gain due to bloating.
• Pale, bulky, foul smelling stools
• Weakened immune system
• Eczema
• Headaches
• Mouth ulcers
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Infertility
• Anemia due to nutrient deficiencies of iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12.
• Pins and Needles due to deficiencies of Vitamins B1 and B12.
• Tendency to bruise and bleed (including bleeding gums) from lack of Vitamins C and K.

Gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease symptoms worsen with age and are not usually identified until later in life. It can be triggered through stressful life events such as illness, divorce, deep personal loss or career change. It is passed on genetically and is most common among families of European or Anglo-Celtic decent. My sister was always the more sickly child in our family. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at age 10 and Graves Disease during college. Her Celiac was diagnosed after the Graves Disease, and once she changed her diet, her Graves Disease went into remission and she is totally healthy now. Getting off gluten has also helped her regulate her diabetes a lot better as well.

Celiac Disease and Gluten intolerance are very under diagnosed because the symptoms can be attributed to other illnesses. Celiac disease can be tested for through blood tests and an intestinal biopsy, but many doctors are unacquainted with celiac disease and gluten allergies, so a patient may need to request the test if they suspect they may have a gluten intolerance. If your tests come back negative for celiac, you could still have a gluten intolerance. You can self-test by eliminating gluten from your diet and recording in a journal how you feel. After eliminating gluten from your diet, have a small amount of gluten and record if you have any symptoms. If you are gluten intolerant, you will probably experience some stomach pain or other symptoms from the above list within a few hours. There are special elimination and detection diets available that you can try with the help of a doctor or dietician. After a few weeks on a gluten free diet, the difference in how a person feels is quite dramatic.

Over the past couple of years, I have noticed more awareness to gluten allergies. More products are commonly available in grocery stores and online that makes it easier to live gluten free. When I came across the flyer for the “Gluten Free Gala”, ironically, it was on the window of a pizzeria. I went inside to pick up one of the flyers for my sister and was surprised to see that they actually made gluten free pizza. I was really impressed. With more people being diagnosed with gluten intolerances and Celiac Disease, it is great that more options are being made available then just a couple of years ago when my sister was first diagnosed. Most people diagnosed now and in the future will not have to involuntarily starve themselves trying to figure out what they can eat without making themselves sick. We even have a nice italian restaurant nearby that offers gluten free noodles and if you order a gluten free dish, the chef will come out an talk to you about your order.

It has been fun to experiment with my own favorite recipes so my sister can eat them. A couple of weeks ago, I surprised her with gluten free dark chocolate brownies and I can’t put into words how happy she was. She said she would never buy the expensive gluten free mixes again because they did not even compare. Not only did I get her approval, but my food critic husband thought my gluten free version of the brownies were better than the original version.

If you think you might have a gluten intolerance, visit your doctor or find a doctor that is familiar with Celiac and gluten intolerance through www.celiac.com where they have doctor listings. You could also visit a dietitian and start an elimination diet. Anf for those who love brownies, here is the gluten free version I came up with.

Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

· 1/2 cup butter

· 1/4 cup cocoa powder

· 1 cup brown sugar

· 1 tsp vanilla

· 2 large eggs

· 1/4 cup corn starch

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate pieces (60-70%)

· 1/2 cup macademia nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. and lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add cocoa powder. Whisk well. Add in the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla to butter/cocoa mixture and whisk together. Add the cornstarch and salt and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips or dark chocolate pieces. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow brownies ample time to cool and set before serving. I have found when I make them they are best the next day after they have had several hours to set.