Sunday, April 29, 2012

Kitchen Basics Step Five - The Shopping List - Sauces, Dressings, Creams and Things

Okay, it is time to think about "the juice". What liquids can we put on, in, around or over our food? This is a bit more complex than it sounds, and yet is not difficult to solve at all. After all, you add liquid to nearly a 100% of things you create. So lets begin.

Sauces and Gravies: Red sauces and White sauces are often gluten free. Without that "stamp" on the label you have to look. Where danger enters is the HIDDEN or MISSED gluten in things such as Soy Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce. It is even in licorice ... but that is not a sauce is it:-) Label reading or declaration are critical here. Caution here is to pay attention to the additives for flavor. On the other hand, gravies are "thickened" with flour. Occasionally you will find a blend of cornstarch and flour. If you make from scratch you could use just cornstarch, but may find flavor ....personal opinion ..... yucky:-(  
BUT there are many things you can add to enhance flavor and several great gravy products you can get, dry or prepared. These can be used alone or if you are like me, you will add seasoning, liquids, etc to create your favorite taste. I add burgundies or wines for richer gravies, or seasonings for traditional meals.


Orrington Farms<sup>®</sup> Natural Brown Gravy Mix (Makes 8 Cups)
http://store.mrswagesstore.com/orfagobrgrmi.html

San-J, Asian food
http://www.san-j.com/faq.asp
                                 

                                        


http://www.mayacamasfinefoods.com/
         
Dressings (Salad, not cornbread): Again these may be "thickened" with wheat, malt or seasoned with gluten containing items. Dressings include mayonnaise as well as any dressings made for salads or coleslaw. THIS is very important to be well educated on. I have on more than 10 occasions asked for ingredients or for the chef to assure the product is gluten free that is served on my greens. And no matter how many times I ask, I will find out that they are not sure or now determine it DOES contain gluten:-) Which explains why I have been ill on more than a few occasions......I usually go packing now or check out the restaurant website to determine what the restaurant has in the kitchen.

This is a habit I encourage you to use always. Make a list of favorite places and start looking at the web to see how aware they are and what they recommend  OR carry your own. you can get packets or bottles of excellent gluten free dressings. I am NOT ashamed to bring my own Thank You Very Much!! A new discovery is a great dressing that has ZERO calories/fat/cholesterol/sodium/etc/etc/etc and still tastes Wonderful. Walden's has dressings, several I have tried and liked. They also carry ZERO calorie chocolate and caramel sauces and spreads which I have yet to try but am hopeful.

http://www.andreasglutenfree.com/grocery/seasonings/hendrickson-s-dressing-single-serving


http://waldenfarms.com/index.html



Annie's logo
http://www.annies.com/products/Gluten-Free-Dressings-Condimentstion
       
Creams: Not as often a problem but you need to look for those sneaky ingredients in things like creamed vegetables, marshmallow creme and the most important cream of all, ICE CREAM! So when it comes to ice cream be looking for ingredients before you look for the spoon! Each company will have products that are likely safe. Plain flavors (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry) are generally your best bets to start. Once you start getting big eyes and salivating at the more complex flavors, beware of the additives. For example, cookies and cream flavor is NOT on your list if you are the retail ice cream stores. COOKIES should be your first clue! Things with dough, cake, cookie or wafers (cones and waffles) will all contain gluten UNLESS they are clearly labeled. Some of the decorations for your frozen dream may also have gluten so unless you read the label I would avoid the risk. NOT worth it. Today there are a number of frozen yogurt "bars" where there are 15-20 flavors along the wall and you serve your own. These have gluten lists on the wall and make it very simple to indulge safely. I always say "Don't eat then drive". For me the initial symptoms that have come from gluten include a severe headache and flushing. Now driving with a red face is not a problem, but with my head pounding and eyes light sensitive that is a whole other problem.

Remember, take a little time up front to review the websites of the companies or foods you love. Then you can be intentional in planning for events and outings. That takes the stress and worry off of you and permits you to enjoy the moment! And if you want the full Monty, a cone and sprinkles there are now some great gluten free products to try. Go get'em.


http://www.edwardandsons.com/ld_shop_sprinkelz.itml

logo
http://www.cerrone-cone.com/wheretobuy.html

Things: Syrup....for pancakes, for ice cream, for beverages. Pancake syrups most often are gluten free BUT if they are manufactured in a facility that produces other products there may be a risk of contamination. Many companies are now declaring whether on the label or on the website that they are gluten free or warn that other products are made in the same plant. Look up the brand you currently use and see if you need to shop around or not.
While most of the flavor syrups for coffees and beverages are gluten free, at least five from one company include barley which is a gluten. Those flavors included Bacon, Caramel, Marshmallow and Vanilla. WOW! And now the light syrups in those fancy coffees often contain gluten, and their labels include this information. Be sure to ASK before you order that light vanilla mocha latte, it may be the reason you are not feeling great yet.

FAQS
http://www.torani.com/faq

Pure Vermont Maple Syrup and Products Vermont Seal of Quality
http://www.palmerlanemaple.com/
          


Alcohol: I am focusing on that used to cook, and I am referring to in the pan not in the gullet. However, I have seen people do both...:-) Beer of course is made from .....you know this, you have seen the commercials a zillion times........malt barley, hops, GLUTEN. BUT there are now several gluten free beers. They will be labeled as such. Vodka is made from distilled potatoes and grapes, but read the labels to be safe. Hard ciders and mead (except braggot which is brewed with malt) are generally safe as well. Here is the mini lesson on the safe consumption of alcohol:

The Celiac organizations from the USA and Canada both say that it is okay to drink alcohols which often are made with glutens while the Celiac Sprue organization does not necessarily agree. Theoretically, distillation, if it's done properly, should remove all the gluten. Gin, vodka, scotch whisky and rye whiskey are made from the fermentation of wheat, barley or rye. Since they are distilled, they do not contain prolamins [i.e., gluten proteins] and are allowed unless otherwise contraindicated. The concern is that not all makers of alcoholic beverages distill enough times to purify their beverages completely. In addition, some add in a little of the grain "mash" (which does contain gluten) following distillation to improve color and flavor, and there's always the possibility of cross contamination from gluten grains in the manufacturing facility following distillation. That being said, the gold standard for each individual is how they react to the beverage. If you become symptomatic (drunk fast on small amounts and hangover that is not appropriate with amount consumed) you should NOT drink uncertified liquor. If you are nervy, look for gluten free labeled beverages. Safe is better ALWAYS!

Logo
http://www.redbridgebeer.com/
http://newplanetbeer.com/homepage/
                               

RESOURCE: One of my NEW favorite websites is GF Overflow. This is a fairly new website with currently over 9000 mainstream products reviewed for you. Type in the item and see if you get a thumbs up or down. Easy to use and I am using it on my smart phone. I do this in ADDITION to the website reviews and products may not all be listed.


http://www.gfoverflow.com/index.php

 Kitchen Basics Step Six - The Shopping List - Meat or Meat Replacements

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Kitchen Basics Step Four - The Shopping List - Snacks, Treats and Desserts

Well you are on your way to a treat! This has become one of my favorite categories! I have found that not only are there many great options, but there are many more great recipes and mixes that open the door to my creative juices. I love to bake, even more then cooking. But a great Julia Child's cookbook can certainly inspire me. But I digress.

As we continue our assessment of foods that are eligible for gnashing, we find not only are there great options, but we might discover that some of our current favorites are already gluten free. This is probably one of the most valuable lessons.....financially and anxiety wise. And one I wish I would have learned pre-trashing my cupboards. See post one if you are "in the dark". Anyway, you will find it well worth your time to visit some websites here and learn what is already on the shelves in the local grocer.

As I have encouraged in the previous posts, go to the website of companies whose products you currently consume and see if they have an allergen list, nutrition guide or other dietary guide. It can be a wonderful thing to find readily accessible foods handy, within your reach. So lets start talking.

SNACKS: Crackers, Chips, Pretzels, Cheese Curls, Granola Bars, Popcorn, Nachos, etc. I put the toughest one first, though there is near hope on the horizon. Goldfish, remember those? My son LOVED goldfish and Cheese-Its. Well, those DON'T exist yet. BUT there are some excellent snack crackers. Blue Diamond has a line of crackers with a variety of flavors that are quite tasty. Nut-Thins come in several flavors and I like every one of them. Texture is a little different, but yummy. Saltines is another item that you really want sometimes, soup for instance. Schar has a full line of incredible crackers, snacks, cookies, mixes and more. These are as close as I have found yet. There are other companies that offer gluten free crackers, including Mary's, Glutino and Crunchmaster, all of which I have tried and enjoyed. I have also found many uses for the crackers and using them as crumbs, as a crust for fish or steaks with blue cheese. Or as crusts for pies. My mind is going and I have to take a break to bake. Be back in a few.



Glutino Gluten Free Crackers, Original, 125-grams (Pack of 3)
http://www.glutino.com/

http://www.schar.com/us/gluten-free-products/





                                                                                   

So Seriously I did stop, shop and bake. When you get to Desserts you will see today's yummy piece of art!!

TREATS: Candies, fruit snacks, snack bars, cereals and all kinds of "pocket food". This is the category that can be a real lifesaver if you are traveling or have a social gathering and you want to pack some easy things to get you through just in case there is not a single thing you can consume. Happens :-) But don't take it personally. Your family and friends love you, and for the life of them can not remember if gluten is a nut or milk or chocolate or or or. I have this happen all the time so we are always "packin"!

Snack bars and breakfast bars are great to carry as you don't have to worry about melting, temperature, etc. We love EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars and cereals, as well as Pamela's Whenever Bars, Enjoy Life Coca Loco Bars and Cookies. This section is very robust and  I have not tasted a bad treat yet. Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Graham Crackers, Sugar Wafers, Ginger Snaps, Chocolate Chip, Lemon Cookies and SOOOO much more. Have fun and explore. There are even good replacements for the very special sandwich cookies (Oreos), chocolate or vanilla, by Kinnikinnick and Glutino. Awesome! I even used these to make Christmas Turkey table decorations. Way fun and good eats!

Pamela's Products Logo
http://www.pamelasproducts.com/Default.aspx


http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/chewy-bars/cocoa-loco/
                                                            

Dessert: This is the final frontier! Who doesn't love a great dessert. This is a great boon to those of us who can not eat gluten. There are delicious pre-made gourmet items such as Pamela's Cheesecake, Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins or Katz Marble Cake. Also in your regular grocer are mixes from Betty Crocker for cookies, cakes and brownies along with those other companies we have seen before such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill,           
 
http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free-baking-mixes
 
http://www.katzglutenfree.com/Gluten_Free_Foods_s/7.htm

 

Arrowhead Mills Vanilla Cake Mix Gluten Free ( 6x20.9 oz)
http://www.arrowheadmills.com/


And of course there are mixes. Each of the companies listed so far have mixes for that homemade baking in addition to flour mixes that you may use cup to cup to replace your former wheat flour. And just like the flour or mixes you have used for years they will provide you with options to make your favorite things. For example the gourmet Turtle Cheesecake I made today. AWESOME if I do say so myself. Took about 15 minutes to get it mixed and 70 minutes to bake. YUM! 100%  Gluten Free.......and we won't discuss calories but so you know, it can be made in a "lite" version.






Want to see it????? Here you go. This was fun to make, easy and quite incredible!!! Who knew :-) My husband thought this was the best ever and he is NOT gluten free.

So Gluten Free has starches (bread, rolls, bagels, muffins, etc), has pasta (elbows, noodles, lasagna, etc), has snacks, desserts and treat (everything you can dream of) and next we will talk smack.......no,  wrong blog. We will talk about another staple type category as we explore the gravy boat of life!

Next: Kitchen Basics Step Five - The Shopping List - Sauces, Dressings, Creams and Things

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Kitchen Basics Three - The Shopping List - Bread, Pasta and Pizza Crust

As you begin exploring markets and shelves you never glanced at before, it will help to know exactly what you need to buy. You will need to replace certain items on your current menu, clearly, BUT the good news is that some of the foods you like may already be gluten free. YEAH! That list you have been making from your daily menu will help guide you along the aisles. You have been making your list, right?

So lets talk "gotta go" foods. What is that list again? This is a test. Okay I will help.....Wheat, rye, barley, malt, triticale and spelt. Oats too unless they are from a dedicated farm. Good job:-) And a critical note, WHEAT FREE does not mean GLUTEN FREE. Be sure you look for GLUTEN FREE or label read to assure it is a safe food.

Bread: There are a few options for replacement. There are three places you will find these in stores, most will be in the freezer or in a mix you can bake at home. There are a few considerations when selecting breads -
Texture: rice and tapioca are a little more "crunchy"
Flavor: each bread has a different blend of gluten free grains and variety of flavors. May
need to try a few to find your favorite. Some make better toast than sandwiches.
Storage: home baked or freezer brands will need  to be kept in the refrigerator or freezer
to prevent/delay mold.

Bread Aisle - Rice or Tapioca based breads, rolls, buns. Most common brand I see is by Ener-g.
Freezer Section - Udi's, Rudi's, Gluten Free Food For Life, Kinnikinnick all with a variety of bagels,breads, english muffins, doughnuts, muffins, buns, rolls
Baking Aisle - Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill, Gluten Free Pantry *for mixing these you need a stand up professional mixer or if appropriate a bread machine. Dough is stiff!* But.....warm bread is always yummy.                            



Ener-G Foods, Inc.
http://www.ener-g.com/gluten-free.html

http://udisglutenfree.com/
http://www.foodforlife.com/our-products/gluten-free-and-wheat-free

Pasta: Spaghetti and Macaroni and Cheese are NOT gone! Hurray!! We have found wonderful pasta......okay after suffering through some not as good pasta and learning to COOK the pasta. NO it is not complicated, but needs a little more attention than the traditional wheat pasta's. The water will become thick and cloudy from these noodles, not a problem. Best results will come if you FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS:-) *don't overcook as they continue to soften as they cool or are added to dishes* LOTS of options:

Quinoa - big word, no one says this right. One of the healthiest pastas on the planet, high protein and high fiber. Elbows, noodles. Yummy. Ancient Harvest in the turquoise box is our favorite.
Rice - Lots of variety and options here. In the oriental food section you will find A Taste of
Thai or Thai Kitchen. Excellent, quick cooking and can be used with all kinds of long noodle dishes. In the pasta or gluten free sections you will see a variety of noodles and pasta to meet all your pasta needs. Pasta Joy, DeBoles, Lundberg and Jovial are some of the brands you will find. Many options and great texture.

http://www.tinkyada.com/ProP1.htm

http://www.quinoa.net/




http://www.thaikitchen.com/

http://www.atasteofthai.com/             




http://www.deboles.com/products/gluten-free-pasta.php
 Pizza Crust: To wrap up the starch list, which is likely the most critical section, the most popular and statistically favorite comfort food is PIZZA. You will find these in many varieties as well both in the freezer and on the shelf, pre-made and mixes. We have tried them ALL. Each has a unique taste and texture. While we will buy an assortment, we love the bready, soft Kinnikinnick square pizza crust found in the freezer section. Even my gluten saturated husband enjoys this crust.

Freezer: Kinnikinnick square crusts. Soft, thicker, traditional dough. Also on our list includes Udi's, Glutino and Amy's Pizza Crusts.
Baking Aisle: Gluten Free Pantry, Bob's Red Mill, Namaste and many more.
                                   




http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consumer.home.html


http://www.glutino.com/our-products/frozen-meals/pizzas/premium-pizza-crusts/



http://www.amys.com/products








Well, if it is not clear yet, there are MANY MANY options to replace those key staples. This is where you can ask questions on the forums or from your gluten free friends about taste, texture, ease of cooking, and of course collecting favorite recipes. You would already do that, and perhaps you have a favorite recipe already for spaghetti, pasta, sandwiches or pizza. Well, now you have a starch to use. So get crackin! Create, taste and make your "favorites" list. You too will have a wonderful kitchen and lots of foods that even your grain ingesting friends will enjoy!

And just for fun, do some online shopping. Each link takes you to a company that has a rich variety of gluten free foods. Most have an allergen or nutrition guide to help you learn more about your new and exciting lifestyle. Some even offer a dietitian, or expert to help answer questions.

Another great bit of fun to consider; once you find some favorites, you can shop online or talk to your local whole foods store and see if you can get a great price ordering in bulk. This has saved us $100's a month so keep this on the list of "to do's". And one last shopping tip, sign up for mailers or coupons from those stores that cater to the gluten free as they often have special events with tremendous savings on those items.

Next time: Kitchen Basics Four - The Shopping List - Snacks, Treats and Dessert

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Kitchen Basics: Step Two-Organization



In review, you have just discovered you need a gluten free diet for someone or yourself. Your first instinct is likely to eliminate all food as you know it by depositing it into the nearest dumpster. STOP NOW! Take time to identify changes needed and plan how you will shop and organize your NEW kitchen. It can be done and it can be fun. It might even help to see this uncharted territory as a great adventure. Let me give you a visual.....


Many years ago I went to a foreign country. I had many beverages and foods that, well, I had never had before. As a matter of fact I am not certain what food category many of them belonged to, but that is another blog. Anyway, each had unique flavor, texture, aromas, all very different than what I was accustomed to. That being said, some I really enjoyed while some not so much. Some I immediately captured a recipe for and learned how to make. Some I avoided like the plague, not that I wasn't grateful, but you can understand. When I returned to the states I realized that I had this same experience with food from the homeland. I do not eat fish, for example, nor do I enjoy grits, hominy or otherwise:-)



Gluten free eating will be the same. As you introduce these foods to your diet you will find some quite good, and some, well ...... need tweaking or tossing. And that is okay. So when you start the process, decide how you can segregate your kitchen. Which side will be FREE and which side will be Quarantined. You see, I give the gluten free section the greatest space as there is nothing that will be dropped on the counter that will negatively impact that gluten packed meal, BUT, those gluten droppings could cause all kinds of ailments to the unsuspecting diner.


              

So, how many people will be enjoying this new culinary adventure? Divide and assign space to accommodate the volume of food you are considering. We have assigned cupboard space for the gluten containing foods as well as specific refrigerator space. This not only assures that there is no confusion for those that need to avoid gluten, but it prevents some of the contamination that may occur from spills, crumbs, etc. Additionally if you have young children who need to learn, it helps them to be more independent if they know where their foods are stored and where they are to never go.



In these assigned spaces, place the corresponding unsharable cookware or appliances such as toasters, fryers or butter dishes. These must never be shared or mixed as crumbs are everywhere and they will attach to your food items like a fly on stink. We used the BLACK BAD and WHITE GOOD for the small appliances. Kitchen rules may help untill everyone is in the routine of food selection in this brave new world (kitchen). We labeled it YES or NO so our son could be successful without any effort initially and my husband would know the gluten free cookies were not his! Good news, he has found many of the foods I buy or make now to be very good and only resists changing our a few things. WONDERFUL! This was not always the case, but practice makes perfect, right?! And I must confess, I dream of a united kitchen one day.

In learning to cook and bake really good food, I have purchased many cookbooks and tried every box, bottle, can or bag on the shelf. EVERY ONE! I have had fun with this cookbook. It is great, and especially for those VISUAL chefs. The pictures are lovely and the instructions are easy. You might want to check this out. I bought mine on Amazon. 


                                Gluten Free & Easy: Enjoy Your Favorite Foods with These 90+ Recipes

Next: Kitchen Basics Three - The Shopping List

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Kitchen Basics - Step One - Conversion

Why are we in the kitchen?

I would like to have had a lengthy conversation with ANYONE when we started this journey. So let me tell you what we did so you will know exactly what to do and NOT to do! We came home after learning our 12 year old had Celiac disease. "You must remove the gluten and he will be well."  "It is in his food"......WHERE I began to wonder. I researched this enough to know that it was in everything he ate. Period. 100% of his diet contained gluten. I often joked that he was a "dairytarian" only ingesting dairy and starch. So like every great mother I went home immediately and threw away everything, EVERYTHING! I would not recommend this method, and will provide a better plan later.

 

At this point, I suddenly had an epiphany. I did not know what to replace it with. And I had not stopped to think about our blended family. Those consuming gluten and those gluten free. Hmmm So there was another glitch. SPROUTS, one of my very favorite stores was the first stop. Remember I now have zero food in my kitchen. As I walk into the store I suddenly am overwhelmed with the task of finding the right food. As I asked a dear sales clerk for assistance a mother overheard, handed me her personal business card and shared her tales of conversion. Indeed this is like a religion all it's own. She had two sons, autism, gluten and casein free (dairy) and reported remarkable results.

Fortunately SPROUTS (Sprouts) makes gluten free shopping so easy that it permitted me to walk the aisles freely and focus on the many options that were available at that time. I only had to find the green trimmed tags that say gluten free. So thankful that this system exists. Great training ground for all the new parents and adults who must have a complete change to every dietary habit in their life. The store and website have been a great resource on many levels.  Yes I am telling you, SPROUTS  (Sprouts) is a great place to get started.

By the time I walked out I had spent much money but filled my cupboards with all new food, new toasters, TWO and new cookbooks. I went crazy but anything for my son. Absolutely anything! We were beginning a new way of life with a promise of wellness. So after 3 1/2 years, I can tell you life is completely different and just as the doctor promised.


So, hindsight always being better, I have developed some tools for getting started. You can make your own, print or copy these ideas. If you do an inventory of a few things first, you can make a well defined list of needs and replacement items. And save yourself ooodles of cash and maintain your sanity in the process. So for that new diagnosis or decision to remove items from your current diet, I would suggest you:

                1.  Make a menu or list of what you would
                     normally eat each week
                2.  Make a list of your favorite 5-10 foods,
                     comfort or reward items
                3.  Identify which items in those first two lists have
                     gluten (wheat, rye, barley, malt, spelt, triticale)
                4.  Go online to those restaurants or brands and look
                     for their nutrition or allergen information. Many foods
                     may already be gluten free or they may have items that are.
                5.  Shop for THOSE items first. You may find them in many
                     stores today or online.

Toasters, remember that from above? If you have a blended kitchen, you can not share items where gluten products will contact gluten free foods. Crumbs! Can and will make many sick. Other items to consider; fryers, grills, butter dishes, containers of spreads like peanut butter, anything where crumbs or breading will be involved. Must cook those items separately.

We did black toaster for the evil gluten and a white toaster for our pure food:-) Works well in our house. Think of things like that which will help anyone identify their proper side of the room:-) It will not take you long to get things organized and set to begin if you approach it in an intentional way.

Next: Kitchen Basics-step Two - Organization

                                                                                                    Sprouts 

 

Sprouts-logo-294x195

Monday, April 9, 2012

What is Gluten?


What is the deal with gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat that gives dough its tough, elastic character. Other grains also contain gluten such as rye, barley, malt, triticale and spelt. Oats are safe if from a dedicated farm, but historically are harvested on shared fields that have produced gluten containing grains.  For this reason caution is given because of contamination. Gluten is also found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms. Thus label reading must become second nature. For those with Celiac disease, ingestion of gluten results in potentially life-threatening malabsorption, and over time can lead to many chronic, debilitating health conditions. The only treatment is to remove gluten from the diet. Those with allergies to gliadin, a component of gluten, also need to avoid ingestion.1

What is the Difference between Celiac Disease and a Gluten Allergy?
Celiac disease, which affects approximately 1% of the western population,  is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine. When those with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. It results in the inability to absorb the nutrients from food. Villi normally allow nutrients to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. When the villi are damaged the individual becomes malnourished, no matter how much food they eat. Celiac disease is both a disease of malabsorption and an immune reaction to gluten. Other namse for Celiac Disease that you may see in your search include celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is hereditary or genetic. It may go undetected for some time but may be triggered or become active after a severe illness or major health event such as surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, emotional crisis or illness.2

Gluten sensitivity or allergies in contrast affect as much as 6% of the population. Symptoms may mirror Celiac Disease. One of the more notable differences may be the speed at which symptoms occur. Celiac disease often causes damage over time and thus the symptoms are subtle, slow to notice. An allergic reaction is more rapid, with symptoms occurring at time of exposure, very similar to a sneeze to pollen. Diagnostic testing and allergy testing need to be done in order to determine what allergies exist and to proactively remove offending foods from the diet. An example is that while there may be a wheat allergy, other gluten's may not cause an allergic response. Clearly defining which substances cause symptoms is critical to a successful recovery!3

Solutions?
In either case, removal of the offensive substance will promote recovery and or elimination of symptoms related to Celiac Disease or Allergies. There is hope and the ability to make changes to enjoy a healthy, productive lifestyle are in reach.

Next?
Kitchen Basics

1. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier
2. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/
3. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wheat-allergy/DS01002