Trader Joe's

Do you have a Trader Joe's in your town? If you do, please make time to visit. They have an array of gluten free goodies, and if you want to try before you buy, go right ahead, they will open it for you!

My favorite treat at Trader Joe's--Gluten Free Ginger Snaps!

Paleo Macadama Nut Pancakes

Want to share one of my favorite gluten free recipes

Paleo Macadama Nut Pancakes

2 really ripe bananas
2 tbs macadama nut butter (I will sometimes use almond butter)
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 tbs olive oil
Smooth bananas with a fork in large bowl. Add in eggs, flax meal, mac nut butter, vanilla, and honey. Stir to combine. Heat olive oil over med heat in a large pan. Use spoon to scoop out batter and pour out pancakes. Put down about 3 or 4 at at time to avoid crowding. When the edges are brown and there are bubbles on the top, flip and cook another couple of minutes.

Serve with fresh fruit on top! Enjoy!

Frito Lays and Progresso Canned Soups

Frito Lay has announced that they have tested some of their products for gluten.  The tested products are in the first group shown on their webpage:

http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/us-products-not-containing-gluten-ingredients.html

 

Progresso has 17 varieties of gluten free canned soups: http://www.liveglutenfreely.com/products/default.aspx?WT.ac=HomeTab_Products_GetList (click Progresso on the left side of their webpage)

 

Enjoy!

Cereal

When I first found out I had to go gluten free there was not a lot of products on the market but now I do a lot of grocery shopping at regular grocery stores thanks to many brands that have make some of their products gluten free including: post and general mills and betty crocker! I also LOVE that I can get gluten free oats, flour, spices, etc. at regualr stores. I say THANK YOU for making my life easier! Cereal anyone?

Paleo Solutions

I would like to share a link with everyone. There is a lot of people out there that I would like to help make a better lifestyle and if this article doesn't stand for something I don't know what will!

The Paleo Diet is the world’s healthiest diet and it is based on the simple understanding that the best human diet is the one to which we are best genetically adapt to. It is supported by documented scientific evidence and by real-life improvements, even triumphs, of people winning their personal health battles. The diet is of course GLUTEN FREE and a lot of my meals are based on this concept.

Please take some time to read this very interesting article, you just might become gluten free youself after reading this, if you aren't already! Happy Reading!

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/09/19/paleo-diet-solution/

Save the Date!!

October 7-9, 2011 are the dates for the Gluten Free Living Expo!    The featured speaker will be Alessio Fasano, MD, from the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research.  The 3-day event will also include lectures by other speakers, a gourmet gluten-free luncheon, cooking demonstrations, foods and services by more than  60 local and national gluten-free vendors.  It all takes place at The Fountains, 502 Carmel Drive, Carmel, Indiana.  This event is presented by Gluten Free Living Now, LLC.  For more information, go to:   http://www.glutenfreelivingnow.org/Gluten_Free_Living_EXPO.html  or contact Shelia at (317) 771-6506 or email: shelia@glutenfreelivingnow.org  

Space is still available for vendors who are interested in participating.  Contact Shelia for details.

Gluten Free Cosmetics and Skin Care

Below is a list of gluten free beauty products. I will only list the brands that confirm they are gluten free and safe along with some notes for some companies. Remember wheat free does not mean gluten free so if you contact a company about their products and they cannot validate, please use a company that can confirm gluten free products. I DO suggest checking the company’s website in case of changes.

There are a lot of products at Whole Foods that carry gluten free beauty products. Please check with the store to confirm products.

Bare Escentuals

Afterglow Cosmetics

Smashbox Cosmetics

Avon

Suave (In labeling their products Suave follows the guidelines established by the International Nomenclature for Cosmetics Ingredients (INCI) process. Therefore, if they use an ingredient derived from a grain such as wheat, oat, rye, and/or barley, those names will appear on the label.)

Softsoap liquid hand soap and body wash. All varieties

RMS Beauty

Softlips Lip Balms (product will say gluten free on the back of the package)

ChapStick^® lip balm

Crest toothpaste

Dove (In labeling their products Dove follows the guidelines established by the International Nomenclature for Cosmetics Ingredients (INCI) process. Therefore, if they use an ingredient derived from a grain such as wheat, oat, rye, and/or barley, those names will appear on the label.) I use Dove sensitive skin soap and have no problem.

Kiss My Face
Kiss My Face is another line that is sensitive to Celiacs. On their website's FAQ page they list products that are gluten free. However, the company stresses that they cannot guarantee that there is no cross contamination, and thus people with severe intolerances should be warned.

Neutrogena
Neutrogena cannot confirm that their products are gluten free.  There is no listing of all of the GF Neutrogena products and you should call Neutrogena with specific product concerns. On a side note the oil-free moisturizer is gluten free.

Vaseline-all Vaseline products, except for the Total Moisture Lotion (packaged in a yellow bottle), are gluten free!

When new products come out or if I find new products I will let you know, or you can email me at glutenfreelikeme@gmail.com

Vitamins

There are a lot of vitamins out there but if you have Celiac Disease you have watch out for gluten in vitamins. Whole Foods and other health store carry a lot of gluten free brands of vitamins. My favorite is the NOW brand. All the vitamins I use are from NOW and I have no issues. If you have any questions about vitamins and which vitamins you should take please contact me. I currently take: multi, calcium, gluten disgest, iron, and D.

Gluten Free Restaurants 2012

Below is a list of restaurants in the Indianapolis area that offer a gluten free menu. Even though these restaurants offer a gluten free menu, make sure you talk to the manager when you arrive to make sure they are aware you are ordering a gluten free meal. This step is important to help avoid cross-contamination. And if you would like to do what I do, take a gluten digest pill which will help with digestion just in case your gluten free meal is contaminated.

A2Z Italian Cafe
Abuelo's
Adobo Grill
Arby's
The Asian Grill
BARcelona Tapas
Bonefish Grill
Boston Market
Carino's Italian Restaurant
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Chick-Fil-A 
Chili's
Chipotle
Cooper's Hawk
Greek Islands
Holiday World and Splashin' Safari Allergen-free menu
Kona Grill
Lone Star Steakhouse
Longhorn Steakhouse
McAlister's Deli
Mesh
The Melting Pot
Mitchell's Fish Market
Mellow Mushroom
Monical's Pizza
Old Spaghetti Factory
Olive Garden
Outback Steakhouse
The Original Pancake House
Pei Wei
Pittsboro Pizza
PF Changs
Puccini's
Qdoba
Red Robin
Scotty's Brewhouse
Season 52
Ted's Montana Grill
Tulip Noir Cafe
Weber Grill
Wendy's
Woody's Library Restaurant

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

CLASSIC SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE

• Abdominal cramping, intestinal gas
• Distention and bloating of the stomach
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both)
• Steatorrhea – fatty stools
• Anemia – unexplained, due to folic acid, B12 or iron deficiency (or all)
• Unexplained weight loss with large appetite or weight gain

OTHER SYMPTOMS

• Dental enamel defects
• Osteopenia, osteoporosis
• Bone or joint pain
• Fatigue, weakness and lack of energy
• Infertility – male/female
• Depression
• Mouth ulcers
• Delayed puberty
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Migraine headaches

SOME LONG-TERM CONDITIONS THAT CAN RESULT FROM UNTREATED CD

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
• Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
• Gall bladder malfunction
• Neurological manifestations

For more information on celiac disease please go to: http://www.celiac.org/. If you have any questions, concerns, advice, support, please contact me at glutenfreelike@gmail.com

How it all got started

Picture this. You wake up in the morning unable to move, with a stomach the size of a bowling ball, fingers and toes tripled in size, abdominal cramping, and you haven't eaten in two days? What gives? After months and months of these symptoms I decided it was time to go see a doctor. In 2006 I went to an intestinal doctor that was recommended to me by a coworker. On my first visit I was told to eat more fiber, that I needed more fiber being a vegetarian. So I followed my doctor's orders and ate more fiber. My symptoms were not getting better, they were getting worse. A few months later I went back to the doctor. After a brief discussion about my symptoms I was sent to a Gastrologist. After a few tests (colonoscopy and an upper GI Endoscopy) and many months of visits it was finally determined that I had an autoimmune disease called Celiac Disease.

Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, millet, and oats.

So that was it, I had to follow a gluten free diet the rest of my life. What did I do first? I went home and threw out almost every pantry item I had and did some of my own research on living a gluten free lifestyle. You would be surprised to know that I didn't own more then 3 things that were naturally gluten free.

Since 2006 I have been gluten free and have never felt better. Living a gluten free lifestyle is not hard nor complicated, it is my life.

I hope the information I provide on Celiac Disease and living a gluten free lifestyle is helpful for all who have the disease and everyone who is gluten free. I try and make the lifestyle as easy as possible and hope to in return, show you the ways to make it easy and stressfree in your life.