One of the most difficult aspects of eating a gluten-free, casein-free, organic diet is maintaining a social life that was once centered around food. In my Italian family, no family gathering or special occasion is complete without ample amounts of starch. As a self-proclaimed foodie, my primary means of exploring the world is through my taste buds. Some of my best memories from my year of weekends in NYC (where my now husband, then boyfriend worked) were of the meals I ate in some of the finest upscale restaurants and dives in the world. Ah, Papaya King! I remember cities by the food I ate. Baltimore’s crab cakes, Philly's cheese steaks, Napoli's pizza, Roma's gelato, Playa del Carmen's tortilla soup...
So, entertaining G/CF (gluten/casein-free) was not going to be easy. My husband and I just bought a home and were excited to have our first dinner guests over. However, my normal standbys were not going to work if I was going to stick to my dietary changes. Lasagna, one of my favorite feed-a-bunch-of-people-cheap meals, was not even a consideration anymore. I ended up making Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (my husband's family recipe) and Chicken Calabrese (my dad's recipe). I used regular ketchup when making the shrimp for my guests, but gluten-free for myself. Word of Advice (WOA): label the one you've made gluten-free. One of my guests accidentally ate my GF cocktail. I ended up eating one that wasn't and paid for it later in the evening.
Chicken Calabrese calls for dusting the chicken with flour, which I omitted, before browning. Not a good idea consistency-wise since the flour thickens the sauce. I've since learned that tapioca flour can be used instead of wheat flour with good results, but I didn't know this the night of my dinner party- unfortunately for my guests who were served dry chicken in a liquidy sauce. Whole-wheat penne was served on the side, just so I wouldn't totally deprive my guests. Cooking it required my husband nearby to taste as I seasoned. I miss my penne but have found some decent brown rice pastas that aren't too bad. Trader Joe's has a brown rice penne and fusilli that are good, as long as you cook them al dente and rinse them with cold water when they are done cooking.
Explaining to people why you aren't eating the lovely, crusty French bread your guest has just brought hot from the local bakery isn't easy. While most people are understanding, there are always the few out there who think you're just a neurotic health-nut when you turn down the staff birthday cake in the teacher's lounge, especially if you're eating gluten free and are not actually diagnosed Celiac. I was tested for Celiac, for which I tested negative; however, since I didn't have a biopsy (the gold standard), my doctor said Celiac can't totally be ruled out yet, especially because my system seems to do better eating GF. I could have a gluten sensitivity (for which I have tested positive for in the past), and by omitting gluten from my diet for a while and giving my body a break, eventually I could reintroduce it into my diet and see how I react. Either way, avoiding gluten seems to do my body good; still, unless one has a diagnosed medical condition, eating GF isn't always easily accepted by others who can't fathom why I would impose such torture upon myself.
Eating out is very difficult as cross-contamination can happen easily in a busy kitchen. On two occasions I've eaten salads out, the only "safe" food left on the menu, only to suffer the same G.I. effects as had I eaten a slice of pizza (which makes me just want to go ahead and eat the slice of pizza instead of the boring salad). I could make the very same salads at home and have no negative consequences. Who knows if the cook cut bread on the same board used to chop lettuce or if the vinaigrette had modified food starch as a thickener? Even yesterday when I ate prepared foods from my local health food store (which were not guaranteed GF), I noticed a difference in how I felt, and not for the positive. Sometimes it's hard for me to fathom how such a tiny amount of gluten could have such significant effects. Is this possible? Seriously, it's not fun at all, and can even be dangerous for people with Celiac, where any tiny amount of gluten will do damage to their intestines.
It may be time to start keeping a food diary since today I am feeling as lousy- achy, bloated, tired- as I was before I started this experiment. What may have caused it, I'm not sure. Whatever it was, I could sure use a nap.
Cento Anni!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Body Balance
Ok, before I get into the supplement, “Body Balance,” I still need to catch you up on the other changes I’ve made and the effects they’ve had on my health. I’m hoping that within a post or two that I can finally start writing about the present and begin officially keeping data.
On Day 4 of my new “detox” diet, I stopped taking the proton-pump inhibitor I was taking to treat my acid reflux. I had been taking it for about 3 months and found that I had become dependent. Unfortunately, chronic use of acid reducers can lead to B-12 deficiency since stomach acid is necessary for proper digestion (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030301/979.html). I decided I would stop taking the medication and see how I did. Two days of ratatouille later, I had what felt like a lump in my throat, trouble swallowing, plus my reflux was back. I called my G.I. and spoke to the nurse, who spoke to the doctor, who wanted to up my meds. Go figure. I’d made these major overhauls in my diet, hoping to improve my health, and now I was destroying my esphogus. I found it pretty depressing that I had fixed one problem (my IBS) but had created another. I had heard that stopping an acid blocker could lead to rebound acid reflux (http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GERD/14956), so instead of freaking out, I decided to find some alternatives to the acid reducer.
I checked out Dr. Andrew Weil’s website, http://www.drweil.com/. I first heard of Dr. Weil after he was a guest on the Oprah show and appreciated his ability to combine conventional and complementary medicine. He is also the founder and Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Weil recommended deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), so after a little more research, off to the local health food store I went. DGL supplements can taste pretty gross, but the lovely clerk at Earthfare recommended a chocolate flavored one that was gluten-free. Gluten-free, yes. Dairy-free, no. Since I could barely swallow by this point, I was pretty desperate and bought it anyway. After about three days, the lump in my throat was gone. I should add that I also cut out alcohol, dark chocolate, tomatoes, raw onions, fried foods, and spicy foods (my acid triggers). After a week, I was able to reintroduce small amounts of tomatoes and garlic, but not raw onion (which I also avoid because it aggravates my IBS) or alcohol (which has always given me reflux). I should continue to avoid chocolate, but sometimes I’ll have a bite and suffer the consequences. I take the DGL three times a day, twenty minutes before meals. I find that if I skip a dose and eat a large meal, my acid comes back. Oh yeah, there are a few other things that really helped me, such as eating smaller meals, chewing well, eating slowly, and not eating three hours prior to going to bed.
Body Balance started Day 5 into my diet. Life Force International’s Body Balance is a whole foods, liquid supplement recommended to me by my physical therapist. It’s a multivitamin, antioxidant, mineral, and amino acid supplement made from sea vegetables, combined with an aloe base. Because Body Balance is in liquid form, it’s also much more absorbable than the typical horse pill sized multi’s that I never end up taking anyway because they make me gag. I was a bit skeptical at first since it’s sold via multi-level marketing, but after speaking with my PT’s daughter, Sarah (name has been changed), who sells the product, and doing tons of research, I decided I would try it. Sarah has two young boys who suffered from multiple health issues, both whose problems started to resolve after a few months on the supplement. Sarah recommended I start with a low dose (.5 oz) to ensure that it didn’t cause G.I. distress. After about two weeks, I’ve worked my way up to 2 oz per day. I don’t really notice much of a difference being on the supplement; however, as with any supplement, it typically takes weeks before the health benefits kick in. In addition to Body Balance, I also take a calcium/magnesium/Vit D/ Vit K supplement, fish oil, and folic acid. I probably have the most expensive urine on my block! Previously, I had only taken calcium and fish oil sporadically and didn’t take folic acid. But since folic acid and fish oil are both key to brain health, not to mention important to prenatal development (should I get pregnant soon), I now take them daily.
Ok, it’s almost 11 pm and I’m beat. More to come after I’ve gotten some sleep.
On Day 4 of my new “detox” diet, I stopped taking the proton-pump inhibitor I was taking to treat my acid reflux. I had been taking it for about 3 months and found that I had become dependent. Unfortunately, chronic use of acid reducers can lead to B-12 deficiency since stomach acid is necessary for proper digestion (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030301/979.html). I decided I would stop taking the medication and see how I did. Two days of ratatouille later, I had what felt like a lump in my throat, trouble swallowing, plus my reflux was back. I called my G.I. and spoke to the nurse, who spoke to the doctor, who wanted to up my meds. Go figure. I’d made these major overhauls in my diet, hoping to improve my health, and now I was destroying my esphogus. I found it pretty depressing that I had fixed one problem (my IBS) but had created another. I had heard that stopping an acid blocker could lead to rebound acid reflux (http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GERD/14956), so instead of freaking out, I decided to find some alternatives to the acid reducer.
I checked out Dr. Andrew Weil’s website, http://www.drweil.com/. I first heard of Dr. Weil after he was a guest on the Oprah show and appreciated his ability to combine conventional and complementary medicine. He is also the founder and Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Weil recommended deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), so after a little more research, off to the local health food store I went. DGL supplements can taste pretty gross, but the lovely clerk at Earthfare recommended a chocolate flavored one that was gluten-free. Gluten-free, yes. Dairy-free, no. Since I could barely swallow by this point, I was pretty desperate and bought it anyway. After about three days, the lump in my throat was gone. I should add that I also cut out alcohol, dark chocolate, tomatoes, raw onions, fried foods, and spicy foods (my acid triggers). After a week, I was able to reintroduce small amounts of tomatoes and garlic, but not raw onion (which I also avoid because it aggravates my IBS) or alcohol (which has always given me reflux). I should continue to avoid chocolate, but sometimes I’ll have a bite and suffer the consequences. I take the DGL three times a day, twenty minutes before meals. I find that if I skip a dose and eat a large meal, my acid comes back. Oh yeah, there are a few other things that really helped me, such as eating smaller meals, chewing well, eating slowly, and not eating three hours prior to going to bed.
Body Balance started Day 5 into my diet. Life Force International’s Body Balance is a whole foods, liquid supplement recommended to me by my physical therapist. It’s a multivitamin, antioxidant, mineral, and amino acid supplement made from sea vegetables, combined with an aloe base. Because Body Balance is in liquid form, it’s also much more absorbable than the typical horse pill sized multi’s that I never end up taking anyway because they make me gag. I was a bit skeptical at first since it’s sold via multi-level marketing, but after speaking with my PT’s daughter, Sarah (name has been changed), who sells the product, and doing tons of research, I decided I would try it. Sarah has two young boys who suffered from multiple health issues, both whose problems started to resolve after a few months on the supplement. Sarah recommended I start with a low dose (.5 oz) to ensure that it didn’t cause G.I. distress. After about two weeks, I’ve worked my way up to 2 oz per day. I don’t really notice much of a difference being on the supplement; however, as with any supplement, it typically takes weeks before the health benefits kick in. In addition to Body Balance, I also take a calcium/magnesium/Vit D/ Vit K supplement, fish oil, and folic acid. I probably have the most expensive urine on my block! Previously, I had only taken calcium and fish oil sporadically and didn’t take folic acid. But since folic acid and fish oil are both key to brain health, not to mention important to prenatal development (should I get pregnant soon), I now take them daily.
Ok, it’s almost 11 pm and I’m beat. More to come after I’ve gotten some sleep.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Catching Up
Ok, so since I technically started my gluten-free, casein-free diet almost three weeks ago, I've got some catching up to do in terms of explaining why I started and how my diet's been going. About a month ago, I picked up the book, "The Ultramind Solution" by Dr. Mark Hyman. In a nutshell, he talks about how inflammation can lead to all sorts of problems in the body and mind, including ADHD, memory loss, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, etc. and how changes in diet and lifestyle, along with supplement use, can reverse these problems. He outlines a six week plan that includes several components, one of the most significant being dietary changes. Dr. Hyman (gotta love that last name) also advocates a gluten-free, casein-free diet, eating organic, whole foods, and staying away from sugar (except for naturally occurring sugars in fruits, whole grains, etc.). The book is so much more comprehensive than the couple of sentences that I've written, so I would encourage readers to look the book up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble (no, not my sponsors...yet...lol) for a more in-depth review .
Because of my fibro, IBS, and extreme fatigue, I figured going on the diet was worth a shot. I was a little skeptical because years ago a naturopath had put me on a "detox" diet. I followed a very strict rotation diet that didn't allow me to eat any of the foods that I tested as having a sensitivity to (according to IgG anti-food blood tests). Boy was I a miserable person for the three months I was on it. Because I was also vegetarian at the time, my diet was extremely limited. I lost 15 lbs off my already thin frame, my hair started falling out, and small children were afraid to look at me. Well, maybe the last part was an exaggeration but looking back at pictures of myself, I now know why people thought I was anorexic. Even my best friend told me, "You've become a total b*tch on this diet! Screw the detox and please just eat a chocolate bar." After that experience, I wasn't too optimistic that the "Ultramind Solution" diet would help; however, I was desperate to feel better so I drove to the local health food store and filled up my cart.
Organic, whole foods can be expensive, especially if you're limited to gluten and casein free. My hubby was not a happy camper when he looked at the receipt for my little shopping spree. $18 for grass-fed steak when we used to pay ten bucks for the same cut at Costco? He grew up in Texas, where evidently, bigger is better, so eating half a cow that's been pumped with hormones (sorry Texans) is a manly thing to do. He did later admit that my grass-fed, organic beef tasted ten times better that the conventional stuff we buy at the local, big-name grocery store. Word of advice: Grass-fed takes less time to good, so unless you like your sirloin jerky-style, cut back on the cooking time.
I'm the cook in the family, so despite my husband's initial protests, he was looking forward to all the home cooked meals he'd be getting since it's almost impossible to eat take-out when you're eating this way. I even began packing lunches for him. He must have eaten ratatouille for five days straight. Another word of advice: Invest in a good gluten-free cookbook because it can be hard coming up with new things every night when you've cut out whole groups of food.
On days one and two of my diet, I didn't notice a change. I grew dismayed as I felt the same aches and pains, suffered the same tummy issues, and meandered through my day in the same brain fog I had experienced for the past several years. The only thing that kept me going was that I figured the diet would be a good way to prepare my body for pregnancy- my next "project" to work on once my husband no longer runs away in hysterics when I mention the word, "baby." : ) Just kidding honey...about the hysterics, not the baby. But I digress...Day three the changes I noticed were the absence of two things- my stomach pains and a few pounds of bloating.
When I got married a year ago, my 5' 7" frame carried 133 pounds. That was about ten pounds heavier than I had been in my 20's, but still thin. A year into marriage, I had gained 10 lbs. In the past if I had put on a pound or two (or three or four...), I just had to say the word "diet" and the pounds came off, or so it seemed. Not once I was married though. My husband's big appetite (to feed his big muscles), meant I had to cook real meals, not just pour a bowl of cereal like I had in the past if I didn't feel like cooking. Even when I tried to return to my old eating habits, my new appetite didn't allow for it - salt and vinegar potatoes chips whispered my name, hazelnut-chocolate bars sang to me, gourmet restaurant meals entertained me.
My new diet turned off that hunger. I felt less bloated, lighter, freer. One morning, my husband grabbed my waist, expecting to feel muffin top, but happily, it was almost gone. Don't get me wrong, the weight loss was great, but even better than that was that my stomach finally felt *normal*. "Wow," I thought, "is this what it's like to have a normal G.I. tract?" I became ecstatic when I went to work and ate lunch without feeling like I was going to pass out afterwards from stomach pains. I could sit through a meeting without having to excuse myself for fear of my insides exploding all over the conference room. For a while last school year, I got sick so often that people asked if I was pregnant.
I felt encouraged by my progress and happily I munched on my veggies, thankful that I had finally found something that seemed to be working, not perfectly, but it was a start. A week into my dietary changes began phase two of my experiment: Body Balance. I'll leave that for tomorrow's post.
Because of my fibro, IBS, and extreme fatigue, I figured going on the diet was worth a shot. I was a little skeptical because years ago a naturopath had put me on a "detox" diet. I followed a very strict rotation diet that didn't allow me to eat any of the foods that I tested as having a sensitivity to (according to IgG anti-food blood tests). Boy was I a miserable person for the three months I was on it. Because I was also vegetarian at the time, my diet was extremely limited. I lost 15 lbs off my already thin frame, my hair started falling out, and small children were afraid to look at me. Well, maybe the last part was an exaggeration but looking back at pictures of myself, I now know why people thought I was anorexic. Even my best friend told me, "You've become a total b*tch on this diet! Screw the detox and please just eat a chocolate bar." After that experience, I wasn't too optimistic that the "Ultramind Solution" diet would help; however, I was desperate to feel better so I drove to the local health food store and filled up my cart.
Organic, whole foods can be expensive, especially if you're limited to gluten and casein free. My hubby was not a happy camper when he looked at the receipt for my little shopping spree. $18 for grass-fed steak when we used to pay ten bucks for the same cut at Costco? He grew up in Texas, where evidently, bigger is better, so eating half a cow that's been pumped with hormones (sorry Texans) is a manly thing to do. He did later admit that my grass-fed, organic beef tasted ten times better that the conventional stuff we buy at the local, big-name grocery store. Word of advice: Grass-fed takes less time to good, so unless you like your sirloin jerky-style, cut back on the cooking time.
I'm the cook in the family, so despite my husband's initial protests, he was looking forward to all the home cooked meals he'd be getting since it's almost impossible to eat take-out when you're eating this way. I even began packing lunches for him. He must have eaten ratatouille for five days straight. Another word of advice: Invest in a good gluten-free cookbook because it can be hard coming up with new things every night when you've cut out whole groups of food.
On days one and two of my diet, I didn't notice a change. I grew dismayed as I felt the same aches and pains, suffered the same tummy issues, and meandered through my day in the same brain fog I had experienced for the past several years. The only thing that kept me going was that I figured the diet would be a good way to prepare my body for pregnancy- my next "project" to work on once my husband no longer runs away in hysterics when I mention the word, "baby." : ) Just kidding honey...about the hysterics, not the baby. But I digress...Day three the changes I noticed were the absence of two things- my stomach pains and a few pounds of bloating.
When I got married a year ago, my 5' 7" frame carried 133 pounds. That was about ten pounds heavier than I had been in my 20's, but still thin. A year into marriage, I had gained 10 lbs. In the past if I had put on a pound or two (or three or four...), I just had to say the word "diet" and the pounds came off, or so it seemed. Not once I was married though. My husband's big appetite (to feed his big muscles), meant I had to cook real meals, not just pour a bowl of cereal like I had in the past if I didn't feel like cooking. Even when I tried to return to my old eating habits, my new appetite didn't allow for it - salt and vinegar potatoes chips whispered my name, hazelnut-chocolate bars sang to me, gourmet restaurant meals entertained me.
My new diet turned off that hunger. I felt less bloated, lighter, freer. One morning, my husband grabbed my waist, expecting to feel muffin top, but happily, it was almost gone. Don't get me wrong, the weight loss was great, but even better than that was that my stomach finally felt *normal*. "Wow," I thought, "is this what it's like to have a normal G.I. tract?" I became ecstatic when I went to work and ate lunch without feeling like I was going to pass out afterwards from stomach pains. I could sit through a meeting without having to excuse myself for fear of my insides exploding all over the conference room. For a while last school year, I got sick so often that people asked if I was pregnant.
I felt encouraged by my progress and happily I munched on my veggies, thankful that I had finally found something that seemed to be working, not perfectly, but it was a start. A week into my dietary changes began phase two of my experiment: Body Balance. I'll leave that for tomorrow's post.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Who am I?
Disclaimer: The information provided is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a licensed practitioner.
My name is Claudia and I'm a thirty-something year old psychologist who is becoming an old lady before her time. Even though I look youthful and healthy- my husband and friends say I look like I'm in my twenties, God bless them- I drag through the day, saddled with muscle pain, migraines, IBS, and brain fog like you wouldn't believe. I am tired of feeling tired, so I decided to take action. Now, as a good psychologist, I know that it's important to keep data. This blog contains my data. Where I stray from my training is that I'm making several changes at the same time; thus, it will be difficult to figure out which variable is making the difference. However, since I'm too impatient to make only one change at a time, I'll do my best to weed out what's working as I go along.
But enough psychobabble. Time to get to know the other side of Claudia. Why the moniker, Claudia "The Mouth." Well, years ago my siblings and my BFF were watching "Goodfellas" and decided we should all have a Mafia name. My family is Italian and this seemed very fitting at the time, even though none of us support organized crime. Because I talk a lot and tend to put my foot in my mouth, I got the name, "The Mouth." However, knowing this tendency of mine to give Too Much Information, my husband of one year (but S.O. of six) has asked that I keep my stories about him to a minimum. I will try, dear husband, but you knew what you were getting into when you married me. LOL. Not only will my blog contain details of my dietary changes, supplement consumption, and results, but I'll also include stories that may only be tangentially related. Yup, that's what he's afraid of since some of my best stories include him.
Most importantly though, I am writing this blog in hopes that not only can I heal myself, but that I may also help someone else out there who is suffering. Being in pain is no fun. I waffled on writing this blog. Some of the details I'll share may be pretty embarrassing and/or personal, but today something happened that convinced me to do this. As I revealed to a colleague (and friend) of mine some of the health issues I've been having and the changes I've made/am making that have helped me, she revealed that she experiences very similar health difficulties and has struggled for years, thinking she was the only young person who felt that way. She encouraged me to follow through with my blog, adding that I may help others out there in cyberspace who have given up hope of ever feeling better. So, here I am, The Glutenless Italian. Thanks for reading and Cento Anni!
My name is Claudia and I'm a thirty-something year old psychologist who is becoming an old lady before her time. Even though I look youthful and healthy- my husband and friends say I look like I'm in my twenties, God bless them- I drag through the day, saddled with muscle pain, migraines, IBS, and brain fog like you wouldn't believe. I am tired of feeling tired, so I decided to take action. Now, as a good psychologist, I know that it's important to keep data. This blog contains my data. Where I stray from my training is that I'm making several changes at the same time; thus, it will be difficult to figure out which variable is making the difference. However, since I'm too impatient to make only one change at a time, I'll do my best to weed out what's working as I go along.
But enough psychobabble. Time to get to know the other side of Claudia. Why the moniker, Claudia "The Mouth." Well, years ago my siblings and my BFF were watching "Goodfellas" and decided we should all have a Mafia name. My family is Italian and this seemed very fitting at the time, even though none of us support organized crime. Because I talk a lot and tend to put my foot in my mouth, I got the name, "The Mouth." However, knowing this tendency of mine to give Too Much Information, my husband of one year (but S.O. of six) has asked that I keep my stories about him to a minimum. I will try, dear husband, but you knew what you were getting into when you married me. LOL. Not only will my blog contain details of my dietary changes, supplement consumption, and results, but I'll also include stories that may only be tangentially related. Yup, that's what he's afraid of since some of my best stories include him.
Most importantly though, I am writing this blog in hopes that not only can I heal myself, but that I may also help someone else out there who is suffering. Being in pain is no fun. I waffled on writing this blog. Some of the details I'll share may be pretty embarrassing and/or personal, but today something happened that convinced me to do this. As I revealed to a colleague (and friend) of mine some of the health issues I've been having and the changes I've made/am making that have helped me, she revealed that she experiences very similar health difficulties and has struggled for years, thinking she was the only young person who felt that way. She encouraged me to follow through with my blog, adding that I may help others out there in cyberspace who have given up hope of ever feeling better. So, here I am, The Glutenless Italian. Thanks for reading and Cento Anni!
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