What is Gluten and Who is Affected?

I thought that this post would be of great interest to my readers.  Please visit MPHOnline.org for the original post.  This info was used with permission.  

Source: MPHOnline.org

Gluten is the spongy complex of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye that allows dough to rise.

The main cause of all the hype is Celiac disease, which can cause patients to develop headaches, tingling, fatigue, muscle pain, skin rashes, joint pain and other symptoms because the autoimmune attack at the root of the disease gradually erodes the wall of the small intestine, leading to poor absorption of iron, folate and other nutrients that affect everything from energy to brain function.

Is Celiac Disease Common?

Despite being a primary reason why many people claim they can’t have gluten, Celiac disease is still exceedingly rare.

Percentage of U.S. population with given disease or disorder

Celiac disease 1%

Bipolar disorder 2.6%

Diabetes 8.3%

Arthritis 20%

Cancer 4.2%

Heart disease 11.5%

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity 8%*

Note: Some rates listed are for adults only

* Estimates place the number between 5% and 10%.

Remember: Gluten sensitivity is not a form of Celiac disease. Celiac is an autoimmune disease in which the body triggers an attack on the intestines every time gluten is eaten. People with sensitivity may have similar symptoms, such as headaches, but they don’t experience the same type of intestinal damage as those with the disease.

Gluten-Free Everything

Estimated size of gluten-free industry by year

2012 2015 2017

$1.9 billion $5 billion $6.6 billion

242%

How much more expensive gluten-free food is compared to its counterparts

59%

North America’s share of global gluten-free market

Why Not Go Gluten-Free Anyway?

Unless you’re one of the unlucky few who actually have Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, removing gluten from your diet won’t necessarily make you healthier.

If you suspect you have either condition, contact your doctor; you can’t self-diagnose either one. And don’t eliminate gluten “just in case.” Cutting out gluten before getting tested will cause test results to be inaccurate.

Think going gluten-free will help you lose weight? It may not. Following a gluten-free diet doesn’t guarantee you’ll drop the pounds. Many gluten-free products contain more sugar and fat than gluten-heavy counterparts.

And some foods that are naturally gluten-free, like potato chips and rice, can be unhealthy in large portions.

Good News (Sort of)

My test results have come in.  Also at some point my Doctor had time to look over the information I had given him.  While he found no Celiac proof during the endoscopy he was able to find out that I was right the entire time.  I was telling him the truth when I said I had the issue.  I can’t believe that it took them this long to be able to see the evidence I had sent to him at the start of all of this.  However, what sparked this is what I was saying before the procedure.  “The symptoms were right, and I know that you didn't get to the gluten levels we need for the damage.  However, it sparked my interest.  I took time to read what you had sent me.  I also verified this information with a specialist in Celiac.  I agree that you have this issue, even if the test I gave you didn’t show evidence.” 

I had to be a little happy that I was vindicated, I am also sad since I now have more evidence that I will not be able to enjoy gluten filled foods again. 

Results and excuses

This image is public domain

Alright, I am very sorry for the break.  So many things in my life have occurred in one week.  My ward has left for the US ARMY.  We couldn’t be prouder of him.  When he became part of our lives he was not the person he is today.  He worked so hard and finished high school, got his life turned around and now he has left to make his own way.  I am proud of him and sad about the loss at the same time.  That was my weekend was helping him get packed and ready to go. 

Gluten for Five Weeks - the First Five Days

There was a mistake in my medical file from my doctor in Florida.  Instead of having Celiac in the condition/diagnosis area of my chart, it was put only in the notes.  This means that the tests that I took two years ago have to be completely repeated.  For me personally that means eating five weeks of gluten.  I decided to turn this into a science experiment of one.  This is a way to test the reaction to gluten on a known celiac sufferer.  I have started keeping track of my gluten intake as well as reaction times and the type of reactions.  Below is the diary of what has occurred so far.

7 Reasons You Should Not Use Gluten Free for Weight Loss

Many people think that by going gluten free they can lose a little weight.  I mean, why not, it worked for your friend.  Here are a few things about the gluten free diet that makes it not so great for dieters.  I have ended up on this rant because I had a loaf of gluten free bread snatched out of my hands by a 700lb Jabba the Hut who needed the bread for "her diet".  She and many others seemed to think that going on a gluten free diet will magically make the weight fall off of them.  It really doesn't work that way.  

If you Have Celiac, You may react to Corn!

In February of 2012 a new study was done on those people with diagnosed Celiac and how the proteins commonly found in corn can affected them.  The reason for this study was that some people who have Celiac are still not getting better, even after going on a traditional gluten free diet.  Why is this happening?  It turns out that the gluten in corn is similar enough to the gluten in wheat, barley, and rye to create a reaction in a few celiac patients.  

Food Elimination Made Easy -Review-

With the recent food diets and crazes many people have started to realize that they may have allergies or sensitivities to foods.  The question of how to find out what you are allergic or sensitive too means that you are looking at doing a food elimination diet.  If this is the case you may wonder what is the best way to go about it.  Food Elimination Made easy offers programs to help you eliminate food from your diet. 

HCG Diet - Follow Up

So I am supposed to be losing all this weight on the HCG diet from Creative BioScience.  To be honest I lost about 9 lbs and 2 inches in the first week.  However, during the start of my second week, I ended up with a few issues.

The First Month of your Gluten Free Diet

The first two weeks to a month of your new gluten free diet are critical. This is the time when your body is just starting to heal and you are just starting to drop your addiction to gluten and gluten containing products.  It is also the time where a lot of people screw up.  You may not know that you are still eating gluten.  Check this post to find out what can sneak gluten in Sneaky gluten containing foods.

Over Eating before the Diet

I am one of those people that will overeat before starting a diet.  Just knowing that I am going to start a diet will cause me to overeat.  Inside my head I am thinking "it's ok, I will make up for this later!" the answer to that is no, I won't, also that is not a healthy way for me to handle things.  I will be starting my HCG diet on Friday of next week and I have already noticed that I have upped my carbs as well as my sugars.  Although to be fair part of that might be PMS for me.  I want to eat what I will be missing for a time.  However, this is not a healthy way to handle it.  So if you are like me you will start to get craving for something in particular do what you would normally do and eat it in moderation.  I have put together a few tips for myself on how to help do that so that I don’t gain weight before I plan to lose it.

Chew more: Simple enough, I plan on chewing and enjoying the food I am craving more. 

Don't emotionally eat: this can be harder for me.  While I do consume far less calories than the average since I only eat about 1200 anyway.  I can eat emotionally, not when I am sad or depressed or angry, then I don't eat at all but when I am being social and/or happy I will start to eat around 1500 to 2000 a day and with my issues I can't do that. This goes for movies as well I almost need to eat something at a movie theater, I shouldn't do that.

Get on a schedule:  For me this is very important.  I tend to not get hungry in a normal time frame.  This can put my body into starvation mode so when I do eat I store every calorie.  Yuck, what I need to do is eat around five very small meals a day.

Set the amount: eat only that amount and allow yourself something like celery or raw vegetables if you are still hungry. 

Watch portion sizes: In some cases the portion sizes can be an issue.  Especially if the suggested portion size is less than a teaspoon and you used a heaping helping.  Those calories can add up fast.

I think if I can keep to these few small rules I will be fine until I start my diet.  Here is hoping.  

My blood tests came back as Celiac now what?

What do I do now is a question I have helped a few people with.  What are you supposed to do when the blood tests come back as having Celiac, what steps should you be taking?

This strongly depends on your doctor.  If you have a doctor that is going to want more tests then it is not yet time for you to onto a gluten free diet.  All of the tests that the doctor is going to give you requires that eat a normal gluten filled diet for at least two weeks, however most prefer a month.  Find out if your doctor is going to want more testing before you start your diet. Some of the testing a doctor might do is an internal biopsy of your intestinal lining. 

Once all the testing is done then it is time to start at least two weeks of a completely gluten free diet.  This can be really hard since your body can be addicted to Gluten.  I know at one point I honestly thought about stealing some child’s cookie because it looked so good.  I still have cravings after more than a year of being off of gluten.

Until you know what you can in and cannot handle in the food department try sticking to unprocessed meats, normal hard cheeses (if you can tolerate milk) fresh fruit and vegetables, and basic unprocessed potatoes.  I know how exciting this diet sounds; however, you have to give yourself time to heal. 

While you are learning about your tolerances it is highly important that you keep a good vitamin and mineral level.  This can be hard since you are now cutting a LOT of food from your diet.   I suggest having a strong diet of fresh fruit and vegetables for a while in order to make up everything you need until you get a good handle on your nutritional needs.

Find your tolerance, this means finding exactly what you react too.  Personally I do not react to Oats or Corn.  I have the immune deficiency version of Celiac and so my tolerances are different than others.  However, some people will react to different items.  Try items one at a time and see what you react too.  This will be time consuming and annoying.  However, it will be helpful when you are trying to heal.

If you have severe Celiac then it is time to go cleaning out your kitchen as well as deep cleaning what you can in the way of cooking implements, if you can't get it completely clean then you may need to get rid of it.  If others in your house eat normally they need to switch their diets as well while they are in the house. 


Items that are going to have to be replaced:

The first thing that has to go is the toaster.  Unless you can get tiny bit of gluten out of it, the toaster is going to make you sick.  Once you find a gluten free bread alternative that you enjoy you are going to want to toast it (they taste better that way) and it cannot be done in the old toaster.

Depending on what you used your cast iron cooking for it may need to go.  If you cooked gluten containing meals in cast iron it is now into the metal.  

Wooden cooking tools, IE cutting boards, spoons, and rolling pins, these need to go away for the same reason as the cast iron cookware.

For those who are really sensitive then you might want to check out ask.com and their list
http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/settingupthekitchen/tp/Gluten-Free-Cookware-Utensils.htm

Cream Cheese Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos'

I am writing this as the smell of my cream cheese bacon wrapped jalapenos baking fill the apartment.  Ok, I confess that they are not mine, the recipe was given to me by one of my best friends.  However, since the ingrate never reads my blog he will not see this anyway.  Since he won't see this anyway they are now my recipe.

Recipe

12-25 Fresh Jalapenos' (the more pointed the end the hotter the peppers will be.  I like the rounded and mild peppers)
1-2 packages of GF cream cheese (depending on how many you make. 
1-2 TBS of red chili powder
1-2 Packages of bacon.

Toothpicks

Rubber or Nitrile gloves (latex doesn't work)

Directions: Use the gloves for the whole procedure to avoid getting the pepper oil on your hands. Preheat oven to 450

1-Mix the softened cream cheese with the chili powder (I soften the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds) 

2- Cut the bacon in half short-ways

3- Cut the top off the peppers and cut them all in half longways. 

4-Remove seeds from peppers. If you like things hotter, try keeping a few seeds in the pepper.

5- Stick two toothpicks through the empty peppers one near where the tip is and one near where the stem used to be.
6- Fill the peppers with the cream cheese mixture

7- Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each pepper half using the toothpicks to hold it in place
8- Place on baking racks over baking sheets (this allows the grease to drain) and place in 450 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked. 

9-Remove and serve when after 10 minutes or after they have cooled.

This recipe is time consuming but it is so worth it.  Not only that but with the right cream cheese everything is gluten free.  I have seen other versions of this recipe that require shredded cheddar if you want to add it than mix it into the cream cheese or sprinkle on top of the cream cheese prior to adding the bacon. 

Also since it is Breast cancer awareness month as well as Celiac awareness month I have found that yoplait is doing their pink lids again.  This means that for every lid you turn in they will donate $0.10 for breast cancer research.  Since almost every Yoplait is gluten free (except for the ones with granola or cookie pieces) this is a great way to eat gluten free, keep up your probiotics as well as help donate to breast cancer research.  Just follow the instruction on the lid and enjoy.  

Ok I was supposed to start my diet yesterday and I have to admit I failed.  It was one of those days that everything went wrong, from the house we own (and have rented) to not all of my blood pattern analysis homework getting attached by the stupid site (a lower grade, but still top of the class and still have a high A) To Comcast not giving me my refund back since they say I still owe them equipment. (I don't, I owned my own cable modem and never was issued one of theirs.) I couldn't even do laundry right.  So in the end I broke down and we went out to pizza.  It really was a bad day for everyone and I was terrified that I was going to screw up cooking dinner.  So we have having taco and Cream cheese bacon wrapped Jalapenos' with a salad for dinner tonight instead of last night.  I thought that I would be honest since I failed at even starting my diet.