Its been about two and a half weeks of attempting to be gluten free. I've been good for the most part. I've had a few meals that contained gluten... one night I had a few slices of thin crust pizza because I discovered how disgusting some gluten free pizzas are. I had to repent to the pizza superiors and eat something that was actually good. I've heard that Udi's makes a good gluten free crust (a base for you to start off with and make your own) but avoid Amy's and Glutino brown rice crust pizzas. Terrible awful. I ate it and immediately regretted it.
Thanksgiving I behaved. I didn't even have any bread or rolls. My sister jokingly took mashed potatoes and smeared them on a roll and took a huge bite. Didn't bother me one bit. Saturday night I went over to her place again for a birthday party/bachelor/bachelorette party dinner. She made Orange Chicken, eggrolls and chicken fried rice. The rice part was behaving. The eggroll was not. It was super good though! I also gave in and had a veggie burger from Burger King the day before Thanksgiving.
At home I've found a few cereals that I really like. Yes, they're kids cereals... but I don't care! The first is Gorilla Munch Crunch. Tastes oddly like Captain Crunch cereal when you eat it with unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk. The other is the Koala Krispies. . . read: Cocoa Crispies.. Gluten Free Style.
I have been good and have not had one beer. Not one. I found a few wines that I like so I have a small glass here or there.
And, so far I feel a little better. A little. I was really good for a while and felt good. Then, I ate the gluten and my knees and joints started bothering me horribly. My stomach started sounding like the Deathstar was being taken out, and I was coughing a nasty phlegm that only seems to appear now that I stopped eating gluten. I never noticed it before, perhaps because I hadn't eliminated wheat/gluten/beer from my diet before.
I think the most horrible of any of these side effects is the itching. I feel the need to itch all the time... the bottom of my feet, my torso, my neck, my hands (even the palms) everywhere. All the time. And, in asking others if they experienced this problem, they said they did. Its your body detoxing all the crap out. Well, I'm itching like Tyrone Biggums. And if you don't know who that is, watch the reruns of the Chapelle show. No amount of lotion or scratching makes it any better. If I could just put the lotion on the skin... wait, bad movie reference.
For all of you that know me personally, I have a wretched sweet tooth. And I have to eat something sweet once I'm done with my meal. It doesn't have to be big. It just has to be something. Its my bodys signal that I'm done. My sisters are the same way. If we eat dinner, then something sweet, then something salty, we have to have something sweet to end it. I've heard one of my sisters say, "No, I don't want any of that, because then I'll have to eat a bite of{insert dessert name here}. I've had the GF snickerdoodles from Trader Joes, lots of the Only 8 frozen yogurt at the shop around the corner and I purchased some Arrowroot Cookies from the store the other day- the brand is called Mi-Del. They are REALLY good. Kind of like an animal cracker.
I have an opportunity to really mess up bad in the next few weeks. I have a company function next Tuesday (lunch AND dinner) ... but, the benefit is that I planned it, so I know what is going to be on the menus. I also have a trip out of town coming up soon, of which I intend to fully indulge on some Broadway Pizza in Minnesota. It is my FAVORITE pizza...I killed a medium by myself when we were there for my man's brothers wedding in October. I've already gone to their website and they do not have many things that are gluten free. So, since this is by choice, not Dr ordered, I am going to indulge. I figure that a few days here and there are ok, as long as I continue to see the benefits. I do pay for it a few days after- my knees and hands... but sometimes, its worth it.
Have you ever tried a new lifestyle, eating differently? Have you had any challenges? What was your biggest accomplishment?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Three Days Gluten Free
Yeah, maybe you've heard me say it so its old news now. But, for me to be gluten free for three days is an amazing feat. For one who loves beer, loves bread, cake, cookies. You name it, I loved eating it.
Saturday I made a trip to Trader Joes to help me get started down the right path. They have a list of all of the items they carry that have no gluten in them. I also found that most of the items had a sticker above it saying Gluten Free. . . of course, veggies are an obvious. As are meats... For me, being a semi-vegetarian with an intolerance for MSG and beef, allergies to teriyaki and mesquite makes it somewhat difficult. I probably spent the better part of an hour going through their tiny store looking for what I wanted.
I've always been somewhat creative when it comes to cooking, most of my recipes are derived from a recipe I liked, but made into my own. I tried to get a few different things that would give me creative liberty in what I wanted to make, not tying me down into one specific thing. For instance, I bought some white tuna, canned in water. I bought green onions, stone ground mustard, toasted (unsalted) slivered almonds and celery to make either tuna wraps (on romaine or on a brown rice tortilla) or for me to throw on a salad. I also purchased a bunch of veggies and made a ragout. I spread some TJ's spicy hummus on the inside of the (brown rice) tortilla then put the ragout in the middle. Wrapped and served. Today's lunch was pollo asada sauteed with a fresh jalapeno and some onion, served in a brown rice tortilla with salsa on the side. I am SO thankful that TJ's jalapeno cheese crunchies are gluten free. They remind me of Cheetos when I could eat them. I've brought those as a accompaniment to my lunch the last few days (in the 100 calorie bag.) For dessert, I bought TJ's pear sauce. I've never had pear sauce before, so it sounded interesting. Its good, but doesnt have the intense flavor of pear like I had hoped.
I read a lot of information that said for those doing a gluten free diet to take a probiotic. Well, let me just say that between eating gluten free for the last few days and taking the probiotic at night, my stomach sounds like the second coming of Gozer.
That my friends, is great. Especially when you try to get all romantical with your man friend. "Hey baby, I love you..." "I love you, too..." Then, all of a sudden very loudly you hear ARE YOU A GOD from the direction of my stomach. Either Gozer is living in there or I'm going to pop out an alien sometime soon to unleash destruction across the country.
I can hope that after a few days when my body gets acclimated to it, it won't be as noticeable. I would recommend to anyone that is trying a new way of eating to try a probiotic supplement. I got mine at Trader Joes. It wasn't horribly expensive and I always have had good outcomes with all of their product.
Is anyone else out there Gluten Free? Any tips, suggestions, comments?
Saturday I made a trip to Trader Joes to help me get started down the right path. They have a list of all of the items they carry that have no gluten in them. I also found that most of the items had a sticker above it saying Gluten Free. . . of course, veggies are an obvious. As are meats... For me, being a semi-vegetarian with an intolerance for MSG and beef, allergies to teriyaki and mesquite makes it somewhat difficult. I probably spent the better part of an hour going through their tiny store looking for what I wanted.
I've always been somewhat creative when it comes to cooking, most of my recipes are derived from a recipe I liked, but made into my own. I tried to get a few different things that would give me creative liberty in what I wanted to make, not tying me down into one specific thing. For instance, I bought some white tuna, canned in water. I bought green onions, stone ground mustard, toasted (unsalted) slivered almonds and celery to make either tuna wraps (on romaine or on a brown rice tortilla) or for me to throw on a salad. I also purchased a bunch of veggies and made a ragout. I spread some TJ's spicy hummus on the inside of the (brown rice) tortilla then put the ragout in the middle. Wrapped and served. Today's lunch was pollo asada sauteed with a fresh jalapeno and some onion, served in a brown rice tortilla with salsa on the side. I am SO thankful that TJ's jalapeno cheese crunchies are gluten free. They remind me of Cheetos when I could eat them. I've brought those as a accompaniment to my lunch the last few days (in the 100 calorie bag.) For dessert, I bought TJ's pear sauce. I've never had pear sauce before, so it sounded interesting. Its good, but doesnt have the intense flavor of pear like I had hoped.
I read a lot of information that said for those doing a gluten free diet to take a probiotic. Well, let me just say that between eating gluten free for the last few days and taking the probiotic at night, my stomach sounds like the second coming of Gozer.
That my friends, is great. Especially when you try to get all romantical with your man friend. "Hey baby, I love you..." "I love you, too..." Then, all of a sudden very loudly you hear ARE YOU A GOD from the direction of my stomach. Either Gozer is living in there or I'm going to pop out an alien sometime soon to unleash destruction across the country.
I can hope that after a few days when my body gets acclimated to it, it won't be as noticeable. I would recommend to anyone that is trying a new way of eating to try a probiotic supplement. I got mine at Trader Joes. It wasn't horribly expensive and I always have had good outcomes with all of their product.
Is anyone else out there Gluten Free? Any tips, suggestions, comments?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Transitions
Hi there... yes, I am still alive and kicking. It's been quite busy the last few months with work and school and I've not kept my vow to try to write once a week.
Transitioning into any new routine is hard work and sometimes in doing one thing... you learn about something else. And then another and another. Thus is the circle of life.
The weather here in the Phoenix area has been amazing the last week or so; in the 40's at night and in the 60's during the day. In the words of my man, "these are the months I live for!" But with that, I discovered that there is something lurking that was just waiting for this weather to arrive. After my accident this year, I've had some lingering issues that no one can explain... I have little to no feeling in the heel of my right foot on occasion, in addition to tingling and numbness down the side of my right leg below my knee. I always feel like its a crapshoot when I stand up if I'm going to feel it or not. As my friend put it, its walking around in a drunk like fashion with no drinks. I think her and I could be a comedic pair after a few beers.
I did have one new issue crop up with this cooler weather recently and that my friends, is arthritis type pain. I haven't actually been to the Dr yet, so I don't know exactly what it is, but I have issues in my hands, my feet, my knees... all of my joints feel like someone hit them with a ball peen hammer. Repeatedly. After work, its everything I have sometimes to get up the parking garage stairs to get to the car. Thank goodness for Aleve.
In true headstrong fashion, I consulted everyone I know to ask them for advice on what I can do to try to alleviate this pain and the swelling. The result? The reason for the title of the blog today. I am going to try to transition into Gluten Free eating. Restriction of gluten is supposed to help with the swelling and pain that is associated with those symptoms.
For anyone that has known me for an extended period of time, I love beer. I love bread, in the words of a friend... its my gateway carb. It's not going to be an easy transition. My man made a comment saying good luck with avoiding a beer. I don't expect it to be easy. I don't expect it to be cheap. I don't expect to necessarily know how to bake or how to eat the right foods. Its like just knowing you're supposed to breathe air then all of a sudden someone said, "What the hell are you doing? You're a fish. You're supposed to be under the water!" But, sometimes, we have to give up and sacrifice to be in better health and spirits.
I am blessed enough to have friends that care and have sent me a multitude of suggestions on getting started. I hope that I can report back next week on the first week of my journey.
Hoping all is well with each and every one of you. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to post!
Transitioning into any new routine is hard work and sometimes in doing one thing... you learn about something else. And then another and another. Thus is the circle of life.
The weather here in the Phoenix area has been amazing the last week or so; in the 40's at night and in the 60's during the day. In the words of my man, "these are the months I live for!" But with that, I discovered that there is something lurking that was just waiting for this weather to arrive. After my accident this year, I've had some lingering issues that no one can explain... I have little to no feeling in the heel of my right foot on occasion, in addition to tingling and numbness down the side of my right leg below my knee. I always feel like its a crapshoot when I stand up if I'm going to feel it or not. As my friend put it, its walking around in a drunk like fashion with no drinks. I think her and I could be a comedic pair after a few beers.
I did have one new issue crop up with this cooler weather recently and that my friends, is arthritis type pain. I haven't actually been to the Dr yet, so I don't know exactly what it is, but I have issues in my hands, my feet, my knees... all of my joints feel like someone hit them with a ball peen hammer. Repeatedly. After work, its everything I have sometimes to get up the parking garage stairs to get to the car. Thank goodness for Aleve.
In true headstrong fashion, I consulted everyone I know to ask them for advice on what I can do to try to alleviate this pain and the swelling. The result? The reason for the title of the blog today. I am going to try to transition into Gluten Free eating. Restriction of gluten is supposed to help with the swelling and pain that is associated with those symptoms.
For anyone that has known me for an extended period of time, I love beer. I love bread, in the words of a friend... its my gateway carb. It's not going to be an easy transition. My man made a comment saying good luck with avoiding a beer. I don't expect it to be easy. I don't expect it to be cheap. I don't expect to necessarily know how to bake or how to eat the right foods. Its like just knowing you're supposed to breathe air then all of a sudden someone said, "What the hell are you doing? You're a fish. You're supposed to be under the water!" But, sometimes, we have to give up and sacrifice to be in better health and spirits.
I am blessed enough to have friends that care and have sent me a multitude of suggestions on getting started. I hope that I can report back next week on the first week of my journey.
Hoping all is well with each and every one of you. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to post!
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