Going Gluten-Free

My gluten-free testimony:

I have suffered from digestive issues for years. Many of my problems have been resolved over the years by addressing hormonal issues. So, when I started having severe pain in my abdomen that would come and go as well as bloating and flatulance all the time, I assumed that it was hormone related. My gynecologist took me very serious, as he always does. However, after testing and trying everything in his field, he looked at me and said that he felt that I could be sensitive to gluten or maybe dairy. I had previously tried going off of dairy, but it did little to help with my problems. I left his office with plans to see a gastrointerologist. I felt defeated, because I did not want to be put on medication again. However, a week before my appointment, God intervened! My daughter had been having some issues that she had researched and determined that it might help her to go off of gluten. Now I had a real reason to research this lifestyle! My daughter and I decided that we would go gluten-free together. From that moment on, we researched and read everything we could on the subject. We could both tell a difference in how we felt after only about 2 days. After 1 week, our symptoms were almost completely cleared up, and we were convinced that we were both gluten intolerant. We have both been totally gluten-free since June 2012, with the exception of an accidental dose of gluten in December. This brush with gluten only served to prove to us that we definitely are gluten intolerant! 

Going Gluten-Free Tips:

1. Eliminate all foods containing wheat, rye, barley, or their derivatives. If you are used to eating a lot of prepackaged foods, then this could be challenging. Many prepackaged foods contain forms of these that you may not recognize. If the package does not say "Gluten-free" then you should not risk it unless you know each and every one of the ingredients that are listed. Keep in mind that even if the ingredients themselves are okay, the product could still be contaminated during processing. My suggestion is to leave the prepackaged foods alone, except for a few items labeled "Gluten-free" that you can't live without.
2. Buy gluten-free oats. Oats can be contaminated when grown near a wheat field.
3. Buy or grow LOTS of vegetables and fruits. 
4. Use Romaine lettuce or corn wraps in place of flour tortillas.
5. Top a rice cake with all of your favorite sandwich fillings. I love a lightly salted rice cake with avacado slices and spicy mustard! The rice cakes do not have any nutritional value, so you need to get your nutrition from your toppings.
6. Potatoes  and  healthy whole grains such as black or brown rice are okay, but watch the amount of carbohydrates that you consume from these.
7. Find a good gluten-free all purpose flour or make your own for baking.
8. Don't forget to keep variety in your diet. God has provided us with so many naturally delicious foods.

*If you are sensitive to gluten, you cannot go "partially" gluten-free. Gluten can hang around in your body for months, so that one little cheat can really cost you!