If you are suffering from an unexplained illness, stomach cramps, joint pain, bloating, or fatigue; you may want to try a gluten free diet.  Once thought to be very rare, and only a condition called Celiac Disease, it is now being discovered that a gluten intolerance is actually causing the malaise of many.

Two friends of mine were tested for Celiac disease and the tests came back negative.  Still having unexplained symptoms, they started looking elsewhere and questioning doctors about what could be causing symptoms such as extreme fatigue, bloating, stomach pains and general feelings of being unwell.

One of my friends had gone through another traumatic illness; her doctor thought that due to the stress on her body and emotions that the problem might be psychological and that stress counseling might be the answer.  But, nothing seemed to help and she continued to get worse.  In desperation, she started to write down everything she ate and found that eating meats, potatoes, vegetables and fruits made her feel O.K., but as soon as she had cereal, bread or a dessert, she was in terrible pain. Like so many others, she searched the internet and found that others have had similar experiences.  Could she be wheat/gluten intolerant?  She stopped eating anything with wheat or gluten in it for a month and the changes were dramatic.

There is no definitive test, as far as I know, for gluten intolerance.  You need to eliminate gluten from your diet for two weeks to a month and see if your symptoms improve.  If you are better, chances are you are gluten intolerant.  You are now on the road to recovery, but to be much better it can take at least six months.

My friend vaguely remembered that I had mentioned, when coming to visit her, that I could not eat anything with wheat or gluten in it… and remembering a gluten free pie I had brought one time, she thought to come talk to me, and see if I had any solutions as to what she could eat now.

The good news for my friend, and possibly for you, is that you can solve this problem by what you eat. It may not be easy at first but there are more gluten free options available than ever before.  You certainly don’t need to feel deprived, nor hungry.  My friend left, encouraged and hopeful, having just enjoyed a lovely gluten-free carrot muffin and coffee at my kitchen table.

You may be someone just like my friend who has now found the culprit to be wheat/gluten, and like my friend, are now wondering what you can eat! Contemplating going without all of your favorite comfort or holiday foods like pizza, delicious breads, pie or cake can be a depressing thought.  I know- I’ve been there!

In a nutshell, in layman’s terms, if you are gluten intolerant or Celiac or experiencing any of the over 300 symptoms that are baffling you and your doctors, and nothing seems to be working to get you better… you could be having a reaction to eating gluten containing foods.  Many people go on for years, and in the past, many people never found out what was the matter.

Because the gluten you have eaten has actually flattened the villi in your intestines, you may be actually starving!  Some Celiacs or gluten intolerants look like they are starving.  Others look like they are obese; both, in my opinion, are really starving.

I like to tell people there are 3 steps or stages you need to go through in order to change your diet to a gluten free one for best success.

Stage One: Elimination of all allergen type foods.  Eating simple and nutritious foods that are unprocessed.  Vegetables, fresh meats, fruits.  This stage can last from one to six months, depending how ill you are.  This stage gives your body a chance to heal and regenerate itself.  You will feel better and better (if you do not feel substantially better in one month, you may be getting hidden gluten in something, or have another food allergy and should be tested).  Always consult your doctor; a good gastroenterologist can be of great help.

Stage Two: Add a few more complex gluten free foods to your diet, see how you feel.  Enjoy some gluten free comfort foods, don’t feel deprived.

Stage Three:  Enjoy life and eat anything you like, as long as it is gluten free.  Now you can concentrate on maintaining a proper weight, good balance nutrition and enjoying your foods.

This is it… Simply put: it is often not simple, as many people can get discouraged and feel deprived.  People need to find ways to live and enjoy foods again.  I have given a whole range of ideas and menus in my new e-book, Health & Nutrition, which includes an encyclopedia of foods you can eat and talks about nutrition.

http://www.astoriamills.ca/healthebook link to book

Remember to be patient with yourself; find foods you enjoy eating that won’t cause problems.  A few slices of fresh ginger infused in boiling water and sipped on slowly make and excellent tea and tummy tonic.

Getting good nutrition is something you need to make sure you incorporate into your daily menu planning.  Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.  Fiber, Pre-biotics and pro-biotics are especially important to balance your intestinal health.

Here is an easy recipe for a nutritious and tasty hot porridge filled with fiber that you can also make ahead and keep in the refrigerator for a nutritious snack when the ‘hungries’ strike.

Quinoa Millet Porridge

¼ cup red quinoa
¼ cup millet
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 teaspoon Salba Seeds
1/8th teaspoon salt

Grind together in a coffee grinder and place in 4 cups of cold water in a pot.  Bring to a slow boil while stirring continually.  Turn heat down to minimum, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.  Spoon out a delicious bowlful and eat with your favorite milk with and sweetener such as honey or sugar.  This can also be used as a very nutritious sort of polenta-style sautéed side dish with meat and vegetables.  This porridge is filled with fiber and nutrients.

For more easy and delicious gluten free recipes go to http://www.astoriamills.ca/new_recipes

With Astoria Mills Enriched Gluten Free Baking System of Five Mixes you can enjoy all your favorite foods again, from soft squishy healthy sandwich breads, bagels and rolls to pizzas, cakes, pies, muffins and more.

Trina Astor-Stewart began formulating her gluten free recipes as a way to feed her family of four a gluten free diet out of necessity almost 20 years ago.  After sharing her baking with others, she was encouraged to find a way to share these good foods with others in easy to use mixes which also have a special vitamin and mineral enrichment formula especially developed to augment gluten free dietary needs.  She often says, “Even a piece of pie should be nutritious!”