by Teresa Rispoli, Ph.D. Nutritional Advisor  for 25 years

How do I know if I have a wheat or gluten allergy? the most accurate state of the art test is the Gluten Sensitivity and Cross Reactive foods Test by Cyrex Labs.

Have a reality check.  Ok so you have been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease or you suspect you have gluten intolerance. Remember this is a choice! If you want to feel lousy for the rest of your life and get worse as time goes on then continue eating gluten. If you want to start on a journey to heal; go gluten free! Guaranteed you will start to feel better within days. 

Give it time.  It takes time to heal. Take the 45 day challenge. Within this time frame you will notice the brain fog is gone. Your body will start adjusting to a healthy weight. Yes, you will lose the bloating and weight around the middle. I spoke with a lady who lost 70 pounds in a few months after going gluten free and she has kept it off for years. Don't be discouraged if it takes a little longer to feel 100%. It can take 6 months to a year to heal completely. 

Look at your current diet and go through your pantry and refrigerator to find the foods and meals you already eat that are gluten-free. You may need to keep a food journal for a week or two if you haven't already. Be sure to list condiments, ice creams, produce, snacks, and other foods. This list will be helpful as you create menus around your new restrictions and give you encouragement that you're already on the right track! 

Give yourself permission to eat things that you may have restricted from your diet before your diagnosis. Potato chips or cookies may not be appropriate for other people, but they are a treat in a GF diet in small doses of course. You will need to find treats for yourself a little as you adjust to this diet. Count calories after you are comfortable with your new way of eating, manage your portions instead. It's all about taking baby steps! 

Look at your current menus and meals and find ways to eliminate gluten from your diet. Replace bread in sandwiches with green leaf lettuce and add your favorite fixings and condiments. Have breakfast burritos with corn tortillas instead of toast and eggs; to up the "yummy" factor in otherwise dry corn tortillas, spray with non-stick spray, salt if desired, and warm in a frying pay until pliable. Look for GF hot and cold cereals (must not have barley malt) and have those handy for a snack or meal. Replace bread and crackers with tortilla or corn chips, brown rice cakes or popcorn. For example, chicken or tuna salad on rice cakes or scooped onto corn chips is delicious. Popcorn is a filling side dish with soup. Drop bakery goods for awhile, and find other gluten-free treats instead. Treat yourself to exotic organic dark chocolate that is GF. Be on the lookout for meals on your current menus or the menus of friends and family that are naturally gluten-free (roasted chicken, baked sweet potatoes and steamed veggies, for example) and make them a staple on your new menus. Surf the internet, watch cooking shows and browse magazines for ideas and adapt them as you see fit. 

Clear out any and all foods that have gluten, wheat, wheat flour, oats, oat flour, rye, semolina, or modified food starch from your pantry. This will allow you to see how close you are to living gluten-free already. If you have family members living with you who are not gluten-free, you might consider giving the "offending edibles" to them to be put in another part of the house while you learn to live and think gluten-free. As time goes on you can cook for the entire family without gluten. 

 Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. Being caught hungry without a plan is a recipe for disaster! Keep a few GF soups on hand in case of extreme hunger and no plan. It helps to outline and pack any meals you're eating at home and away from home, including snacks. An example could be 

Breakfast: Wheat Free Waffel, corn or rice tortilla breakfast burritos, sliced apples, and coffee, or Goat Milk Yogurt and Berries.

Lunch: "lettucewich" with turkey, avocado slices, tomato, and mustard, 1 oz. chips, and 2 organic dark chocolate pieces.

Dinner: BBQ chicken with mixed vegetables, wild rice.

Snacks: 1 oz. almonds or popcorn.

Desert: could be coconut ice cream which is gluten and dairy free and loaded with heart healthy coconut milk. Top off with gluten free granola, nuts or organic dark chocolate sauce which is available gluten and dairy free.
 
Tips

1. Be patient with yourself. You'll have days when being gluten-free is really horrendous and you'll feel sorry for yourself (maybe even "fall off the wagon"). This is normal. Relax - it's a process.
2. Carry snacks with you wherever you go. It's often difficult to find an appropriate snack when the hunger strikes.
3. Arrange with the hosts of gatherings you may attend to bring your own sides or complete meals. Most people are very supportive of restricted diets.
4. Carry a small cooler in your car with small cold packs to store fruit, snacks and water.
5. Consider avoiding restaurants during your transition phase as you learn how to eat and think gluten-free. Grilled meats (over a flame), baked potatoes and salads (sans croutons) are usually safe bets. But keep a log of places you eat, what you ate and how you felt afterward. Gluten is insidious and can turn up in the oddest places (french fries and  beer for example).
6. Get your hands on cookbooks or start collecting your own recipes in a binder and make sure to add new recipes.
7. Carry digestive aids (enzyme and bioflavonoid) with you in case of accidental ingestion. There are ones specifically for gluten such as GlutenFlam by Apex Energetics. Available from your healthcare practitioner.
8. Consider taking a multi-vitamin to make up for vitamins and minerals you may lack with your new diet (ask your doctor if necessary).
9. Find a mentor.

Teresa Rispoli has her Ph.D. in Nutrition, is a licensed Acupuncturist and clinical researcher. She has been in practice for well over 25 years. It is through her clinical practice that she has gained insights into chronic health conditions. If you are suffering from unexplained symptoms that come and go you owe it to yourself to find out why. Find out today call for a Nutritional Consultation with Dr. Rispoli.

Your happiness is a reflection of your health call today For an appointment, contact her office at (800) 956-7083 or (818) 707-3125.

We also offer Functional Laboratory tests that can be done through the mail in the privacy of your home to help determine why you are having these symptoms. For more information on these click on lab tests.