CELIAC- Part 2

Gluten-free diet: What's allowed, what's not

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

A gluten-free diet is used to treat celiac disease. Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps people with celiac disease control their signs and symptoms and prevent complications.

Initially, following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating. But with time, patience and creativity, you'll find there are many foods that you already eat that are gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you can enjoy.

Purpose - The gluten-free diet is a treatment for celiac disease.

Diet details

Switching to a gluten-free diet is a big change and, like anything new, it takes some getting used to. You may initially feel deprived by the diet's restrictions. However, try to stay positive and focus on all the foods you can eat. You may also be pleasantly surprised to realize how many gluten-free products, such as bread and pasta, are now available. Many specialty grocery stores sell gluten-free foods. If you can't find them in your area, check with a celiac support group or go online.

If you're just starting with a gluten-free diet, it's a good idea to consult a dietitian who can answer your questions and offer advice about how to avoid gluten while still eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Allowed foods

Many healthy and delicious foods are naturally gluten-free:

·         Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form

·         Fresh eggs

·         Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)

·         Fruits and vegetables

·         Most dairy products

It's important to make sure that they are not processed or mixed with gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives. Many grains and starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

·         Amaranth

·         Arrowroot

·         Buckwheat

·         Corn and cornmeal

·         Flax

·         Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)

·         Hominy (corn)

·         Millet

·         Quinoa

·         Rice

·         Sorghum

·         Soy

·         Tapioca

·         Teff

Always avoid

·         Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)

·         Rye

·         Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)

·         Wheat

Avoiding wheat can be challenging because wheat products go by numerous names. Consider the many types of wheat flour on supermarket shelves — bromated, enriched, phosphated, plain and self-rising. Here are other wheat products to avoid:

·         Bulgur

·         Durum flour

·         Farina

·         Graham flour

·         Kamut

·         Semolina

·         Spelt

Avoid unless labeled 'gluten-free'

In general, avoid the following foods unless they're labeled as gluten-free or made with corn, rice, soy or other gluten-free grain:

·         Beer

·         Breads

·         Cakes and pies

·         Candies

·         Cereals

·         Cookies and crackers

·         Croutons

·         French fries

·         Gravies

·         Imitation meat or seafood

·         Matzo

·         Pastas

·         Processed luncheon meats

·         Salad dressings

·         Sauces, including soy sauce

·         Seasoned rice mixes

·         Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips

·         Self-basting poultry

·         Soups and soup bases

·         Vegetables in sauce

Certain grains, such as oats, can be contaminated with wheat during growing and processing stages of production. For this reason, doctors and dietitians generally recommend avoiding oats unless they are specifically labeled gluten-free.

You should also be alert for other products that you eat or that could come in contact with your mouth that may contain gluten. These include:

·         Food additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others

·         Medications and vitamins that use gluten as a binding agent

·         Play dough

Watch for cross-contamination

Cross-contamination occurs when gluten-free foods come into contact with foods that contain gluten. It can happen during the manufacturing process, for example, if the same equipment is used to make a variety of products. Some food labels include a "may contain" statement if this is the case. But be aware that this type of statement is voluntary. You still need to check the actual ingredient list. If you're not sure whether a food contains gluten, don't buy it or check with the manufacturer first to ask what it contains.

Cross-contamination can also occur at home if foods are prepared on common surfaces or with utensils that weren't thoroughly cleaned after being used to prepare gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for gluten-free bread and regular bread is a major source of contamination, for example. Consider what steps you need to take to prevent cross-contamination at home, school or work.

Results

People with celiac disease who eat a gluten-free diet experience fewer symptoms and complications of the disease. People with celiac disease must eat a strictly gluten-free diet and must remain on the diet for the remainder of their lives.

In some severe cases, a gluten-free diet alone can't stop the symptoms and complications of celiac disease. In these cases, doctors might prescribe medications to suppress the immune system.

Risks

Not getting enough vitamins
People who follow a gluten-free diet may have low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients in their diets. Many grains are enriched with vitamins. Avoiding grains with a gluten-free diet may mean eating fewer of these enriched products. Ask your dietitian to review your diet to see that you're getting enough of these key nutrients:

·         Iron

·         Calcium

·         Fiber

·         Thiamin

·         Riboflavin

·         Niacin

·         Folate

Not sticking to the gluten-free diet

If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some people experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this doesn't mean it's not damaging their small intestines. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet may be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms.

Mayo Clinic

Celiac

as promised

a post on

CELIAC

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms.

Digestive System
The small intestine is shaded above.

When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats.

Villi
Villi on the lining of the small intestine help absorb nutrients.

Celiac disease is both a disease of malabsorption—meaning nutrients are not absorbed properly—and an abnormal immune reaction to gluten. Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is genetic, meaning it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered—or becomes active for the first time—after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.



What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

Symptoms of celiac disease vary from person to person. Symptoms may occur in the digestive system or in other parts of the body. Digestive symptoms are more common in infants and young children and may include

·         abdominal bloating and pain

·         chronic diarrhea

·         vomiting

·         constipation

·         pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool

·         weight loss

Irritability is another common symptom in children. Malabsorption of nutrients during the years when nutrition is critical to a child's normal growth and development can result in other problems such as failure to thrive in infants, delayed growth and short stature, delayed puberty, and dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth.

Adults are less likely to have digestive symptoms and may instead have one or more of the following:

·         unexplained iron-deficiency anemia

·         fatigue

·         bone or joint pain

·         arthritis

·         bone loss or osteoporosis

·         depression or anxiety

·         tingling numbness in the hands and feet

·         seizures

·         missed menstrual periods

·         infertility or recurrent miscarriage

·         canker sores inside the mouth

·         an itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis

People with celiac disease may have no symptoms but can still develop complications of the disease over time. Long-term complications include malnutrition—which can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, and miscarriage, among other problems—liver diseases, and cancers of the intestine.

UPCOMING POST

includes a great web site!

and a peek at what is allowed!!!

 

something new for us

Kate

was diagnosed with

CELIAC disease

two days ago.

Stay tuned for a post

all about celiac....

including

a great web blog

i found.

so when I mentioned recently

THOMAS HORN

on my

FACEBOOK status,

no one responded

to the comment;

THOMAS HORN.....brilliant performance!!!

Understandably, maybe no one had seen it...

OR

rather, no one had any idea

about who I was speaking!!

AND, therefore no one responded

with any kind of

COMMENT on his performance.

Here are a few FUN FACTS:

link to fun facts about Thomas

1. Thomas Horn is the LEAD ACTOR

 of the new TOM HANKS/SANDRA BULLOCK movie

EXTREMELY LOUD

&

INCREDIBLY CLOSE.

(i read the book; read it... very good)

book link.... get it, read it

2. Horn was discovered on KID'S week at Jeopardy! where he won $31,000.

The show aired in JULY 2010.

3. Thomas is 14 years old, but just 11 when discovered by the films PRODUCER

Scott Rudin.

4. He is an avid reader, particularly of National Geographics and atlases.

5. He speaks THREE languages:

English,

Croatian,

and Mandarin.

fun facts

6. His parents are both physicians. His mother an oncologist; his father and opthamalogist.

Many reviewers have said this movie was par at best...

My opinion is far different.

Thomas Horn's performance makes this movie.

The others, are just support.

This movie is about working through grief and healing....

HEALING.

Things I will do in 2012

in random order

1.       I will read 20 books

here are just a few.....

2.       I will get more sleep

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3.       I will exercise at least 4 times a week

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4.       I will lose 15 pounds

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5.       I will find ways to spend more time with my husband



6.       I will enjoy my children more



7.       I will write more letters, on stationery!

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8.       I will engage a more grateful existence

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9.       I will see more than one movie

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photo credit for Iron Lady

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10.  And perhaps the most important of all, I will spend more time in prayer with GOD...

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Another New Year

happy new year!

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the holidays

were a bit strange

this past

year.

ongoing

issues

kept us flying

by the seat

of our pants.

buying gifts

was out

of the question.

cards

were mailed

but only

because they

had been purchased

previously.

christmas day

was actually stress-free.

this was nice.

and the compassion and love from

others was overwhelming.

G R A T E F U L

is how we saw things

G  R  A  T  E  F  U  L

is how we will remember

C H R I S T M A S

and

N E W  Y E A R S

of

2011!!