My Response to the Negative Media About Living Gluten-Free

I have been very frustrated the last few weeks because I could not type. I have wanted to respond to all the negative media about living a GLUTEN-FREE life. Maybe I needed the time to figure out just what I want to say.

First and most important, is the lack of knowledge that the general public and many doctors have about diseases and disorders directly affected by consuming gluten. Even a few people with Celiac Disease have responded by saying it is hurting those with Celiac Disease when so many people use the GF diet in order to lose weight, etc.  This remark excludes those of us who also have diseases, disorders or health issues that are affected by eating gluten. 

The Media & Gluten-Free Living

Yes, there are those people eating a GF diet because it is the newest fad or weight lose idea. 
So what, the truth is that wheat in its current form is very difficult to digest.  Even if a person does not need to be on a GF diet ,they may receive health benefits by eliminating gluten.

Yes, people on a so called GF diet sometimes do not even know what gluten is.
It sounds ridiculous but maybe these people will start to learn what it is and will help educate others.

Yes, the media is all over the gluten-free way of life.
It was the media that started to shine attention on Celiac Disease and Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS). Because of this attention, more research about a gluten diet is now being funded. I guess we have to take the good with the bad.

I know what I know and I will not let others belittle it or make me doubt myself. I don't have Celiac disease. I have an autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto's and Leaky Gut. Some doctors do not think gluten affects Hashimoto's, others do. I have met many people with Hashimoto's or another autoimmune disease that feels much better after eliminating gluten. That can not be questioned.

I know what I know
Eating gluten makes me sick. 
Cross Contamination of gluten, makes it difficult for me to swallow and my skin gets rashes. 

Since I stopped eating gluten:

• I no longer have difficulty swallowing
• My digestive issues are gone
• My eczema is gone 
• No more brain fog
• No more arthritis pain 
• the list goes on and on. 

Check out July/August issue of Simply Gluten Free magazine. 
Dr. Alexander Shikhman, founder of the Institute for Specialized Medicine and  board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, is the author of the article called, Gluten Intolerance and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  In Dr. Shikhman addresses how gluten can affect the body and may be directly related to other autoimmune diseases, especially Rheumatoid Arthritis. I enjoyed reading his ideas and theories.


Dr. Alexander Shikhman has a self assessment Gluten Intolerance test on his site.   

Please stay true to what you know works for you!

The Healing Process

The human body is such an amazing thing. It has the ability to heal itself, if we give it the time and support to do so. A muscle tears and if we catch it before it is to big, then with rest  and supplements the body will and does heal itself. I am very grateful that I am in the healing process. 

The Healing Process

I tore my bicep, 1 month ago, helping a friend move. At 1st I thought I had just done too much and that the pain and aches would subside. One week later, I called my chiropractor for an appointment. My upper rib was out, my muscles were very tight, my neck and back needed an adjustment, and I had a terrible pain in my shoulder. My chiropractor did some work and taped me up with kinesio tape. I left with strict instructions not to use my right arm and take certain supplements. There was concerns that I injured my rotator cuff. She told me if it got worse to call the orthopedic doctor so I could get an MRI and/or x-rays.

The pain increased over the weekend so I made an appt. with the orthopedic doctor. After the exam and x-rays he said the injury was to my bicep and not my rotator cup. I was extremely relieved since most bicep tears do not require surgery.

I consider myself a strong woman, both physically and emotionally. I rarely think of my age because I feel young both physically and mentally. Then something happens like a torn bicep accompanied with pain like I have not experienced in a very long time and I begin to question myself. 
I asked myself several questions:

• Am I getting to old to help someone move? 
• Why did I push myself so hard that day?
• Why did I wait a week to do anything about the pain? Ego or fear?
• The questions went on and on.

Finally armed with answers about my injury, I was able to regroup and start healing. For example, I am typing this with both hands. This is a first in 4 weeks.  Yes, I will have to icy/heat when I am done but that is a small price to pay for healing. 

I wake up everyday with a noticeable improvement. I have more flexibility, better range of motion and my arm is stronger. I say stronger but that lets be clear, I can now carry a napkin from point A to point B.

I can not help but wonder how long the healing process would have taken 4 years ago, before I knew I had Hashimoto's, Leaky Gut,  and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive. I believe it would have taken far longer and been much worse.

I am so grateful for all the love and support I have received during this process.  My friends and family have been such great help especially my husband who has had to do all the cleaning, cooking, dishes, laundry, etc.

It feels fabulous to be posting again. I will need time to regroup since I could not do research during this time but I promise to get back in the rhythm as soon as possible.

photo by scenicreflections.com

The Road Trip

As we left Ashland, Or, I wondered if we would find another town that was so gluten-free friendly. It was such a pleasure to know that almost any eatery there would accommodate our needs.

We drove down the 5 freeway south towards Sacramento. Since we had just done this trip going north, we were well aware that we would need to bring food with us, as there is no place safe to eat on this stretch of the road. We had a hearty breakfast in Ashland, so this was not a problem. 

We then took the 505 fwy south to the 80 freeway through Berkeley and down to San Bruno. Our dear friends live in San Bruno and they need to go GF for health reasons. The next two days would I would wear the GF consultant cap as well as the friend cap. 

After I helped them clean out their pantry, refrigerator and freezer, we went shopping for replacement foods.My plan was for us to cook, so they could get comfortable with GF replacements. I brought some of my own pots and pans with me so I could teach them to cook GF and I would be assured that I would not get glutened. I, also, made them both chicken and beef bone broth.

That night we went to " Off the Grid" which is a group of food trucks that travel around the area. My friend was excited for us to go because they have a GF truck. Unfortunately, the GF truck did not show that night.In some ways this was a good thing because I got to take them to each truck and discuss what was in the foods and why most of them were not GF. 

The next stop was in Scotts Valley, a small town near Santa Cruz. My friend, Wendy's, mother, brother and mother-in law have Celiac Disease. Needless to say, Wendy gets what it means to live GF. Whenever I am in Scotts Valley I go to a Cambodian Restaurant called Jia Tella's. 
The food is wonderful and the hostess has family that have Celiacs so she was very helpful. 

The ride down the 101 fwy south was easy. We made sandwiches for the car though San Luis Obispo has may GF options, we decided not to stop because we just wanted to get home.

We are now safely home and I can relax about what and where to eat.

Yeast Unraveled

                            

    

                                                                                                         Yeast Extract was once considered to be gluten-free but after Canada’s new 2012 labeling laws went in to effect, a different picture began to emerge. Canada is a few steps ahead of the United States, when it comes to gluten issues and the labeling laws are no different. Canada requires manufacturers to include, wheat, barley rye, and oats on the allergen label. Suddenly, companies like Campbells Soup and Knorr Soups started  listing “barley yeast extract or yeast extract containing barley” on some of the soup labels. In the U.S., Lipton soups are voluntarily listing “Autolyzed yeast extract (barley). (GF Living p 39)

According to the article, Yeast Extract, in Gluten-Free Living, by Van Waffle, “The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) set out to determine what “barley yeast extract” means for people on a gluten-free diet.” The research is in the beginning stages but several tests have shown gluten levels above 20ppm. According to an expert, quoted in the article, the gluten count in the yeast extract they tested can range from 20ppm to 100ppm. More research needs to be done to confirm this information. (GF Living p 40)

The United States labeling laws do not require manufacturers to list barley, rye or oats as an allergen, therefore they are not required to add them to the label if it is products such as; in natural flavorings or yeast extract. It is the consumer’s responsibility to protect themselves by reading labels carefully and understanding what they are reading.

Different Kinds of Yeast: 

After reading the article, I decide to learn more about yeast.  I wanted to be clear about the different kinds of yeast, their uses, and where they are derived from.

NON-GLUTEN CONTAINING YEAST FORMS:

  1.     Nutritional Yeast:  Gluten-free yeast derived from beet molasses. It has a cheesy flavor and is often used as a cheese flavoring.  

       2.     Torula Yeast:  Gluten-free, highly nutritious yeast produced commercially. It is from a sugar recovered from the manufacturing of wood products or from processed fruit. It is used as a flavor enhancer. ( Source: Dictionary.com)

3.    Baker’s Yeast: Gluten-free yeast, used for the leavening of breads and baked goods.                                                                                                                                                            GLUTEN CONTAINING YEAST FORMS

      4.    Brewer’s Yeast: Is a by-product of the beer brewing process. It is rich in minerals and is sometimes used in nutritional supplements.   

      5.     Yeast Extract: Also called Autolyzed Yeast or Hydrolyzed Yeast.

Until further research is done and the FALCPA amends the new gluten labeling laws, it is up to the consumer to be aware of what is in the products they are purchasing. 

Waffle, Van, Yeast Extract. Gluten-Free Living Magazine (Number6/2013) 

• According to Gluten-Free Living, “When yeast extract is a by-product of the beer-making process, it contains small amounts of barley protein, a fact that has been long known. When yeast extract is made from baker’s yeast, which uses sugar as a starter, it does not contain gluten.”  Yeast extract can also be a combination of both processes. (GF Living p 39)
• “Unlike some ingredients that are processed to the point that all gluten protein is removed, the protein in yeast extract becomes more concentrated than yeast itself.”   (GF Living p 39)
• Many popular sauces, bouillons, meat dishes, ready-made meals and savory snacks are refined with yeast extract.  (Source: http://www.yeastextract.info/faq)
• Yeast extract is labeled as “yeast extract” in the ingredient list or sometimes included in “natural flavor”. (Source: http://www.yeastextract.info/faq)
• *Natural Flavorings can contain gluten, MSG and/or Autolyzed Yeast (Yeast Extract). 
• Even if the product says no “MSG” it may contain “free glutamate” the active ingredient   in MSG.
• The webpage, http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html) contains a list of,  Names of ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG)^1.

Until further research is done and the FALCPA amends the new glluten labeling laws, it is up to the consumer to be aware of what is in the products they are purchasing. 

Waffle, Van, Yeast Extract. Gluten-Free Living Magazine (Number6/2013)

Persons that are very sensitive to gluten or have other food allergies should review all information in order to make an informed decision.

Understanding Parts Per Million (PPM) Can Make All the Difference

 
Everyone reacts to gluten differently. Some of us are more sensitive to it then others. I can eat something I believe is safe and still feel "glutened" while my husband could eat a cookie filled with gluten and barely notice. Either way we have both have been diagnosed with  Non- Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and I also have Hashimoto's and Leaky Gut. Eating gluten can and does harm our bodies whether or not we realize it. People with Hashimoto's and/or Celiac must be extremely careful of cross contamination and therefore they must be aware of PPM. 


The chart above is from About.com and Jane M Anderson.
As many of you know the FDA has passed a new gluten labeling law stating that in order for a product to be labeled gluten-free it must be "less then 20ppm." But what does that really mean? 

Here is a visual of what 5 PPM and 20 PPM looks like:

For detailed answers to this question, I am going to redirect you to About.com.Gluten PPM Table, Updated September 2013.
About.com Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity has done an amazing job of researching and reporting what we need to know about PPM. You will find a PPM chart of over 48 companies. The information on this chart has been reported directly from the companies. 

I personally want to thank About.com for doing this research. I know what goes into this kind of research and appreciate the effort.