I've been experimenting with going totally gluten and grain free for about 9 months. I'd done it before but not for so long. I probably won't ever go back to eating products made with gluten containing materials such as wheat, barley, rye. spelt, kamut, orzo, bulghar, semolina and farina. Here's a great list of products containing gluten.
You might ask, Why not? Why won't you ever eat gluten again?
I don't have celiac disease, as least as far as I know. I probably am gluten sensitive, because until I cut out all gluten and grains, I held onto weight no matter what I did. Now, without doing anything else, I've let go of 24 lbs and it's still in progress. And I eat well. A diet high in healthy fats, meats of all types, fruits, veggies and coconut flour goodies that I make.
But, it's not even that. It's all the things that gluten seems to adversely affect or contribute to. Like arthritis, gout, digestive disorders, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, ADHD, Autism, Alzheimer's, obesity, and the list goes on and on. Want a fuller list, read Wheat Belly, by Dr. William Davis or Grain Brainby Dr. David Perlmutter.
Alas, you can't just buy products that say gluten free either. Almost all of those commercial products contain starches that spike blood sugar (potato starch, rice flour, tapioca flour). Dr. Perlmutter says that spikes of blood sugar even in people with healthy normal blood sugar causes brain inflammation, which over time leads to problems with memory, dementia and Alzheimer's. When there's inflammation in our bodies, we feel the pain of it in our muscles and joints. The problem with brain inflammation is that you can't feel it. The only way you know there is a problem is thru short term memory lapses and those things we've called "senior moments"or brain fog. At least until it's too late. Permutter suggests that if we keep eating the way we are currently eating, that by age 85, 50% of the 85 plus population will suffer from dementia or Alzheimer's.
That projection made me really sit up and take notice, so to speak. The women in my family have a tendency back several generations to live beyond 85, so I'd rather not do that in an institution. And, I confess that I've had those lapses where the perfect word is just beyond reach, or I totally forget I've left the water on outside.
On the other hand, bread is more than just food to me. It's symbolic of family and well-being, and abundance even. So, to go without it is difficult. I decided that I needed to learn how to make delicious, fun bread-like products -- moist delicious coconut flour muffins, pizza crusts, hamburger rounds, hot dog holders, and crackers using sprouted lentil flour and cauliflower. I call my products ENJOY Gluten Free. Over the next few months I'll be sharing recipes. And, I'm working on a Wheat Free, Grain Free Fun Food cookbook. It will be out within a few months.
If you are interested in knowing more about my upcoming cookbook, please sign up for my mailing list.
Also, check out my classes on gluten free, grain free cooking. I'm put up an outline. Put together a group and I'll come to you.
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