Re:New Member - gluten & dairy free

[Guest guest]

I am not officially diagnosed with Celiac but I know I can't eat any

gluten, even gluten free oats hurt me (all tests were negative). I am

also dairy free. It was hard to think about giving up so many things I

love but it is so wonderful not to wish for someone to just put me out

of my misery. Make sure you check all your medications, supplements,

and anything you are thinking of ingesting for gluten and all dairy. It

is amazing how many pills have lactose in them. I have learned to enjoy

food without butter or margarine. Most margarines have some dairy in

them. I know there are a few butter substitutes without dairy (Earth

Balance for one) but my body seems not to like soy that much either and

fat can be a problem since my gall bladder surgery. My husband and I

eat gluten and dairy free together. He has been wonderful. He does eat

gluten. He has one gluten drawer in the kitchen and eats only at one

end of the table when eating it. He has learned the hard way that he

easily contaminates me and he doesn't like it when I am ill.

I have put together some gluten and dairy free recipes we made up or

adapted from some of my old family standards. They are already on my

computer so if you are interested I would be happy to e-mail them to you.

I was never a big bread, pasta, or dessert person so that has not been

so difficult for me. Giving up cheese, milk, and yogurt was harder

since I was a dairy a-holic but as I said it is so wonderful not to want

to die. Enjoy Life chocolate bars are wonderful and so are their Not

Nuts! Mountain Mambo. I use these for myself as treats.

I probably don't eat like many people. We cook great dinners and then

I just eat left-overs for breakfast and lunch. Make sure if you are

gluten and dairy free you get enough Calcium and Vitamin D. The newest

research says you should get about 1000 - 1200 IUs of D a day although

that is not what the FDA says. Since your digestive system is

compromised you don't absorb all you take in. For the past 5 years, I

had terrible muscle pain and my joints wouldn't stay in place. It was

finally discovered that I am quite deficient in D. I was prescribed

3000 IUs a day for the first 3 months. Within 2 weeks much of my pain

disappeared. I had tried various Calcium substitutes with Vitamin D and

various D only supplements thinking I probably needed more but I found I

couldn't tolerate them. I did find a Calcium Magnesium that is OK for

me but just couldn't find a D. When the deficiency was diagnosed the

doctor suggested Vitamin D from Trader Joe's. 1000 IUs per tiny small

capsule of oil and it works with no negative effects for me!

Take care. It is wonderful to know what is wrong and feel better.

Regaining good health seems to be an on-going experiment but headed in

the right direction.

Burgess