jad n rich

After a series of violent headaches I finally got an appointment with a Neurologist ( 5 month wait private, wait for a waiting list on public..) . His advice, after a series of MRI etc, to totally eliminate Gluten. The same advice given by my GP.

Its not the advice you would expect from a highly regarded medical professional, which I think shows that this gluten thing is Real, his opinion is the modification of crops like wheat has made many people intolerant to them.

I have tried to do gluten free wherever possible for 2 years, but its a 50/50 thing if and when. Now its serious, none at all.

Problem is I am starving. I already have the gluten free bread, pasta even found a cake mix that is delicious. I eat protein 3 X a day but am starving, on about 2000 cals a day, I am middle of my healthy weight range.

So people how do you feel full. The gluten free bread seems really 'airy' light does not fill me at all, I used to eat Burgen which one salad/protein sandwich fills you for hours. I know a lot of this gluten free food lacks fibre, which I think might be the problem here.

Anyone else experience this or have any gluten free gems to share because I am finding it really hard now its total elimination.

Bikergirl

Neither my husband and I eat gluten (he is intolerant, i am just better off without it) and we dont struggle to be full each day. A fairly normal day for us food is

Breakfast - Eggs with small handful of raw nuts/carrot sticks/small amount of meat
Lunch - Large salad box incorporating leaves, cucumber, tomato, beetroot, avacado, nuts, carrot sticks (depends on mood on day) with meat, followed by some fruit
Dinner - loads of veggies with meat

If we are hungry in between it is a variety of (raw) nuts, fruit, raw veggies to munch on. It does take being organised to make our salads each day but on this we are very rarely hungry.

I have found that eating even things like gluten free pasta now makes me feel yucky so stick to fresh unprocessed foods nowadays.

quoll

After being told I was intolerant to wheat and dairy I gave them up cold turkey a few years ago - you might want to check out Paleo eating. It basically means a change in the way you eat but you don't need bread or gluten free equivalents at all - fill yourself up with protein, vegetables and fats and you won't feel hungry at all. I now eat some dairy but wheat I can feel almost immediately if I do reintroduce it!

I will say that the changes to my health were almost instant and hugely significant so good luck with your food journey! (And read all the labels! That nasty gluten creeps into all sorts of little crevices!). The other thing is to pay attention to your hunger - is it real stomach gnawing or is it conditioned psychological? There is often a withdrawal period too! Start your day with a high protein breakfast to keep the hunger hormones at bay.

NigelWaring

It is much easier to be gluten free than vegetarian. The two big supermarkets have plenty of gluten free products as does ALDI in recent weeks. Perhaps either their CEOs need it or they are terrified of being sued.

I have to take extra protein for another problem, I get a 12 months prescription from a nutritionist, that gets me Sustagen Supplement at about half price, it does the trick for me.

carolinephillips

I have been gluten free for 2 years now, and you have to read a lot of labels and do a lot of experimenting. The best bread I have found is Burgen soy-linseed GF loaf, as it is the only one I can make a proper, if tiny, sandwich. Schar do a good bake at home French Stick which is often eaten by people in preference to an ordinary baguette. Expensive though, so I only use it for parties/dinners with guests.
The best cookbook for doing puddings and cakes if you miss them is the Gluten Free Dessert Bible (Penguin Books).The banana and walnut loaf is really tasty.

Other than that I cook soups/stews and do stir fries. I use GF flours to make batter for pancakes and yorkshire pud/toad in the hole. I also eat fish and roasts- just not stuffings, batters or sauces unless I have made them with gluten free ingredients.

You do get used to it, and there are some pretty good meuslis and "nut" bars/flapjack substitutes that I carry in my handbag to munch if I can't find anything whilst out.

I'd still love to have a proper croissant though!!

Molly Coddle

Good luck with it Jad, it won't be easy at first but I'm sure you'll get into it if you don't have a choice.

Luckily nowadays there are more gluten free products about. Also if you google gluten free recipes, lots of ideas come up.

jad n rich

Thanks for the replies so far, I have written down all the products mentioned. I havent seen the Burgen gluten free bread in this bit of QLD but will hunt it down. I have always needed a big salad/pro sandwhich at lunchtime, its the only thing that seems to fill me at that time.

The veggis and salad thing is easy, I eat 2 large dinner plate size portions a day, that must be 8 cups at least plus I snack on salad veg. Also prefer my protein in its natural state, no processed meats for me or low fat food, chemicals in anything sets off my headaches and always has.

This is day 5 of total gluten ban, and my stomach is like it was before having 3 kids, totally Flat All bloating has gone. Less inflammation/irritation there must be going on in less visible parts of the body too.

This is going well at home/work, but we travel a lot, thats going to be a challenge.

If anyone is looking for a sweet treat, a lady in aldi saw me looking the gluten free range and raved about the white choc/berry macaroon cookies. Must say yummy, but 100 cals each!

Molly Coddle

There you go the above alone has to be worth the hassle at least:


I hate feeling bloated. Especially if I have jeans on and I always feel bloated after carbs, especially bread.

jad n rich

It gets better, under my eyes were puffy, I just noticed the inflammation has gone Wondering now if the GF can work its magic on my butt

koalakim

I tried some Helga's GF bread the soy linseed one and it was yuk! It was slightly better as a toasty sandwich with some strong chutney.

Can you do a baked potato, that would be filling although lots of proteins and fats are supposed to fill you up and get rid of sugar cravings as well.

I don't eat much bread here as it's like fairy floss (no body) and everything is sourdough which I hate the taste of.

A lot of people are gluten intolerant because we eat so many grains these days, cereal for brekki, sarnie for lunch and then pasta etc for dinner. I have heard of Asians becoming rice intolerant because they eat so much of it.

Good news about the tummy, well worth going without bread for!

jad n rich

I am on lentils for lunch today, 80c a can, 40 calories a serve all curried up with a heap of veg, drizzled with bio yogurt, coriander and mint. That has to be a win win.

Woolworth have Helgas gluten free sunflower and red quinoa bread on special $5 this week. This bread is very grainy, 3.3 g of fibre and toasted it could just pass as normal bread. Best one I have found yet.

Molly Coddle

I bet the diet has many benefits, and for that reason I wish I had the will power to do it. I suppose when you know you have to, you just do it.

Look on the bright side Jad, you're going to feel and look amazing.

carolinephillips

Most GF bread is better toasted. Helgas seems to go off very quickly here- I have to keep it in the fridge.

jad n rich

I keep GF bread in the freezer, its expensive so no waste that way. If I need breadcrubs for a recipie, just take the crusts and grate them. Crumbed lamb cutlets last night

BadgeIsBack

All good stuff...what the eff is happening to the human race?
I sometimes think it's all fad but when I see overweight or even people who are not fit I am forced to think this has been going on for decades....I think it is lifestyle...either start exercising every day....or cut down food portions. I often only have 1 meal a day to speak of, with a snack for breakfast: I work in an office. I've trained myself to do it.