The One Month Gluten Free Challenge.
At SUITE 101 we are lucky to share our gluten free recipes with people from around the world. This is truly a stimulating environment to keep us all motivated.
Posted by Sue Visser | Last updated: Apr 02, 2013
The gluten free challenge can be a family affair as it is beneficial to everybody in the house. Going gluten free brings people together and creates health and happiness.It is also easier to cut down on sugar and fat when you prepare your own gluten free food so you can reduce your weight as well as your waistline and be free of a surprising number of nasty ailments.
Good food at any price is cheaper than medicine. So why eat food that makes you fat and sick? Time spent in the kitchen preparing nutritious, tasty, well tolerated meals means saving time visiting hospitals and waiting around doctors’ rooms and specialists. This also includes the travelling and, prescription drugs and being off from work that being ill involves. If gluten is making you ill, here is your chance to kick the habit.
Understand Why You Need To Give Up Gluten
Most people wonder how they are going to “survive” without their favourite bread, pasta, cookies and pastries. Because of the damaging and toxic effects of a substance not well tolerated, one becomes addicted to it. This is all too true of wheat as well as gluten-based addictions. They can set off a condition known as an allergenic addiction. The body reacts to your last meal and tries to numb the senses by releasing opiate chemicals to ease the toxic burden. Going gluten free for one month will reveal just how badly you may be affected by wheat or other gluten-rich foods such as barley, rye and in some cases, oats.
If you suffer from any of these conditions, you may be a gluten victim! Symptoms of wheat or gluten intolerance overlap with just about every other chronic illness from A-Z. Gluten intolerances at an acute (recently ingested) level are expressed as: rashes, respiratory problems, excessive mucous, headaches, drowsiness, heartburn, a raise in body temperature or just a heavy feeling in the stomach or oesophagus.
A delayed, if not more subtle action emerges a few days later and affects: anaemia, asthma, ADD, cancer, autoimmune diseases, hormonal upsets and even miscarriages. It takes years to lead to infertility, bowel impairment, obesity, eroded joints, or a congested liver. Gluten intolerances conveniently overlap with so many other ailments that are symptomatically by your doctor that you may not realise that gluten intolerance is actually the underlying cause. Seriously – why eat something that does this to you?
Now Try This One Month Gluten Free Challenge
People who have experienced a lot of relief by eliminating every bit of gluten from their diet will begin to feel amazing. This should be proof enough to continue to live gluten free for life. One word of warning is never to cheat. According to research, once off gluten, all it takes is as much as 6 grams of gluten (1/4 slice of bread?) to launch a reaction in your body. I have been there, done it too many times! I have noticed some nasty side effects and find it easier to say NO to all offending foods.
Be Very Decisive. Cut Out All Gluten for 1 Whole Month.
First decide on a cut-off point and mark up a full month on your calendar as a gluten free experience. Don’t even try to finish up the bread, pasta, cookies or tempting morsels of junk food that may be lying around. Most people start by avoiding the obvious offenders: wheat, rye and barley. Some go all the way and chuck out oats and all that sugar they consume as well. For some blood types wheat is the only offender. You may like to have your food intolerances tested beforehand by a therapist who is equipped with a bio-feedback mechanism such as SCIO, etc.
Soon you will begin to see some of your nagging ailments like: aches and pains, stiffness, asthma, thyroid problems, headaches, skin disorders, water-logging, constipation, and flagging energy begin to improve. Even some slight relief – without even relying on antacids, anti-inflammatories and pain relievers will help to make you a firm believer! Yes, in the long run gluten free saves you time and money and you get to discover new and wonderful foods to make and enjoy. This is why a 1 month gluten free challenge is so revealing! After that it becomes a way of life and you no longer have to be sick and tired.
Change Your Shopping, Fast Food and Restaurant Habits
No wheat, barley or rye or (oats – optional) No flour, products or foods. Read your labels!
Replace with: rice, maize, quinoa, millet, chickpea, lentil, pea or buckwheat, potato and tapioca flour.
Find good substitutes for foods you normally ate or loved. Avoid eating out if the menu does not provide a healthy gluten free option. Only support fast food outlets that have a good selection of fresh fruits, salads, vegetables and gluten free pasta or pizza. If invited by family and friends, warn them in advance and offer to bring a few gluten free dishes along. Health shops and most supermarkets provide a good selection of gluten free products and ingredients.
Health shops have special binding agents such as xanthan gum or guar gum to help make rice, and other grittier grains easier to bake with. Some ready-made commercial gluten free baking mixes are also available. These solve the problem for beginners and you can toss out beautiful muffins, crumpets and cookies. It is not easy to bake a beautiful gluten free hi-rise loaf of bread until you get more practice.
Do Not Fixate on Junk Food Cravings.
Eat the real stuff. No excuses, no greasy, doughy burgers, dunking doughnuts or stodgy desserts. If you are hungry, then eating is not a crime. Keep a supply of nutritious and satisfying food in your snack or lunch boxes to avoid the desperate dash to the palaces of grease and gluten. Make sure you have food at the office or in the car so you can eat whenever your blood sugar gets too low. Most people need to top up with nuts or an apple every 3 – 4 hours. Never stretch out the hunger pangs because it triggers a feeling of deprivation.
At all times remain confident and satisfied that you will overcome the craving for all the food that has made you fat, tired and sick. An addict is an addict, and junk food addiction is harder to overcome than a craving for alcohol in some cases. When the cream cakes, waffles, and steaming gooey pies waft past you, take out your cheese, nuts and fruit. When fluffy sandwiches and hot dogs are offered and people are slurping up instant noodles, just keep going – to a healthier, happier level.
References:
Gluten Intolerance by Beatrice T. Hunter: published by Keats.
Live Right for your Type by Peter D’Adamo published by Penguin
Good resources:
http://www.foodintol.com/wheat-gluten-sensitivity