Category: Gluten-Free Living

On Probiotics

Leading up to my gallbladder surgery, I focused a lot on probiotic foods. I knew I’d be getting a good dose of antibiotics — the killer of those lovely bacteria that keeps our systems regular — and wanted to give my gut a head start.

It seems everyone is talking (or writing) about probiotics these days. I first encountered a probiotic evangelist back before my diagnosis. She was working with me to help pinpoint my digestive issues — particularly those in the intestinal area — and recommended I add kefir or yogurt to my diet. I did…for a while. Continue reading “On Probiotics”

Bad Food Romance

Right now, I’m in a bad relationship with food. It’s temporary, thankfully, but it’s all too reminiscent of those days before I realized gluten was my mortal enemy. I do not miss those days. Not one little bit.

The end result of this bad relationship is that I’m going to have to exercise even more caution when it comes to my diet. My gallbladder is the culprit, and its removal is the cure. According to all the literature, I can, theoretically, eat anything I want. That freedom comes with a huge caveat. Continue reading “Bad Food Romance”

Let’s Focus on Gluten-Free Restaurant Meals

My local independent coffee shop, a place that gets very crowded on weekend mornings, proudly displays a selection of gluten-free pastries. Because I’m nosy, I’ve also noticed they have specific instructions with regard to handling these pastries, including separate tongs. This warms my heart!

(As a bonus, the pastries clearly sell well, based on my regular reviews of the selection.) Continue reading “Let’s Focus on Gluten-Free Restaurant Meals”

Gluten-Free in Disneyland

Despite my vow to never go to Disneyland again, I succumbed to a friend’s request that I run the Tinkerbell Half Marathon with her. It was, I will admit, a relatively easy race (or as easy as 13.1 miles can be!), and the energy of the crowd was amazing. Running through the park before the regular crowds arrived reminded me of my childhood.

(Or, it was amazing fun!)

I then spent a day at Disneyland with my family — my niece is finally old enough to appreciate the magic of Disneyland. I felt old and jaded as I watched her try to absorb all the sights and sounds of the park…and that was before we wandered halfway down Main Street. Continue reading “Gluten-Free in Disneyland”

Yes, Gluten-Free Hairspray

A friend of mine once tweeted about the absurdity of gluten-free hairspray (his spin, not mine). I politely, with the gritted fingers, tweeted back “Yes, gluten-free hairspray. And shampoo, too!”

Here’s why: if your hands touch it, it can get into your mouth. Oh yeah, you wash your hands, no question there. But you run your hands through your hair, often without realizing you’ve done it. You get soap or shampoo in your eyes, or your mouth, while showering. Things happen. Continue reading “Yes, Gluten-Free Hairspray”

A Radical Notion (or, Stop with the Cake)

As I walked this morning, I started thinking about gluten-free bread. And cake. And dumplings. And all the other gluten-free foods that people spend a lot of time trying to make taste “just like the real thing”.

These foods will never taste like the real thing, and I think it’s time we stopped pretending they will (or can). In fact, I think it’s time we stopped trying to recreate a past that, for most of us, is gone forever. Frankly, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. Continue reading “A Radical Notion (or, Stop with the Cake)”

More on Specialty Diets

 

When a family member with diabetes was told her diet adjustments weren’t working and that she needed to both change her diet and starting taking shots, she, understandably, worried. Not so much about the shots, but about the dietary changes. It seems, for the first time, she really considered how the foods she’d been eating impacted her life.
She realized that many of her favorite foods, from her morning bagel to snacking-favorite saltines, were contributing to her problem. And she started wondering what in the world she could possibly eat. Sounds familiar.

Continue reading “More on Specialty Diets”