help finding foods please.

[beaton]

Hi I've not been around much since the new look and loss of daily emails so forgive me if I've missed the info I need.

I went to my GP about five years ago with symptoms of wheat intolerance,he did nothing,later after I had given up wheat he did a blood test which came back clear. When I gave up wheat I felt better and lost some of my tummy.(I have given up most grains)I'm a vegetarian and I have hashimotos so I still have a weight problem. I'm struggling to find things to eat,especially breakfast. I've tried G/F breads etc. and yesterday made some dough balls out of a packet,they were made with tapioca flour. I was in so much pain afterwards and was still in pain today,although it is getting better.

I have asked my GP to refer me to a dietitian but don't know if this will be helpful.How can I explain that I have so much pain but don't lose weight, don't have diarrhea although I have the urge to go,don't pass blood. I don't like the idea of going back on wheat just for another blood test. Help please.x

[Hidden]

Hi Beaton, firstly since the site was changed most members accounts we reset so if you want email notifications all you do is go to your name and click on the arrow beside it and then click on account and you can then choose which notifications that you want.

Now this is a difficult dilema and I don't blame some people for trying a gf diet then not wanting to do a gluten challenge but I am glad that I am a diagnosed coeliac, for many reasons like knowing for sure but also how medic's see me as now I have a 'medical label' and I get treated differently since diagnosis because of this. So I think that you have to have a chat with your Dr where you make your point and stand your ground bearing in mind that you have thyroid issues and many thyroid sufferers benefit from a gluten free diet.

I also think that you ought to see a nutritionalist as you have so many restrictions and it is very important that we have a balanced diet.

Have you come across quinoa? it is often seen as an alternative grain but in reality it is the seed of the goose foot plant and was eaten by the Aztec warriors when they marched to war and it is very nutritious, you can but is as a flour, in flakes or most commonly as seeds. The easiest breakfast would be a porridge made with quinoa flakes or seeds, here's a link to some quinoa recipes: (they are not guaranteed to be gluten free! so they are only a guide but they have a couple of breakfast recipes.

cookinglight.com/food/recip...

And good luck with it all.

[beaton in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply Jerry,I'll look at the link. I might have to go through the pain to get a diagnosis perhaps then I will be taken more seriously .x

[freego]

Hi Beaton.

I feel your pain.

Seems like two questions in one...you've had one opinion from personal experience on the diagnosis question so I'll stick to foods. Do I understand correctly that breakfast is the main issue, or is it all foods? Quinoa porridge is a good suggestion (it is a nutritious grain) personally I don't find it very breakfasty though. Sounds like you want to avoid the sugary GF cereals, so would add You can also buy porridges made from millet and or rice too.

Two questions of my own - I'm a nutritionist by the way. Was the tapioca mix from a gluten free company and claim to be gluten free or did it simply not have wheat on the ingredients?

Are GF oats definitely out for you?

All the best,

Freego

[beaton in reply to freego]

Hi Freego,Thanks for your reply,Looks like I shall have to look out for "other" porridges.

As for the tapioca,it was from a gluten free company,labeled free from gluten wheat soya and maize. they did taste nice. GF oats are a bit of a problem I can get away with GF oatcakes in a cheesecake base but not flapjacks. I seem to be more intolerant these days,it use to be only bread. x

[Regalbirdy]

Hi Beaton,

Because you have Hashimoto's, I think you have a legitimate reason to say no if anyone asks you to do a gluten challenge. You've already proven that going GF makes you feel better and going back on gluten would most likely have a negative impact on the health of your thyroid (never mind everything else!).

Do you think the tapioca flour was cross contaminated? or have you unfortunately found out about a new food intolerance?

I don't think that you have anything to lose by seeing a dietician, but in my experience I've found the process disappointing. As a GF veggie myself, I knew almost as much about nutrition as she did! She did however warn me to keep an eye on my calcium intake; and I was told that I must make an extra effort to eat plenty of green veg, so that I had a good source of trace minerals.

I wouldn't be too worried about following any of the popular weight loss programs (I mean the ones where you attend a meeting each week) - because I think the target weights each week are way too high for restricted diets like ours. I am of the opinion that if you cut down on calories too quickly, you will also be cutting out too many essential vitamins and trace nutrients as well.

I've found that if I make the effort to increase my intake of vegetables to 5 portions a day (not including fruit - which you can have as an extra, but remember it's sugary), it's nearly always had a small but positive impact on what my bathroom scales have read after a week or so. I've also felt noticeably better in myself.

If this society of ours says that you can have raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, mushrooms, tomatoes, and beans for breakfast; then why not a carrot, red pepper or even a courgette as well?

I had a spell of eating omelettes for breakfast, which I loved; but I also made the mistake of having them every day. In hindsight, I should have rotated them with other breakfast foods. Because I didn't, my body decided to start reacting to eggs and I can only eat them occasionally now. Please don't fall into this trap - do consider rotating what you have for breakfast.

As Jerry says, Quinoa might be useful to you. I enjoy using it sometimes as a replacement for rice.

[freego in reply to Regalbirdy]

I'd agree RE the Challenge Testing (but I do appreciate some people want "an answer"). If you know, you know...

[beaton in reply to freego]

Yes freego,I know what you mean,it's a tough choice. x

[beaton in reply to Regalbirdy]

Hi Regalbirdy,thanks for your reply,You sound very like me. I did go to catering college years ago and although a lot of what I was taught is now considered wrong,it did give me a grounding in nutrition,being a veggie and raising a family also kept me in touch with healthy eating. Two years ago my GP sent me to a weight management meeting.It was only about an hour or so and I came out fuming. All I learned was how many calories were in pasties crisps and chocolate.So like you I don't think I'm going to gain much from seeing a dietician but I've got to hope.

I never thought about reacting to something eaten regularly,I have in retrospect found this,in that I did use to eat eggs regularly but now can't even stand the smell of them.

I shall try incorporating some of the ideas for breakfast.

Thanks again.x