Back on the diet

Hi everyone..I've not posted here for a while...the last time I did it was about my endoscopy and bring told I'm lactose intolerant and I had to go on a normal diet for a several weeks.well now it's bak to the gluten free diet and I'm hating it! I can't find much Asian /halal food..feel like I don't have much to choose from..being diabetic makes it worse.i don't know if it's because I'm back on the diet but I feel awful and sleepy during the day for some reason after meals (unless I'm being paranoid there).I know I have to learn to live with it now but I'm just finding what to eat too hard

[Regalbirdy]

Hi SID

Believe it or not, eating Asian food is a relatively easy thing to do on a gluten free diet. I still make all sorts of curries regularly. Vegetables are always fine to eat, as are plain meats and rice.

Check the company that you are obtaining your spices from has a good policy in place when it comes to cross contamination with wheat. That said, I've found that the majority of UK supermarkets will warn about this risk on the packaging - and I can't remember ever having any problems using them.

Both chickpea flour and lentil flour can also be obtained from GF sources - if you look hard enough.

Being lazy and relying on ready meals is not as easy when you are GF, but can be done. For example - I know that I have bought ready made pappadums and sauces in a jar in the past. Obviously stay away from the naan bread though!

Eating out requires quite a lot of detective work (Insert a lot of phone calls and face to face conversations here!) to find a suitable establishment that will understand your needs and to be very honest about cross contamination risks - another words a place you feel you can trust. For me this hasn't happened yet at an Indian restaurant. I had an unfortunate experience/ reaction several years ago that put me off trying again😟!! Although I've had a pretty decent GF curry from a well known uk pub chain.

As far as the tiredness goes, ensuring that you are getting enough iron/folates, B12 and vitamin D will help enormously. GF food isn't fortified in the same way gluten foods are. If the tiredness persists DO see your doctor - you may need extra support.

[Hidden in reply to Regalbirdy]

Thanks for your helpful reply Regulbirdy..it's the actual chappatti o naan bread that I'm having problem making.ive tried lots of different gf flours but not even one has made a decent chappatti..it crumbles and goes hard

[virgolizzy in reply to Hidden]

I know I have bought a GF naan bread from a supermarket in the past, which was tolerable, but can't remember which one! It must have been either Tescos or Sainsburys tho, the latter in my opinion being way ahead of the others in their own brand gf foods. Unfortunately never made naan bread but Doves make a wide range of GF flours, which may help or there is bound to be a supplier out there that makes them. It is a huge adjustment to make, we all go through a sort of grieving process but it does get better & we adapt. Regalbird is right, go back to the drs if you still feel tired all of the time. One of the bonuses about giving up these foods is that we feel better, so get thst bit of the jigsaw sorted. There may be other foods of course you are reacting too, but one step at a time. Good luck.

[benmaise]

Did you have a test for Lactose intolerance Sid123. I have Coeliac and have lost weight. Doctor thinks I may have Dairy intolerance. I wondered if it may be Lactose.

[Hidden]

Hi benmaise

Yes I was tested for lactose intolerance and it cane bak positive.but for some reason the doctor didn't tell me to avoid dairy products "for now".

I don't understand how that makes sense

[Juliegrace677]

We are the only mammals who continue to drink milk past infanthood by choice.

We don't need it.

Plenty of good alternatives to wheat and gluten containing foods, but don't rely too much on soya, as that is also a common allergen.

My recommendation is the BFree range.

Their wrap, which keeps well in fridge or freezer, is a substitute for any flat bread.

Julie humantouchuk.co.uk