Wheat/Gluten Intolerance
Wheat intolerance / celiac disease:
Many people are walking around with chronic symptoms from headaches, sinus pain, unexplained rashes, to diarrhea or bloating. Many push signals to the back of their mind ignoring their bodies attempts to warn them of “system failure”. Food intolerance means the body is being stressed. Food intolerance causes blood sugar instability and can complicate weight loss. One of the most basic principles of food intolerance is that the foods you eat the most often will frequently be the food you have the issue with. Wheat and soy are known allergens with 1.5 million Americans suffering from celiac disease, the most severe form of wheat/gluten allergy. The numbers are expected to increase as more people identify their problem and more research is being done.
Celiac disease is a genetic disease. Simple genetic tests have recently been developed that are helping families around the world to finally understand why they have had so many health issues for all these years. For more info visit celiac.org.
Gayle Myers journey with wheat
My journey began in 1994 when after the birth of my third child I developed a severe allergy to wheat/gluten. Instead of loosing the pregnancy weight I continued to gain until I topped out at 245 lbs. I had only a few of the classic symptoms of wheat/gluten intolerance. However, once I began an elimination diet (removing all wheat/gluten sources in my diet for two weeks) it was clear that my body had developed this allergy. I had digestive upset (nausea and diarrhea), swelling of my midsection and extremities usually within 10 minutes of even having just a bite of wheat/gluten.
The emotional loss of wheat was TREMENDOUS. Wheat is in most foods we eat (or foods that are convenient) But probably the most important lesson I learned that first year was that it does matter when the wheat intolerant person “cheats”. It took me a year to realize that it was more costly to “cheat” than it was to “give up” the coveted food. Once I finally totally removed wheat from my diet, my body was able to find balance, and feel good again (for me that meant I lost 75lbs.with out trying)
Missing so many foods, I began to explore the “non wheat” world and discovered cook books and a few products available to meet my desire for baked goods. The foods available were satisfactory, but the texture and taste still demanded the use of a good imagination. Then about four years later, I developed lactose intolerance as well, and gained back 20 lbs. I then had to eliminate all dairy products as well. A few more years went by and I could tell by the slowly creeping pounds and the way my body was acting that once again my body was out of balance and was showing signs of yet another allergy evolving, I was showing pre-diabetic signs, reacting to all the carbohydrates/sugar substitutes in my “diet”. To replace the foods that I had lost I had substituted sugar or high carbohydrate foods. Not only was I addicted to sugar but my children and husband were as well! I had had enough!
As a health professional I was well aware of the growing epidemic of diabetes in our population, and realized with shock that I was paving the path to this disease for my loved ones. We decided then and there as a family that a change was mandatory. We eliminated all the sugars and allowed a very limited amount of vegetable carbohydrates in our diet for two weeks. My husband and I were loosing weight and we all found we had more energy and were not craving food any more. But the biggest surprise came when two of my children and I discovered that we were no longer lactose intolerant! They all declared they wanted to keep doing this.
Well, I believe strongly in balance and eating for life and not following fad diets, and I knew what it meant to “loose a food for life”. So I decided that I needed to find a way to feed my family the things that families want to eat, but reducing and/or eliminating the sugar and high carbs in our meals. Thus began our journey of creating foods that met those needs, Almond Glory food products were created.
Wheat and / or gluten intolerance symptoms can include:
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Inability to gain or loose weight
- Chronic sinus problems
- Snoring
- Rashes
- Eczema
- Often accompanied by diabetes or hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, and infertility
To find out if wheat is an issue for your body, you can do a simple elimination diet for three weeks.
Simply remove ALL wheat sources completely from your diet for three weeks. Keep a food diary, and then carefully monitor your body’s responses as you slowly reenter wheat /and or gluten back into your diet 1-2 times a week.
For more information on testing for wheat intolerance visit: celiac.org.
Foods with Wheat/Gluten
Read labels…..did you know red licorice, many soups and most soy sauces are made with wheat? Wheat is in more things than you realize. When I am out to dinner I ALWAYS ask….I feel like Sally in “When Harry Met Sally”…but it is better to be a pain than being in pain! The wheat intolerant person needs to be fully educated on how to choose food that keeps their body in balance.
The whole low carb craze has helped tremendously; however, many “low carb” products are still made with wheat and are off limits for people like us.
Almond Glory and wheat intolerance:
Almond Glory foods are wheat and gluten free, safe for celiac and wheat intolerant people. Most wheat free products use white rice as its primary ingredient not only is the nutritional value of the food is greatly diminished but rice flour also has a gritty texture. Almond Glory products use whole ground almonds as its primary ingredients creating a food that is nutrient dense with a pleasing texture. One of the most difficult things about a food allergy in the family is that you often need to have two meals prepared, one for the person with food intolerance and one that the rest of the family will enjoy. Almond Glory products are wheat free, soy free, sugar free or very low glycemic levels, and half the carbs…..but most importantly……they taste good for the entire family! See if your family agrees.
For a complete list of foods that contain wheat/gluten visit: celiac.org.