Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

Danna Van Noy (formerly Korn) aka the “Gluten-Free Guru” is an author, speaker, co-founder of Sonic Boom Wellness, and leading authority in the world of living gluten-free. She has written multiple books on the topic, including the previous editions of Living Gluten-Free For Dummies and Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies.

Foreword xvii

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 4

Beyond This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 5

Part 1: Going Gluten-free: Who, What, Why, And How 7

Chapter 1: Gluten-Free from A to Z: The Basics of Being Gluten-Free 9

How the Gluten-Free Lifestyle Saved My Son 10

Understanding What Gluten Is and Where It Is 13

Thinking Wheat Is Good for You? Think Again 14

Discovering the Benefits of a Gluten-Free Lifestyle 15

Beyond the gut: Head-to-toe health benefits 16

Worsening psychiatric symptoms 17

Mastering the Meals 17

Planning and preparing 18

Shopping shrewdly 18

Considering your kitchen 19

Finding your creativity in the kitchen 19

Getting Excited about the Gluten-Free Lifestyle 19

Adapting your perspective on food 20

Loving food is okay 20

Getting out and about 21

Raising kids to love the lifestyle 21

Setting realistic expectations 22

Arming yourself with good information 22

Chapter 2: Going Gluten-Free: Should You Be? 23

Inspecting the Gluten-Sensitivity Spectrum 24

At one end: Allergies 25

Somewhere in the middle: Gluten sensitivity and intolerance 26

Crossing the line: Celiac disease 27

Exposing One of the Most Common Genetic Diseases of Mankind 28

Pinpointing Who Develops Celiac Disease and Why 30

It’s in the genes 31

Triggering celiac disease: What turns it on 32

What it does to the body 32

How your guts are supposed to work 33

How your guts work with celiac disease 33

Scratching the Surface of Dermatitis Herpetiformis 34

Identifying Associated Conditions That Benefit from a GF Diet 36

Connecting Women’s Health and Gluten 38

Focusing on fertility 38

Promoting a healthy pregnancy 39

Reducing the chance that your baby develops celiac disease 40

Chapter 3: Sorting Out Symptoms and Considering Testing 41

Identifying Symptoms That Gluten Doesn’t Sit Well with You 42

Going for the gut: Gastrointestinal symptoms 43

Identifying nongastrointestinal symptoms 44

Spotting symptoms in kids 46

Discovering misdiagnoses and the missed diagnoses 47

The Lowdown on Testing 50

Understanding why being tested is important 51

Recognizing who should be tested 52

Testing for NCGS 53

Explaining the blood tests available today 53

Getting a biopsy 56

Testing in kids 57

Undergoing other tests 58

Considering genetic tests 59

Interpreting your test results 60

You tested positive! Now what? 62

You’re negative for celiac disease — now what? 62

Considering the Risks If You Don’t Give Up Gluten 64

Preventing and improving associated conditions 65

Living with compromised health 67

Healing Begins on Day One 68

Chapter 4: The Evolution of the Gluten-Free Revolution 69

Tracking the Evolution of the Revolution 70

The 1990s 70

The 2000s 71

The downside of awareness 72

Today and beyond 72

Discovering New Treatments and Therapies 73

Removing toxic gluten peptides and regulating their effects 75

Preventing gluten from getting where it shouldn’t 76

Developing vaccines (creating gluten tolerance) 77

Restoring the imbalance of gut microbiota 77

Preventing the Onset of Disease or Intolerance 78

Chapter 5: Connecting Gluten with Autism, Behavior, and Mood 81

Blaming the Bread: How Gluten Affects Behavior 82

Understanding why food affects mood 82

Making the gut-brain connection 83

Considering the Possible Relationship between Autism and Gluten Sensitivity 84

Exploring dietary treatment for autism: gluten-free/ casein-free 85

Explaining the Opioid Excess Theory of Autism 86

Taking a urine test 87

Eyeing More Potential Benefits for Going GFCF 88

Rethinking “reading, writing, and Ritalin” 89

Diminishing depression and other mood disorders 91

Part 2: Eating Gluten-free While Optimizing Nutrition 93

Chapter 6: Grasping the Ground Rules of the Gluten-Free Diet 95

When in Doubt, Leave It Out 96

Defining Gluten So You Can Avoid It 97

Recognizing Gluten-Free Foods at a Glance 98

Forbidden grains 98

Grains and starches you can safely eat 101

Other foods that are usually gluten-free 102

Foods that usually contain gluten 102

Exploring Alternative Grains and Superfoods 103

Amaranth 103

Arrowroot 104

Buckwheat (soba) 104

Mesquite (pinole) 105

Millet 105

Montina (Indian ricegrass) 106

Quinoa (hie) 106

Sorghum (milo, jowar, jowari, cholam) 107

Teff (tef) 107

Checking Up on Questionable Ingredients 108

Knowing which foods to research 108

Putting an end to the controversy over certain foods 109

The Buzz on Booze: Choosing Alcoholic Beverages 110

Booze you can use 110

Step away from the bottle 110

Making Sure Your Medications and Supplements Are Safe 111

Using Nonfood Products: What You Need to Know 112

Makeup matters 113

Lotions and potions 113

Dental products 113

Chapter 7: Making Sure It’s Gluten-Free: Digging a Little Deeper 115

Gluten-Free Ambiguously: Why It Isn’t So Straightforward 116

Loose labeling terminology 116

“Gluten-free” may not mean 100 percent 118

Defining Safe Amounts of Gluten 118

Being aware of contamination risks 119

Looking out for mysterious ingredient sources 120

Testing for Gluten in Foods 120

Deciphering Label Lingo 121

Reading Glutenese: Knowing what to look for 121

Avoiding tempting marketing come-ons 122

Checking with Food Manufacturers 122

Interpreting company responses 123

Getting the most out of your calls to manufacturers 124

Getting product listings from a company 125

Searching for Information: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ludicrous 126

Looking Online, for Better and for Worse 127

Chapter 8: Gluten-Free Nutritiously 129

Taking a Healthful Approach to Gluten-Free Living 130

Simplifying weight management 131

Focusing on nutrient density 133

Trying to gain weight on the gluten-free diet 135

Regulating Blood Sugar 136

The high cost of high insulin 137

Good carbs, bad carbs: Tuning in to the glycemic index and glycemic load 138

Dining with cavemen: The Paleolithic diet 141

Eliminating Dairy As Well As Gluten 142

Comparing caveman-style to low-carb diets 144

Reviewing the more healthful approach 145

Being Healthy, Stealthy, and Wise 146

Avoiding nutritional pitfalls on the gluten-free diet 147

Getting the fiber you need on a gluten-free diet 148

The whole truth (and nothing but) about whole grains 149

Recognizing a Truism: Junk Is Still Junk 150

Gaining an Athletic Advantage by Being Gluten-Free 150

Part 3: Planning and Preparing: The Preludes to Cooking 153

Chapter 9: Creating a Gluten-Free-Friendly Kitchen 155

Sharing the Kitchen with Gluten 156

Avoiding cross-contamination 157

Storing foods separately for convenience 160

Taking Inventory of the Pantry and Fridge 161

Stocking specialty ingredients 161

Having these mixes on hand 163

Considering these specialty premade products 165

Chapter 10: Shopping Is Easier Than You Think 167

Knowing What You Want 168

Planning your meals 168

Making lists 170

Deciding What to Buy 171

Checking out gluten-free specialty products 171

Remembering naturally gluten-free foods 171

Asking for opinions 172

Deciding Where to Shop 173

Regular grocery stores 173

Natural foods or health food stores 174

Farmers’ markets 174

Ethnic markets 174

Gluten-free retail stores 175

Navigating the Aisles 175

Perusing the perimeter 175

Sorting through the health food aisle 176

Living Gluten-Free — Affordably 177

Scaling back on specialties 177

Saving on shipping 178

Going generic 178

Eating nutritiously 179

Eating in 179

Using gluten-free mixes 179

Chapter 11: Cooking: Tips and Techniques 183

Creatively Gluten-Free: Improvising in the Kitchen 184

Adapting any dish to be gluten-free 184

Avoiding cross-contamination when cooking 186

Using standby substitutions 186

Cooking with Wheat Alternatives 189

Incorporating alternative gluten-free grains 190

Thickening with gluten-free starches and flours 191

Cutting out casein, too 192

Trying Your Hand at Gluten-Free Baking 194

Mixing it up with mixes 194

Introducing xanthan gum: The star of the dough 195

Substituting gluten-free flours 195

Making your own gluten-free flour mixtures 196

Baking bread the gluten-free way 198

Part 4: From Menus to Meals: Recipes Galore 201

Chapter 12: Beginning with Breakfast 203

Getting Your Day Off to a Gluten-Free Start 204

Grab ‘n go starters 204

Power-start your gluten-free day with protein 207

Getting Eggcited about Eggs 208

Blending Something Smoothie 211

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Cake: Hot Breakfast Ideas 213

Chapter 13: Appetizers with Attitude 219

Fashioning Finger-Lickin’-Good Finger Foods 220

Digging into Dips and Dippers 225

Going Wild with Wraps 229

Rice rolls 230

Exploring lettuce wraps 231

Chapter 14: Sensational Soups, Salads, and Sides 235

Chowing Down Chowders and Sipping Soups 236

Making Strides with Salads and Sides 240

Serving salads with green, leafy stuff 240

Dressing it up with dressings 241

Finishing off your salad with some fixin’s 245

Getting creative with croutons 246

Move Over, Mashed Potatoes: Considering New Sides 248

Chapter 15: Enticing Entrées 253

Making Poultry with Pizzazz 254

Eating Meat 259

Buying beef 259

Cooking with pork 262

Diving into Seafood 265

Exploring Vegetarian Entrées 269

Chapter 16: Enjoying International Cuisine 275

Making Mexican Gluten-Free 276

Cooking Gluten-Free with an Asian Persuasion 280

Gluten-Free Goes Global 284

Chapter 17: Pizza, Pasta, and Bread: Foods You Thought Were a Thing Taboo 291

Making Pizza with Pizzazz 292

Crust: The pizza foundation 292

Pizza sauces 294

Pizzas beyond cheese and pepperoni 297

No More Pining for Pasta 300

Making Bread 303

Chapter 18: Getting Your Just Desserts 307

Daring to Be Decadent: Gluten-Free Indulgences 308

Making Sweet Stuff to Pack ‘n’ Snack On 312

Being Sensible: Sweets for the Health-Conscious 319

Part 5: Living — and Loving — the Gluten-free Lifestyle 24/7 325

Chapter 19: Getting Out and About: Eating Away from Home 327

Identifying the Golden Rules of Going Out Gluten-Free 328

Don’t expect others to accommodate you 328

Ask what’s for dinner 329

Fill ‘er up before you go 329

BYOF: Bring your own food 329

Bite your tongue when they make a mistake 330

Enjoy the company 330

Dining Out: Restaurant Realities and Rewards 331

Choosing the restaurant 332

Making smart menu choices 336

Talking with the staff: Ask and ye shall receive 336

Having restaurants cook the food you bring 338

Remembering the art of healthy tipping 338

The Incredible, Edible Journey: It’s Travel Time! 340

Researching your destination 340

Sprechen zie gluten? Speaking gluten-free in other countries 341

Choosing gluten-free-friendly accommodations 341

Packing your own provisions 342

Getting there 343

Chapter 20: Raising Happy, Healthy, Gluten-Free Kids 345

Forging through the Feelings 346

“My child’s life is changed forever” 348

“I don’t want my kid to feel different” 348

“Will they turn out okay?” 349

“This is harder for me than it is for them” 350

Focusing on the good stuff 351

Talking to Your Kids about Being Gluten-Free 352

Including the whole family 352

Keeping the discussion upbeat 352

Explaining the new lifestyle 354

Reinforcing the idea that gluten makes your child feel icky 355

Handling your child’s reaction 356

Helping your kids talk to others about the diet 357

Deciding Whether the Whole Family Should Be Gluten-Free 359

The pros 359

The cons 359

Middle ground 360

What about babies? 361

Giving Your Child Control of Their Diet 361

Working together to make good choices 362

Trusting kids when you’re not there 363

Hitting the Road with the Gluten-Free Gang 364

Leaving Your Gluten-Free Kids in the Care of Others 364

Trusting your kids with friends, family, and sitters 365

Sending your children to school 365

Guiding Your Gluten-Free Teens 367

Noticing changing symptoms 367

Understanding why teens may cheat on the diet 367

Helping teens after they move out 368

Chapter 21: Beating the Blues: Overcoming Emotional Obstacles 371

Recognizing Common Emotional Struggles 373

Dealing with sheer shock and panic 375

Being angry and frustrated 375

Coping with grief and despair 376

Feeling loss and deprivation 376

Facing sadness and depression 377

Dealing with Denial 380

When you’re the one in denial 380

When others are in denial 382

Getting Back on Track When You’re Feeling Derailed 383

Regaining control 383

Getting beyond big words with heavy implications 383

Focusing on what you can eat 384

Deflecting the temptation to be annoyed or offended 385

Faking optimism 386

Spreading attitudes — they’re contagious 387

Redefining Who You Are 387

Avoiding Negative Self-Imaging 389

Resisting the Temptation to Cheat 390

Realizing why you want to cheat 390

Assessing the consequences 392

Overcoming the temptation 392

Part 6: the Part of Tens 393

Chapter 22: Ten Benefits of Being Gluten-Free 395

You Know How to Improve Your Health 396

If You Have Problems with Gluten, Your Health Improves Right Away 396

Going Gluten-Free May Help with Autism, ADD, ADHD, and So On 396

If You’re Not Eating Gluten, You’ll Never Develop Celiac Disease 397

You May Decrease the Chances of Developing Autoimmune Diseases 397

You May Be Turning Back the Clock 397

Symptoms of Menopause May Decrease 398

Your Weight Can Be Easier to Manage 398

You’re More Aware of Nutrition 398

Blood-Sugar Levels May Be More Stable 399

Chapter 23: Ten Tips to Help You (or Your Child) Love the Gluten-Free Lifestyle 401

Focus on What You Can Eat 401

Expand Your Culinary Horizons with Adventuresome Alternatives 402

Enjoy Ethnic Fare 402

Control the Diet 402

Eat to Live, Don’t Live to Eat 403

Remember: You’re Different — So What? 403

Go Ahead — Enjoy a (Gluten-Free) Splurge 403

Tune In to the Benefits 404

Turn Away from Temptation 404

Deal with It; Don’t Dwell on It 404

Chapter 24: Ten Lame Excuses Not to Go Gluten-Free 405

I’m Too Fat to Have Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity 405

I Don’t Have the Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease 406

I Don’t Want to Be Deprived of Important Nutrients 406

I Don’t Want to Give Up (Insert Favorite Gluten-Containing Food) 406

My Problem Isn’t with Gluten I Just Don’t Do Well with Pasta and Beer 407

Pizza Makes Me Feel Bad; It Must Be the Dairy or Tomato 407

I Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and My Doc Said Diet Doesn’t Affect It 407

I’m Too Old for the Gluten-Free Diet to Do Any Good 408

I Was Tested for Celiac Disease, and I Was Negative (or I Outgrew It) 408

I Don’t Have the Genes for Celiac Disease 408

Index 409