Gluten-free eating: Is it right for you? By T. S. Chamberland Feature Writer/Photographer Un less you absta i n f rom social media and the news, you’re hea r ing t he words g lut en f r e e a lot l at el y. Many folks are increasingly associating those words with a healthier diet, or weight loss, but what exactly does gluten free mean? And more importantly, is it right for you? The Mayo Clinic’s Web site defines a gluten-free diet as “a diet that excludes gluten protein.” But just what foods contain gluten protein? And what reasons would a person have for making the change from a regular diet to a glutenfree diet? The reasons are varied, but some of the most common symptoms associated with bot h Celiac disease -- a n autoimmune disorder of the small intestines -- and gluten i ntolera nce a re bloat i ng, ga s, c r a mpi ng , i r reg u la r bowel movement s, a nd general fatigue. Just because you might be experiencing some of these ailments, you might want to hold off on taking gluten out of your diet without first consulting with a medical practitioner. M i a C ou r t e m a n c h e , R D (registered dietician), for St.
Mary’s Weight Management a n d We l l n e s s P r o g r a m , caut ions a nyone who suspects that they may have a digestive issue related to gluten to seek medical advice before removing gluten from their diet. “A lot of times people will self diagnose then see a doctor, and the doctor will tell them to start eating gluten again so they can do the test,” said Courtemanche. Lea rning which foods conta i n g luten protei n i s a bit m or e i n v ol v e d . Gluten is found in wheat, r ye, ba rley, ka mut, spelt, tef f, a nd couscous : t h in k breads, pastas, processed food s, a nd ba ked good s. Ma ny g luten-f ree for ums, as well as medical web sites a lso suggest avoiding soy products as they have been thought to sometimes trigger inflammation of the digestive system i n t hose who a re allergic or intolerant of gluten. “Gluten is in anything made from wheat, rye, and barley. Oat is usually included in this list because they are usually made in the same processing plant and a lot of times they a re c ros s-c ont a m i n ate d ; unless they specifically say they are gluten free,” said Courtemanche.
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Lau ren Breau, a n L . Ac (licensed acupuncturist) in Portland, cautions that while these symptoms may not seem overly serious, if the reason behind a person’s digestive issues is Celiac or even gluten i ntoler a nc e, profe s siona l advice and diagnosis should be sought. The "danger" of consuming gluten if you are gluten-intolerant or allergic is that the finger-like projections in the small intestines called villi become inflamed and can erode over prolonged periods of exposure to the irritant. “The villi in the small intestine are essential in (the body) getting nutrition from foods,” said Breau, who also provides her patients with nutritional counseling from a Chinese perspective. After diagnosis, Courtemanche says gluten intolerance and Celiac are treated with diet. To make t h is t ra nsit ion successf u l she recom mends seeing a dietician to develop a diet or strategies for a personalized gluten-free approach to eating. “A lot of our society is based in fast food, processed foods, or prepackaged foods a nd a g luten-f ree d iet is a lot healthier in that you have to eat more natural,” explained Courtemanche. “If you’re not used to cooking things from scratch, it’s a huge change. You can no longer just pop something in the microwave and be good to go. You’ve really got to explore if you’re going to eat anything prepackaged.” After years of suffering with
Gluten-Free Bacon-Wrapped Pork Medallions digestive issues ranging from discomfort to pain, Andrea Breau, of Winthrop, said she was first given a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and encouraged to add fiber to her diet. When that failed to decrease symptoms, and it was clear she was also not lactose intolerant, she finally sought a physician who was also a naturopathic doctor. A f ter blood test s for C el iac d i se a se c a me back negat ive, t he doctor sug gested she st i l l t r y a gluten-free diet for a month. “It’s hard to describe how consta nt d igest ive issues i nter fere w it h ever y pa r t of your life. Whether it was spor ts i n h ig h school, or sitting in class after lunch in college and my stomach was so loud – embarrassingly loud -- that the teacher would stop and ask if I was speaking,” explained Andrea, Lauren’s sister. “I was sort of at my wit’s end and willing to try anything.” With her d o c t or ’s encou ragement, A nd rea bega n eliminat ing glutenladen products from her diet. This is a task that can vary in difficulty based on how each person ate previously. So much
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Look for gluten-free products at your local grocery or natural food store. Locally, gluten-free products can be purchased at Shaw's, Hannafords, and Axis Natural Food stores.
Gluten-free Brownie Bites w i t h S t r a w b e r r i e s a n d Gluten-free Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies with Salted Whipped Cream of what we consume contains some for m of g luten, a nd finding alternatives requires research. There are, however, far more options now than a decade ago, said Lauren. “You can’t do it overnight, you have to be patient and you have to be creative,” advised Lauren. “It’s quite a transition since most people have some sort of baked goods like bread as part of their diet. You have to learn how to read labels.”
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Andrea said that one of the factors that made her switch to gluten free easier was the fact that her partner’s family is from India and much of their diet consists of ricebased dishes. “I started in June of 2008 or 2009 -- I swear that in two
Gluten-free
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