The Dangers of Wheat :The Dangers of Wheat Millions are at risk and don’t know it … ARE YOU?


Gluten-Free Made Easy :Gluten-Free Made Easy Why eliminating gluten-filled grains from your diet can transform your health Gluten-free, newest buzz word Gluten sensitivity appears as skin conditions and stomach sensitivites


Sensitivity to Gluten :Sensitivity to Gluten Gluten is a sticky protein found primarily in: wheat rye barley oats and hidden in a surprisingly wide variety of processed and prepared foods


Gluten-Sensitive vs. Celiac Disease :Gluten-Sensitive vs. Celiac Disease The differences: Gluten-sensitive means scaling back on gluten-containing products Celiac disease is a hereditary autoimmune disease with no known cure except for avoid all gluten


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives Potato Starch Flour This is a gluten-free thickening agent that is perfect for cream-based soups and sauces. Mix a little with water first, then substitute potato starch flour for flour in your recipe, but cut the amount in half. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Tapioca Flour This is a light, white, very smooth flour that comes from the cassava root. It makes baked goods impart a nice chewy taste. Use it in recipes where a chewy texture would be desirable. It would work nicely in bread recipes such as white bread or French bread. It is also easily combined with cornstarch and soy flour. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Soy Flour This nutty tasting flour has a high protein and fat content. It is best when used in combination with other flours and for baking brownies, or any baked goods with nuts or fruit. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Cornstarch This is a refined starch that comes from corn. It is mostly used as a clear thickening agent for puddings, fruit sauces and Asian cooking. It is also used in combination with other flours for baking. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Corn Flour This flour is milled from corn and can be blended with cornmeal to make cornbread or muffins. It is excellent for waffles or pancakes. It can be purchased in a health food store. Cornmeal This is ground corn that comes from either yellow or white meal. This is often combined with flours for baking. It imparts a strong corn flavor that is delicious in pancakes, waffles, or simple white cakes. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) White Rice Flour This is an excellent basic flour for gluten-free baking. It is milled from polished white rice. Because it has such a bland flavor, it is perfect for baking, as it doesn't impart any flavors. It works well with other flours. White rice flour is available in most health food stores, but also in Asian markets. At the Asian markets it is sold in different textures. The one that works the best is called fine textured white rice flour.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Brown Rice Flour This flour comes from unpolished brown rice. It has more food value because it contains bran. Use it in breads, muffins, and cookies. It can be purchased in a health food store.


Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) :Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives (cont’d) Kamut and Spelt Flours These are ancient forms of wheat. While they aren't appropriate for gluten-free diets, they are excellent substitutes for plain wheat flour as they add wonderful flavor and consistency.


Substituting Gluten :Substituting Gluten Wheat flour contains gluten, which keeps cookies, cakes and pies from getting crumbly and falling apart. It is what makes baked goods have a good texture because it traps pockets of air. This creates a lovely airy quality that most baked goods possess when baked with traditional wheat flour. In order to help retain this structure when using non-wheat flours, gluten substitutes must be added to a gluten-free flour mixture. For each cup of gluten-free flour mix, add at least 1 teaspoon of gluten substitute. Here are three very good substitutes for gluten.


Substituting Gluten (cont’d) :Substituting Gluten (cont’d) Xanthum Gum This comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. It is formulated in a laboratory setting. This works well as a gluten substitution in yeast breads along with other baked goods. You can purchase it in health food stores. Guar Gum This is a powder that comes from the seed of the plant Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is an excellent gluten substitute and it is available in health food stores. Pre-gel Starch This is an acceptable gluten substitute. It helps keep baked goods from being too crumbly. This, too can be purchased at most health food stores.


Substitution is the Solution :Substitution is the Solution If you are ready to try some recipes, start with recipes that use relatively small amounts of wheat flour like brownies or pancakes. These turn out lovely and the difference in taste is minimal. Here are two gluten-free flour mixtures that are suitable for substituting wheat flour cup for cup. Gluten-Free Flour Mixture I 1/4 cup soy flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup brown rice flour Gluten-Free Flour Mixture II 6 cups white rice flour 2 cups potato starch 1 cup tapioca flour The above mixtures can be doubled or tripled. Another option is to purchase a gluten-free flour mixture at a health food store to avoid the guesswork involved in substitutions. This flour mixture can usually substitute wheat flour cup for cup, but read the package directions to be sure. Keep these flour mixtures stored in containers at room temperature and keep them on hand to simplify your baking routine.


Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! :Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! Pumpkin Custard with a Kick!


Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! (cont’d) :Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! (cont’d) Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes


Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! (cont’d) :Gluten Free CAN Be Fun! (cont’d) Blueberry Salad


The Effects of Gluten and Wheat Intolerance :The Effects of Gluten and Wheat Intolerance Gluten is found in wheat, rye, oats and barley. It is a sticky substance with a consistency like glue. It is difficult to digest. In some people this can have a disruptive effect on the digestive system, producing toxins, gas and bloating. Wheat is the most common form of grain intolerance. Wheat contains more gluten than other grains and is also extremely processed due to the large amounts produced. Some people may be only sensitive to wheat. A wheat or gluten intolerance can be difficult to diagnose. As it is such a common food the body adapts to coping with it, hiding the intolerance. Some of the symptoms which a wheat or gluten intolerance produces are: aches and stiffness, depression and mood swings, anxiety, asthma, fatigue/tiredness, sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, nausea, bloating, stomach cramps, sweating, sore/itchy throat, skin rashes, swollen stomach. Diagnosis can be difficult.


The Effects of Gluten and Wheat Intolerance (cont’d) :The Effects of Gluten and Wheat Intolerance (cont’d) Excluding wheat or gluten from the diet to see if there is any improvement in health is the most effective way to diagnose an intolerance. The food item can be reintroduced after a few weeks to observe any reaction. Gluten free grains include rice, corn, quinoa, millet and buckwheat. Spelt is an ancient strain of wheat that is often better tolerated than the modern varieties grown today. It is estimated that there are between 6 – 15 million people who suffer from wheat intolerance in Britain (Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin, The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance). Gluten intolerance is different to the condition known as Coeliac’s disease (see below).


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity Gluten Intolerance May be an Unsuspected Cause of Migraines


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) Dangers of Untreated Gluten Sensitivity The list of neurological symptoms linked to gluten sensitivity is long and includes ataxia (balance and gait disorders), seizures, and development of brain lesions and calcifications as well as migraines. Delay in diagnosis and treatment increases the risks of serious harm to the brain and nervous system


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) Research Uncovers the Gluten Connection The relationship between gluten sensitivity and migraines is lying too often unnoticed in medical journals and press releases. In one study, neurologist Marios Hadjivassiliou described a middle aged man whose migraines began in childhood and did not respond to treatment. His migraines stopped completely after he was diagnosed with celiac disease and switched to a gluten free diet (American Academy of Neurology, Feb 14, 2001). For many, migraines may be the main symptom of gluten sensitivity. Researchers Gabrielli and colleagues in Italy found that blood donors with migraines were more likely to have celiac disease than those who were healthy. The researchers concluded, "Our results suggest that a significant proportion of patients with migraines may have CD, and that a gluten free diet may lead to improvement in the migraine in these patients."


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) Gluten Sensitivity Overlooked as Migraine Trigger Vikki Petersen, D.C.,C.C.N., is the co-founder and co-director of HealthNOW, a medical clinic in Sunnyvale, California. The clinic has a strong foucus on identifying and treating gluten sensitivity. With her husband, Rick, also a doctor at HealthNOW, Petersen is co-author of "The Gluten Effect" due to be released on February 13th. She also writes for the clinic's blog, The Gluten Doctors. Petersen notes that many physicians lack awareness of the wide range of symptoms gluten sensitivity can trigger. She states,"That's the insidious, hidden aspect of gluten sensitivity which has contributed to its misdiagnosis - the medical profession is locked into the idea that without intestinal damage of a severe nature gluten sensitivity/celiac is not possible."


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) Dangers of Untreated Gluten Sensitivity The list of neurological symptoms linked to gluten sensitivity is long and includes ataxia (balance and gait disorders), seizures, and development of brain lesions and calcifications as well as migraines. Delay in diagnosis and treatment increases the risks of serious harm to the brain and nervous system. Tests for Gluten Sensitivity Tests for antibodies are important indicators of gluten sensitivity. Some tests look for signs of genetic markers which are linked to gluten intolerance. Other tests may include intestinal biopsy or stool tests to identify bacterial infections or antibodies.


Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) :Migraines and Gluten Sensitivity (cont’d) Tests Results May Be Misleading Test results may be normal in someone who has gluten sensitivity. According to Petersen, "Our biggest challenge is not the positive test but rather the false negative due to lack of sensitivity." When tests are normal and sensitivity is suspected, a trial gluten free diet may be recommended. Signs of Gluten Sensitivity A number of symptoms may alert a physician or person with migraines to suspect gluten sensitivity as a trigger. According to Dr. Petersen, "Having migraines is a 'red flag.' Also, a craving for gluten and starchy foods is another. Patients who have no problem with gluten typically can 'take it or leave it' in their diet. It's the patients who feel they 'can't live without it' that definitely should check for a sensitivity."