I hope springtime has found you in good spirits and good health, after a long, cold, gray winter! Spring has definitely sprung here, complete with songbirds, blossoms, luscious green grass, and community gardening! But this post has nothing to do with new life, per se, or the newly accessible abundance of fresh, local fruits and veggies! Nope. This post is about my current
Gluten-free seems to be all the rage these days; gluten sensitivities, gluten intolerance, and celiac disease are cropping up like dandelions! So, what's all the hype?
I first heard of celiac disease while working at a landmark Cajun eatery in the mountains of Banner Elk, NC. The owner's father suffered from the condition, so on nights when he and his wife joined us for dinner, the kitchen crew had to take special care not to include any items containing wheat gluten in his dinner fare. I never questioned it or looked into it, I simply accommodated it, because it was my job.
Two years later, my staunch vegetarian father and his wife abandoned their ethically healthy diet regimen for wild game and fish, in light of my step-mother's recent discovery of her own gluten intolerance. Evidently, the vast majority of soy-based meat replacement products contain gluten. I have yet to find an exception, other than most brands of tofu (I prefer Twin Oaks, because it's worker-owned and operated, local, organic, and not mass-produced).
Still, I was unmoved.
Similar to my raw-foods revelation, one day recently, I was unwittingly inspired to research the possible link between psoriasis/eczema and gluten. To my surprise, there are mounds of forums, articles, and studies related to this topic available online. As you may recall from an earlier post, I have been battling an unnamed skin condition for nearly 16 years, with minor success at alleviating the symptoms with the use of topical ointments, creams, gels, and steroids. But nothing was permanent, except the discomfort.
After having successfully eliminated animal proteins (flesh, eggs, and dairy) from my diet, and eating predominantly raw, wholly organic foods, I was at a loss as to what the root cause might be. There is always a root cause, genetics or not, and environment/diet is usually it.
So, I'm giving gluten a go-go! Within the first wheat-free week, I experienced immediate and dramatic improvement in my skin condition: it went away completely. This includes rashes in and around my ears, and under my eyes. An added benefit, which I later connected to this dietary change, was a noticeable increase in energy and an improved disposition. I also, inadvertently, lost 6 lbs, presumably due to my decreased consumption of bread and pasta...and cookies. :) - we will revisit this a bit later in the post...
A friend of mine, who has celiac disease, confirmed my suspicions that going gluten free was to credit for these many changes. She also suffered anxiety and depression, before being diagnosed, and has since been taken off of her many medications and dismissed from routine therapy. This gave me an idea!
After a successful week of gluten freedom, I suggested an experimental diet for Graham, to address his anxiety, depression, fatigue, and unwanted weight.
According to my family practitioner, it takes approximately 3 months to see the results and/or effects of food allergies in related symptoms incidence. I saw results in a week. But we're sticking it out through June. The next step is to reintroduce wheat gluten at the end of these 3 months, to monitor its effects, if any.
In the meantime, research continues and information abounds. I have since discovered a connection between gluten and behavioral issues in children, ranging from mood swings, anxiety, short attention spans, and temper tantrums, to full-blown ADD/ADHD. There is also a link between gluten and digestive problems, stomach aches, headaches, and abnormal bowel movements, all of which (save the ADD/ADHD and headaches) Emma suffers from! So I think it would be worthwhile to remove gluten from her diet, as well, for the summer (when she's not in school, and I can monitor her diet more closely). Of course, many of these symptoms are also associated with dairy, which she still consumes regularly.
Back to the cookies!
So, today, I invented 2 versions of chocolate chips cookies to satiate my cravings. One is a gluten free, vegan cookie using Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour, which turned out pretty well, but under par. I may have baked them a little too long, because they were slightly dry. They also have a slightly unpleasant aftertaste, reminiscent of lentils. While the second batch was baking, I tweaked the recipe and made what I deem a pretty darn good cookie! This time, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oat Flour, with much success. However, this recipe yielded what can only fairly be called a Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Flax Cookie. Say THAT ten times fast! Go here to try it! Bob's Red Mill actually makes a pretty diverse and complete line of gluten free products, so check out their site, if you're interested,
