If you are a regular reader of my blog you know I don’t follow a strict gluten free diet, but I do like to be aware of the challenges those face when eating gluten free. I feel like it’s part of my job as a Dietitian to fully understand restricted diets; that’s why I have experimented with both gluten free living and vegan living.
I am blessed to not have any medical issues or food intolerances that require me to eat gluten free. I do appreciate finding and creating recipes that accommodate special diets and personally that is why I like to experiment. The only way for me to truly “get it” is to practice living that lifestyle. For me it doesn’t have to be all the time, but it wasn’t until I immersed myself in those special diets myself, that I became more knowledgeable as a Dietitian and wellness coach.
I used to live across the street from a family who had to eat gluten free due to their children’s intolerances to gluten. Once we became friends it gave me the push to try new products that I wouldn’t otherwise bother with. For my daughter’s 3rd birthday we even threw a gluten free cooking party so that those little girls would feel included. The kids decorated their own gluten free pizzas, along with gluten free sugar cookies and cupcakes. It was the first time that I had purposely made everything gluten free and no one suspected a thing. I was thrilled that all the kids were able to eat the same foods and enjoy them!
There is a wide range of people that eat gluten free. In extreme cases, like celiac disease, the tiniest morsel of gluten will trigger debilitating gastrointestinal discomfort and in other cases such as gluten intolerance people have symptoms similar to celiac disease without the intestinal damage. Then there are others that simply want to try the diet for other medical conditions from headaches, to autoimmune diseases. I feel for those people that have to be restrictive, but the more I know about how to follow the diet successfully the better Dietitian I will be.
If you are concerned that you might have an intolerance, make an appointment with your Doctor. If you just want to be better at accommodating other gluten free loved ones in your life, then read those label, try new products and a variety of gluten free recipes. Grocery stores and restaurants have come such a long way and now offer so many gluten free options. That makes me a happy Dietitian.
Learn more about living gluten free! Visit http://udisglutenfree.com/community
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Udi’s Gluten Free. The opinions and text are all mine.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Easy Vegetable Soup
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Baked Chicken Tacos
I love that these days kids can grow up building gluten-free pizzas and eating gluten-free breads, so their palates can adapt to that as opposed to the processed white enriched garbage in the world. Now don’t get me wrong, some gluten-free products are straight up crap, however, I feel like those who are truly gluten-free know the difference between crap & actually healthy, thus won’t feed their children the not so good for you gluten-free foods!
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oh friend, you know i can relate! so glad you share this and that your kids can enjoy gluten free with the help of your cooking. Takes a while to figure out what is the best tasting and nourishing but worth it!
lindsay recently posted..Gluten Free Talk- Health, Wellness, and Fitness.