hrrmmm

[rm]

I can't believe how good I feel. A few days will tell, but I've doubled my fat intake, cut wheat entirely for 48 hours, and this is starting to look like the solution.

Also, as utterly, utterly weird as the massage thing was for me (I'm funny about human contact), honestly, I think I need to do this on a regular basis. I'm seriously funny about all things tactile -- my food issues with texture, human touch, the fact that my imagination and sixth sense stuff is largely tactile in origin -- but I think I'm starting to get that just because I'm deeply deeply peculiar about it, and just because it maybe doesn't benefit me in the way it does someone who is different tactilely, doesn't mean there isn't significant benefit -- and not in dragging me towards some non-existant norm, but in making sure the sense I'm most particular about gets a broader range of exercise. It's hard to explain. But I'm funny about touch, and if you know me, you know that.

And while Lost jumped the shark tonight (because I'm a big sap, but only some people can do romance, and those people are not the lost team), my favorite character was back and I could listen to him say, "Hello, brother," all day.

Comments

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

wow! I hope you've found the solution, and that it keeps working out for you.

[miep.livejournal.com]

there are so many wheat-free and gluten-free foods out there now, I think you could live quite comfortably, as long as there is lactaid and cheese!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Well except eating out being almost impossible, being Italian and not being able to eat anything I grew up with, and being unable to consume Japanese food I didn't prepare myself.

But sure, I'll take it over the other options.

in some ways

[miep.livejournal.com]

it will really depend on the severity of your allergy or your degree of celiac. also, if it is actually a wheat allergy or intolerance as opposed to celiac, it can respond really well to temporary measures and abate after a while, allowing you to add foods back in. a good friend of mine from college was off wheat as such for a couple years, but still eating spelt and kamut, and after that time, went back to eating wheat with no ill effects.

I would think that in a city like new york, there would be a certain amount of familiarity with food allergies and a willingness to compensate in preparation of dishes.

in some ways

[miep.livejournal.com]

also, I have a friend with celiac disease who has educated herself pretty thoroughly about it, with whom I could put you in contact.

[rdc-referent.livejournal.com]

Oh, you don't have to stay away from Italian or Japanese restaurants :).

I wholeheartedly, highly, enthusiastically, smilingly, etc. recommend that you check out Risotteria on Bleecker and Morton. They serve gluten-free pizzas, breadsticks, meatballs, pasta, and all manner of desserts (the key lime pie is to die for).

There are a few other places in town but R. is my favorite. There's also a diner on the UES (1st and 84th or so), "Peter's Famous Diner" or something like that. Almost everything on the menu is available regular or gluten-free. My aunt sent me a newspaper article profiling the various g/f places in town. I can get you some other names when I go home tonight.

Japanese (well, sushi/sashimi anyway) isn't much of an issue either, believe it or not. Just bring a bottle of La Choi or some other g/f soy sauce with you. If your server can speak English well you can also ask about g/f soy sauce. You'd be surprised how many places keep that wheat/gluten-free Tamari stuff in the back.

If you have any questions or issues or whatever stemming from staying g/f feel free to email me or find me on AIM. I've been at it for 8 years now and know how tough it can be to make the transition.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I picked up the soy sauce today, and it didn't taste bad, so that's a relief. I figure if I can keep this up for another week and the one remaining pesky symptom of whatever has been ailing me abates, this is it and this is what I need to do.

[rdc-referent.livejournal.com]

I don't remember what Kikkoman tastes like but I don't mind La Choi or the other g/f stuff. Most gluten-free bread has awful texture but otherwise almost anything you find is decent if not great.

[raaven.livejournal.com]

A few things to note if it *is* celiac (wheat/rye/barley), rather than specifically a wheat-allergy:

-Barley shows up in a lot of strange places. Canned chicken broth often has barley (aka "natural flavors") in it. So, any place that uses canned chicken broth can be problematic. Corn flakes, rice crispies, etc, almost all have barley in them. Also, anything that says it's malted. Malted is short-hand for malted barley. Malting as a process leaves the gluten intact (whereas distillation does not. Distilled whiskey is safe, beer is not).
-The mold in blue-mold cheese is typically fed by injections of wheat bread goop.
-Maltodextrin is in WAAAY too many things, and is often derived from wheat (it can also be derived from corn, though, so some of it is safe. Usually, if made from corn, it will say so).
-Modified Food Starch is teh EEEEVIL. Also in way too many things (BBQ sauce, many ice creams, many fat-free dairy and other products).

Labeling is getting a lot better these days, thanks to a bill that was passed a year or more ago, so often, items will tell you "processed in a plant that also processes wheat". This means it is more than likely contaminated (think flour and lots of movement, and how it gets everywhere). Ditto with bakeries and other places that make both gluteny and gluten-free stuff, though of course YMMV (and I definitely plan on checking out the pizza place mentioned above).

Chinese markets have lots of different non-wheat noodles (and often, flours). Be sure to check the ingredients list though; I've seen "rice noodles" that list wheat as an ingredient too. Ditto with restaurants that offer things like that.(FYI: tapioca noodles are useless as noodles, but they make a fine sauce or soup thickener - I even make cream soups using them instead of dairy).

Trader Joe's carries a very decent line of organic brown rice pastas.

A Taste of Thai (which can be found in a lot of regular supermarkets) has a bunch of quick-cook (ramenish) stuff that is gluten-free. Yummy, too.

If I think of anything else, I'll post it. You can email me if you have any particular questions.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I've been living on A Taste of Thai products, and the fact that they have a high oil content, but no gluten (as does avocado sushi) made me try this angle on the whole thing.

ONe of the things that deeply concerns me if this is a wheat or celiac problem is that my body is very sensitive to brown rice, and it tends to make me really sick, which I feel like rules out everything.

[raaven.livejournal.com]

I can REALLY appreciate the feeling. I'll say, though, that most gluten-free products I find made with rice, *aren't* made with *brown* rice. Just rice. Brown rice, ridiculously, is usually more expensive.

Also, in terms of pasta: Quinoa/corn combos abound, and there's a very good pasta made from lentils (Papadini, I think the brand is). They're not as easy to find as the rice options, but worth the effort even if only for the variety.

Bread is kind of a lost cause, aside from making my own, which is just too much a pain for me to bother. I usually use corn tortillas instead.

There's a bakery here in Philly that specializes in only gluten-free items, and I go there when I'm really dying for a particular thing (they're good, but a bit pricey). I can also recommend mixes from Bob's Red Mill and 123 Gluten Free (again, a bit pricey, 'cause it's a specialty market). Pamela's makes a decent shortbread cookie.

I'm working on collecting a bunch of gluten free website links. I'll be sticking them on my del.icio.us account (where my user name is the same as here, if you'd like to peruse them periodically.

[rdc-referent.livejournal.com]

Yep on the brown v. white rice thing. Tinkyada is my favorite brand of g-f pasta from the store although BiAglut is my favorite all-around brand (their bread is the closest to normal bread, IMO).

I think the WholeFoods brand g-f bread is pretty good when toasted. Glutino bagels are pretty amazing as well, when warmed.