mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My oldest girl has been having stomach issues almost every time she eats some kind of bread, pasta, oats, or rice. This is a chunk of our diet! Especially since we can't just "up" the food budget. I'm guessing she is having some kind of sensitivity or allergy (she has plant allergies and was my vax reactive child, if any of that matters). What do I need to look for when shopping (and no, I won't be buying $6 per lb pasta)? What other things should I possibly avoid when shopping for her (since some meals, I'll have to fix hers separate from ours). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I don't know if you want to try just gluten-free or go completely grain-free. Know that all meats and vegetables and fruits are gluten-free. The problem you run into with any of these is usually the sauce that's put on them. You can replace the starch you normally get with grains by eating potatoes. The problem is that if you want pasta or anything bread-like, you're going to have to go with gluten-free because there isn't anything that I know of that you can use for these that is grain-free. You're going to have to check the labels of every sauce you have. In fact, anything that has been processed has a possibility of having gluten. You have to read the labels to make sure they don't unless they specifically say that they are gluten-free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtrmlnlabs Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Ugh, we're just starting on this gluten free venture so can't say much, but I noticed you said she's reacting even to rice. So far all the gf stuff I've gotten has rice flour to substitute for the regular flour. Just thought I'd mention is so that if you are looking at gf you'll need to also look that it's not rice if that's an issue too! Good luck. $$ is a big issue, I'm planning to be making my own pasta and bread and everything if it turns out that this makes things better... though haven't done the calculating yet to see just how much that may save :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I recently made chicken Marsala and chicken francaise with coconut flour and served it on cauliflower instead of rice. It was really good. The easiest way, for me, to cut gluten and then all grains was to just serve basic food. Meat, veggies, fruits. After a while I was willing to experiment which is how I found out that coconut flour worked for our 2 favorite meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Don't try to replace the lost foods, just eat something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The first thing I'd do is double check on the rice. That's pretty unusual (though certainly not unheard of). Stomach issues are my reaction to gluten, and I know I can react for 36 hours post-exposure. (Basically, if I eat any heavy meal during that time, my stomach is not happy.) It's possible that the rice is not a problem, but you'd have to have her avoid gluten for a few days then eat rice to see what happens. Yeah, it's definitely more expensive than the standard gluten-containing diet :( That's just a fact. Wheat and oat products are cheap and filling. As someone mentioned above, potatoes of all kinds are a good, cheap substitute. Alternate bread products can be done, but those flours are pricy too, and as someone else mentioned, rice is usually the base flour because it's the cheapest. I think you need to make a determination on the rice before you can go much further. If rice really is a problem, that narrows your field even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran5 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 There is no gluten in rice. Now you didn't mention if it was just white rice, or packaged rice "sides". You said stomach, but also didn't elaborate. My daughter gets "stomach migraines" and sometimes even water will cause her discomfort and cause reflux and vomiting. If it is the other end, maybe she is not getting enough fiber. Or, maybe she is getting too much for her system. One of the best ways to find the culpret is to eliminate all grains and gradually reintroduce them. Like we all had to do when they were babies. Unfortunately, the majority of dietary problems can be linked to all the preservatives, hormones, and genetic alterations that are used in foods today. I completely understand the money issue! I have 3 children and sometimes even that is a struggle. POTATOES! is she ok with potatoes? You may just have to fix her something completely different. If you can't figure it out that way, you will have to take her to a specialist. Either pediatric GI or Allergist. But, then the testing is QUITE expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'm wondering if the rice might be due to some seasoning...it was stuffed grape leaves. But when I think of the ingredients, they are very basic (meat, rice, pepper, onion...I think that is about it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'm wondering if the rice might be due to some seasoning...it was stuffed grape leaves. But when I think of the ingredients, they are very basic (meat, rice, pepper, onion...I think that is about it). Did you make them yourself? If not, there could have been anything in there. And if that was the only instance of rice being a problem, I wouldn't automatically rule out rice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Did you make them yourself? If not, there could have been anything in there. And if that was the only instance of rice being a problem, I wouldn't automatically rule out rice. No. However, she just said that she is bothered when we have rice for breakfast (rice, butter, sugar) and she can only stand having a few pieces of sushi rolls. She had lo mein Sunday (gluten/grain/sauce) and started getting cramps from that. Fortunately, she was with friends and my friend recognised it as a possible grain/gluten reaction...that is what got us thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My dd has multiple food allergies and we just stick to basic foods like meat, veggies and fruits. She is allergic to rice so it is possible and becoming more common. She also is allergic to corn, nuts, wheat, eggs, red pepper and some other things. It can be expensive to buy replacement grains so we do without most of the time, plus she generally doesn't like the replacements anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran5 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Another note: if you are going to try her on a gluten free diet...It is usually labeled Gluten free if it REALLY is. Anything that contains "caramel coloring", drinks, sauces, etc. should be avoided. It can be made from a byproduct of wheat. Also when you are cooking, if you are making her something gluten free but not the rest of the family, you have to use seperate utensils, pots, oils..... Gluten intolerance, sensitivities, and Celiac Disease are a huge change for the entire cooking process. I was diagnosed at 17 with CD and it was impossible to find anything GF at a regular grocery store. Thankfully, my first pregnancy rewired my system and I have no problems with gluten. I do have bouts with low motility. Which causes nausea and cramping. But, that has also gotten better now that I no longer cycle. Crazy hormones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Another note: if you are going to try her on a gluten free diet...It is usually labeled Gluten free if it REALLY is. Anything that contains "caramel coloring", drinks, sauces, etc. should be avoided. It can be made from a byproduct of wheat.Also when you are cooking, if you are making her something gluten free but not the rest of the family, you have to use seperate utensils, pots, oils..... Gluten intolerance, sensitivities, and Celiac Disease are a huge change for the entire cooking process. I was diagnosed at 17 with CD and it was impossible to find anything GF at a regular grocery store. Thankfully, my first pregnancy rewired my system and I have no problems with gluten. I do have bouts with low motility. Which causes nausea and cramping. But, that has also gotten better now that I no longer cycle. Crazy hormones! Can they test for celiac disease? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Can they test for celiac disease? They can do a blood test but it isn't very accurate from what I understand. I think the next step is an endoscopy. If it's an intolerance rather than celiac, the tests will be negative (although you can have celiac while having negative tests is another thing I have read online, even if it isn't common). You could also have an allergy test done to see if it's an allergy to wheat or whatnot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Can they test for celiac disease? They can test for celiac, but it's difficult, and from what I understand, you can't remove the gluten before the test. Since she's reacting to rice as well, and has plant allergies, you might want to go ahead and get her tested for as many grains as possible. Just remember, you can trust the positives, but you can NOT trust the negatives on allergy tests! (Straight from the mouth of the allergist here. I have friends who test neg. for latex, but have severe reactions when they come into contact w/ any latex) As others have said, just stick to natural foods (after testing if you go that route) and use potatoes, and beans for starches if you need to. :grouphug: It's hard. We just went gluten free for my dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 They can do a blood test but it isn't very accurate from what I understand. I think the next step is an endoscopy. If it's an intolerance rather than celiac, the tests will be negative (although you can have celiac while having negative tests is another thing I have read online, even if it isn't common). You could also have an allergy test done to see if it's an allergy to wheat or whatnot. :iagree: I've had the blood test for celiac, and it was negative. However, my body still reacts in a measurable way when I've been eating gluten. I don't think I have celiac disease, but I'm positive I have an intolerance. I'm sorry your daughter is having trouble :( It's a hard adjustment to make, physically, financially, and home management-wise :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) You can find foods that you can prepare that don't contain gluten costing you no more than you pay now. However replacing certain food items without the gluten can cost a bit more but it pays for itself in health. The pasta we use now is Corn Pasta and it's usually on sale for $1.99/1lb...which is a GREAT price!! We purchase all our flours and starches online through vitacost.com as well as our tahini paste that I use to make hummus. We use coconut oil that I can get at Walmart (Not the Louana brand though..it's Spectrum brand).... Just watch the labels. No carmel coloring. So drop the dark soda's, maple syrup, bbq sauce, soy sauces, and similar. They have other options for those that are gluten free. Check out celiacs.org for a list of UNSAFE ingredietns and SAFE ingredients list. Print them out and tuck them into your purse! I have the links if you need them. I'm in the middle of multi-tasking...reading a science lesson and typing....otherwise I'd toss the links up right now. BBL to put in links if needed. Here are the links! http://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html http://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Safe-Ingredients/Page1.html Edited January 17, 2012 by mamaofblessings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 You can find foods that you can prepare that don't contain gluten costing you no more than you pay now. :bigear: Can you give me some ideas? (Other than beans, that is--I can't seem to tolerate those either, no matter what I try :001_huh:) This is one of the things I struggle with the most, keeping our grocery bill down. We tend to rely heavily on veggies and meats, and that has our bill up higher than I'd care to have it. And thanks for the links, even though I'm not the OP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 She has a doctor's appt coming up. I'm going to definitely bring this up at the appt. We were going to, since she's now a teen, start selectively vaxing her one thing at a time with only the few that are considered "top priority". I think with this, we will forego that. Our doctors are awesome with this though...out of the whole group, there are only two I won't see (because they refuse to look at patient history) and the rest are great...the two we mainly see go to church with us also, so they KNOW my kids and KNOW their lifestyle, history, family structure, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We are gluten/dairy/soy free and grain lite here it is a challenge to the budget for sure. Are you wanting to change the whole diet or just for her? I do grains some for the family but don't usually partake for myself gluten is a tummy reaction and grains = complete insomnia. For myself for example if I serve spaghetti w/ noodles I serve mine over sauteed veggies- or like last night I serve everyone's over spaghetti squash. I do lots of eggs for b-fast- potatoes and fruit for the starches sometimes and grainfree muffin/pancakes a few times a week(I use coconut or almond flour- coconut flour stretches really well you only use a bit). You could make some batches ahead and just thaw out in time when the rest of you eat something else. check out : http://www.celiac.com for what to avoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 You can find foods that you can prepare that don't contain gluten costing you no more than you pay now. However replacing certain food items without the gluten can cost a bit more but it pays for itself in health. The pasta we use now is Corn Pasta and it's usually on sale for $1.99/1lb...which is a GREAT price!! We purchase all our flours and starches online through vitacost.com as well as our tahini paste that I use to make hummus. We use coconut oil that I can get at Walmart (Not the Louana brand though..it's Spectrum brand).... Just watch the labels. No carmel coloring. So drop the dark soda's, maple syrup, bbq sauce, soy sauces, and similar. They have other options for those that are gluten free. Check out celiacs.org for a list of UNSAFE ingredietns and SAFE ingredients list. Print them out and tuck them into your purse! I have the links if you need them. I'm in the middle of multi-tasking...reading a science lesson and typing....otherwise I'd toss the links up right now. BBL to put in links if needed. Here are the links! http://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html http://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Safe-Ingredients/Page1.html Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 btw if you have a Trader Joe's their rice pasta is $2 lb- you'd have to make sure to cook it separately and it isn't as cheap as wheat but if you just serve it for her it might not be too much of an increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Diagnosed celiac here and I limit all my grain intake not just gluten-containing grains. I would not say I have a rice allergy, and rice allergy is very uncommon but I know that if I eat much rice, even whitest white rice, it goes right through me with some discomfort. I figure this may be due to years of undiagnosed damage though. The Specific Carb Diet, or low-FODMAPS diets are easier on the guts for some of us. They limit certain kinds of starches that are hard for us to digest. Onions for example can be very uncomfortable eating, delicious though they may be. I use a quarter to a half of the onions called for in a recipe. I want a little for flavor but too much is hard on me. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204554204577023880581820726.html Some good gluten-mythbusting here about starch, caramel coloring, etc: http://delightglutenfree.com/glutenfreemyths edit: Want to mention I do ok with rice spring roll wrappers and rice noodles just not every day. I think it may be because they are really processed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have you considered IBS? I would definitely keep celiac or general grain intolerance in mind but I also wonder about IBS. Any other symptoms that could be something like Chron's? That can have an onset in teens but I think you'd be seeing other symptoms. Those are two things you could ask your physician about if you are going to pursue any additional testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Go organic so you're GMO free. Try (Gluten Free) Oat groats ground into flour for Crepes. They're incredible!! You can also use Oat flour for some types of bread. Seriously, although your budget can't go up, you probably don't want her to just suffer along. From what we've looked at, much of the problem is GMO food :( I was also just talking with someone about the NAET stuff. Interesting.... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm wondering if the rice might be due to some seasoning...it was stuffed grape leaves. But when I think of the ingredients, they are very basic (meat, rice, pepper, onion...I think that is about it). what about the brine the grape leaves were in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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