Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

Danna Van Noy (formerly Korn) aka the “Gluten-Free Guru” is an author, speaker, co-founder of Sonic Boom Wellness, and leading authority in the world of living gluten-free. She has written multiple books on the topic, including the previous editions of Living Gluten-Free For Dummies and Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies.

• Foreword xviiIntroduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 4Beyond This Book 4Where to Go from Here 5Part 1: Going Gluten-free: Who, What, Why, And How 7Chapter 1: Gluten-Free from A to Z: The Basics of Being Gluten-Free 9How the Gluten-Free Lifestyle Saved My Son 10Understanding What Gluten Is and Where It Is 13Thinking Wheat Is Good for You? Think Again 14Discovering the Benefits of a Gluten-Free Lifestyle 15Beyond the gut: Head-to-toe health benefits 16Worsening psychiatric symptoms 17Mastering the Meals 17Planning and preparing 18Shopping shrewdly 18Considering your kitchen 19Finding your creativity in the kitchen 19Getting Excited about the Gluten-Free Lifestyle 19Adapting your perspective on food 20Loving food is okay 20Getting out and about 21Raising kids to love the lifestyle 21Setting realistic expectations 22Arming yourself with good information 22Chapter 2: Going Gluten-Free: Should You Be? 23Inspecting the Gluten-Sensitivity Spectrum 24At one end: Allergies 25Somewhere in the middle: Gluten sensitivity and intolerance 26Crossing the line: Celiac disease 27Exposing One of the Most Common Genetic Diseases of Mankind 28Pinpointing Who Develops Celiac Disease and Why 30It’s in the genes 31Triggering celiac disease: What turns it on 32What it does to the body 32How your guts are supposed to work 33How your guts work with celiac disease 33Scratching the Surface of Dermatitis Herpetiformis 34Identifying Associated Conditions That Benefit from a GF Diet 36Connecting Women’s Health and Gluten 38Focusing on fertility 38Promoting a healthy pregnancy 39Reducing the chance that your baby develops celiac disease 40Chapter 3: Sorting Out Symptoms and Considering Testing 41Identifying Symptoms That Gluten Doesn’t Sit Well with You 42Going for the gut: Gastrointestinal symptoms 43Identifying nongastrointestinal symptoms 44Spotting symptoms in kids 46Discovering misdiagnoses and the missed diagnoses 47The Lowdown on Testing 50Understanding why being tested is important 51Recognizing who should be tested 52Testing for NCGS 53Explaining the blood tests available today 53Getting a biopsy 56Testing in kids 57Undergoing other tests 58Considering genetic tests 59Interpreting your test results 60You tested positive! Now what? 62You’re negative for celiac disease — now what? 62Considering the Risks If You Don’t Give Up Gluten 64Preventing and improving associated conditions 65Living with compromised health 67Healing Begins on Day One 68Chapter 4: The Evolution of the Gluten-Free Revolution 69Tracking the Evolution of the Revolution 70The 1990s 70The 2000s 71The downside of awareness 72Today and beyond 72Discovering New Treatments and Therapies 73Removing toxic gluten peptides and regulating their effects 75Preventing gluten from getting where it shouldn’t 76Developing vaccines (creating gluten tolerance) 77Restoring the imbalance of gut microbiota 77Preventing the Onset of Disease or Intolerance 78Chapter 5: Connecting Gluten with Autism, Behavior, and Mood 81Blaming the Bread: How Gluten Affects Behavior 82Understanding why food affects mood 82Making the gut-brain connection 83Considering the Possible Relationship between Autism and Gluten Sensitivity 84Exploring dietary treatment for autism: gluten-free/ casein-free 85Explaining the Opioid Excess Theory of Autism 86Taking a urine test 87Eyeing More Potential Benefits for Going GFCF 88Rethinking “reading, writing, and Ritalin” 89Diminishing depression and other mood disorders 91Part 2: Eating Gluten-free While Optimizing Nutrition 93Chapter 6: Grasping the Ground Rules of the Gluten-Free Diet 95When in Doubt, Leave It Out 96Defining Gluten So You Can Avoid It 97Recognizing Gluten-Free Foods at a Glance 98Forbidden grains 98Grains and starches you can safely eat 101Other foods that are usually gluten-free 102Foods that usually contain gluten 102Exploring Alternative Grains and Superfoods 103Amaranth 103Arrowroot 104Buckwheat (soba) 104Mesquite (pinole) 105Millet 105Montina (Indian ricegrass) 106Quinoa (hie) 106Sorghum (milo, jowar, jowari, cholam) 107Teff (tef) 107Checking Up on Questionable Ingredients 108Knowing which foods to research 108Putting an end to the controversy over certain foods 109The Buzz on Booze: Choosing Alcoholic Beverages 110Booze you can use 110Step away from the bottle 110Making Sure Your Medications and Supplements Are Safe 111Using Nonfood Products: What You Need to Know 112Makeup matters 113Lotions and potions 113Dental products 113Chapter 7: Making Sure It’s Gluten-Free: Digging a Little Deeper 115Gluten-Free Ambiguously: Why It Isn’t So Straightforward 116Loose labeling terminology 116“Gluten-free” may not mean 100 percent 118Defining Safe Amounts of Gluten 118Being aware of contamination risks 119Looking out for mysterious ingredient sources 120Testing for Gluten in Foods 120Deciphering Label Lingo 121Reading Glutenese: Knowing what to look for 121Avoiding tempting marketing come-ons 122Checking with Food Manufacturers 122Interpreting company responses 123Getting the most out of your calls to manufacturers 124Getting product listings from a company 125Searching for Information: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ludicrous 126Looking Online, for Better and for Worse 127Chapter 8: Gluten-Free Nutritiously 129Taking a Healthful Approach to Gluten-Free Living 130Simplifying weight management 131Focusing on nutrient density 133Trying to gain weight on the gluten-free diet 135Regulating Blood Sugar 136The high cost of high insulin 137Good carbs, bad carbs: Tuning in to the glycemic index and glycemic load 138Dining with cavemen: The Paleolithic diet 141Eliminating Dairy As Well As Gluten 142Comparing caveman-style to low-carb diets 144Reviewing the more healthful approach 145Being Healthy, Stealthy, and Wise 146Avoiding nutritional pitfalls on the gluten-free diet 147Getting the fiber you need on a gluten-free diet 148The whole truth (and nothing but) about whole grains 149Recognizing a Truism: Junk Is Still Junk 150Gaining an Athletic Advantage by Being Gluten-Free 150Part 3: Planning and Preparing: The Preludes to Cooking 153Chapter 9: Creating a Gluten-Free-Friendly Kitchen 155Sharing the Kitchen with Gluten 156Avoiding cross-contamination 157Storing foods separately for convenience 160Taking Inventory of the Pantry and Fridge 161Stocking specialty ingredients 161Having these mixes on hand 163Considering these specialty premade products 165Chapter 10: Shopping Is Easier Than You Think 167Knowing What You Want 168Planning your meals 168Making lists 170Deciding What to Buy 171Checking out gluten-free specialty products 171Remembering naturally gluten-free foods 171Asking for opinions 172Deciding Where to Shop 173Regular grocery stores 173Natural foods or health food stores 174Farmers’ markets 174Ethnic markets 174Gluten-free retail stores 175Navigating the Aisles 175Perusing the perimeter 175Sorting through the health food aisle 176Living Gluten-Free — Affordably 177Scaling back on specialties 177Saving on shipping 178Going generic 178Eating nutritiously 179Eating in 179Using gluten-free mixes 179Chapter 11: Cooking: Tips and Techniques 183Creatively Gluten-Free: Improvising in the Kitchen 184Adapting any dish to be gluten-free 184Avoiding cross-contamination when cooking 186Using standby substitutions 186Cooking with Wheat Alternatives 189Incorporating alternative gluten-free grains 190Thickening with gluten-free starches and flours 191Cutting out casein, too 192Trying Your Hand at Gluten-Free Baking 194Mixing it up with mixes 194Introducing xanthan gum: The star of the dough 195Substituting gluten-free flours 195Making your own gluten-free flour mixtures 196Baking bread the gluten-free way 198Part 4: From Menus to Meals: Recipes Galore 201Chapter 12: Beginning with Breakfast 203Getting Your Day Off to a Gluten-Free Start 204Grab ‘n go starters 204Power-start your gluten-free day with protein 207Getting Eggcited about Eggs 208Blending Something Smoothie 211Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Cake: Hot Breakfast Ideas 213Chapter 13: Appetizers with Attitude 219Fashioning Finger-Lickin’-Good Finger Foods 220Digging into Dips and Dippers 225Going Wild with Wraps 229Rice rolls 230Exploring lettuce wraps 231Chapter 14: Sensational Soups, Salads, and Sides 235Chowing Down Chowders and Sipping Soups 236Making Strides with Salads and Sides 240Serving salads with green, leafy stuff 240Dressing it up with dressings 241Finishing off your salad with some fixin’s 245Getting creative with croutons 246Move Over, Mashed Potatoes: Considering New Sides 248Chapter 15: Enticing Entrées 253Making Poultry with Pizzazz 254Eating Meat 259Buying beef 259Cooking with pork 262Diving into Seafood 265Exploring Vegetarian Entrées 269Chapter 16: Enjoying International Cuisine 275Making Mexican Gluten-Free 276Cooking Gluten-Free with an Asian Persuasion 280Gluten-Free Goes Global 284Chapter 17: Pizza, Pasta, and Bread: Foods You Thought Were a Thing Taboo 291Making Pizza with Pizzazz 292Crust: The pizza foundation 292Pizza sauces 294Pizzas beyond cheese and pepperoni 297No More Pining for Pasta 300Making Bread 303Chapter 18: Getting Your Just Desserts 307Daring to Be Decadent: Gluten-Free Indulgences 308Making Sweet Stuff to Pack ‘n’ Snack On 312Being Sensible: Sweets for the Health-Conscious 319Part 5: Living — and Loving — the Gluten-free Lifestyle 24/7 325Chapter 19: Getting Out and About: Eating Away from Home 327Identifying the Golden Rules of Going Out Gluten-Free 328Don’t expect others to accommodate you 328Ask what’s for dinner 329Fill ‘er up before you go 329BYOF: Bring your own food 329Bite your tongue when they make a mistake 330Enjoy the company 330Dining Out: Restaurant Realities and Rewards 331Choosing the restaurant 332Making smart menu choices 336Talking with the staff: Ask and ye shall receive 336Having restaurants cook the food you bring 338Remembering the art of healthy tipping 338The Incredible, Edible Journey: It’s Travel Time! 340Researching your destination 340Sprechen zie gluten? Speaking gluten-free in other countries 341Choosing gluten-free-friendly accommodations 341Packing your own provisions 342Getting there 343Chapter 20: Raising Happy, Healthy, Gluten-Free Kids 345Forging through the Feelings 346“My child’s life is changed forever” 348“I don’t want my kid to feel different” 348“Will they turn out okay?” 349“This is harder for me than it is for them” 350Focusing on the good stuff 351Talking to Your Kids about Being Gluten-Free 352Including the whole family 352Keeping the discussion upbeat 352Explaining the new lifestyle 354Reinforcing the idea that gluten makes your child feel icky 355Handling your child’s reaction 356Helping your kids talk to others about the diet 357Deciding Whether the Whole Family Should Be Gluten-Free 359The pros 359The cons 359Middle ground 360What about babies? 361Giving Your Child Control of Their Diet 361Working together to make good choices 362Trusting kids when you’re not there 363Hitting the Road with the Gluten-Free Gang 364Leaving Your Gluten-Free Kids in the Care of Others 364Trusting your kids with friends, family, and sitters 365Sending your children to school 365Guiding Your Gluten-Free Teens 367Noticing changing symptoms 367Understanding why teens may cheat on the diet 367Helping teens after they move out 368Chapter 21: Beating the Blues: Overcoming Emotional Obstacles 371Recognizing Common Emotional Struggles 373Dealing with sheer shock and panic 375Being angry and frustrated 375Coping with grief and despair 376Feeling loss and deprivation 376Facing sadness and depression 377Dealing with Denial 380When you’re the one in denial 380When others are in denial 382Getting Back on Track When You’re Feeling Derailed 383Regaining control 383Getting beyond big words with heavy implications 383Focusing on what you can eat 384Deflecting the temptation to be annoyed or offended 385Faking optimism 386Spreading attitudes — they’re contagious 387Redefining Who You Are 387Avoiding Negative Self-Imaging 389Resisting the Temptation to Cheat 390Realizing why you want to cheat 390Assessing the consequences 392Overcoming the temptation 392Part 6: the Part of Tens 393Chapter 22: Ten Benefits of Being Gluten-Free 395You Know How to Improve Your Health 396If You Have Problems with Gluten, Your Health Improves Right Away 396Going Gluten-Free May Help with Autism, ADD, ADHD, and So On 396If You’re Not Eating Gluten, You’ll Never Develop Celiac Disease 397You May Decrease the Chances of Developing Autoimmune Diseases 397You May Be Turning Back the Clock 397Symptoms of Menopause May Decrease 398Your Weight Can Be Easier to Manage 398You’re More Aware of Nutrition 398Blood-Sugar Levels May Be More Stable 399Chapter 23: Ten Tips to Help You (or Your Child) Love the Gluten-Free Lifestyle 401Focus on What You Can Eat 401Expand Your Culinary Horizons with Adventuresome Alternatives 402Enjoy Ethnic Fare 402Control the Diet 402Eat to Live, Don’t Live to Eat 403Remember: You’re Different — So What? 403Go Ahead — Enjoy a (Gluten-Free) Splurge 403Tune In to the Benefits 404Turn Away from Temptation 404Deal with It; Don’t Dwell on It 404Chapter 24: Ten Lame Excuses Not to Go Gluten-Free 405I’m Too Fat to Have Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity 405I Don’t Have the Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease 406I Don’t Want to Be Deprived of Important Nutrients 406I Don’t Want to Give Up (Insert Favorite Gluten-Containing Food) 406My Problem Isn’t with Gluten I Just Don’t Do Well with Pasta and Beer 407Pizza Makes Me Feel Bad; It Must Be the Dairy or Tomato 407I Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and My Doc Said Diet Doesn’t Affect It 407I’m Too Old for the Gluten-Free Diet to Do Any Good 408I Was Tested for Celiac Disease, and I Was Negative (or I Outgrew It) 408I Don’t Have the Genes for Celiac Disease 408Index 409