Text 25135, 85 rader
Skriven 2012-02-06 09:59:42 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 25133 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Fidonews Volume 29 Number 6: Food for Thought
=====================================================
Hi Bob,

>> (Gluten) Free At Last By Janis Kracht, 1:261/38, janis@filegate.net

>> Several months ago, I decided it was time to change my diet to one
>> that is gluten (wheat) free.

> Why?

It's no secret to those who know me, that I've had MS for some 36 years - I'm
definitely one of the 'lucky ones' in that I have a form that is barely
noticeable - relapsing/remitting (so it just comes and goes, thankfully mostly
"goes" away <grin>).  In other words, it doesn't get in the way of my life
much, and one can't tell I have it from looking at me .  But it's there
nevertheless.  I'd been told by neurolgists over the years that getting rid of
gluten in my diet would probably be a good idea..  they had patients who
suffered similar symptoms but which were caused by Crohn's disease (gluten
intolerance, essentially).  I mainly ignored them though because it wasn't
practical all these years.  Now with so many products available, I figured it
wouldn't hurt to try it.  That and the fact that my cousin does have Crohn's..
Testing showed my son and daughter also have allergies to wheat products.  So
an unhappy existence with gluten is "in the family" for sure.

>> Most of the time I buy GF flour in our grocery because they have a
>> fantastic selection.  I've had great results with King Arthur GF flour
>> and Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF flour (Garbanzo/Potato/Sorgum).
>> These pre-blended mixes are great if you don't have tremendous
>> allegies, say like to nightshade plants (potatoes!, mushrooms,
>> peppers, and more).

>No wheat (bread, pasta), no potatoes and even more "no's" - how do you survive
> Eating meat alone can't do it - particularly in view of the fact that some
> people think _that's_ bad, too.

There are plenty of things I can eat that don't contain gluten, especially the
Bionaturae macaroni products.. also brown rice is a lot better for people than
white rice, for example.  And while I don't have a problem it seems with plants
in the nightshade family, my daughter does. So if I want, I can eat potatoes..
and chili, and mushrooms and peppers. When she and her family come by I don't
use those ingredients.

> And rice alone? Is that really an improvement? Don't simply point at the
> Japanese (who meanwhile have circulatory problems approaching those of us
> occidentals). The lifestyle is different there, not only the diet. I've lived
> several weeks in Japan and have an idea what they eat and how they live -
> noodles, raw fish and polished rice are the mainstays. Good if you like that
> kind of stuff, I guess, but no culinary highlights.

I can understand that :)

> When they were in their 70s and 80s, my folks went off on a kick of avoiding
> cholesterol - as if that would do them any good at that age, after eating
> "normally" for the past 70-80 years. Any "damage" had long since been done at
> that age.

My stomach is a LOT happier since I got rid of the gluten.. who knows if any
other good will come of this.  As I said, already the type of Multiple
Sclerosis I have is extemely mild to start with  so I don't expect any
'miracles' there.. But perhaps I understand now why everytime I ate pizza I
ended up barfing most of it :(  Don't even mention whole wheat bread.. all I
ever got out of that was agita :)

> My son claims to be a "vegetarian" - it's sexy here, too - but eats a lot of
> sausage and cheese (on pizza) despite that. The label appears to be more
> important than the reality.

Yes, that would seem to be the case there.. :)

> I admit freely that I have absolutely no belief in food fads, and continue to
> eat what I like regardless of what anyone cares to publish in the papers or
> magazines - the exact reverse will probably be in tomorrow's newspaper.

Also true.. If one can eat gluten products with no ill effects then yes, I
wouldn't change a thing diet-wise.

>If I die a few days earlier because of that, so be it. But I could also be hit
> by a car crossing the street - good genes and a healthy diet won't save me.

:)

Take care,
Janis

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Dada-1
 * Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)