My Gluten Free Life

labels at Fred Meyer

"Hi, my name is Shaylee. I am gluten intolerant, 

my last donut was 8 weeks ago"

The following are pictures of my adventures in gluten free baking.

This is my first gluten free fail. 

I was trying out different gluten free flours.

I have since discovered a flour mix that is excellent for baking, cookies at least.

Found here, but for your convenience I will include it here as well.

Gluten Free Flour Mix

Ingredients

• 1 C white rice flour
• 
  
• 1 C oat flour
• 
  
• 1 C coconut flour
• 
  
• 1 C tapioca flour/starch
• 
  
• 1/4 C cornstarch
• 
  
• 3 1/2 tsp. xantham gum

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients together and make sure they are mixed well. 
• 
  
• Store in an airtight container and use as flour in any baking recipe.

**my suggestions:  the 3 1/2 tsp of xantham gum is almost exactly what comes in the small packets you can buy @ Walmart, so its no use buying a larger amount. I sifted the flours together twice before I used it to bake.**

I recently made sugar cookies using this flour, they were great. You use this flour exactly as you would normal flour, but gluten free flour acts differently and bakes differently. So I let the dough "rest" in the freezer for 30 minutes before rolling it out, and I reduced the oven temperature and increased the baking time.

This is the best cake mix that I have used thus far, it wasn't dry or gritty like others I've sampled. The cupcakes that I made were  moist, and the texture was spongy and just a little more dense than "normal" cupcakes. Overall, deliciousness so I made cupcakes, decorated them and froze them to eat later.

And these are the cupcakes I made. 

We decorated them for a contest that Grandma Wiberg hosted. 

Shaylee's Rose cupcake- GF, also my first roses.

Joseph's John Deere cupcake- not GF, very original.

**Note: we don't have sweets often, most of my baking is holiday related or to give away**

Up next: Yummy gluten free foods we've had, with recipes!

Gluten- Free for me

Well if the title didn't give it away I will now, I (Shaylee) am gluten intolerant. After coming up with this diagnosis, I've done lots and lots of research that I will share here, mingled in will be my story... thus far.

Definitions:
"Gluten sensitivity (also gluten intolerance) is a spectrum of disorders including celiac disease and allergy, in which gluten has an adverse effect on the body"
"Gluten is a protein composite found in food processed from wheat and related species, including barley and rye"  (Source)

Signs and Symptoms of Gluten intolerance
1. If you have eczema (or other skin rash) and no one seems to know the actual cause behind it, you may have some sort of food allergy.
2. If any of your blood related family members are gluten intolerant then you should get tested. (My Aunt, on my father's side is extremely gluten intolerant)
3. Symptoms associated with gluten intolerance:
-Weight loss/ or gain
- nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorption (ie. low iron)
- gastrointestinal problems (bloating, gas, pain, constipation & diarrhea)
- fat in stool
- aching joints
- depression
- eczema
- headaches
- exhaustion
- irritability, behavioral changes
- infertility, irregular menstrual cycles & miscarriage
- cramps, tingling and numbness
- slow infant and child growth
- decline in dental health.
(Source)

My symptoms include: skin rash on my arms, that looked a lot like Keratosis Pilaris, but didn't go away and got worse when I ate bread. Gastrointestinal discomforts, that mimic the side effects of metformin & headache that lasted all week.

After determining that these were symptoms, not side effects & that I am not sick, I consulted google and my doctor. We agreed that there is a link between gluten intolerance & PCOS, infertility and miscarriage. We also decided not to do a blood test, which can be expensive and inconclusive, instead just eliminating gluten from my diet.

Back to google, I wanted evidence that gluten intolerance may be connected to my infertility. Here are my findings:
The body has an innate intelligence that prevents pregnancy when the health of the mother and/or father are poor. To force pregnancy through unnatural means is a dangerous practice. miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, birth defects, infant developmental problems are common among those having children through treatments.
The 2 most common causes of infertility are pelvic inflammatory disorders and polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS. A study in the medical journal of human reproduction identified gluten sensitivity in as many and 8% of women with unexplained infertility problems. The following fertility issues have been linked to gluten sensitivity: (only listed are those that I have had) PCOS, diabetes (or insulin resistance), amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle), spontaneous abortion & multiple miscarriages. Gluten intolerance has become a modern plague on human fertility. (Sources here, here and here)

So I then I went on to research what does and doesn't have gluten in it. and because my symptoms included my skin, I need to cut gluten out of my life entirely. Do you know how many thing have gluten in them? Everything, basically.

Cutting gluten out of my diet hasn't been the hard part, it's ridding myself of products that have gluten in them. So far I have replaced my soap (to Dove), deodorant (to Dove), toothpaste (Colgate), face wash (Neutragena, tons of gluten- free options)  & some makeup (Physicians Formula & E.L.F are entirely gluten free make up lines). Luckily a lot of my beauty products are gluten free, way to go Paul Mitchell (I use Super Skinny Serum, Round Trip & Worked up), my shampoo and conditioner (Garnier Fructis), my lotions (Melaleuca's Renew & Hempz), my laundry detergent (Melaleuca). I find myself double checking labels on EVERYTHING. Especially after having a little set back a few days into going gluten free, I used products with gluten- totally on accident, and got a dry itchy rash.

Isn't this absolutely insane? I am 1 week into being gluten- free internally and topically, and I already feel better; no headache, stomach is great, skin is clearing up, I have more energy & sleep better.
I'll keep you posted as I go.