gluten-free

Low FODMAPs

I have been on a Low FODMAP’s diet since January 2^nd. Commencing immediately after the season of sugar, gluten, chocolate, carbs, gravy, chocolate, eggnog, and did I mention chocolate?

Forced into a Healthy Lifestyle

This diet is not by choice, although I guess no one can make me do it. My gastroenterologist prescribed it. I keep getting this frustrating gut bacteria called SIBO. You can delve deeper into that in my blog titled, “Gas or Menstrual Cramps.” It’s a tale filled with TMI and information you may never have wanted to know about my large and small intestine, or maybe you are super curious about intestines.

My doctor thought Low FODMAPS is so important that she prescribed me a dietician to explain just how I’m supposed to eat now. Going into the New Year I did not feel like I was in the right mental place to alter my food lifestyle. Like a little kid, I just didn’t wanna. I keep reminding myself this is a LOW FODMAPs diet, not a NO FODMAPS diet.

Always Experimenting

This is not the first time I’ve tried a diet experiment. Over the years, I’ve experimented with diets […]

Low FODMAPsMaggie Downie2019-01-30T10:07:26-05:00

The Diary-Free Saga

Gluten has been out of my life for nearly three and a half years, but who’s counting. So it was a sad day when I got some allergy testing back for IgG and IgA antibodies and the results suggested an allergy to dairy and mushrooms. I agreed to give up both in addition to the gluten for three months. I still have high hopes of cheese, milk and ice cream in my future.

Some days are worse than others, but really it’s not as awful as I imagined. The first two weeks were really tough, and I felt awful. So bad that I tried to convince myself that I must actually really need dairy and my body was dying without it—only slightly dramatic. But I held strong, and I do feel better this week.

It helps to have Divine Treasures in Manchester. In addition to my favorite chocolate (which is all gluten and dairy free) they also make gluten-free, dairy-free pizzas and cheese. The pizzas are good. They also have d-free, g-free ice cream! And I’ve started to notice there are places I don’t miss it. For example I often have a fried egg for breakfast. I used to always put […]

The Diary-Free SagaMaggie Downie2015-07-22T10:38:43-04:00

Going Gluten-Free Gets A Bad Rap

I’m gluten free, and I’ve had a few people mention to me that they read that eating gluten-free isn’t healthy. I found an article in Consumer Reports basically saying as much.

But there is a faulty premise in the article. It presumes that if you are gluten-free you are going to eat a lot of gluten-free products. Of course that’s not healthy. That’s like going sugar free and using fake sugar substitutes or trying a low fat diet and eating foods filled with sodium to give them some flavor. Xanthum gum? Guar Gum? I’ve basically come to the personal decision that I want to stay away from anything that sounds indigestible. Remember when your mom told you if you swallowed your gum it would stay in your stomach for twenty years or something like that? It won’t and neither will guar gum probably, but it doesn’t sound real. I’m going to try not to eat it.

I’m not an advocate for anyone else going gluten-free. If I didn’t have a reason to give it up, I’d still be scarfing down muffins, pies, cakes, bread. Oh, and sandwiches. How I long to be able to pack a sandwich for the day. One that […]

Going Gluten-Free Gets A Bad RapMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:14-04:00

Thanksgiving Goes Gluten Free

This year after a small debate I stayed G-Free for Thanksgiving. I thought I would hate it and while I’ll admit I took an long sniff of the stuffing (my favorite part of a Turkey Day feast) as I passed it to my Grandma, it really wasn’t that hard.

I could eat everything except stuffing, gravy, pie and cornbread. That might seem like a lot, but what it means is that I got turkey, turnips, carrots, peas, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. It was a delicious meal. And here is the best thing about being G-Free on Thanksgiving: I was never stuffed. Normally at the end of Thanksgiving I’m so full I feel sick. This year I didn’t stuff myself with three pieces of pie and extra stuffing so I never felt that full.

That really made it worth it. At the end of Thanksgiving I always regret how much I’ve eaten. It was really nice not to this year. I wish I could just have […]

Thanksgiving Goes Gluten FreeMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:34:30-04:00

Gluten Free Not Getting Easier

We celebrated birthdays at my Grandma’s house the other day. Celebrations always seem to involve food. Dinner is fairly easy to make gluten free. Provide a meat, veggie, and potato and you’re all set. Dessert is a whole other story. I felt a little sad when my mom’s favorite carrot cake came out and I knew I couldn’t have any. My grandma had gone to the trouble to make me a gluten-free cherry cobbler. It was nice to have something for dessert, but I find that gluten-free desserts tend to lodge in your stomach like a lead brick where they linger for hours.

Some days it’s hard to know that there are things you just can’t eat. Occasionally I drive by Dunkin Donuts and I just want to grab something quick. It feels like the rest of the world (or at least the rest of New England) can do it. I tell myself that it’s probably better this way. There is not benefit or reason for me […]

Gluten Free Not Getting EasierMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:02:19-04:00