CBS 19 Special Report: Gluten Free Society
LONGVIEW (KYTX) — You’ll find it in most breads, pastas and baked goods. We’re talking about the nutrient gluten. And if you have a sensitivity to gluten, it can cause health problems. In a CBS 19 special report, Abby Broyles shows us how some people in East Texas are living healthier lives in a gluten free society.
You’ve probably seen gluten free labels on products at the grocery store, or gluten free items on a restaurant menu. Those all cater to people who are gluten intolerant. While a gluten free diet can be challenging, it is possible to change the way you eat, without cutting out your favorite foods.
About two years ago donna Farley thought she had the stomach flu – but what doctors found was more than that.
“We finally did a scope down into the stomach, they did a biopsy and found that I was gluten intolerant, and allergic to wheat,” Farley said.
Donna certainly isn’t alone. Doctors say gluten intolerance affects about one in ten Americans.
The most severe cases are those diagnosed with an auto immune disorder called celiac disease. Licensed nutritionist Tarrah Spear, with Good Shepherd Medical Center’s Institute for Healthy Living, has the disease.
“The way their body is digesting foods is completely different from a normal person,” Spear said.
The only treatment for gluten sensitivity – no matter how severe – is a diet overhaul, avoiding gluten all together.
“The issue with gluten is that it’s used in so many things, it’s what makes bread that spongey consistency,” Spear said.
Along with baked goods, pasta and whole grains, gluten is also in most salad dressings, sauces and marinades. That’s why the first step in going gluten free is learning to read labels, and buying more lean meats and whole fruits and vegetables that, naturally, don’t contain gluten.
“No breads, but you can have gluten free bread which is made with brown rice flour or tapioca flour. Brown rice is gluten free,” Spear said.
And if you have celiac disease, be especially careful when someone else prepares your meal.
“Because if something is contaminated – a knife that’s been used to cut bread and they cut your steak with it – you’re going to get sick, versus someone with intolerance they won’t necessarily feel that,” Spear said.
And while it may be a big change to your diet and lifestyle, going gluten free is well worth it, for people like Farley.
“Once you get rid of that irritation and the inflammation and the poison you’ve been putting into your body, you naturally feel 100% better,” Farley said.
Nutritionists say the word diet can be a little misleading – cutting out gluten doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose weight. To do that, the time-tested combination of diet and exercise are still your best bet – with or without gluten.
Be sure to talk with your doctor before making changes to your diet, or if you think gluten may be a problem for you. CBS 19 found most health food stores in Tyler and Longview carry a variety of gluten free breads, pastas, and salad dressings. Larger grocery stores, like FRESH by Brookshire’s in Tyler, carry a greater variety of products for those on a gluten free diet.
Gluten free Recipes with Bill & Sheila
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