New Years Resolution

The year of 2006 was the year that I was diagnosed. Priority was about balancing our foods. This was because of all of the food allergies our family was experiencing. Once I was diagnosed the priority became reading labels and coping with the changes of a completely gluten free diet.

The year of 2007 was learning to cook and bake gluten free with confidence. We also started our ROCK group (Raising Our Celiac Kids). In this year we also learned how our friends helped include us in food social gatherings by thinking of us with their naturally gluten free dishes, goodies or just a treat set aside for us.

The year of 2008 was about learning to eat gluten free on a frugal budget. We learned how eating naturally gluten free saves money.

What will be our goals for 2009? I am thinking of exploring the benefits of nutrients in wheat that we are not getting, because we are using other foods to substitute our diets like rice, potato, tapioca, etc... I have learned already that wheat is high in insoluble fiber and we need it for our gluten free diets. Wheat also provides B vitamins that our damaged guts need. Are we getting enough Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, and Folic Acid. Wheat also provides iron and zinc. But as Celiacs, Gluten Intolerant, wheat allergies or low carb diets we need to find other sources to obtain these benefits. (Reference http://www.wheatfoods.org/_FileLibrary/FileImage/Wheat_Nutrition.pdf )

Looking below you will find other vitamins and minerals that wheat contains like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, Vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K, and beta carotene.

According to the USDA 1 cup of cracked wheat contains:
Water (g): 17.68 Energy (kcal): 441 Protein (g): 17.02 Fat, total (g): 2.08 Carbohydrate (g): 96.09 Sugars, total (g): 0.55 Fiber, total dietary (g): 16.5 Saturated fatty acids, total (g): 0.364 Monounsaturated fatty acids, total (g): 0.27 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, total (g): 0.85 Calcium (mg): 39 Copper (mg): 0.552 Iron (mg): 4.09 Magnesium (mg): 170 Phosphorus (mg): 370 Potassium (mg): 466 Selenium (mcg): 95.4 Sodium (mg): 3 Zinc (mg): 3.58 Vitamin B-6 (mg): 0.364 Vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol (mg): 1.36 Folate, total (mcg): 36 Vitamin K (mcg): 2.6 Niacin (mg): 6.634 Riboflavin (mg): 0.146 Thiamin (mg): 0.41 Carotene, beta (mcg): 7 Lutein + zeaxanthin (mcg): 267 (Reference http://preparedness.families.com/blog/nutrition-wheat )

So my goal for 2009 is to eat more fiber and learn what foods to include in my diet for natural sources of nutrition that we need on a gluten free diet. In order to keep my goal, I am going to blog it and send it to anyone who will benefit from knowing.

See you around in 2009.

Who are we?

I am a mother of 2 girls who is married to a wonderful guy. I am still in love with my knight after 20 years. We feel like we live our lives going against the grain of life. We are one of those knots you see in the board. We are Christians, we homeschool and we (3 of us) are gluten free. Nothing normal about this family.

My husband owns his own business and I help him with the books. God seemed to match us up perfectly. I also run our local R.O.C.K. group, because I wanted to make a difference in our world.

We are working on our 2nd year being gluten free and I have been Casein free for most of 10 years. I have done dairy challenges 2 different times and finally except that I will be dairy free for life. The kids have had their own food issues journey's that have a story. That is for another day. Each one of us seem to have our own issues. My husband is fortunate enough to only have to avoid black beans. Both kids seem to be similar with different symptoms. They avoid gluten, dairy (their weakness), and need to rotate in peanuts and beef. I am the most complicated with about 20 different food allergies. I avoid gluten, dairy, pork, kidney beans and sesame seeds. I can tolerate on occasion beef rib cuts (and other red meats), almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pineapple, and mangoes. The rest of my food allergies, I am fortunate enough to rotate in. In our house, the rule is no gluten allowed, except my husbands bread. I cook with soy cheeses, but my husband wants his dairy choices and so this seems to be tempting for the kids. However the kids seem to tolerate dairy better then I do. Even though dairy seems to be a weakness outside of the home for me, I seem to be strong against the temptations at home. I will choose my soy versions over the dairy. But it is really hard to pack my Soy Delicious ice cream to picnics or on vacation.

We still find ways to enjoy our gluten free life and enjoy flavors.

We also are adventurers and take any opportunity we can to go on a field trip. We have seen the Red Woods, Mount Saint Helens, lava tubes, lave fields, Aquariums, La Brae Tar Pits, and numerous museums. Right now we are learning about The Ice Age, Pioneers era and Sled Dogs. One seems to over lap the other. But we love to learn in ways we can touch, feel and imagine.

The Picture above is a tar pit we seen when we visited La Brae Tar Pits this last February.