[astrophe]

Again I made it wheat free all day til afternoon when kid wanted a cheese sandwich after school and the lure of it was too much for me to take. I'm still on track calorie-wise, but still fighting with the wheat thing.

I have to lay in some not-wheat snacks for her so I don't get sucked into it. No sandwiches, no pretzel sticks!

It's the second day and I've determined something about it really is bothering my nose. I eat it fine, but then a short while later I'm all nose congested snotty. I'm still not at the place where I can get in to see the allergist, but I'm starting to feel like it would be a rubber stamp thing because now that I'm tracking it I can clearly see it affects my nose.

So... for those who have already kicked it. Suggestions? I'm taking it one day at a time and just trying to go as long as I can go without it. Then once I make it to a whole day, I'll start trying to string days together.

Should I be looking at GF or wheat free bread? Does that help or just make the craving for wheat bread worse?

Any other withdrawal symptoms that I should be on the lookout for?

If it matters any, I've been having really good sleep the last two nights -- deep and dreamy. Maybe because I can breathe better?

A.

[kaplods]

I do use non-wheat breads, crackers, and pizza crusts. I resisted it for months, because they tend to be expensive and I was afraid they'd just make "the real thing" more appealing.

I still have to be careful with carbs, so I use them sparingly, but I almost cried the first time I had a sandwhich.

Wheat-free bread molds quickly, so I'd recommend freezing the loaf. If the slices seem to be difficult to separate, a butter knife usually can be used to separate the slices. I just take out what I want and toast the frozen slices (I think the texture is best toasted, because untoasted the bread is a bit dry). I've found the Udi's brand to be good.

[Initiative]

Ezekiel bread is delicious. It's different slightly but find a way you like it and make it yours! I also really enjoy fig newmans. Really good quick snack. If you try pasta that is made from anything other than wheat its best to cook and strain several times for better texture. Good luck!

P.S. Wheat free breads I've found are more usable if you microwave the slices for 5-10 seconds on each side. It's especially great for toasting because there is more moisture and it wont be rock solid.

[astrophe]

Thanks... I guess I'm going to be up for some experimenting! I'll look or those brands.

A.

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by Initiative

Ezekiel bread is delicious.

Do you have a recipe that is gluten-free? All the Ezekiel bread I've encountered in stores and all the recipes I've found online, contain gluten grains (usually several) such as wheat, barley, rye, and spelt (spelt is often erroneously promoted as gluten-free or wheat-free - and it is neither. Spelt is a variety of wheat and is not gluten-free).

[Initiative]

I haven't really been on a search for gluten free bread. I do know that Ezekiel bread have forms of wheat but the way they are harvested at a specific time in plant life makes a lot less allergic reactions. Ezekiel bread is basically bean sprouts, before the plant is fully developed.

From everything I've read many people with wheat allergies can cope better with these breads.

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by Initiative

From everything I've read many people with wheat allergies can cope better with these breads.

I've read mostly the opposite. My sources have been allergy and celiac sites. I've only read that sprouted wheats are allergy/celiac safe on sites that sell a sprouted wheat product. Or sites advocating sprouting.

Spelt likewise is often advertised as gluten-free, but it is not, and allergy and celiac sites point that out.

Wheat grass is considered "iffy" because the adult grass contains gluten, but the juvenile grass does not (you'd have to really know your plant biology to tell the difference, I would think).

Some people argue that sprouts do not contain gluten yet, other sources say this isn't true. They're lower in gluten, but still do contain gluten. For someone with a mild intolerance this may not be an important distinction, but for a celiac disease the distinction can be a life-threatening one.

I think it's the confusion between allergies and intolerances that may be the issue here. Often the word allergy is used inappropriately. Mild intolerances that are not celiac disease I would think probably would experience less severe symptoms with sprouted wheat, but a true allergy to wheat or gluten or celiac disease would be quite a different matter.

True allergies are to proteins, and sprouts are higher in plant proteins than the adult plant. For a true wheat allergy, the sprout will be just as much, if not more so an allergen as the adult plant.

I'd just be very careful in experimenting. Anyone with a diagnosed allergy to wheat or gluten or celiac disease should talk to their doctor before experimenting. Especially celiac disease and anyone whose had a respiratory reaction, which can be quite dangerous.