So Long Gluten….The Red Headed Hostess

Today I am reaching out

and tapping into my resources… which is all of you amazing people.

I have just been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease, which basically means that I can’t have gluten anymore.  It is totally a bitter-sweet diagnosis.  Sweet because it explains a lot of things and I am grateful for this information, bitter because, well, gluten is everywhere.

Label reading is now my new hobby!   So basically I will not be putting my husband through the torture of grocery shopping with me since I think he is allergic to shopping.  🙂

So I am pretty confident that many of you, either because of yourselves or family members, have already walked this road for awhile and I am hoping you can shorten my learning curve a bit.

Send me your Gluten free tips, advice, and best resources

And favorite stores.

And recipes.

And products.

And Restaurants.

Onto a new journey.  Here we go…

 

 

 

 

 

47 comments

  1. I have way more information than one should have 😉 I have too many food allergies to count.
    At first you may experience a grieving process, at least I did. It can get pretty frustrating, but there is a wonderful silver lining! I have been eating allergy/gluten free for a little over two years and I have seen dramatic improvements in my health. It has been a great blessing, which I could not see at the beginning.
    The only place I can eat out is Ruth’s Chris, Darn! So we only eat out a couple of times a year. I have to cook most everything from scratch. The best place I have found to grocery shop is The Gluten Free Store on Hiilfield road in Layton. They are so helpful with questions too! For Your Kitchen in Clearfield has classes on cooking gluten free every once in awhile that I’ve heard are really great. A great blog to check out for recipes is Keep it Simple Keep it Fresh. She has some really good “normal” recipes that she has converted to gluten free recipes.
    Charlotte’s bakery in salt lake makes the best rice bread and sugar cookies I have ever tasted. My kids actually will sneak my cookies instead of eating theirs. Those are also can be found at the gluten free store I mentioned.
    You are always welcome to email me any questions! Good Luck!

    1. Dani! Thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of information I need!!! I am checking out all of those places you mentioned. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
      Shannon

  2. I have Hashimoto’s too, but don’t have any kind of gluten restriction. I take one little pill a day and all is well. Good luck!

  3. I don’t have a lot of time right now, but I wanted to reply.

    I live in Salt Lake and run this website: http://glutenfreeinslc.blogspot.com. There’s a list of restaurants in the Wasatch Front, stores in Salt Lake, and tons of recipes.

    I know the learning curve is huge – please email me and I’d love to help!

  4. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease in May. I have been doing a lot of researching and cooking and shopping. My daughter loves Udi’s whole grain gluten free sandwich bread and hamburger rolls. In our supermarket they are found in the frozen food aisle. They taste better toasted. if you need a fast food fix, some BKs and some Wendy’s have dedicated fryers for thier french fries. This means they only cook ff in them (nothing breaded like chicken). Therefore their ff are gf! (Always ask at a restuarant/fast food place if they have dedicated fryers.) Pamelas makes a great flour mix or you can make one yourself. Almost no baking recipe I have found which uses only one type of flour takes good. You must use a blend. I really like Bob’s Red Mill for most of my flours. I also like the cookbook Gluten-free Baking Classics by Annalise Roberts. I also am available by e-mail and would love to share what little I have learned. 🙂 You’ll do great!!

  5. Hi, I am glad you are including the whole family! Ditto on the above posts. I find that if I stick to the very basics, it is easier to stay on track. So a “meal” would include: 2 cups of veggies, a protein/meat, fruit, and possibly a grain (quinoa-Costco, gluten free cornbread, etc). I find that Mexican-American meals are lower in gluten. Almost every grocery store has a gluten free section. 🙂 Check out the thousands of recipes posted on Pinterest. Best of Luck!

  6. P.S. In-N-Out served a delicious GF burger called “Protein style”, go without the sauce, add grilled onions, and pickles. Their fries are also GF, made with pure potatoes instead of fillers like wheat (most fast food).

    When I have gone to company parties or catered events, I have let the chef know ahead of time and I have had some fabulous meals! or Desserts (like banana cream chai…or plates of fresh fruit and cream.

  7. Many people in my family have Celiac (and 2 of my sisters also have Hashimotos). It is a learning curve, but very doable. There is a fantastic gluten free bakery on 200 North in Kaysville that makes great oat bread as well as divine desserts you wouldn’t know are gluten free. We have a really good pie crust recipe that is gluten free you can email me for. There is a great store on Hillfield Road in Layton that is a gluten free store. It has some great options. I have made the King Arthur’s gluten free boxed choc. cake mix and liked it also. Pamela’s brand pancake mix is good. I still make Magic Cookie Bars gluten free and you cannot tell. Also, I have a great peanut butter chocolate kiss cookie that is wonderful and soft – and no one even knows it’s gf! We have come up with subs for cream soups and thickeners for homemade soups/gravies, etc. I would be happy to share more things with you if you would like to email. We eat lots of fresh stuff. You can do it! Best of luck!

  8. yikes- the toddler hit send.
    She’s become and EXPERT in gluten free cooking. REALLY. I’ve tried it. She’s great. She even has a cookbook and is great for a call.

  9. My husband and several of our children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease and it is a major adjustment but it can be done, AND you can still enjoy food! My favorite GF flour is Jules (www.julesglutenfree.com) and she has tons of recipes on her website. Also I would recommend ‘Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide’ it lists foods by brand that are GF, making it much easier to shop at regular grocery stores verses specialty stores. (www.ceceliasmarketplace.com) Good luck!!

  10. I also have hashimotos disease. It is has been a journey trying to figure out how to eat and how to best manage this. I have read several books that have been helpful. My favorite is “Why do I still have thyroid symptoms”. Going gluten free was definitely a lifestyle change, but it is worth it. I love these websites: http://www.unconventionalkitchen.com/, thecrunchypickle.wordpress.com, http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/healing-hashimotos/, http://simplygluten-free.com/, http://nourishedkitchen.com/, http://glutenfreegirl.com/, http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/tag/hashimotos/, http://www.freefromgluten.com/blogs/health-and-welness/2862712-gluten-sensitivity-and-hashimoto-s-autoimmune-disease.
    Good luck!

  11. Hi Shannon,

    I am sorry but also happy for you too. They are finding so many problems related to gluten, not only hashimotos but many others. I have just recently gone gluten free myself but I have an autistic daughter that his been gluten free for over 10 years. I have found a Great website that has some awesome recipes. http://www.Donteatwheat.com . Also another one of my favorites which is not gluten free completely but she adapts many of her recipes so that they can be gluten free is a vegan blog called Chocolate Covered Katie. Good luck and it really isn’t the end of the world although it seems like it at first!

  12. Eating healthier and improving your lifestyle is always a good idea – allergies or not, but I know several people who have completely cured their allergies in alternative ways. Look up NAET or email me privately and I can give you the name and phone number of a couple different people I have used personally. Good Luck!

  13. My middle brother just got diagnosed with Ciliac Disease and so we’ve been looking for things that don’t have gluten in it. At Walmart they have a section that has Gluten free foods. It is expensive but still. My mom has made a few desserts and dinners with the gluten free things, and I really haven’t noticed a difference except the brownies. They’re a tad dry. But other than that it’s pretty good. If you like Spaghetti, they do have sauces gluten free too. My brother has done pretty well so far with it. He was diagnosed with it a couple months ago. so we’re all now aware of what’s in the foods that he can eat. Good luck!

  14. really?????? I have hosimotos’s too. I was never told I have to go gluten free. I was just told to take my armor thyroid and eventually my thyroid will be gone. Ahhhhh can’t believe my doctor didn’t know this info. So I guess I better start reading some books and learn about it. Any info?

  15. I have been gluten free for years and do a lot of whole foods cooking. One of my favorite products is Bob’s Gluten Free Baking Mix. It substitutes straight across for wheat flour and is affordable. Once you get a few basics under your belt, there’s really nothing to it. Email me any time- I’d be happy to answer questions or help.

  16. I’ve been GF for 15 years now, living GF is MUCH more easier now then it ever was before! There is SOOOOO much out there now a day’s. My local Walmart has A LOT of GF free stuff and Betty Crocker and Bisquick also have GF line that I LOVE!!!! My favorite recipe books are from Bette Hagman she has TONS I have not made a recipe from her books I have not liked! I also LOVE Alton Brown’s GF Chocolate Chip cookie Recipe here is the link http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-gluten-free-recipe/index.html Ton’s of great blogs out there too I am loving Gluten Free on a shoestring made some pretty good recipes from her also http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/. Rudi’s is my favorite prand for bread. It’s in the freezer but if you warm it up in the microwave it’s so soft and moist! I know I’m rambling. Feel free to email me with any questions. Good Luck it is not easy I know.

  17. My daughter was diagnosed with Hashimotos a couple of years ago and the switch to GF was brutal but the good news is GF products are improving every day. The one thing we found that helped her the most — Pacific brands has a GF cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup so we can still make all of her favorite casserole dishes — it doesn’t change the taste too much so the entire family can eat it and be happy! I have only been able to find it at Sunflower Market. Good Luck!

  18. I have celiac disease and so do my children. I have been gluten-free for almost 9 years. First, I would strongly recommend you include your husband in your journey. Not that he has to eat gluten-free, but he should be shopping with you and be in on the learning curve. It will make for a smoother transition. Gluten-free food should be yummy. If it’s not try another brand or another recipe. Don’t settle for mediocre. And remember individual taste varies. I figure this is the same with all food. So don’t be discouraged when something doesn’t turn out. I have tried recommendations only to be sorely disappointed and then later found something I really loved. I stared by going through my recipes and finding those things that were already naturally gluten-free and eating those first. Then I searched for recipes that were easily adapted. Then I searched for new beloved recipes. And also new beloved grocery stores and restaurants. Think if it as an adventure and not a trial. If you lived by me I’d invite you over to hang out in my kitchen and check out my pantry. Good luck. If you have any specific questions now or later you can contact me.

  19. Re: Heidi and kareen~

    This is taken from Wiki:

    Preliminary studies have suggested a correlation between Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Celiac sprue.[13] While it has not been rigorously explored, there is anecdotal evidence that a gluten-free diet may reduce the autoimmune response responsible for thyroid degeneration.[14] A study published in January 2012 compared a group of confirmed Celiac’s patients to a control group of healthy individuals, starting a gluten-free diet and continuing for one year.[15] While there was a higher occurrence of thyroiditis found amongst the Celiac group, there was no reduction in their level of anti-TPO antibody, improvement in thyroid function, or change in thyroid volume reduction after one year without gluten. The study mentions that its results disagree with other reports.

    So some doctors will use this information in treating the condition and others might not because it’s not confirmed and proved thru studies. So if the medication alone isn’t working or you think it’s not as good as it should be talk to your doctor about this aspect, (but PLEASE talk to your doctor first) to see if he/she would recommend adding GF to your treatment plan.

  20. I am SO glad you asked this of everyone. I have also discovered I have issues and my kids. I have to make some major changes and I have been struggling with sources! Thank you to everyone who has responded. It not only helps Shannon and her family, but many more of us too!

  21. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/hashimoto-disease.cfm

    Mayoclinic.com

    I would trust these online pubs over Wiki anytime.

    As Farmgirl said, the preliminary studies “suggest” a possible correlation between Hashimoto’s and Celiac Disease, but at this point, clinical science cannot confirm one.

    As someone who is a clinician and fellow Hashimoto’s, my advice is:

    Follow your doctor’s advice

    DOn’t get TOO much info thrown at you, it will be overwhelming and possibly conflicting and although sent with the best of intentions, incorrect and without any clinical base.

    Take a deep breath and be calm, it will be okay.

    Avoid pouring over the internet for advice….listen to your clinician and proceed one step at a time.

    If you are put on a thyroid supplement, do not eat a lot of soy….it will negate some of the thyroid supplement’s effects.

    Pray for wisdom.

    Blessings and joy,

    Jan

  22. What a cool way to get info! I love the internet for this reason 🙂
    I am not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, and I apologize if they have. I just wanted to mention that you may want to look into natural yeast fermentation (sourdoughs!!!) I have a friend who has celiac’s disease who found that eating natural yeast breads was not only tolerable, but it also helped his body to digest gluten from other things, too. A great resource to learn more about this is Caleb Warnock and Melissa Richardson’s new book The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast. In fact, in the first chapter they talk about how: “the slow rising process of natural yeast has many critically important health benefits. Here is what science can prove: 1. natural yeast slows digestion to help you feel full longer, making it a natural way to eat less. 2. The organic acids produced during natural yeast fermentation lower the glycemic index of bread and 3. Best of all, natural yeast lowers the body’s glycemic response to all carbohydrates…No other kind of bread produced the same result.” Oooh, they go on to list 6 more benefits…but I won’t list them all. (the one that is most exciting to me is that sourdough bread is also a good way to get the beneficial bacteria we need to digest food. Another good book about all of this is Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz I think.)
    So this may be something you would want to look into. Note: i know it helps many digestive ailments and other health issues, however, I am not familiar enough with Hashimoto’s to know how it would affect it. It is probably in my best interest to find out however, since my mother in law was just recently diagnosed with the same.
    I wish you all the luck you need, and many blessings. i am sure you will be guided to the right solutions.

  23. SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE HASHIMOTOS. DON’T KNOW ALOT ABOUT IT. BUT GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I KNOW YOU WILL HANDLE IT WELL.

  24. My sister has Celiac disease, so we are always keeping our eyes open for hidden gluten. We have found that gluten is in so many foods that we thought were safe. For instance, some restaurant’s french fries are dusted in flour and so are some prepackaged shredded cheese. It keeps it from sticking together. If you ever make it to St. George we have a Thai Food restaurant called Benja’s where you can get almost anything on the menu gluten free, and it is amazing!.

  25. I had Hashimoto’s for many years and never had a wheat restriction either. I have since had my thyroid removed which was the best thing I ever did. My husband has Celiac’s disease and if he gets any wheat he gets hospitalized. I have a cookbook called Easy Gluten free cooking. It is amazing. I order all my different flours off of Amazon because I can get it in bulk for a better price. My husband also like the Gluten free Pantry bread mixes. He says they taste most like the real deal. He has a really hard time eating out but many restaurants have Gluten Free menus you can ask for. I have been cooking gluten free for many years so if you have any more questions please let me know.

  26. Nathan has celiac disease so no gluten for him either. It has taken us time to figure things out. We are trying to all get to a gluten free place in our home as cross contamination is a huge factor for him.
    I don’t know if me kissing him right after having a piece of toast would set him off on a day of misery but certainly having residual stuff on counters, or even on knives or dishes causes him grief.
    We have found that the WoW diet is perfect as well as Thai food. So Nathan has learned how to make a lot of Thai recipes. Our favorite around here is Laub over brown rice.
    Kim Phung does a lot of baked items for sale and we use her when Nathan’s sweet tooth goes into overdrive.
    Be patient and really aware as you never know how sensitive you might be. Nathan still takes the sacramental bread and has had no adverse affects, but he knows why that is. ☺
    Good luck and let me know if you need any help. I am getting quite good at this.

  27. As far as the sacrament goes our ward has a separate sacrament tray that goes to different people in the ward that can’t have gluten (they use gf crackers).

    Good luck!

  28. Shannon,
    I don’t normally ever comment on people’s blogs but I wanted to tell you to research NAET. It cured me and my daughter of our food allergies. It was a life changer (in a good way) for us. If you have any questions you could e-mail me.
    By the way, your blog has changed my life for the better and I think you’re amazing!

  29. I’ve been gluten free for about 8 months (I have Celiac and several other digestive/intestinal issues), and here’s a few tips I have. I love shopping at Sprouts (formerly Sunflower Market), and my local Smith’s Marketplace (West Jordan) because they have such a vast array of natural and gluten free foods. There are tons of restaurants that offer gluten free entrees and are willing to work with you. Joy Luck chinese, Macaroni Grill, Chili’s, Pei Wei, Wingers, Costa Vida. and more! You just always have to let the staff know that you can NOT have any contact with gluten. There’s a bakery in Sandy called Eleanor’s Bakery that’s really good. Wendy’s chili, baked potato and frosty are gluten free and a good fast food go-to. Chickfila’s grilled chicken and sometimes their fries are GF (if fried in a separate fryer). There are so many blogs and websites online, so just have fun researching and finding new recipes. Pinterest is my go-to for recipes. I just finished reading Elizabeth Hassleback’s “G Free Diet” book, and learned quite a bit. I’ve checked out lots of GF books from the library! 🙂 Good luck, I hope the transition goes well!

  30. We have recently been introduced to a company called Shirley J (http://www.shirleyj.com/). They make this Universal sauce (Now called Original Whisk Bliss). It is a base mix that you can use to make soups, casseroles, gravies…You name it. It is SOO good. . It’s healthy and cost efficient. You can use it as a replacement for Campbells Condensed soups, or in a lot of other things. They use it in the Temple cafeterias, in the Church office building cafeterias, and at BYU-I and BYU cafeterias, as well as a LOT of area restaurants. The good news is that they sell this mix in a Gluten Free version.
    Good luck. My best friend had to try a gluten-fee diet for a month, and I thought I would die FOR her. Do you know how gluten free you need to be? Like, will sacrament bread be too much? Will the remnants of gluten on a WASHED surface be too much? There can be a huge difference!

  31. I was having some health issues and my dietician suggested I go gluten-free, best thing I have ever done. I feel much better and have lost 10 pounds. I love using Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. It can be purchased at Williams -Sonoma. I also love the Glutino pretzels and those can be purchased at Walmart. I also use the chicken stock from Costco. Winco is a great place to shop because they mark on the shelves in front of the product if it is gluten – free. Good luck- it is hard at the beginning but does get easier. Some people in our ward use rice crackers for the Sacrament and they usually put it in a ziploc bag and it always is placed on the same tray every week and they sit where the tray will be passed.

  32. I have several autoimmune diseases including Hashimotos and celiac so have been gluten free for a long time. I am grateful to those who have shared their recipes and findings with me and others through their blogs and cookbooks. I have used lots of recipes from elanaspantry.com; real sustenance.com; mariahealth.blogspot.com; grainfreeforgood; and many others. From there you can find links to others! I order almond meal flour from Honeyville Farms for baking. I also use coconut flour. I, personally, for my health have tried to avoid the packaged gluten free flours because of the starch content. It doesn’t settle as well with me as it must do with some. Hood luck on your road to gaining knowledge in this area of your health.

  33. Going gluten free was easier than I thought! While my family and I don’t have any diagnosed issues with gluten, I’ve recently cut it out of our diet. I looked into paleo or “caveman” eating and found a lot of information that just clicked with me. While I’m not strict about it (my kids are 4 and 6) and I’m still baking wheat bread for them and my hubby, I’ve found I personally do better without it. I found if I eat the things I make containing wheat that I’m bloated and feeling yucky anywhere from 1 to 3 days.

    If you’re looking for great recipes (including stuff like bread, muffins, pancakes, etc) you can look at paleo websites and blogs. There’s tons of them out there. Even better for people with multiple allergies, paleo is no legumes (including peanuts), no dairy (usually), no refined sugars, no grains. Other than that, you stick to using foods in their most unprocessed forms – whole foods. My family has increased our vegetable consumption by about 400% over the last 1.5 months since I made the change. My kids have even made the decision on their own that they want as little wheat as possible in their diets. I’ve noticed they’re not quite as high strung as they were.

    For flours, coconut flour is good but can be expensive. I get mine from http://www.tropicaltraditions.com. They also have a recipe blog if you’re looking for ways to use it. Almond meal is another but I don’t like it as much in stuff like biscuits. Haven’t found a paleo muffin or biscuit recipe I like yet so I’m still experimenting. I have found though with my main muffin recipe, I can easily change out the milk for coconut milk, 1/4 of the wheat flour for coconut flour, replace the white sugar with honey and increase the eggs from 1 to 4 with no appreciable difference except they’re more filling (that extra protein).

    Good luck with finding food that works for you and your family!

  34. I also have Hashimoto’s and finally found out that gluten is an enemy for me. Not everyone who has Hashimoto’s will have a gluten intolerance, but because autoimmune diseases run together, it is possible. I am still working through learning how to eat gluten free. There are lots of websites that are really good. Elana’s Pantry has an almond flour pancake that is wonderful and a recipe for primal chocolate chip cookies that are really good too. I buy my flour from http://www.momsplaceglutenfree.com. They will ship anywhere and the flour is amazing. Sweet Cake Bake Shop in Kaysville is amazing (all gluten free & you cannot tell the difference). Winco carries a lot of gluten free products at a cheaper price also!

    Good luck! I have lived with Hashimoto’s for 8 years and understand the frustration of not feeling well. I am so grateful that I have found that living gluten free has been huge and makes me feel so much better! I hope you have the same luck and if you need to vent, talk or have the occasional pity party-you can email me! I totally understand how you feel!

  35. Wow, looks like you have gotten a lot of help already. I just discovered your blog just NOW, and would like to help out if I can. I believe I did have Hashimoto’s before I got thyroid cancer and had to have my thyroid removed. I have since found out that soy is a problem for me as well as gluten, and soy is a problem for a lot of people with thyroid problems. And that is including soybean oil, even though all of the *experts* will say it can’t be so – soybean oil does me in for sure!

    Anyway a list of my favorites to help:
    – Better Batter gf flour blend – Have tried Pamela’s and don’t like it nearly as much as Better Batter. Good place to start since you can substitute cup for cup in recipes. Can get it online or at Good Earth.
    – In-n-Out Burger – These guys are great about food allergies, have a separate grill for food allergy burgers. Just tell them this is an allergy burger and then order the burger the way you need it to be, protein style for gf, no sauce for soy-free.
    – Life Tastes Good Again is a great cookbook for gf basics: cakes, pancakes, waffles, etc. Have a website with lots of their basic recipes and a like to their blog: http://www.eatingglutenfree.com/
    – King Arthur gf chocolate cake mix (I get it at Maceys).
    http://www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/
    http://glutenfreeeasily.com/ – Her theory is to eat things that are naturally gf like rice, whole foods, fruits & veggies, etc. Also have a couple of good posts about starting out gf including grieving. Also says she gets a lot of good gf recipes from low-carb recipes.
    – Love this pizza crust: http://glutenfreeeasily.com/flourless-gluten-free-pizza/
    – Love Against the Grain grain free products.

    Good luck, you can do it! Just take it one step at a time. You can’t possibly do it perfectly all at once, just take your time figuring it out.

  36. Oh, and one more thing. I’ve learned that everybody’s body is different and you need to listen to your body and go with what it tells you and trust it, even if it is contrary to something you’ve read on the internet or something an expert has told you or even something your doctor has told you. Eat what makes you feel good and leave the rest alone.

  37. You have already gotten so much great information! But I want to add my favorite gf website. http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com Her daughter is Celiac, so she spent a year in 07 making something different in her crockpot every day and it is all gf. One of my favorites (there are many) is homemade cream of mushroom soup in the crockpot. You don’t have to be gf to LOVE it! (I’ll never have canned soup again – this stuff is amazing and freezes well…)

    Good luck!

  38. My kids and I have eaten gluten-free for a couple of years now. We did use some of the gluten free bread replacement products for a little while, but they are expensive and really not very healthy as they are full of sugar, starches and chemicals. We try to use only whole foods. We are actually on a temporary grain free diet (GAPS), but before that we ate hot grain cereals where I cooked quinoa, millet, buckwheat or corn meal into a porridge and served it with raisins or other fruit and smoothies for breakfast. Grains in general are more healthful if they are soaked in water with a little whey or lemon juice before cooking. Check out “Nourishing Traditions” and the Weston A. Price foundation if you’d like to know more about that. http://www.healthhomehappy.com has been a great resource for me.

    I use a sugar-free fish sauce from a little Oriental market instead of soy sauce, but in the past I have also liked San-J Gluten Free Tamari. I’ve bought it at WinCo.

    I also like to make food with coconut flour or almond flour. We make a tortilla using 3T of egg whites, 2 T water, and 1 T coconut flour per tortilla. Then I cook it in a frying pan with 1/2 T coconut oil until the edges turn brown, then carefully lift it around the edges and slide the spatula under to flip it and cook for 30 seconds on the other side.

    These are our favorite muffins using almond flour: http://www.organicthrifty.com/2009/08/11/grain-free-muffins/

    I also like to get recipes from http://www.nourishedkitchen.com

    I hope you are blessed with improved health soon!

  39. You have gotten a lot of great advice here! I have definately learned some new things!

    My suggestions:
    Find naturally gluten free meals that you already enjoy.
    Learn how to make 10 or so meals that you enjoy and are comfortable making.
    After that expand your options.

    I too have hashimotos disease and have a daughter with celiac. It is overwhelming not because of the lack of info, but the amount of information. It makes it hard to know where to start.

    We order pamela’s baking mix off of amazon – cheaper. After that it is really about trial and error as to what you like and what your family will eat. But as it is mentioned above there are lots of yummy gluten free foods out there that don’t require a second morgage to purchase.

    Good luck!

  40. Those of you with Hashimotos…how were you diagnosed and what type of doctor treats you and with what medication or is it diet alone?

    So much confusing info out there…. Thanks!

  41. HI Shannon,

    I have Hashimotos also, was diagnosed with under-active thyroid about 15 yrs ago and it has progressed onto Hashimotos, so I have always presumed it was to do with the thyroid and was given thyroid medication over the years but I get fatigued alot and it still really affects my life. I have been taking matters into my own hands alittle lately as the medication helps but not enough. So I have completely changed my diet, to mostly raw, which was a little daunting at first but now I absolutely love it and find eating certain cooked foods just doesn’t do it for me anymore, whereas raw is totally satisfying and really yummy when your tastebuds sober up. There are so many amazing websites and recipes out there that it blew me away when I discovered them and raw food is anything but boring, in fact it is totally delicious and satisfying in a way you will never experience unless you try it. It has made me feel so much better and I have more energy, which was my biggest concern. Also if you have a dehydrator you can make the most amazing gluten free breads, wraps, crackers, bikkys, with sprouted grains etc, and with raw because the foods are so nutrient dense you get full very quickly and find you don’t eat as much food all round. With raw also the enzymes are all there as cooking destroys enzymes. We need enzymes and most people don’t get enough unless they eat lots of raw. We need them for all the processes in our body, they are the catalysts to make everything. Also I have just started using essential oils internally and externally on my thyroid, and this has also def helped, but you must use 100% essential oil and know that the oil you are using is from a reputable source that tests their oils for potency and purity etc. otherwise you’re just wasting your money and they will not work. I am getting my thyroid tested in a few weeks and will know how effective they have been, but I have felt the difference and believe in time they will do the job. They have amazing healing capacities and are multi-dimensional. Google up raw and have a look at whats available and you don’t have to go all raw, (I am not all raw) but adding more raw to your diet is definitely a huge positive for anyones health and well being. Hope this helps – Lisa from OZ

  42. I stumbled on your blog today and am so grateful for all the suggestions I have found! I have Hashimotos. Going gluten-free was overwhelming at first. I am sure you are getting used to it by now. There are lots of yummy foods that are naturally gluten free- that is what I try to eat the most. But I will definitely be checking out some of these ideas. Several months after going gluten free, my doctor told me that there has been research recently that suggests a dairy free diet can help with Hashimotos. Within a week of cutting out dairy, I felt the best I had felt in over a year! I haven’t been able to find much literature on the link between Hashimotos and dairy, but it sure has made a difference in my life! If you are not satisfied with how you are feeling, I would suggest talking to your doctor about it or giving it a try. Dairy was much easier for me to give up than gluten was, maybe because the results were so dramatic. I am now also looking into cutting out all processed foods and sugars and exploring essential oils. I hope that your health is improving!

  43. How has it been so far? I was given instructions by my primary care doctor to go gluten free to see how it helps my autoimmue system. I am reading all the blogs that are posted and so confused. I am thinking of starting this on friday when payday comes as I need some kind of relief. How long did it take to really feel better?

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