Going Gluten Free: Step 1

The idea of beginning a gluten free diet can be overwhelming.  I must admit my oldest child became gluten and casein free after being diagnosed with several food allergies, not because I chose to use this diet as a treatment for autism.

Gluten seems to be in everything, so removing it from your child's diet (or the entire family's diet) can seem near impossible.  The best advice I can give is to start slow and remove one item at a time unless there are medical concerns requiring you to make these changes faster.  In my opinion, if you remove white and wheat flour, you are off to a tremendous start.

Those that counsel others as to how to become gluten free may disagree with my 'one at a time' approach.  However, I think it's beneficial to view this change in diet as a process, not an event.

While removing flour from the diet begin to read labels and pay attention to what items contain wheat.  You will now see a warning on many products saying gluten is contained.  Similarly, you can find many products in the everyday grocery stores labeled gluten free.

I like to point out that white flour has little nutritional value, so you are not left to replace necessary vitamins or minerals.  There are breads, cookies, pastas and other products made from alternate grains and are 'safe' if you're gluten free.

In addition to grocery stores, there are many online products and stores selling gluten free foods, mixes, and baking products.  In our home we pretty much go without bread, since we have found only one brand that is edible (if you have any great recipes, please send them our way!).

Another great resource is online recipe exchanges where you can read other's reviews of the finished product.

As with anything, don't forget to think outside of the box.  Check out recipes for people with Celiac disease or look into ethnic foods that are naturally gluten free (Jamaican cuisine for example).

The only other suggestion I have for step 1 is to keep track of your child's response.  This can mean documenting sleep, eating and bathroom habits to look for changes.  Remember, removing gluten is a process and the effects can take quite some time to be seen (month or more), so be patient and consistent.

Have a tip to help others? Post it here.