gluten free familyA mum's blog about gluten-free living in Australia

Gluten free pizza - one of the major food groups for the gluten intolerant.

I know it’s controversial, but we’ve never been tested for coeliac disease. We gave up gluten following an elimination diet that involved removing lots of different things from our diet and then introducing them back in.

Guess what was causing the most trouble? When we quit the gluten, my son’s behavior improved and my eczema completely disappeared. Read the rest of this entry »

It dawned on me recently that the typical Gluten Free Family reader is female — yet coeliac disease is not a gender-specific condition.

I decided it was time to try and figure out what was going on and it turns out that it’s no coincidence. Men are slipping through the cracks when it comes to getting their gluten problems diagnosed, according to an Australian gastroenterologist, Dr Bob Anderson. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people listen with interest, sometimes even fascination, when I describe my adventures with gluten—unless they are doctors, in which case they just think I’m a loon.

There are exceptions and I now have a great doctor for my nine year old son, who has Attention Deficit Disorder. I can’t bring myself to say ADHD (the correct term for his condition) because he’s not hyperactive—unless he has gluten.

Last weekend this doctor drew my attention to ground breaking research published in highly regarded medical journal, The Lancet, in February which found a significant link between food intolerances and ADHD, finally! Read the rest of this entry »

Most people don’t need to know their glucose syrup from their yeast extract—but we gluten avoiders tend to be a fairly fluent bunch when it comes to deciphering food labels.

Now a new iPhone app that can scan food labels could make gluten free grocery shopping expeditions easier. Read the rest of this entry »

Gluten is making waves on the international tennis circuit.  First the world number two, Novak Djokovic declared he was intolerant to the stuff and now German player, Sabine Lisicki says her gluten-eating days are over.

We are not told if it was tummy trouble or itchy rashes that spurred the move—but Djokovic has attributed a gluten free diet to his improved form on the court. Lisicki, on the other hand, blamed glitches in her new gluten free regime to a recent on-court collapse.

She wouldn’t be the first gluten avoider to run into energy problems. But hope could soon be at hand. It looks like the world’s researchers are finally starting to make some headway! Here’s a quick update on the latest trials: Read the rest of this entry »

Gluten test

My curiosity got the better of me over Easter and I forked out $30 or so for a BioRevive off the shelf test for “gluten intolerance (Coeliac Disease)”. Read the rest of this entry »

Not sure if that tuna mornay really is gluten free?  Swinburne University student, Alexandra Gray, has developed an electronic touchscreen device that could let you know. Read the rest of this entry »

I tend to get one of two reactions when I tell medical professionals that members of my family and I have benefited from cutting out gluten: They either start talking colonoscopies (yikes!) – or they smile knowingly and change the subject.

Well I’m hoping that might soon change thanks to Australian research just published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology that shows (drum roll…) that gluten intolerance is a real condition and that you can have it without having coeliac disease!

The researchers fed two slices of bread and a muffin (half with and half without gluten) to 34 people every day for six weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

Quinoa

Health was the watchword at this year’s gluten free expo in Sydney, as savouries triumphed over sweets, and some alternative grains went under the microscope.

We’ve already discussed the dearth of cupcakes at the show, and will run through some of the new/interesting products we hunted down in the coming weeks.

But first I thought I would share details of one of the more intriguing talks for those who suffer unpleasant digestive complaints as a result of eating gluten.

Naturopath and nutritionist, Janalla Purcell, took the stand at the expo to discuss this issue.  She believes that the growing numbers of gluten intolerant people have resulted from the over-reliance of our society on wheat as a grain.

For those suffering classic gluten intorerance symptoms (which means IBS-type symptoms rather than coeliac disease) she believes you can fix your digestive tract to tolerate gluten (in smaller quantities) – as long as you give your body time to recuperate. Read the rest of this entry »

... or would bread be better?

I’m glad to see those brainy folk at the CSIRO have got their priorities right. They are developing a gluten free barley strain with one particular end product in mind….beer!

In case you were wondering, yes it is a gluten free bloke at the head of this project.

Now it’s not that I am averse to a tipple. No indeed. But it does make me wonder if perhaps he doesn’t have gluten free kids like we do here at GFF.

If he did I reckon we might soon be looking forward to munching into a lovely gluten free barley loaf instead. Read the rest of this entry »