Wednesday, June 15, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Say goodbye to wheatCouple proves eating without gluten can be enjoyable By CANDACE RENALLS At first, Julie Swintkowski was relieved when she was diagnosed with celiac disease. The Hayward, Minn., woman finally knew what was causing her health problems. The inherited disorder doesnt allow her body to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some other grains. The gluten intolerance caused her severe cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and even the loss of some teeth. Then Julie panicked. I have nothing to eat! she recalls thinking with alarm. What do you do? You cant just go to the freezer for something to eat. Its scary and so lonely. While an estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of Americans are sensitive to gluten, an estimated 1 in 133 are extreme cases like Julies, according to the Center of Celiac Research at the University of Maryland. There is no cure; the only treatment is a gluten-free diet. Avoiding gluten can be difficult. Wheat is the main ingredient in breads, pastry, breakfast cereal, crackers, pasta and pizza. Its also in condiments, most vinegars, salt, spices, food extracts, beer, licorice, canned soups and bouillon cubes. Its in preservatives and is used as a thickener in processed foods. Wheat is even a hidden ingredient in deodorant, toothpaste, perfume, soap, lipstick and the glue on stamps and envelopes. All are forbidden for the gluten intolerant. When diagnosed seven years ago, Julie was weak and frail, her 5-foot-1-inch frame down to 70 pounds. The disease had damaged the lining of her small intestine, which prevented her body from absorbing nutrients from food. Left untreated, the disease can lead to osteoporosis, lymphoma, seizures and cancer. Her husband, Bill, went to the Internet for help. He learned gluten-free food was scarce and what was available was expensive and not very tasty. So Bill took over their kitchen. He started by making homemade chicken noodle soup using his own chicken stock, fresh vegetables and brown rice noodles. Within hours I felt better, now that nutrition was being put into me, said Julie, now 54. The coupled experimented to find a combination with properties similar to wheat flour. They ended up with a mix of rice flour and potato starch that worked. The goal was always, it needs to taste better than store-bought and as good as grandmother made, Julie said. The more we did it, the more we learned about leavening agents, along with the amount of soda, powders and salt. Its the way grandma did it. | |
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