Gluten

Gluten is a class of proteins found many grains.

Of all the types of gluten found in grains, it is the specific types found in wheat, rye, barley and oats that are problematic for celiacs.

When most people refer to "gluten", they usually mean the types found in the grains listed above.

Wheat gluten consists largely of two specific proteins: gliadin and glutenin. Together, they make up 80% of the total protein content in wheat.

Asthma is strongly linked to environmental irritants and allergens. It is often triggered by physical exertion.

Typical asthma triggers include smoke (tobacco, wood fires etc.), chemicals, pollen, dust and dust mites, mold, pet dander and cockroaches.

Here are hidden asthma factors that no one is talking about: wheat and gluten.

These foods are probably not direct asthma triggers for most people.

A surprising number of people may be experiencing asthma from wheat and gluten, but indirectly.

I'm going on another trip, and as usual, bringing all my food with me.

In the past, I have brought a large bag of granola to supply wheat-free snacking requirements.

As far as celiac goes, there is debate as to whether oats are truly gluten-free and therefore safe, or not.

I am not celiac (according to two biopsy tests, but there is still room for error), so I am less worried about gluten and more worried about wheat. Or anything else that makes me feel lousy for that matter.

An inspiring story left by one of our readers, explains the dramatic effect of eliminating wheat from his child's diet, and how this greatly reduced his child's ADHD symptoms.

Wheat can cause problems that are very hard for a mainstream doctor to recognize.  Their training is to look for a set of symptoms, and usually prescribe a patented medicine to alleviate the symptoms.  This often does not deal with the underlying problem.

Over the past little while, I've been posting some pie crust recipes suitable for a gluten-free diet. It has taken a while, but here at last is my favorite gluten-free pie crust recipe so far.

It is made entirely of nuts and seeds. You can play fast and loose with the ingredients on this one. You can have more of one type of nut and less or none of another. You can use different types of nuts and seeds. The amounts are not critical.

Crushed nuts make an excellent base for a gluten-free pie crust - one of my favorites! It is amazing how you can manage your wheat allergy by avoiding all types of flour, although you should certainly check out the gluten-free Quinoa recipes as well.

If you have a gluten allergy, this recipe is great for eating pie and maintaining a gluten-free diet.

This recipe is about right for a 10' pie plate.

This section contains several different recipes for gluten-free, wheat-free pie crust.

There is nothing like a great pie, and noting as disappointing as a pie that looks good but tastes like cardboard.

Some of these recipes have been tested in the Allergy-Details Gluten-free diet lab, making them wheat-free as well.

Gluten-free pie crusts can be formulated in different ways, and can be made with a variety of different flours.

It is also possible to make pie crusts without flour, for example with crushed nuts.

By Heather Strang

Vacations are good for the soul. But, when you have to eat wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar, any sort of travel takes on new meaning. Preparation is key, in fact, it's mandatory. Doing a little work ahead of time will save you in big ways, especially when your tummy starts rumbling from hunger. After a recent 7-hour trip down the Oregon Coast (what was I thinking?!), I was so grateful that I planned my menu in advance. It's tough to find foods that you not only feel like eating, but that also meet the wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar lifestyle. Luckily, I did some of the work for you already. Here are some tips to keep in mind when traveling:

By Heather Strang

Many granola bars that you find in the store contain wheat. Others really have too much sugar.

Heather's energy bar recipe is wheat-free and low on sugar. Although the recipe does call for sugar, you can reduce the about of sugar to suit your taste and low-sugar diet needs.

This recipe is just the thing for a gluten-free diet!

The link between gluten and epilepsy has long been know, but that does not make it widely known.

This is unfortunate because there must be quite a few people out there taking medication to control their seizures, when eliminating gluten may solve the problem.

This does not mean that all seizures are caused by gluten. Still, it is something to watch out for.

If you have celiac disease, you will need to eliminate all gluten in any case, as the health effects of even small amounts of gluten can be serious (cancer for example).