Here is a simple approach to successfully implementing a gluten-free diet into your lifestyle. This diet focuses on incorporating seven fairly popular recipes as a dinner meal.
Gluten intolerance affects 60+% of my clients but it is also rampant in the general population. Since my clinic is focused on the treatment of schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions you may think this diet is not applicable to the general population, but this is not the case. This diet approach can be used universally for any gluten-intolerant or suspected condition.
This nutritional orthomolecular therapy is a good start and should help people understand the basic concept of the gluten elimination diet. You need not purchase gluten-free products exclusively and I actually encourage minimal use of such processed products. A whole food approach is always the best choice. Note that all these recipes are high in high quality protein sources such as meat or eggs. If you are intolerant to any of the items listed then you can substitute accordingly.
The beauty of this diet is that it is doable for most people and, to those that are more advanced cooks, it provides a simple template to build on. Seven recipes are provided as the aim is to try to create seven dinner meals that you can eat regularly. I often tell patients to make an extra dinner portion for breakfast (some take this to work with them). Lunch can be an extension of these ideas but I again recommend that there be a substantial high quality protein portion. Snacks can be done following these principles and as always avoid sugar, junk food, and foods that make you sick.
Always plan a diet so you don’t starve; you should feel full when you eat a meal. Eat slowly, and include 2 litres of water a day (adults). Fruit should be eaten away from meals as it requires a dedicated array of enzymes to digest and if consumed during a main meal, will compromise digestion of important protein (neurotransmitter precursor) and fat (hormone precursor).
Here it is, my 7 day Gluten-free diet plan of action!
1) Brown rice pasta with 100% beef meat balls with colorful side salad
2) Hamburgers (homemade from 100% beef, turkey, or veal) dressed with lettuce ,onions and condiments (no bun) and a side of fries (home made)
3) Stir Fry of lettuce or corn nachos with chicken (grilled) or steak and veges
4) Soup made with a saute, then adding gluten-free broth (home-made broth is best or try PC BlueMenu broth if you tolerate preservatives) with eggs or meat source (e.g. chicken or lean ground beef)
5) Steak with potatoes (sweet or regular) and a colorful side salad
6) Chicken with a bed of rice and greens or veges
7) Lettuce or brown rice tortilla wrap ‘sandwich’ with meat or fish, veges, and condiment of choice
Forthcoming: our next blog in the gluten series of posts contains information on:
Understanding the basic premise of gluten-free dieting and gluten-free guidelines for chosing grocery store products and reading labels!