I speak about food all the time! What I made, how good it was, what I ordered, what and when I will eat next. The mere thought of creating yet another gluten-free something that actually tastes amazing is pure joy to me.
The other topic I speak of all the time is the negative affects of gluten. As you should know by now, my mission is to educate anyone who will listen about celiac disease and the importance eating gluten-free.
One day a friend who had been complaining of bloating and irritability asked me for help. Finally, I thought! I had been begging her just to try and go without gluten for a few weeks to see if her situation changed. She happily agreed but needed a road map of what she could and could not eat.
That’s where the Gluten Free Challenge was born and I have passed on this challenge to so many since.
Another friend actually lost almost 20lbs! She realized that her extra weight was actually inflammation due to being allergic to gluten and had no idea until she had taken it out of her diet completely.
Is it easy? No, but well worth it! Take the attached test and see if you have any of the symptoms. If so, try the Gluten Free Challenge and then retake the test. I promise in 2 weeks you will feel different. Download the challenge below. If it doesn’t automatically download, you may need to right click on the image.
I just saw you on Katie and found your website. I’m interested in your cookbook but I wanted to know if your recipes are also tree nut free? I suspect I have some issue with gluten but my daughter has a tree nut allergy. I’ve never been able to complete transition off of gluten because most gluten free recipes/cookbooks use tree nut flours. I’ve bought so many cook books and have been so disappointed to find the tree nut flours. When I heard you say you avoid all the allergies I wanted to specifically know if you avoid tree nuts too? Thank you for all you do.
Can you recommend a doctor in Southern California?
Thanks.
please let me know if you find a great doctor
These recipes sound wonderful. Can’t wait to try them and share with my 16 year old granddaughter with celiac. Tough for her because she wants to hang out with her friends at the local food hang-outs. We love you, Jennifer! Your book has opened her eyes to her future. Thank you.
This is wonderful- I have committed to a week of gluten free eating, but two makes such good sense. I’m headed to NYC this summer and will be sure to pop into the bakery. Thank you for what you are doing here!
I have always thought your work as an actress was very good. Have watched you since Spin City. My husband and I loved your role on Blue Bloods and still to this day miss YOU in that role. I have Hashimoto’s. For the last 4 almost 5 months I have had dermatitis on my legs. Two doctors have called it contact dermatitis. My intuition was telling me this was not correct. I have had anxiety, tingling in my hands, insomnia, fatigue and brain fog. These symptom really manifested when the itchy rash appeared. When I watched you on Katie and you said there is also a rash with Celiacs I almost fell over. I knew right then at that moment what I had. After looking at all the Celiac’s sights and Mayo Clinic my rash was spot on what dermatitis herpetiformis is described as. The pictures were just like my rash. I went gluten free immediately. After 10 days my legs look normal, no more new blisters, still a little itchy at times but I am healing. My skin is actually looking more normal and my nails are strong and no longer flaking. Still a little of the other symptoms but I have days when they are non-existent. I THANK YOU for saying the “rash” word when describing Celiac symptoms. My medical history throughout my life all ties together now. Look where your journey has taken you!! My motto in life is an old Indian saying…….”There are no shortcuts to a place worth going.”
I saw you on Fox and Friends and by the middle of your interview I was standing by the TV in disbelief. I used my DVR and watched it several times. I was diagnosed 8 months ago and just figured out that my Cholesterol Medicine has gluten in it. I was making no progress and could not see why. I bought your book from Amazon and reading it was like an out of body experience. I was really screwing up my new life as a celiac and your book will save me so many errors and tons of frustration. Words are not enough but Thank You so much! As we say here in the South, “You are surely doing the lords work.” and I am sure you will be blessed for it.
My husband has been very sick for the last 5 years. We went to 27 doctors within 2 years and truly thought he was dying during this time. This was shortly after our now 5 year old daughter (4th child) was born. He was having psycho-somatic symptoms that doctors kept diagnosing as anxiety. He couldn’t concentrate, he was dizzy frequently, his face and neck and ears would have fever, he lost his balance/pasted out a couple times, his hair was falling out and turning white – he was 36 at the time – and had lost 20 pounds, he was having stomach pains, headaches, blurry vision, and he was shaking all the time, also consistent neck and back pain – and he has asthma. He could not sit still – he would walk outside in circles for hours. He was going crazy because all of the doctors kept telling him he didn’t have any illnesses – that it was anxiety from our lifestyle owning our own business and having four children. This was a healthy young man that worked out 5 days a week and was very fit.
Finally after me INSISTING he went to Mark Hyman’s clinic in MA – after we saw him on a PBS special. The doctors there determined he had extreme food allergies and extreme yeast overgrowth. Allergic to 31 different foods. Since he quit eating these foods which is VERY VERY VERY difficult, he got a little better – we didn’t think he was in immediate danger of dying any day. His gallbladder had to be removed, he went on a 2 month treatment for Candida and this helped clear his “brain fog”. However, after over 5 years he still has a very altered quality of life. He has consistent pain, still has headaches, numbness in his legs and arms, and still gets dizzy. He also has vitaligo, which has caused him to lose pigmentation on about 50% of his body – and continuing. His body no longer makes testosterone. I give him a shot weekly. and mornings are very difficult for him as he has a hard time sleeping.
What team of doctors do you recommend? Who do you go to? We are willing to go anywhere in the US or abroad to find a TRUE expert team of doctors that will listen to him and help us.
Thanks!
I can absolutely relate and I will spare you the story. The doctors who have helped me and empowered me the most are Functional Medicine practitioners, and I also swear by Applied Kinesiology (AK) to pinpoint the causes (the too much or too little stuff that upsets my balance) with laser precision. Most of the FM doctors I know are AK chiropractors and have spent far more time studying optimal human wellness than most MDs, plus their approach is quite opposite our Western medical system in that it focuses on what is in the way of your optimal health for your individual body and what does it take to remove those speed bumps. Plus, FM is a partnership between me (I live in the body) and a mentor who teaches me how to bring out my best.
Yes, it can be a long journey and it’s worth every minute of it to feel better and be well. The world is waiting for all of us to show up and make our contribution, and that’s pretty hard to do when we feel horrid. Whenever anyone asks me if my new lifestyle is hard, I can honestly say “No, I’m glad I learned how to pay attention and it works for me. Besides, why would I ever want to feel that bad again?”
I can not possibly thank you enough for writing the book Jennifer’s Way, you are an inspiration, a glimmer of hope for so many people including myself. I had been truly ill for a while and like others you probably have heard from, I had also been to doctors trying to find out what was wrong with me. After reading your book I realized that my symptoms had been going on for a while and had a lot of stomach discomfort. I was virtually exhausted to the point that I would just sleep and sleep and sleep, I could not muster the energy to get up and do anything. I explained to my friends if the doctors can find out what’s wrong with me I am so ill, I believed I was going to die. I too did a lot of research online and thought I had IBS like symptoms. I begged my doctor to get me some help, and when she wouldn’t I moved on until I found a doctor that finally heard what I was saying and sent me for a colonoscopy, CT scan, XRays, Liver tests, Knee injections and finally and endoscopy and biopsy. I was diagnosed with Celiac. It has been trial an error process for me but after almost a year I am starting to feel like myself again. Every once in while I still eat something that makes me deathly ill (at a restaurant that stated they had Gluten Free Items that really weren’t). My Niece told me about your book, and told me I had to read it (she was so persistent she mailed me a copy). When I was reading your book I started to cry… not sure if it was because I realized how bad I was or just that I was so greatful that you took the time to be so informative and gave me information that I couldn’t find elsewhere. You are an Angel in my eyes… thank you Jennifer, I know now I can heal, even though it will be a life long struggle, you made my struggle manageable.
I have received your book and prepared your Hearty Veggie Soup. Which one of the Himalayan Sea Salts should I use? The Ground, the Rock, or the Crystals? I used regular store bought sea salt, replaced the water with a vegetarian broth; the SOUP is amazingly tasty! I am so pleased with it; I’ve been gluten intolerant (along with dairy and soy) for four years and am always excited to add a recipe that is not only easy to prepare, but tastes so good as well! Thank you Jennifer.
It’s an amazing piece of writing for all the online
visitors; they will obtain advantage from it I am sure.
Thank you!!! From the very bottom of my heart. I think you gave me so many answers I was looking for and you have shed light on so many lives. I visited your amazing bakery and found it to be delightful and delicious. The girl behind the counter was nice enough to provide me information regarding a doctor who could assist me because where I’m from, there is no such doctor who can help me. However, I cant seem to find the number and would greatly appreciate it if you could contact me again
have an amazing day! Thansk!
Hi,
Came across your great website when looking into Coeliac Awareness Week (UK 5/12 – 18).
I, like you am gluten free (dairy free also) and now have a blog giving recipes that are free of gluten and dairy (and are delicious – whole family eats them.
What I like about the whole issue of coeliac disease or food intolerances is that they can be managed by diet, not pills.
Joanna
Hey there.
Thanks for the article.
I’m currently doing a food elimination test (excluding gluten) for 3 weeks. I don’t believe I have celiac, but I do perhaps suspect a mild wheat allergy.
I have started writing blog posts to catalogue my experience. It certainly isn’t easy. I have been doing this for 2 days and I’m already struggling.
Laura
Hi,
my name is Beatrice and I live in Italy. I’m twenty-one and since two years I suffer from these symptoms: nausea, headache, severe stomach cramps and above all head disorientation. I did all visits conceivable, except that to verify the celiac desease. A friend of my mom told me that eight years ago she suffered of the same symptoms and, after ascertaining the celiac desease, she has eliminated gluten: she was reborn! So that she recommended me to follow this gluten free diet. Now, for two days, I’m eating without gluten; since then I feel very very bad: strong sense of vomiting, headache, need to always go to the bathroom and stomach cramps. At this point I would ask you if these symptoms could be normal and if my problem could be truly the celiac desease. In these years doctors told me that I suffered from stress, but I assure you that I’m not depressed. Please help me!
Thank you so much and sorry for my bad English language!
Your body is withdrawing from the gluten. You are likely detoxing. In severe cases, people sometimes feel worse before they feel better. To aid in the detoxing, be sure to drink plenty of water. You might want to also take some supplements to give you energy. Jennifer recommends UltraInflamX in her book. it’s a powder you can add to a smoothie. It is expensive but worth it at least until you get over the rough period. In the meantime, I found Alka-seltzer very helpful for nausea with headaches. Ginger tea is also very helpful for nausea. Good luck.
By the way, you might want to get tested. If your Mom had celiac disease, the chances are high that you have it. Stress can certainly aggravate symptoms and celiac disease can cause stress. It’s a vicious circle. Anyway, don’t give up.