Last weekend on a wonderful hike, it hit me. I realized something HUGE. Of course I would go BIG when I went gluten free… like everything else I do. Full speed ahead. It’s in my DNA. At the same instant, I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the ability to have this website—and to be able to share what I’ve learned about gluten free replacements.
Gluten-free replacement foods are everywhere. They’ve become synonymous with healthy eating… even for people without celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
I tried my best to be fully engaged in this gluten free lifestyle—before it became a diet trend. I turned my homemade gluten free carrot cake into SPIRIT CAKE and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies into KICK ASS cookies. My Boyz and I named them. They tasted horrible so I gave them power names to compensate.
I was grappling for answers and looking for recipes to replace the foods we were used to eating. I bought a bread maker and found a recipe online called The Best Gluten Free Bread Ever. It had 5 flours in the recipe and made me so sick.
The bottom line is that these GF replacements were only substitutions for food that isn’t healthy to begin with.
The truth about the gluten-free diet is that it’s built on the same foundation as the Standard American Diet (SAD). Both are low-fat, highly processed diets made up of too much sugar, too much soy, and what Dr. William Davis refers to as high glycemic “junk carbs“.
The four common flours used to replace wheat and gluten are:
- Rice flour (and brown rice flour)
- Potato flour
- Cornstarch
- Tapioca starch
But a person diagnosed with Celiac already has a severely damaged digestive system and is highly susceptible to poor food choices. If you don’t remove the other unhealthy foods contributing to the disease, you’re going to end up STILL sick… like I was.
Yes, gluten makes people with Celiac feel bad. And gluten free replacements do the same thing.
Mainstream resources tell us that eating gluten-free is a healthy lifestyle choice. Doctors explain it as the only way to treat newly diagnosed Celiac disease patients—as in my case.
Going gluten-free wasn’t enough for me. I had to heal my gut first. Thank goodness for the two MDs that told me about Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint and for the unconditional love of beautiful people. That’s what finally got me to eat clean, low-carb and Paleo.
I should note that I’m not a purist. I enjoy the occasional dessert, pizza slice, and tortilla chips at my fave Mexican restaurant. But I know now that “healthy gluten-free food” is still processed junk food, and that nutrient rich, low-carb whole foods are where it’s at and make me feel GREAT.
Once you heal and your body can properly absorb nutrients again, you’ll be able to reintroduce some of these things into your diet again. Just remember to follow the 80/20 Rule, as I explain here, and read the labels so you know what you’re eating.
I take care of my family this way, too. I was an RN so it’s in my bones to want to help and maintain a high quality of life for others.
I LOVE living this way. With my whole heart. I truly treasure everything from the very center of my being, the fibers of my soul, and I genuinely accept that.
Dear Sage Readers,
You are amazing and beautiful and the world needs you to be healthy. Each and every gorgeous day take very good care of yourself. Exercise. Make it your priority to go low-carb and eat clean. Follow the 80/20 Rule as close to the Paleo diet as possible. Learn from me. I tested the process fully. I am your GF life-lab tested being!
I keep a photo of myself from a trip to Mexico on my kitchen counter. I’m 20 years older than that photo, but so much stronger. It’s an important reminder of health, strength, and what one can accomplish when well—as the stress we place on our bodies from poor food choices is a threat to our independence and well-being.
I am so grateful to be able to support your health. The more people who find this path as soon as they’ve been diagnosed with Celiac, the better they will be.
Never give up on you. It’s not selfish, it’s a necessity! Your tribe needs YOU.
With much love and a big grateful hug,
~ jet