REAL Exclusive Magazine Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT - Perspectives - REAL Health

Gluten Gluttony: Surviving The Holidays

By Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT

Living gluten free is challenging enough under normal daily circumstances. When you add on the holidays and events, you have a prescription for disaster. Gluten free living continues to grow in popularity and more stores and restaurants are becoming increasingly more aware of the need for gluten free foods. That’s not usually true of holiday parties and the numerous events that take place in season. What is frequently served are the staples of any party, cheese and crackers, baked goods, desserts and oh the pastas! Who doesn’t want to indulge in the delicious meals and snacks that are offered up? How do you contain yourself in a world of decadent food? You go in with a plan of attack. No, not attacking the food! Attack the cravings for the gluten riddled food with strategies to reduce your envy of that big fat chocolaty cake staring at you.

First let’s talk about what gluten is. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It can also be in whole grain foods related to wheat, including bulgur, farro, kamut, spelt, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye). It helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Foods that contain gluten…. Yep! All my favorites: Bread, Pasta and Beer. Many sauces, spices, cold cuts, marinades, trail mixes, frozen foods, condiments and more can contain gluten. Always check the labels and small print. A lot of gluten free food may still be processed in manufacturing sites that process wheat, barley, etc. which if you are truly sensitive, as in celiac disease, can cause problems.

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When you have a gluten sensitivity your body’ is unable to properly digest or break down the gluten protein found in wheat and certain other grains. Gluten sensitivity can range from, bloating, gas, joint pain, irritability, headaches, itchy skin rash or fatigue to a severe autoimmune disorder, celiac disease, in which gluten can cause long-term damage to your small intestine, and may result in nutritional deficiencies making them more susceptible to further diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Like fighting the so called mild symptoms isn’t enough!

Thankfully, there are a few whole grains that don’t contain gluten, including amaranth, millet, and quinoa, and many other gluten free flours, coconut, tapioca, are available. Companies are becoming more gluten savvy and have increased their gluten free products and prices are lowering You just have to keep a good eye out for them and try to find a taste you enjoy.

Now on with the gluten fighting strategies.

Strategy #1
Try to eat something before going out. When is there ever a shortage of food at these gatherings? Never! It’s an endless cycle of food coming and food going. Trying to deprive yourself of the things you love all night is no way to be a happy party goer. Having your gluten free meal prior to the party or event will help to reduce the cravings before you begin to even smell the deliciousness of those flaky appetizers. If you eat the gluten free breads and pastas prior to the event, you will be less likely to crave them while you are there.

Strategy #2
Bring along your own snacks. Sounds kinda crazy, bringing food for yourself to a party but one must do what one must to keep from suffering the consequences of gluten over indulgence. There are many gluten free crackers that are just delicious and bringing a small baggie of them along will allow you to not look like a total crazy trying to roll up almonds in some brie cheese to get that delicious crunchy effect. Yes, I did that and it was delicious.

Strategy #3
If you are at a house party, you could also offer to make a tray of your best gluten free food to share and keep a couple for yourself off to the side. Most hosts will be very welcoming to your addition to their food selection. Talk to your host for a special spot you can keep the extras so when everyone has gobbled up your mouth watering treats, you will still have some to control those growls for the next freshly baked items being brought right past you.

Strategy #4
Learn to love veggies and fruit. PLAIN. Yes the creamy dip left to cover your raw veggies or the lickable sugary topping for the fruit may be filled with gluten. Packaged sauces or salad dressings can sneak that gluten in faster than a pissed off female texting! Question the ingredients if you can, why waste a perfectly good addition to your very healthy choice?

Strategy #5
When all else fails and you can’t beat that urge to sample the offerings, remove the breading. Now this can be quite difficult at times when the foods are encased with that nasty gluten stuff but it can be done. I suggest a small quiet area where no one can see you and ask questions because you know as soon as you have dug out the inner findings and are trying to squish it together to put it in your mouth, someone will inevitably see your destruction and wonder what cave did she crawl out of. Bringing a small spoon or fork may help with that one because there aren’t always utensils at an event.

Strategy #6
Find a gluten free buddy. Having someone who is in the same misery as you is always better. 2 snack packs are better than one. Build a group of buddies and just imagine the gluten free heaven you’ll be in!

So when you see all those empty mini hamburger buns lying around, you can think of me using strategy #5.

Happy Eating!

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^[4]Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT, is an Occupational Therapist with over 14 years’ experience working with clients ranging from infants to the elderly. She has always had passion for wellness and what she could do at home for herself to manage pain and delay disease processes. Her recent certification in Lymphedema Therapy has provided her further incentive to focus her business around preventing disease and halting its progression. Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT – (215) 499.0444 – Kim.Burns@SensoryIntuition.com ^[5] – www.SensoryIntuition.com ^[6].

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