I am starting a gluten free diet to help my fibromyalgia...?
I can't stand the taste of rice pasta. Does anyone have recommendations for a good pasta and white sandwich bread that taste like the real thing? Otherwise I may not last on this diet... Thank you to anyone who helps :)
I don't need home remedies. I just need to know some brands I can find at Meijer or Kroger that'll have good food.
I'm a pasta/ bread fiend. I'm hoping I can find something that will help that isn't medication.
Public Comments
1. a gluten free diet will not help REAL fmsif it does help, it means you were misdiagnosed with FMS and actually have a problem with gluten--maybe even Celiac.
Do you really need to include pasta? There are many other gluten free...if you have a Wegmans near you that have more of a selection that other grocery stores
bread can be avoided too--but is more difficult
2. A gluten free diet isn't going to help your Fibromyalgia.
Before starting on a gluten free diet you need to speak to a doctor. It can actually do more harm than good. A gluten free diet is low of fiber, which you need to help feel full and keep you regular. This can lead to over eating (to feel full), weight gain and constipation. Also a lot of gluten free alternatives are not only more expensive (in some cases 300% more) than regular food, they also contain high levels of sugar, salt and fat. So lower bank balance and bigger waist line and higher blood pressure.
You need to tell your doctor what you're planning to do BEFORE you start this diet. I would also recommend asking to be tested for Celiac Disease. Once you're on a gluten free diet you can't be tested for this disease.
Some people who have Fibromyalgia find that there symptoms get better because of two reasons. First, they may have Celiac Disease (which is an autoimmune disease) or a gluten intolerance (which a doctor must diagnose). These conditions have small amounts of joint pain involved, but not Fibromyalgia. So once you remove gluten your symptoms from these other conditions lessen and then you feel better overall. Or, you remove food that contains gluten (like cookies, cake, pizza, lollies, pasta and bread; please note that pasta and bread themselves are not high in fat and sugar, but the toppings people put on them are!) are high in bad fats, high in sugar and sodium and other nasty things. Once your remove them (and don't replace them with gluten free options) you feel better because you're putting healthier things into your body.
If you truly have Fibromyalgia a gluten free diet will not make you 'better' it MAY lessen some of your symptoms.
I recommend- drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine and soda, eating plenty of fresh fish, lean meat and fruit and veges. Avoid saturated fats, added sugar and salt.
Eat a naturally low gluten diet and you'll feel better, you'll look better and your wallet will feel better too!
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3. There are a couple types of rice pasta. White rice pasta is the kind found in pad thai noodles and chow fun; it can be gummy and wierd, especially if it's overcooked. Brown rice pasta has better texture and flavor, a little closer to wheat pasta. I'm not sensitive to wheat, but my wife is, so we use brown rice pasta, and I actually like it as well or better than wheat pasta. Just don't overcook it, and rinse it really well with hot water or it will be sticky.
Bread is a lot harder. Pat bakes a bread with almond flour and egg whites that comes close to the texture of good wheat bread, but I don't know any commercial brands you could buy at Meier's or Kroger.
She's put together a web site on traditional gluten-free foods from around the world, and you might be able to find some gluten-free restaurants there:
http://www.gluten-free-around-the-world.com
Tai Chi and Yoga have been shown to improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, so you may want to consider them as well:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101107202140.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101014083119.htm
Good luck!
