Gluten free in a pub?

• No beer - unless gluten free. Which is expensive, posh and stupid. Just don't drink it.
• Brandy
• Champagne
• Cider - fermented from apples or other fruits. Some are safe, however, many add barley for enzymes and flavor.
• Cognac - made from grapes.
• Gin – juniper berries
• Grappa – grapes
• Kahlua – sugar, corn syrup, vanilla beans
• Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur)
• Martini:
• Club Extra Dry Martini (corn & grape).
• Club Vodka Martini (corn & grape).
• Mead - distilled from honey.
• Mixes & Cooking Alcohol:
• Club Tom Collins (corn).
• Diamond Jims Bloody Mary Mystery.
• Holland House - all EXCEPT Teriyaki Marinade and Smooth & Spicy Bloody Mary Mixes.
• Mr. & Mrs. T - all Except Bloody Mary Mix.
• Spice Islands - Cooking Wines - Burgundy, Sherry and White.
• Ouzo - made from grapes and anise.
• Rum- sugar cane
• Sake - fermented with rice and Koji enzymes. The Koji enzymes are grown on Miso, which is usually made with barley. The two-product separation from barley, and the manufacturing process should make it safe for celiacs.
• Scotch Whiskey
• Sherry- white grapes
• Sparkling Wine
• Tequila- blue agave plant
• Vermouth - distilled from grapes.
• Vodka - potato
• Wine - all wines, including port wines and sherry, are safe for celiacs.

List of foods I can have

Big lifestyle change.. especially if I go back to India : NO CHAPATI's. I am allowed corn though - so I can have chapati's made of corn flour. As long as they aren't mixed with regular flour. 

Anyway, here are a list of foods I can and cannot have.

YES

Grains:

Corn in all forms (corn flour, corn meal, grits,etc.)

Rice in all forms (white, brown, basmati and enriched rice)

Also amaranth, buckwheat (kasha), Montina, millet, quinoa, teff, sorghum and soy (NO SOY SAUCE though – soy sauce is fermented from wheat)

Carbo-loaders:

Potatoes are gluten free. But only it's whole unprocessed form. Stuff like potato chips and french fries are often cooked with additives which might have a high degree of gluten.

Dairy:

Milk, butter, margarine, real cheese, plain yogurt

Fruits and veggies:

Plain fruits, vegetables, (fresh, frozen and canned)

Proteins:

 Meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, beans and legumes and flours made from them

Flavourings and condiments: Distilled vinegar is gluten free. (See malt vinegar under NO below).

Vegetable oils including canola.

Spices are gluten free. If there is no ingredient list on the container, it contains only the pure spice noted on the label.

Alcohol: Distilled alcoholic beverages are gluten free because distillation effectively removes gluten from wheat. They are not gluten free if gluten-containing ingredients are added after distillation, but this rarely, if ever, happens. Avoid Beer though. NO: Wheat in all forms : NO BREAD/PASTA/PIZZA Durum Semolina Cake flour Couscous Barley and Malt (So NO cereals for breakfast) Malt syrup Malt extract Malt flavouring Malt vinegar Rye Breaded or floured meat/poultry/seafood/vegetables Also meat poultry and veggies when they have a sauce or marinade that contains gluten such as soy and teriyaki sauces. Beer – fermented from Barley Liquorice (really?!)

Yesterday

B : Gluten loaded snack bars. Wasn't aware of the gluten intolerance just yet. Coffee

L : Fruit salad. Diet coke. 

D: Four bean salad. Banana. Gluten free cereal bar - apricot, yoghurt, raisins, nuts. Coffee.

And then Andrew made cake.. couldnt say know. Wasn't gluten free. 

Wrapup: Day 0 of GED. Should be better tomorrow. 

x

Let's take the Keratin head on!

Chicken skin. Milk spots. KP. Are you one of the silent sufferers of this horrid skin condition? I am. And I really am sick of hearing how it's harmless and that we should embrace it, because no one really minds. But hello! Try living with rough bumpy skin. Try spending hot sweaty days in long sleeves to avoid stares. It really isn't good for the mind to be constantly obsessed with hiding the arms. And constantly dealing with statements like - Eeww.. whats that on your arms. 

I recently read - that KP might be linked to gluten intolerance. And that going on a gluten free diet reduces the nasty bumps considerably. Although there aren't any scientific/medical studies to prove this - I have read countless instances of anecdotal evidence online -and though I'm usually skeptical when it comes to internet health forums, I will try go all the way and venture forth into the gluten free territory. We KP people are suckers for all sorts of cures.

Speaking from personal experience - ever since I moved to the first world, my KP has increased significantly. It used to previously cover the back of my upper arms - but now it's spread all over my arms and looks absolutely hideous. If gluten is the culprit - then it all makes sense. Back home, carbo-loading was usually through rice which is one of the few gluten free grains. I do remember however, that my KP worsened when I adopted a diet of wheat pancakes for dinner almost every night. After moving to the United Kingdom, my source of carbohydrates has usually been wheat and it's derivatives - which is probably why my condition has exacerbated. 

I start my gluten free diet today and will follow up as often as I can with updates. According to the nice folks on the internet - it takes anything between one and six months for any visible change. I'm hoping that I start seeing effects in a month. 

This blog will function as a sort of a journal slash notebook for all KP  and gluten related information I feel are relevant and useful. Please feel free to comment and share your experiences. 

Let's wait. And watch. 

x