Hi everybody.....
I am very new here, and the reason why I am here is because I want to become a vegetarian again. I was from the ages of 13 - 16 but my doctor and parents ganged up on me because they say I wasn't growing like a healthy teenager should be and my mom thought I was getting sick too often, and not enough protein all because I was a vegetarian. Sorry to ramble ....but these are my concerns now....
I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease (intolerance to wheat and gluten) meaning NO....wheat, barley, oats, seitan, soy sauce and most other sauces and marinades. I also have allergies to all forms of dairy including eggs, casein, lactose, and the subfraction beta-lactoglobulin (which works in my favor for becoming a veggie). Besides this, I am allergic to peas, quinoa, all forms of yeast including baker's and brewers, cranberries, cherries, peppercorns (including black pepper), kidney beans, and radishes.

My question is as follows...
How difficult would it be for me to live life as a vegetarian with all the dietary restrictions that I have. Although I have allergies to the food items listed above, my body is very sensitive to alot of foods. I still cannot eat beans of any sort without getting a terrible stomach ache, with gas and bloating (i've tried beano)... I also have a hard time digesting some soy products including soy milk and soy protein, as well as all types of nuts and seeds excluding hemp seeds.

A typical day of eating (non-veggie) goes like this(sorry if this offends anyone in any way) ...
B: 2 small corn tortillas with baked tofu, cherry tomatos, sprouts and spinach
hemp protein drink with 4 strawberries, 1/2 banana, 2 tbsp mango pulp
s: apple
L: 2/3 cup brown rice, 3-4 oz cooked chicken, small spinach and tomato salad
s: apple and soy yogurt
d: baked potato, piece of salmon and steamed broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, parsley and bok choy with braggs aminos.
Throughout the day I drink plenty of water, and tea..

Once again, sorry for rambling...I just want to know if it is worth it for me to try to become a vegetarian again. If someone has other food ideas for me that would be great. Please also take into consideration that people with many dietary restrictions are at a higher risk of not tolerating certain foods that are eaten on a daily basis. Meaning that for the most part, I should be on somewhat of a rotation diet, just for the sake of not becoming intolerant to the foods that my body can tolerate now.
If someone could please help me and give me suggestions that would be awesome. Thanks:bow:

:dizzy: :dizzy: i guess it isn't, seems as though 35 people have checked out my post but no one replied...is it because it is too complicated to try? Please people just give me feedback..Any, whether good or bad works. Thanks

I read your post earlier today, but I apologize for not responding yet- I was just here briefly.

I really think you should discuss this with a good registered dietician. I wish I could help you, but I don't think I can. I know that the more restricted one's diet, the harder it usually is. If it turns out that you really can't go full veg, don't feel bad about it. You might have to settle for just cutting back on eating meat instead of eliminationg it completely.

I hope you stick around at this site, though. Good luck!

I read through your post earlier but had to get back to work before replying. Tom pretty much covered it. Talk to a registered dietician (find one that's veg*n friendly) about your dietary restrictions and see if they think it's possible to go veggie.
Definatley research on your own and find out how much protein you need in a day, you may be getting more than enough.
Use www.fitday.com to track your daily nutrients.
Have you tried rice milk?

EarthSave Nashville was contacted by a number of people with celiac disease, but none as bad as yours, as I recall.

It is hard to say whether you can become a vegetarian, in any practical sense.
I would have to know more about things like support groups and resources in your community.

I am also told that most doctors who are involved with celiac disease (at least in the US) are extremely hostile to vegetarianism, on the theory that it is hard enough for their patients to observe the dietary restrictions for celiac disease, and that adding dietary restrictions for vegetarianism on top of this is just a distraction and formula for failure.

My best friend has Celiac disease and she is a vegetarian. It's great that you got diagnosed at least. My friend was so sick for so many years and had no idea why.

Anyway, she uses rice based everything in her diet. Makes her own pizza crusts, breads etc all from rice flour etc. Are kidney beans your only problem as far as beans go? I'll call her tonight and have her send me links on dietary info for you. She is very knowledgeable.

One thing that is a bummer. She told me the longer you go without gluten the more intolerant you will become. Of course you will feel 100 times better but one mistake will cause great suffering. She can't even have the powder from bread touch her lips without ending up in the bathroom for two days. Even when she kisses her husband they have to be mindful of what he has just eaten.

She eats healthier then any one i know since she is forced to be so careful with her diet.

I have a proble with Great Northern beans or (White beans). They just make my sick. They give me bad gas. The just swell my stomach up. I just don't eat them anymore. I can eat other beans like pinto, lima, and black eyed peas. I don't know about other beans I just know i can't eat Great Northern beans.


Monika

"I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease (intolerance to wheat and gluten) meaning NO....wheat, barley, oats, seitan, soy sauce and most other sauces and marinades. I also have allergies to all forms of dairy including eggs, casein, lactose, and the subfraction beta-lactoglobulin (which works in my favor for becoming a veggie). Besides this, I am allergic to peas, quinoa, all forms of yeast including baker's and brewers, cranberries, cherries, peppercorns (including black pepper), kidney beans, and radishes. "

I'd like to say "Yikes" to that.

"seems as though 35 people have checked out my post but no one replied...is it because it is too complicated to try? Please people just give me feedback..Any, whether good or bad works. Thanks"
--you have to remember, it was posted at 6:30am. Probably too early for most people to think clearly. :)

Chickpeas, are they off the menu? You can do a lot with those...
---Chickpeas, spinach and brown rice is a great meal. Throw some curry in there, a quarter can of coconut milk, and you're set.
--Hummous with cucumbers, carrots, olives.
--Olive spreads/dips are good and filling. Goes good with hummous.

Have you tried eating a heavy Raw Food diet? Lots of veggies and fruits, smoothies. If you can eat soy bean stuffs, that'll help out alot for protien. Look here:http://www.thegardendiet.com/ I've read a lot about the raw food diet, and it seems, if it's convenient for you, that it's a great energy diet. I'd suggest eating mostly raw, with some cooked beans and rice, just to make sure you'll stay full.

Ummm. Wow, I've never known anyone in my life with that disease, so I can't really give you sound advice. Rice seems to be your grain option, huh? You can buy rice flour and make crackers or tortillas with it. That way you can have something like a sandwich or burrito.

Good luck

Hey everyone, thanks for all your responses.
I actually was sick for over 9 years with bad stomach problems. Between my sophomore and junior year of high school I spent most of the summer in and out of the hospital getting tests, blood drawn, x-rays and ultra sounds. I just learned to deal with it and believe me it SUCKED. I couldnt work out or do anything without having stomach problems it took over my life. Then I moved out on my own and had to take full responsibility of everything in my surroundings. So I began doing my own research and after much reading and trials with food elimination diet, I self diagnosed myself with wheat intolerance. Then to validify it all, I went to a natural health center and paid close to $700 for the most accurate allergy test made to date. Had that done and proved my hypothesis to be correct. The HHP that explained my test results to me was telling me something about how most doctors are really don't know about the disease so they obviously cannot diagnose it, not only that but I guess they don't get paid or something when the patient has the allergy test, only Immuno labs gets paid. I don't know how true that last part is but I believe that not too many Dr's are familiar with it, and that is sad. Basically I went through many years of being ill, so I am glad that I can finally come to peace with all this and start living my life the way I want.
Many people gave suggestions that I see a dietitian, and I guess I kind of fear seeing one because of the idea that the person will be biased or possibly not too understanding of my situation. I get alot of crap from people like at work for example..they'll have a cake and they will offer me a piece and I say "no thanks" and they joke and ask me if I am on a diet. Even after I have explained my food allergies to people many times, no one takes the time to care or even remeber. Or with friends, we went to have sushi a while back, and I told them about my eating restrictions, so all I could eat was sashimi, yet they tried to give me rice (at the time I thought rice was off limits) I said no thanks and they asked if I was on a "low carb diet"...Sorry to ramble, I am just sick of negative feedback from people that are insensitive so I would rather kinda get information from a couple sources such as books, internet, and feedback from people here, than to be face to face with someone that will make me feel bad.

As for the other suggestions, such as the raw food diet, I would LOVE to be able to do that but because my body isn't use to alot of vegetables, I have a very hard time digesting them. I am slowly adding them in little by little. So far by body can fully digest carrots, spinach, romaine lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, bok choy, jicama, bean sprouts, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, parsley, and about 1/2 cup broccoli without any problems. Other than that I have to build up my tolerance and because of eating gluten containing products for 21 years of my life the villi in my intestines is torn apart, and I'm sure there is a lack of good bacteria in there as well. So it takes time to rebuild those, and I take an am/pm probiotics formula to help me out.

Gaya, If you could get some of those recipes from your friend that would be great!!!
I have found a couple of bread recipes, and cookbooks for bread but the problem is that almost all of them contain yeast, and I dont know of any alternative in baking with yeast.

Thanks for everyones help....Sorry for the gigantic post.

})i({ Tina

There are some good books on vegetarianism and veganism.

I guess one thing you might try is getting these books and going through the recipes and crossing out the ones you could not use, due to your allergies/intolerances. I think you'd find out pretty quickly whether most of the recipes were useful or whether they had to be crossed out.

Some good books are:

The Vegetarian Way.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0517882752/qid=1125037565/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-3109334-6111240?v=glance&s=books&n=507846


Becoming Vegetarian

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570671443/ref=pd_sim_b_1/002-3109334-6111240?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

Becoming Vegan

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570671036/qid=1125037800/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-3109334-6111240?v=glance&s=books

Joe,
thanks for the suggestions, I will go to my local library tomorrow and see if they have any of those books, and I will look into them. :D

Hi everybody.....
I am very new here, and the reason why I am here is because I want to become a vegetarian again. I was from the ages of 13 - 16 but my doctor and parents ganged up on me because they say I wasn't growing like a healthy teenager should be and my mom thought I was getting sick too often, and not enough protein all because I was a vegetarian. Sorry to ramble ....but these are my concerns now....
I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease (intolerance to wheat and gluten) meaning NO....wheat, barley, oats, seitan, soy sauce and most other sauces and marinades. I also have allergies to all forms of dairy including eggs, casein, lactose, and the subfraction beta-lactoglobulin (which works in my favor for becoming a veggie). Besides this, I am allergic to peas, quinoa, all forms of yeast including baker's and brewers, cranberries, cherries, peppercorns (including black pepper), kidney beans, and radishes.

My question is as follows...
How difficult would it be for me to live life as a vegetarian with all the dietary restrictions that I have. Although I have allergies to the food items listed above, my body is very sensitive to alot of foods. I still cannot eat beans of any sort without getting a terrible stomach ache, with gas and bloating (i've tried beano)... I also have a hard time digesting some soy products including soy milk and soy protein, as well as all types of nuts and seeds excluding hemp seeds.

A typical day of eating (non-veggie) goes like this(sorry if this offends anyone in any way) ...
B: 2 small corn tortillas with baked tofu, cherry tomatos, sprouts and spinach
hemp protein drink with 4 strawberries, 1/2 banana, 2 tbsp mango pulp
s: apple
L: 2/3 cup brown rice, 3-4 oz cooked chicken, small spinach and tomato salad
s: apple and soy yogurt
d: baked potato, piece of salmon and steamed broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, parsley and bok choy with braggs aminos.
Throughout the day I drink plenty of water, and tea..

Once again, sorry for rambling...I just want to know if it is worth it for me to try to become a vegetarian again. If someone has other food ideas for me that would be great. Please also take into consideration that people with many dietary restrictions are at a higher risk of not tolerating certain foods that are eaten on a daily basis. Meaning that for the most part, I should be on somewhat of a rotation diet, just for the sake of not becoming intolerant to the foods that my body can tolerate now.
If someone could please help me and give me suggestions that would be awesome. Thanks:bow:


I too found out, but by accident, I was allergic to wheat, gluten and distilled vinegar, among others. I happened across a book called "Eat Right for your Blood Type". Of course, at first I paid no attention to it but for some strange reason (probably my unending need to find health for myself) I began experimenting with what it had to say. After awhile, to my great surprise, it seemed to tell me more about how I felt and the problems I had been having in the last few decades then I would have ever known otherwise, (in otherwords it lead to more studies of the blood type theory and food allergies). I tested the statements it made about my type and found that I was allergic to wheat and gluten, now if I stay away from either of the two I have absolutely no more reactions such as extreme tiredness and sinus problems (runny nose, watery eyes, constricted nasal passages). It had been so bad and it was all because of wheat, yeast, gluten and hot sauce products. I had eatin tons and tons of these items over the years and always felt bad. Now, I am vegan and eat tons of fruits, grains, legumes and the things that are best suited for my metabolic structure. (side note: the book mentions I would not fare on things such as fruits but relieving my body of my main intolerance I can now consume these other items with only minimal complications if any) My point is try to pick up this book, try to find your main allergies and cut them out "completely", stay away from ALL wheat, gluten and yeast products and you may very well be able to transition to Veg with only slight resistance. good luck

I don't have experience with this condition but I do have a few ideas. Firstly, protein is not a problem. It is almost impossible to not get enough protein as long as you have varied diet and are eating enough calories. Basically, the only way you could not get enough protein would be starvation or eating a diet that consists primarily of very nutrient poor foods (think ice burg lettuce, soda, candy, potato chips, beer, toilet paper, etc). I didn't see a problem with the menu you provided if you subtracted the meat and ate a bit more of everything else. Compared to the average vegetarian you would probably eat more grains and you should make a special effort to include enough fat (oil) in your diet.

You should aim for the most varied diet possible, so that you can get all kinds of nutrients and so, as you said, food rotation would be possible. Have you tried many types of legumes or only the most common? How about seeds and nuts? There may be many more types of grains that you are not intolerant to. Being partially raw could be a big help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_%28legume%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal

Have you found a specialist in your condition? They may be a big help. A vegetarian diet may even help your condition because of the additional fiber and less saturated fat. You mentioned having an allergen test performed. Did you have the skin prick type where you are exposed to a bunch of common allergens? I know a woman who has many food intolerances who said that after avoiding the foods she tested positive for her asthma was completely remedied.

Even if an entirely vegetarian diet is not possible you could still try to eat less meat. Good luck.

Brighter- thanks for the suggestion! I actually met a guy who told me the same things that you are saying, and he suggested that I read the book and follow it very loosely as well. Funny that I have had my blood drawn over 50 times in my 22 years of living but I actually have no idea what my blood type is. I have wanted to know, but I usually ask when it's too late (like after test results come back, not while they are drawing the blood).

Yummus- first off, cute sn :D
Secondly, for my allergy test, I basically purchased the kit (~ $450) from the better health center, paid $150 for the HHP to review the results and the pre and post consult. For the actual test, I got the kit, went to a lab, paid like $30 to have blood drawn. They centrifuge it there ( to separate the red and white blood cells) put the vial of the white blood cells in an envelope and I took it to FedEx and sent it to the Immuno Labs in Fl. They basically expose your blood serum to 150 different foods, and you can pay more for more foods and more tests. I paid more, because I knew I was lactose intolerant, but whenever I ate yogurt I still felt ill. Yogurt is low in lactose so I should've been fine. I also wanted to make sure I was intolerent to eggs like I thought. So I paid extra to have the milk subfractions and egg components broken down, and thats how I found out I was allergic to egg yolks and whites, casein and beta lactoglobulin ( a milk subfraction).

As of today, I have cut down my meat consumption to 1 meal a day. But do you all think that it is safe to eat tofu 2x per day? How much should I eat for 1 serving, the typical 3 ounces? What do you guys think?

Thanks again for everyones help!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure what it is made of, but you could also consider other meat substitutes, such as seitan and textured vegetable protein (TVP), if you are worried about developing an intolerance. As for serving size, I would say it is about the same size as a piece of chicken or fish (about fist size, but dont eat it in a block, yuck!) This sounds difficult, but I have an adult friend with celiac and she is allergic to about the same amount of things as you - including sesame, shrimp, gluten, eggs, dairy, even olives (and olive oil!). She is not vegetarian but she eats tofu regularly and goes to this great vegan restaurant that has INCREDIBLE, gluten-free, vegan chocolate cake (two layers with chocolate chips in between...mmmmm!)

I am not sure what it is made of, but you could also consider other meat substitutes, such as seitan and textured vegetable protein (TVP), if you are worried about developing an intolerance.

Seitan

NOUN: A chewy, protein-rich food made from wheat gluten and used as a meat substitute. (Emphasis added.)

http://www.bartleby.com/61/17/S0221725.html

People with celiac disease should not be encouraged to eat seitan.

As of today, I have cut down my meat consumption to 1 meal a day. But do you all think that it is safe to eat tofu 2x per day? How much should I eat for 1 serving, the typical 3 ounces? What do you guys think?

Thanks again for everyones help!!!!!!!!!


For the amount of protein you need, see my comments and Jinga's comments in the following thread:

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=33258&highlight=protein

Generally, you need 1 gram of protein per day for every 1 Kg of your body weight. 1 kg = 2.2 pounds. So, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to figure out your daily protein requirements.

Your sample meals made it seem like you are overdosing on protein. But since you did not include portion sizes, it is impossible to tell.

One other problem with tofu is that generally it is high in fat content, so even if it would be a good protein source, the high fat nature of the food should mean it should be used with caution and in moderation.

Sorry I didnt know what seitan was made from.

Butterfly, I think those tests you had may be very controversial. I personally am not completely convinced that allergies to foods show up in blood like that. Foods going through your body are more complexly metabolized.

I thought the gold standard for testing for celiac would be an upper endoscopy/biopsy to actually look at the condition of the intestine. *I could be wrong,* but, if you don't get better with what you're doing, consider seeing a gastroenterologist, if you haven't already, for your condition. There is also a regular blood test for celiac, but maybe not as accurate as the biopsy.

But do you all think that it is safe to eat tofu 2x per day? How much should I eat for 1 serving, the typical 3 ounces?
Generally it isn't good to depend on a single food for a nutrient. Plus, in your case I would worry about becoming intollerant. Eat your grains and veggies. You'll be alright in the protein department.

In all three of these vegan cookbooks some wheat/gluten free recipies are offered
garden of vegan
how it all vegan
viva le(or was it la) Vegan

also the g.o.v. has 45 things to do with baking soda, aprently adding some to beans when cooking helps with the gas/bloating problem, althought i'm sorry i don't remeber the exact amount.

There are other kinds of milk subs besides soy, like rice almond or coconut. ^-^ and pretty much any raw nuts or cooked grains can me made in to "milk" by belending with water and adding any flavoring you choose. ^-^

Also if you check out fork and spoon distro http://www.retrobugs.com/forknspoon/2005/02/zines.html run by stephanie , she writes a zine called the cheap vegan that reatures a few yeast free/wheat free recipies.

Also try checking out your local health food store for diffrent kinds of none wheat flours to make your own bread ect. Also try the organic section of your grocery. Both these places may also have pre-made vegan meals withou wheat or gluten. Mine also have gluten/wheat free cake mixes and things too ^-^.

Also maybe you could try eating more fruits and veggies? Veggie stir frys curies ect Veriety is key, try and eat a rainbow of veggies (literaly, its a good way to make sure you get lenty of tasty nutrients). As previously mentioned you should see a nutritionish or dietition or doctor, perferable one open to veg*nism.

tonight for super i made quick curied veggies from the new vegetarian times
cury powerder
coconut milk
veggie broth
onion
califlower
frozen peas(don't use these, they taste bad anyway)
Frozen cut green beans
lime juice
red skined potaotes
tomatoe paste

brown onion in oil, add coconut milk and veggie broth, whisk in curry powerd and tomatoe paste. bring to boil. add potaotes ruduce heat, cover. cook for 15 minutes. add green beans and cauliflower, cook for covered for 5. add some lime juice and cilantro is you have any.

you can try using diffrent veggies its really yummy!

A lot of new vegetarians, with food intolerances or not, experience gassiness and bloating when they start increasing vegetable proteins and decreasing animal proteins. Do a search for how many threads there are about farts here ;) You said in one of your posts here that you aren't used to eating a lot of vegetables. It will take your body some time to adjust to the increase in fiber. You DO adjust though! You might try experimenting with small amounts of other types of beans. A lot of people swear by lentils (but thats actually one of the things that bothers MY stomach for some reason.). There is an incredable number of rice varieties available (i.e. white, brown, bhutanese red, forbidden black, jasmine, basmati), and products made with rice (i.e. pasta, breads, milks, ice creams). I'm also going with the "talk to a veg*n friendly nutritionist" which is probably a good idea regardless of whether or not you end up going veg! Good luck.

My ex has celiac sprue, as does the fiance of my best friend from college.

My ex is vegetarian, and my friend's fiance is pretty close to it.

I would suggest, more than specific foods, a strong social support system to help you out. You can always find food, but sometimes it takes more work to find it, cook, it and deal with the learning and eventual problems that no one can predict.

What you need is less specifics about food, and more friends/family who can help you make the transitions that you want to make. Since you have such specific dietary needs, it only through trial and error (and hopefully less error), that you can find a set of habits that will have you eating for your health and happiness.

ps. an online buddy is great, but in your case, nothing will beat a flesh and blood person who can come over, and help you cook or buy food. Look for veggie groups or AR groups in your area. That might be a good place to start.

What you want can be done!

Sorry I didnt know what seitan was made from.

That's ok. We're all learning through these discussions.

I've been thinking about this.

I was surprised that you are allergic to some beans, but not others. You mentioned that you're allergic to quinoa, but not spinach- and quinoa and spinach are related botanically.

Anyway- I don't know how likely you are to develop an allergy to amaranth or buckwheat. They're not botanically grains, but are often used as a grain in cooking. I don't know how they would do in making bread; you're allergic to both yeast and egg, but maybe an unyeasted bread with an egg replacer would be doable. I think they would make an acceptable pancake or griddle-type flat bread.