Taking a break

Trying to admit it to myself that I just don't have time to keep up with this blog.  Taking a break for a while...

Wheat Free Peach Cobbler

Ok - amazing recipe last night.  I had 5 fresh peaches picked from an orchard - I realize most are but these were like picked about 3 days ago and perfectly soft and so yum.

So I sliced those up, peeling on.  And topped with a wheat free yellow cake mix, one stick butter and about 1/2 cup milk.  Baked for about an hour.

Soooooo amazing!  Wheat and gluten free!

Wheat Free Gluten Free Yellow Cake MIx

PB Bites

1 cup wheat/gluten free oats
1/3 cup honey - raw and local
1/2 cup peanut butter - all natural
1/2 cup chocolate chips - gluten and wheat free
1/3 cup ground flax
1 tsp vanilla

All of these were wheat and gluten free ingredients.  Amazingly yummy!

Mexican Pizza

One of our house favorites is mexican pizza.  In the past I would make a crust using a Jiffy mix.  Since we've started going wheat free for dinner, I've avoided the recipe because I didn't have a decent pizza crust.

Well wait no more!

Wheat Free Pizza Crust

This was super easy to make and really really good!  I prepared the mexican pizza just as I always do and My Man thought it was just as good.  Really?  You ask.  Yes, I am blown away every day by how good companies are making wheat free food these days!

I don't remember if I've ever shared the recipe for mexican pizza:

pizza crust, prepared
refried beans or black bean
ground beef, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning
shredded cheese
(put all of this on top of cooked pizza crust and stick in oven until cheese is melty)
shredded lettuce
tomatoes
black olives
(add this to the top of the pizza and serve!)

Snacking

Found a great gluten and wheat free cereal for the kids (minus #3) and tasty snack!  For me too!

Panda Puffs

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

So I found an awesome gluten and wheat free pancake base!  It's very very good and I can add blueberries or wheat/gluten free chocolate chips.  Last night we had silly supper and I made chocolate chip pancakes and bacon (nitrate free).

So very very good!

I think I put a link for the chocolate chips before but here is one for both the mix and chips.

Pizza

Found some gluten free pizza the other day.  It was pretty good!  Not wheat free but still gluten free!

Amy's

Jose Peppers Gluten Free Menu

I went out to lunch today with some girlfriends.  We went to Jose Peppers.  They have a gluten free menu!  I ordered chicken and avocado enchiladas with espinaca dip. This was wheat free as well but the chips are fried in the same oil as a few of their dishes with flour tortillas.  So there could have been a tidge of wheat influence.  But close enough!   Heaven.

Trader Joe's and Muffins

I went to Trader Joe's this week.  I think I'm missing why it's so awesome.  I was mostly looking for gluten/wheat free foods and did not find anything special that I can't find at Hy-vee (almost 25 minutes closer to my house).  So, unless I find out something new, I'll just stick with Hy-vee.  Well Trader Joe's does have Gluten free JoJo's so if I'm in the area I don't mind running in for that...but that's really it.

A new product I found this week is a gluten/wheat free base for muffins.  This week I added some of our blueberries we picked back in late June.  They tasted totally normal!  12 muffins gone in one sitting.

Here's the link.

Wheat Free Gluten Free Pasta

Found a great wheat free pasta - that tastes totally normal!

Here's the link

Wheat Free Brownies

One of the things I'm seeing on blogs and websites are recipes to make your own wheat free food.  Wheat free bread and wheat free sweets.  The problems keeping me from really trying this right now is the list of ingredients.  It's one of those things where you buy a $10 bag of xanthan gum and use about 1/8 of the cup.  So, I can't quite make myself do that yet.  The main reason is because HyVee and I'm sure other stores with a "healthy" section have it all right there for me!  I have found Udi's breads that are gluten and wheat free.  They are great toasted!  And I found Bob's Red Mill gluten and wheat free brownie mix.  

And I made those brownies last night.  All I added was butter and an egg.  Oh and some gluten/wheat free chocolate chips.

And in this transition we are making in the house to gluten/wheat free foods, I was nervous to serve the brownies.  Worrying they would taste too healthy.  But they LOVED them!  The kids wolfed them down.  So I had one as did My Man.   They were awesome!  They had that homemade taste that's really chocolatey like you used baker's chocolate or chocolate powder.  Big hit!

Getting Better!

Getting better with living wheat free!  I found a few more products at Hy-vee.  My snacking is now almost completely wheat free.  I found a granola, pumpkin bread, cookies, crackers and chips.  It's working out very well!  I'm still trying to eat mostly fruits and veggies when I snack but having crunchy stuff to turn to has been great.

This week, I've started transforming our kitchen into a gluten free kitchen.  I really  think it will help with at least two of the kids.  I'm not throwing out anything but as I replace, I replace with gluten free food.  I'm not totally going wheat free with the kids but I've found that oftentimes, gluten free is also wheat free...but not always.  I'm an avid label reader!

This weeks dinners have all been gluten free.  I've made tacos and guacamole.  I've made chicken with marinara and wheat free pasta.  Lots of fresh fruits and veggies.  And greek yogurt is gluten free!  My kids are having a rough adjustment with the yogurt switch.  It's not as sweet and has a bit of a tartness to it.  I've been very open with the fact that we are switching our house over to a house that has mostly good healthy foods.  They have lived their lives thinking the word "healthy" means "poison" so it's been rough.

I've also found gluten free sausage - free from nitrates and all of that as well.  It's good and all the kids like it.

I've noticed that gluten free food is more expensive.  However, the snacks I was filling the cabinet with were expensive as well.  And quite honestly, if a box of Ho-Ho's only costs a $1, it's probably full of cheap crap ingredients.  I'd rather spend $5 and get a bag of apples or even a box of gluten free teddy grahams.

I promise, I'm not going to be a crazy gal about organic and hmo free, blah blah blah.

A Couple New Products

I'm still here, trucking along.  Trying and failing at going a whole day without consuming something with wheat.  I've decided it's just too hard to do when I'm not at home.  Eating out - is so rare for me - that when the bread basket is presented, I can't help myself.  When the burger is on my plate, I can't help but not eat some of the bun and the fries...it's just too hard.  So when I'm home, I usually stick to it.

A few new products I've found that I'm slowly switching out in our pantry and so far no one has noticed...

http://udisglutenfree.com/products/cinnamon-raisin-bread/

This is a gluten free/wheat free bread.  Once toasted and spread with a bit of natural peanut butter, it's awesomely yummy.


http://www.seasonssnacks.com/index.php?action=meximenu.main&id_gc=29

These are wheat free/gluten free cheetohs.  And they seriously taste the EXACT SAME.

Ezekiel Bread

Have I mentioned Ezekiel sprouted grain bread?  It's still a grain, yes.  But the wheat is pure and hasn't been processed like the Wheat Belly diet warns about.  This is simply sprouted grain made into a bread.  There are no yucky ingredients.  You have to keep it in the fridge because there are no preservatives, etc.  I love it smeared with a bit of natural peanut butter in the morning.

And last night, I had it with my bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.  Super yummy!

Trucker Eating

I'm in the beginning of a detox juicing week.  We just spent a few days in STL and I ate like a trucker.  Feeling very bloated and full.  I'm planning on protein shakes, green tea and lots of water today.  I got up early and went to a great aerobics class to get a good sweat and I'm so glad I did!

But do you want to know what all I ate?  I think I can remember because it was all. so. so. so. good!

Started out Saturday night with twice cooked pork, beef broccoli, chicken lo mein and a crab rangoon.  Sunday morning a donut, then Panera for a spinach artichoke quiche and snacked on some of what the boys didn't finish.  Several mini donuts at City Museum for a snack, popcorn at the hotel and then Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner.  I had spaghetti with meat sauce and browned butter and mazithra cheese. Oh and garlic cheese bread.  Amazing.  Monday started off with the hotel breakfast which was pretty good.  Oatmeal, toast with peanut butter, eggs and a few bites of the boys waffles.  Lunch was at the zoo.  I got a chicken quesadilla.  It was just ok.  Then a sundae at Crown Candy.  Then dinner at Pappy's Smokehouse (I had a pulled chicken sandwich, sweet potato fries, baked beans and a couple ribs).  More popcorn at the hotel.  Monday another great hotel breakfast.  Then lunch at a sandwich shop.  I had a 1/2 chopped salad and 1/2 turkey sandwich and some chips...and a few bites of the boys pizza.  My fingers are pretty swollen from all the junk.  But I sure enjoyed it!

Beef Fajita Spaghetti

Last night I made beef fajita spaghetti.  Instead of eating the spaghetti, I roasted a head of cauliflower and ate that with the meat and peppers.  It was darn good!  I did use a fajita seasoning packet which had a bit of wheat in the ingredients list but not enough to worry me.

I've found that having cauliflower and spaghetti squash on hand really makes things easy.  If I'm preparing dinner and it has pasta of some sort, I just sub mine with the squash, cauliflower or other veggie on hand.  I've added a few to my weekly grocery list even if I'm not sure how I will use it that week.  Having it in the pantry as a go-to item helps me avoid just going ahead and eating the pasta or potato I'm making for everyone else.

PS - I'm down to one diet coke a day and the rest is green tea flavored with non-aspartame flavor packets.

Aspartame

Aspartame

Without getting all science-y, Aspartame is really bad for you.  Did you know that?  I found a new soda that doesn't have any called Zeevia.  It's expensive and kind of different tasting.  I got a couple of flavors that seem to satisfy my fizzy craving.  I'm trying to make the 6-pack last a long time because of the price.

And I really love putting Crystal Light flavor packets in my iced green tea.  That has aspartame too.  But I found a Lipton tea flavor packet that doesn't have any.  They are good but a bit different.  And more expensive, dang it.

And I still have one regular Diet Coke a day.

Brownies!

I wrote this post prior to yesterday's.  So...tonight I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  I had bought the meatballs from the store.  They were on sample at our local grocery store and I really liked them!  Everyone liked them...except My Man.  He knew they were store-bought meatballs and scolded me for buying them.  We have 35602 pounds of hamburger in the deep freeze you know.  Anyway, I probably ate 8 of them while I was preparing dinner tonight.  And I also made brownies.  I have a meeting tonight and when I have a meeting I always make brownies.  But my family doesn't like the edges of the brownies so I thought I would beat them at their game and trim the edges off as I cut them so no one would know if they have an edge or middle piece.  Well...those edges started calling out to me.  It's been so long since I've had brownie edges!  I took a little piece, then another, then another and then told myself I might as well just finish them off.  So I ate the edges off a 9x13 pan of brownies.  And guess what?  Now I feel sick.  Like kind of loopy sugary sicky.  Will I ever learn?

Swollen Fingers

The past few days I've been cheating quite a bit with wheat and sweets.  And this morning, it's like it all clicked.  My fingers are the first to tell me what that kind of food does to me.  If I've eaten sweets or wheat products the day before, my fingers are ALWAYS swollen the next morning.  So much so that I can't get my wedding ring off and when I straighten my fingers, the shaft of them gets white and tips pink.

When you get older, salt affects/effects your body differently than it used to.

And when I have been getting up in the mornings (4:15ish), I have been feeling SO SLUGGISH.  I just can't get going at all.  Yesterday morning I got up and did laundry, dishes, brushed my teeth, checked FB and STILL went back to bed for 30 minutes just to feel more alert.

When I'm diligent about what I'm eating, I feel GREAT when I wake up.  I am missing that feeling of waking up and being ready to go.

These things seem obvious but sometimes it takes me a little longer to catch on when  trying to find out the reason for why I feel the way I feel.  I forget how much food has to do with it.

So today...back to the grind!  I'm having a protein smoothie for breakfast and an apple for a snack.  Probably a salad with chicken on it for lunch and some carrots.   Or another protein smoothie but with different fruits than breakfast.   Oh and green tea...my love!

Spaghetti Squash - Learning

Today I made a pasta dish for dinner but I didn't eat the pasta.  I instead made a spaghetti squash.  I've done this before as a substitute and it has been just fine.  I learned, however, that even a spaghetti squash can go bad.  I had had it for almost 3 weeks.  It still looked fine, wasn't squishy or anything.  But after I cooked it and started shredding it, the consistency was a little thick and not quite as soft.  Then I tasted it and it was horribly bitter.  So it was either bad to begin with or 3 weeks is just too long to have it on hand.  My advice would be to use it within a week after buying.

Crock Pot Mushrooms

Found a new recipe for mushrooms in the crockpot.  I'm not certain how to change the recipe to make them more healthy...cus they were pretty unhealthy...but sooooo good.

In a Crock-Pot you put two packages of mushrooms (I used baby bellas).  In a separate bowl you melt 2 sticks butter and then stir in two packages of Ranch dressing mix.  Pour over the mushrooms and set on low for 6 hours.

Ohhhhh yummy to my tummy.  You could halve this recipe but we like mushrooms so I kept it big.

I am not certain that I could sub in coconut oil or any other type to sub for the butter.  Butter is butter, after all.

Asparagus

I found this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago.  My Man said it was the best way I've ever prepared asparagus.

Roasted Cauliflower

A vegetable I have grown to love, not just tolerate, is cauliflower.  You dribble a little olive oil on raw cauliflower and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper, put it on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven on 400 for about 20-30 minutes.  Seriously, sooo good!!

Protein Shakes

It's getting easier and easier to avoid wheat.

Lately my breakfasts are protein shakes full of fruits and veggies along with almond milk and protein powder.  That stays with me really well.  I haven't thad to take a snack along for the ride since I started avoiding wheat.  It's still really amazing.

If I'm home, I usually have another protein shake for lunch.  Or a small (not huge) handfull of almonds and an apple.  Unless I'm out and meeting someone for lunch.  If I do that, I have a salad or something along those lines.  But really, when do I meet anyone for lunch?  Hahaha!

Mid afternoon, I still find myself wanting something to munch.  I try to stick with veggies.

Lately, we have sports practices of some sort every night of the week so dinner has been around 5:00pm.  This works great for me because I'm usually ready to chow.  I still try to keep it wheat free for me.  I will eat the protein and veggie I've made but avoid any bread or starch.

PS -the other evening I had a meeting with the girls and there was pb pie...I had a piece and it was heavenly.  And a few days ago I made a strawberry cake and over the weekend, ate about 1/2 of it standing at the counter with a fork watching tv.  I just didn't even realize how much I was eating until My Man came up to me and asked if I was going to save any for the kids.  I looked down...I really do eat like a trucker sometimes.

Protein Shakes

I've started eating protein shakes in the morning and along with the almond milk and protein powder, I've been adding kale, spinach, apples, oranges and strawberries.  Really good and it stays with me all morning.  I got a Ninja blender and while it doesn't get the fruits and veggies blended up like a Vitamix, it does do a pretty good job.

Also, another goal that I've been about 70% good at is not eating after dinner.  This spring we have 4 kids in 4 sports so eating dinner together as a family is so hard.  Typically we have to eat at 5:00pm in order to sit down and visit (which is super important to me).  By the time we get everyone home and showered, it's often 8:00 and I am hungry...but I try really hard not to snack.  And I fail sometimes...

Chinese Cheats

The other night we went out for chinese.  I know gluten is in soy sauce and there is sugar in the brown sauce dishes.  However, I refuse to just eat steamed veggies.  Ick and boring.  I ordered Happy Family which includes beef, chicken, shrimp, pork and scallops.  Also carrots, cabbage and snow peas.  It is served in a brown sauce.  But I refrained from the rice and only had a few bites of #1's lo mein noodles (the death of me).  So it wasn't wheat free, I realize.  But darn good!

Bunny Cake

The other day I made a bunny cake for the kids.  I like to make Easter goodies all week prior to.  It was a spice cake with vanilla frosting.  Nothing too crazy.  It was staring at me all day so I decided a small piece wouldn't hurt.  Something amazing happened.  The first bite tasted awesome but the second did not.  I took a third just to be sure.  Same thing - didn't taste nearly as good as it looked.  Are my tastebuds changing?  I had read that I wouldn't crave the sweets as much but really didn't believe it because sweets and I go together like peas and carrots.  And not saying that I won't be trying any more sweets but it did shock me that this one time, this first time, the bunny cake was left completely to the kids.

Tortillas

So last night I tried wheat belly tortillas.  You mix ground flax seed with almond flour, salt and a couple eggs.  Shape it into a flat tortilla shape and bake for a bit.  I will promise you that it does not taste a thing like a flour or corn tortilla.  But it was doable.  It had an earthy, nutty flavor.  I made Kohler Enchiladas for dinner so I just put a wheat belly tortilla under and piled on the good stuff.

Roast

Last night I made a roast in the crock-pot.  I also made carrots, potatoes and noodles.  When I do this, I put in a packet of some type of seasoning as the roast cooks all day.  Sometimes a packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, sometimes a packet of ranch dressing mix, sometimes a packet of brown gravy mix, or sometimes a little of all.  After I got the roast going yesterday morning, I thought to read the labels on the packets.  There is wheat of some sort in all of them.

So I've decided I can't/won't be going completely wheat free.  Because I did eat that roast last night.  Whatever wheat particles were in the mixes, I took them right in.  I refrained from the potatoes and noodles.  My blood sugar was fine later in the evening.

Spaghetti Squash

I have discovered spaghetti squash.  I first heard of it a few years ago when my sister was on the Atkin's diet.  She mentioned spaghetti squash in place of pasta.  I thought her a fool.  Sounded gross.

Turns out spaghetti squash has  really mild flavor.  When cooked in a microwave properly, you can shred it into pasta like strips.  Last night I made fettucini alfredo for my family.  Instead of the pasta (for me) I subbed in spaghetti squash.

Honestly, it was really good.  Could I tell the difference?  Absolutely.  Nothing beats real fettucini alfredo.  But was it a close second, you bet.

And the other night I made it with just some onion flakes, salt, pepper and a bit of butter.  Really good - it's kind of sweet.

I bought two more at the store this week.

PS - when you microwave it, cut some slits in the skin before hand.  I forgot to the second time I cooked one and the explosion was so loud I thought a wreck had happened out on the highway.

Just a salad

Probably the easiest wheat free lunch I've been having is something I've always had.  I was afraid taking wheat out of my diet would limit me and I wouldn't stick with it or I'd get bored.  But when I am home with the kids at lunch time, for years, I just have a salad with chicken on top.  Before my diet change though, after the salad I would have a little something sweet like a piece of candy or cookie or just anything sweet but small.  Well that would trigger my blood sugar in such a way that about an hour or two later, my stomach was growling and I was feeling shaky and in need of a snack.

Now, after my salad...which is basically a boiled chicken breast with half bag of salad with several chopped up veggies like cucumbers, bell peppers and tomatoes...I get one of my wheat free pumpkin cupcakes for that little something sweet.  I really can't believe how that stays with me until dinner.

Wheat Belly Cookbook

I borrowed the cookbook entitled Wheat Belly Cookbook.  It has lots of recipes I've copied and intend to try out.  One is for tortillas made with flax seed and almond flour.  Another that got my attention was vanilla cupcakes made with almond flour and coconut flour.

There are a few with weird ingredients or stuff thats too costly to buy.  I will either avoid those or find a way to tweak them.

I'm doing pretty good with salads, vegetables and meats.  Those are pretty easy.  I need to find a good bread recipe (Wheat Belly has one I intend to try) and more sweets.  I made some more pumpkin bread but into muffins this time.  I stuck them into the freezer and when I want something sweet, I just warm a couple up.  This craving usually comes in the evening.  So now when I eat them, I don't feel shaky  20 minutes later and end up eating something else.

Cookbook

I've been wheat free for who know how long at this point.  I don't think I will be able to begin my posts with anything exact.  It's probably been almost a month.  Who knows.

I borrowed Wheat Belly (cookbook) from a friend.  I was needing some recipes!  This girl needs some sweets and breads.  I also found several online and on Pinterest!  I managed to make some pumpkin bread using almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil and steevia.  While it does not hold a candle to the real thing, it DID taste awesome!  However, once again, I need to watch how much I eat of it!  I downed half in one day.  While the ingredients do not effect blood sugar, they do have a high fat content.  A slice for a treat is the way I need/should to/have gone.

And I also tried a Chipotle bowl with chicken, black beans, cheese and guacamole.  Heaven..but I missed the cilantro rice!

Not Feeling Hungry

Okay, I've been at this wheat free things for two whole weeks now.  I have lost no weight.  I really thought I would.  And I probably eventually will.  I'm definitely eating less calories.  But the most amazing thing is that I haven't had one single shaky minute since starting.  I'm not hungry as often.  I'm not getting that shaky feeling that makes me think I better get a snack for fear of passing out.  I love to snack on things and spent the first few days scarfing down carrots and almonds.  Well of all the ok veggies ok to eat, carrots are the sweetest.  They are natually sweet but probably not the best thing to eat a bag of them in one afternoon.  And almonds, while healthy in moderation, probably aren't the best thing to eat in front of the tv or while driving because I can scarf down 2 cups like that.  So, these last few days, I'm limiting my carrots and almond intake.  I just can't get over the feeling of NOT FEELING my stomach growl or my blood sugar nudge me.

Another great thing I've noticed is my energy level!  I usually get up around 4:15 am and drink some green tea.  It's my thing and it's what gets me out of bed each morning.  A cup of hot tea, alone in the kitchen, before anyone else gets up.  I have taken different metabolism/energy boosters over the last year and kind of got addicted to them.  If I didn't take one or drink a couple more cups of tea during the day, I was asleep on the couch by 2:30 or definitely by 8pm on the couch.  I still drink my tea but no pills and in the evenings after getting the kids to bed, I have the energy to pay attention to my husband and watch tv, fold laundry, clean up the house.  I'm energized and staying up till 10pm!  Not even yawning!  I'm talkative and sometimes so alert I have to force myself to go to bed.  It's amazing.

Ok, I'm going to end this post.  I will update as I got through this journey.

Oh yes, one more thing.  A few nights ago I made some sugar cookies and was determined to eat one as my "treat."  It tasted so awesome.  But about an hour later...guess who was hungry and feeling shaky?

Wheat Free Living...

I decided not to take up space on Kohler Kids with my wheat free junk.  That way you are not bored unless you choose to be.  Unless you are bored with Kohler Kids as well.  Then I guess you probably shouldn't read anymore of my blubbering, right?

So, here is my post from earlier.  Posting again here and deleting from the other.


My journey to going wheat free...

why?

why give up all of that yumminess?  Cookies, pop tarts, sweets of any kind really.  

why give up bread?  White bread, biscuits, and whole wheat bread?

My whole life, or since 4th grade, I have suffered from hypoglycemia.  It means I have low blood sugar.  I am able to control it with my diet.  I need more protein than carbs, simple as that.  There have been plenty of times over the years that I attempt to eat something high in carbs with little protein and every single time, I end up with an attack of low blood sugar.  It's really such an awful feeling, I kick myself each time it happens.

I can't eat just donuts for breakfast...or french toast...or pancakes...or anything really sweet and carb-y.  I sure have tried though.  I adore all of that stuff.  If I eat some eggs or some kind of meat first, before the yummy sweet breakfast stuff, my body does ok.  So for years, that is what I have done.

For years, as long as I had some protein in my meal, I did just fine.  I never really watched anything else about what I was eating.  I ate bread with meals and desserts after dinner.

When I was pregnant with each of my five kids, I had to really watch my blood sugar.  Those little babies just sucked the protein right out of my meals.  My blood sugar was pretty sensitive and I found myself eating lots of mini meals between bigger meals.  If I only hate carbs (bread or fruit or dessert), my blood sugar would plummit quickly.  I had to eat something almost immediately after getting out of the bed in the morning.  Like within 5 minutes or I was on the floor passed out.

See, that is my reaction.  I pass out.  I have managed to pass out in some of the darndest places.  At school, at a hospital, in my kitchen, in Colorado, at the Mall and at the gym.

The good thing is that I have learned to recognize the symptoms of an "attack" and can usually ward off the eventual faint as long as I get some food in me.  I always have snacks of some sort for those "just in case" moments.

Okay... so what's changed?

Right around my 35th birthday, I started having a harder time controlling my blood sugar.  I was eating the protein like I should but it seemed like I was having more and more low's.  I tried changing a few things like adding more protein, more fruits and veggies, fewer sweets, less carbs.  Sometimes things were good but more often, as soon as I ate that piece of candy mid-day or the brownie after dinner, I was feeling shaky and sick.  It got to be pretty annoying and I found myself packing snacks just to run a few errands just in case.  Because of all the extra snacks (even healthy things like apples and hard boiled eggs), I gained some weight.

So now I'm 38.  I've done some research and found that a lot of hypoglycemics are more prone to diabetes as they get older.  The metabolism changes, hormones change and it's just harder all around for the body to keep things regulated.  Some of my symptoms could be categorized as pre-diabetic.  I'd been able to control my hypyglycemia for so many years with my diet, I was hopeful I could get it back under control with a diet change.

The Atkins/low carb diet was one I tried.  While it is good in theory, a lot of the low carb or gluten free foods were substituted with rice flour or other grain type flour.  These affect blood sugar.  The clean eating diet was another good one in theory but included a lot of the brown rice, quinoa and whole wheats.  These effect blood sugar as well.  So I stumbled upon the wheat free diet.  It's not really a diet I'm realizing, but a way of life.

Wheat free...wheat belly diet.  It's wheat free, gluten free, low carb, high protein, lots of veggies, minimal fruit and a few nuts.  It's sweets made with steevia and almond flour.  I'm learning so much about my body and how it responds to certain foods with wheat.  Did you know that a hypoglycemic person's body reacts to a slice of whole wheat bread exactly the way it would with 3 teaspoons of sugar?  Most people can tolerate whole wheat and make it a healthy part of their lives.  But in my old age...haha...my body treats whole wheat or any other flour/wheat/rice/starch just like I'm eating straight sugar.  That's why a slice of whole wheat toast with a bit of peanut butter for a snack in the afternoon left me shaky and tired.  That used to be my go-to snack in the afternoon.  But in the last couple of years, I've started realizing it was part of the problem!

Stopping for now...will continue to post about this journey!