what to eat for regularity when wheat/gluten intolerant?

I'm not sure if, as a grain, rice is a gluten, but it's what Chinese people eat all the time and they eat more fiber than Westerners. The white and brown rices (brown rice is rice that's processed the same as white, just not bleached) in the store have low fiber content, but I have heard more natural rices (like wild rice) have more fiber; you might want to ask at a health food store. Also there are oats, provided they don't have gluten either. I have heard that the "steel cut oats" are much better for you than quick oats, more filling and have more fiber.

Basically all plant materials contain fiber--some contain more than others. about all you can do is up your vegetable intake seriously in order to compensate for the loss of wheat.

There are also chewable fiber pills (which I don't know, but they probably have wheat in them). Personally I found they CONSTIPATED me worse instead of less, so I don't set much stock in fiber; I have never noticed a difference in my bowel movements after increasing or decreasing my fiber, but maybe I just didn't make a big enough change. And some people do notice a real change, so I guess it depends on the person.

What about lentils? Do they have gluten too? They're not very big in this country in recipes and things, but they were quite popular in the middle ages and if they're okay, you can look up some medieval recipes online or in books and see how to use them. Personally I don't like them, but that's because they taste too much like a pea to me and I don't like peas. They are part of the bean family, I think, and so should contain protein and fiber like beans.

I'm surprised that noone has mentioned Linseed (or Flaxseed as it's known in the US). Very high in fibre, also contains lots of essential fatty acids.

On top of that - you can get lots of fibre though eating lots of fruit and veg. Although you might be better missing off the fruit and this has lots of sugar in it which can feed Candida (which you probably have too much of if you've got IBS).

As bunnybabe says - try Quinoa aswell. I'm not sure of the fibre content of this, but it's very high in protein and very good or you. I love quinoa with Pesto Sauce and lots of chopped cucumbers mixed in. Very tasty. Every time I make this, I also mix in a tablespoon of Linseed (see my first paragraph).

Any decent health food shop should sell it. I get mine from Holland and Barrett.

I'm currently reading The Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford. I've just read a bit where he talks about Quinoa, and he describes it as the closest you can get to a perfect food.

bunnybabe said...
Dracan, i have tried to find flaxseed, but it seems to always be paired with a wheat product. is it possible to just get flaxseed on its own? and where? (it is very popular as an 'addition' to most packaged cereals and whatnot...)
thanks and take care!

I just get mine from my local health food store (Holland and Barrett). Over here in the uk, it's called Linseed. The make I get is called "Linusit Gold". I presume that you're from the US? Doing a google search gave me this. I'd be surprised if your local healthstore doesn't have it though. Just pop in and ask them - if they've not heard of flaxseed, then find another health store, as they're obviously not worthy of being classed as a healthfood store! :)