Following a gluten and dairy free, organic diet can help
endometriosis patients manage their symptoms. I recently had the chance to chat
with Aslihan Sabanci, an author and entrepenuer, who has written an excellent
cookbook and gluten free guide that is great for endometriosis patients. Her
book is called, “Gluten Free Mediterranean Gourmet Cuisine: Invaluable
Recommendations for a Healthy Immune System.”
Mrs. Sabanci was delighted to answer questions and give
tips on how to start eating gluten free. She started eating gluten free many years
ago for her the benefit of her own health and wrote this cookbook out of her
need to find tasty and practical recipes. Here is what Mrs. Sabanci had to say:
Q: I read that from the time you were a little girl you
were experimenting in the kitchen and using your friends and family as taste
testers! You take pride in your recipes. How important is it for you that your
food not only be gluten free, but taste good?
A: I think it is very important that my recipes taste
great. Great tasting food is the key to eating a well balanced diet. Don't
forget, if your healthy food does not taste great, you will always prefer the
fried, super fattening and super tasty unhealthy food over the healthy food.
Q: You stress
how important it is for your recipe ingredients to be practical and expressed
your frustration in many gluten free recipes having bizarre, hard to find
ingredients.
A: Today,
especially in big cities like New York and Los Angeles, there are more gluten
free options to choose from. However, many gluten free ingredients are still
hard to find when you are traveling or when you are not living in the
cosmopolitan cities. That's why for my book,
I wanted to use easy to find ingredients, from any regular grocery store
or supermarket.
Q: Dr. Seckin
believes there is an immunological component to endometriosis. Some women who
are diagnosed with endometriosis also suffer from other autoimmune inflammatory
diseases. Women with endometriosis also suffer from chronic fatigue. In your book, you talk about ways to boost
your immune system through diet. What is
an easy way an endometriosis patient can boost their immune system on a daily
basis?
A: To boost the
immune system, it is very important to eat a well balanced diet full of whole
foods and plenty of antioxidants. I mention all of these valuable antioxidants,
their resources and how much they are found in which nutrients in my book, and
I worked with an award winning doctor and a dietitian, and a nutritionist to figure
out the antioxidant values of each and every recipe in my book. These doctors
then formed charts to graphically present these calculated antioxidant values.
This way my readers can be informed about the health benefits of my recipes. To help boost the immune system, the most
valuable antioxidants to consume are: Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1,
Vitamin B2, Niacin, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc. The
most efficient way to increase antioxidant intake is to increase the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables and
legumes. I also dedicated a chapter in my book on these nutrients and their
natural resources.
Q: Many women
reach for gluten/dairy/sugar filled foods when they are stressed or when they
have their period, which can only inflame their endometriosis. It can be a
physiological response, just as much as an emotional one. What is your “go to”
recipe in your book that can replace any chocolate/salty/fried comfort foods?
A: When I am
craving chocolate, it usually works for me to eat a handful of pistacchios to
harness the craving. In addition, fruity deserts are an excellent way to stop
cravings for the high calorie deserts and in addition, by consuming fruity desserts
you will also get plenty of antioxidants as a bonus! For example, Kabak Tatlisi,
a savory and sweet pumpkin dessert, has plenty of vitamin C, A,B1, B2 and
magnesium in it.
Q: For the woman
just diagnosed with endometriosis, what would be staple items from the
supermarket you would pick up right away to get started on a gluten free diet?
A: Quinoa flour
(to make bread or any other pastries), quinoa pasta or
the actual
quinoa, all kinds of rice to make variety of rice dishes, so you do not get bored
with cooking only one type of rice (wild rice, basmati rice, risotto rice....)
and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Q: When you
first started eating gluten free, what was the hardest to give up?
A: Pastries....
Q: How did
eating gluten free change how you feel?
A: I felt less
swollen and bloated. I started fitting into my jeans again.
Q: Gluten free
eating is hard, although your wonderful book makes it easier! What words of
encouragement do you have for people taking on gluten free eating?
A: Do not be
scared! Go beyond the books and experiment for yourself. Do not forget to
exercise and to get enough good night sleep. Try to make best out of it, and
have fun!
Mrs. Sabanci’s cookbook is excellent. You
can find simple and delicious recipes that are great for the Endodiet. Within
the pages, one can find a multitude of easy, fresh recipes from Guacamole to
Sesame Chicken, to delicious desserts and smoothies. Although some of the
recipes contain dairy, many of the dairy ingredients are optional or can easily
be substituted with almond milk or Earth Balance. You can find Mrs. Sabanci’s cookbook on
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Mediterranean-Gourmet-Cuisine-Aslihan/dp/6058882613
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