THAT'S IT! I'm moving to Italy. Where's the cheapest place to live? LOL
Are you disgusted or hungry? (That was a lot of raw beef.) Nope. No raw beef. But everything else looked amazeballs.
Do you have food intolerances or can you eat everything? I'm allergic to peanuts, seamoss and seaweed (I liked the chips). And about 4 years ago found out that coffee, tomatoes (ironically) and bell peppers cause gut inflammation. I drink Everyday Dose for coffee, because I can't give that up. But oh, how I miss tomatoes! I recently did another gut test thought this new health program I signed up for (that's going to be an interesting TST post), and I'll be getting the results of that on Friday. Interested to see what's going on there and putting a plan in place.
Did you know about the AIC? I didn't know about this in Italy. Is there one in the US? And it's a shame they don't accommodate for that here, but I'm not surprised. Keeping us sick keeps the doctor's wallets padded.
Definitely some inflammation there, low cortisol (not surprised), and a few other things that she's putting me on supplements for. So sick of taking pills, even when it's supplements. My mom practically hold us down and shove vitamins down our throat when we were younger, so this isn't surprising. LOL
I'm gonna trade them in and see if I can get , like, an alternative to the alternative. LOL. Like liquid or powder. Ever since I had the Strep Throat From Hell several years ago, my throat has never been the same. So, taking a few pills at once feels like I'm choking.
Oh my goodness... I did not know about the AIC. That is the coolest thing ever! I don't have Celiac's but the older I get, the more gluten disagrees with me so I have been converting all my pie and cake recipes as this happens, but that people (and the Italian government) have so much care about this is something I love. And I just adore hearing about your adventures!
I did not know about AIC, but I am intrigued. I didn’t ever think I had food, allergies. However, with recently being diagnosed with an auto immune disease, I’m looking at diet in a whole new way.
Congratulations on what seems it must’ve been a lovely wedding!
Thx, Holly. Getting rid of all inflammatory foods is a great start. I have an auto immune disease, arthritis, hypermobility, osteoporosis— it’s made a huge difference. 🙏
“The Italian government was so worried about any citizen unable to eat pasta they even implemented a stipend. They send an extra 80-100 euros per month to anyone with Celiac to offset the higher costs of GF foods.”
You can read my post on it https://substack.com/@randybaran/p-149220649, or better yet, look for Dr. Robert Lustig's book, Metabolic. He's the leading source on how sugars, fructose, and food additives have ruined American health. He's got some great vids on youtube, too. Wish you well. The wedding still looks like fun.
Your post, if I followed my heart would lead to a rule-breaking comment of prodigious length. While I was well on the path to learning how to pivot from the American diet before I met them, we had renters from Northern Italy (for 7+ years). We talked about food and learned from each other. I did not know about the AIC -- I am sure I will be absorbed learning more about it. I also spent a portion of my work career at a company adjacent to the food business where I got to see how most everything is made. It is never a good thing to see how something is made by a hard-hearted capitalist. I believe we are mostly guinea pigs for late-stage capitalism in America. Adequate growth is the requiem for success in this perverted world. Since we cannot grow the population fast enough to grow revenue, our best option is to make food that lards us out at record rates with the only respite a monthly shot to make us feel full longer. The number I always shared with people when the topic becomes the "food system" is that 75% of the SKUs in an American grocery store contain either corn or soy or both. These plants are simply weeds now as we observe their growth patterns and never step back from Jack in the Beanstalk type yields beyond all reason. WFPB, at least for me, has delivered me from all of these concerns, everything tastes better, everything takes longer to make and we spend more time together. A beautiful outcome I think. I hope that one of your readers can embrace the mission and bring something like the AIC to America. Finally I must finish. It will be poetic justice if we can figure this out since the Italians have created a vaunted cuisine heavily dependent upon the tomato, a wonderful sunlight kissed item that was brought back from the New World. Yep, it was north and meso-America that spawned the tomato while Europeans simply became the place that shouted a half-truth long enough to win the association with the tomato. We need each other.
Great response and full of useful info! Thx for sharing your experience. You’re spot on regarding ways to make Americans feel full. This is why I don’t even bother with GF bread. All bread is just a filler. I do have my go-to gf biscuit but I partake maybe once a week.
This is why our parents were healthier. Their food was fresher and free of poison sprays. My mom remembers picking out the live chicken they would eat that night.
It is ONLY the US and Russia where life expectancy is dropping. Eating crap and smoking are the proximate causes I suppose. The rest of the world has not yet been fully poisoned by the US food system but is likely at most two generations away from the same fate. We are the tip of the spear and our best export is probably obesity nowadays :) I wrote about chickens long ago and it is simply uncomfortable for people to swallow :) Think how crappy food would be without potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, chili, cacao, and vanilla (all new-world gifts to the wizards of cuisine in Europe) -- it is cool I can eat them all although corn in moderation and quite different than the one that is largely grown today. Once the good stuff is gone (like fish) it will likely get worse I fear. 580M years of fish and we've tapped out 70% of them in the last 150 years. Even the first five mass extinctions couldn't kill off the fish but perhaps we are in the on deck circle with a different strategy. By the time the world fishing fleets run their cycle I figure 90% of the medium to large fish will be gone, perhaps in the next 25 years. Think of the free for all and race to the bottom for protein once the "free" protein is gone around the same time we peak at 10B mouths. So much for optimism -- I need to seek out a silver lining.
I AGREE with you about the GF products. I bought some GF bread a while ago and toasted one thin slice to scratch the itch. I forgot about it and ate my regular stuff for breakfast. When I found it in the toaster oven I warmed it and gave it a try. I imagine these are engineered breads. The taste was indescribably bad upon reheat. I would imagine the surefire way to destroy stuffing for Thanksgiving would be to use GF bread especially on the reheat :)
How interesting. I am on a constant hunt for good vegan fare and am quite curious whether you tried any DF cheeses. If you came across a good recipe for one, I hope you post it! (I have failed miserably in finding a vegan cheese that is healthful, nutritious AND not a blobby mess).
At the wedding they made my sister and I (sis is also gluten and dairy free) our own little mille feuille for desert. It was amazing!
I know Kite Hill makes great DF products but they are wicked expensive. There’s an online company called Rebel Cheese. They were on Shark Tank and apparently delish! I need to try.
How interesting that there is Celiac disease in Italy. I though only the U.S. and our low standards for what we call food was the only place that had such illnesses. GF pasta in Italy seems like an oxymoron. I've heard the way they make their pasta actually makes it more digestible than other pastas.
Nope, it's the carbonation. It literally makes my belly swell up like a balloon. Last time I tried one can, I watched as my belly swelled up about two inches. Gas is funny in jokes, but in real life it HURTS like heck! But swelling bellies are funny to reminisce about, as long as the incident is far enough into the past.
I am currently travelling in Portugal and find the same wonderful accommodations for dietary intolerances. I am not celiac, only (North American) intolerant ( meaning I'm allergic to Monsanto and modified agriculture🤣) so I have found I'm able to fully eat and enjoy the bread here but everywhere we've been there are many foods for all people.
This is a very interesting article Carissa, thank you.
This is so good to hear! I’m half Italian and spent a lot of time in Italy in my 20s. Fast forward to my 40s and I’m gluten intolerant. My partner and I are thinking about getting married in Italy, or at three very least, taking a holiday there next year. I was really worried about how I would go food-wise, but you’ve put my mind at ease. Grazie! 🇮🇹
Oh yes I heard about this! We were thinking September / October. We’ve actually been engaged since 2019 and just haven’t got around to it (twins, Covid, life, etc).
THAT'S IT! I'm moving to Italy. Where's the cheapest place to live? LOL
Are you disgusted or hungry? (That was a lot of raw beef.) Nope. No raw beef. But everything else looked amazeballs.
Do you have food intolerances or can you eat everything? I'm allergic to peanuts, seamoss and seaweed (I liked the chips). And about 4 years ago found out that coffee, tomatoes (ironically) and bell peppers cause gut inflammation. I drink Everyday Dose for coffee, because I can't give that up. But oh, how I miss tomatoes! I recently did another gut test thought this new health program I signed up for (that's going to be an interesting TST post), and I'll be getting the results of that on Friday. Interested to see what's going on there and putting a plan in place.
Did you know about the AIC? I didn't know about this in Italy. Is there one in the US? And it's a shame they don't accommodate for that here, but I'm not surprised. Keeping us sick keeps the doctor's wallets padded.
Pasta or Pizza? Pasta. Definitely.
What happened with the test?
Night shades are not good— tomatoes.
Definitely some inflammation there, low cortisol (not surprised), and a few other things that she's putting me on supplements for. So sick of taking pills, even when it's supplements. My mom practically hold us down and shove vitamins down our throat when we were younger, so this isn't surprising. LOL
I hope the supplements help.
I'm gonna trade them in and see if I can get , like, an alternative to the alternative. LOL. Like liquid or powder. Ever since I had the Strep Throat From Hell several years ago, my throat has never been the same. So, taking a few pills at once feels like I'm choking.
Oh my goodness... I did not know about the AIC. That is the coolest thing ever! I don't have Celiac's but the older I get, the more gluten disagrees with me so I have been converting all my pie and cake recipes as this happens, but that people (and the Italian government) have so much care about this is something I love. And I just adore hearing about your adventures!
Thx, Alisa. Let me know if you need good recipes. I know Sandra has a few too.
Thank you for the vicarious feast - I loved every virtual bite!!!!
You’re welcome. Thx for reading and commenting. 🥰🙏
I did not know about AIC, but I am intrigued. I didn’t ever think I had food, allergies. However, with recently being diagnosed with an auto immune disease, I’m looking at diet in a whole new way.
Congratulations on what seems it must’ve been a lovely wedding!
Thx, Holly. Getting rid of all inflammatory foods is a great start. I have an auto immune disease, arthritis, hypermobility, osteoporosis— it’s made a huge difference. 🙏
So interesting, CK. And congrats! The wedding photos and descriptions are amazing. Such a blessing. 💚
“The Italian government was so worried about any citizen unable to eat pasta they even implemented a stipend. They send an extra 80-100 euros per month to anyone with Celiac to offset the higher costs of GF foods.”
I nearly choked on my gf cracker reading this!!!!
🤣🤣 Shall we start an initiative in Congress? Hehe.
1. Hungry!
2. Sadly, eggplant no longer agrees with me. It's a real mystery and a frustrating turn of events. I love eggplant.
3. I did not know about the AIC.
4. This feels like a choice I shouldn't have to make....
Did you eat?
Is that even a question?
🤣🤣
1. I drool when I see a cow. Sorry PETA.
2. I can’t have eggplant either. No babaganooz.
See? When it matters, things change and people/places/things are accommodating. I'm glad it was such a good time, Carissa. xo
Right? Thx. 🥰🙏
You can read my post on it https://substack.com/@randybaran/p-149220649, or better yet, look for Dr. Robert Lustig's book, Metabolic. He's the leading source on how sugars, fructose, and food additives have ruined American health. He's got some great vids on youtube, too. Wish you well. The wedding still looks like fun.
Your post, if I followed my heart would lead to a rule-breaking comment of prodigious length. While I was well on the path to learning how to pivot from the American diet before I met them, we had renters from Northern Italy (for 7+ years). We talked about food and learned from each other. I did not know about the AIC -- I am sure I will be absorbed learning more about it. I also spent a portion of my work career at a company adjacent to the food business where I got to see how most everything is made. It is never a good thing to see how something is made by a hard-hearted capitalist. I believe we are mostly guinea pigs for late-stage capitalism in America. Adequate growth is the requiem for success in this perverted world. Since we cannot grow the population fast enough to grow revenue, our best option is to make food that lards us out at record rates with the only respite a monthly shot to make us feel full longer. The number I always shared with people when the topic becomes the "food system" is that 75% of the SKUs in an American grocery store contain either corn or soy or both. These plants are simply weeds now as we observe their growth patterns and never step back from Jack in the Beanstalk type yields beyond all reason. WFPB, at least for me, has delivered me from all of these concerns, everything tastes better, everything takes longer to make and we spend more time together. A beautiful outcome I think. I hope that one of your readers can embrace the mission and bring something like the AIC to America. Finally I must finish. It will be poetic justice if we can figure this out since the Italians have created a vaunted cuisine heavily dependent upon the tomato, a wonderful sunlight kissed item that was brought back from the New World. Yep, it was north and meso-America that spawned the tomato while Europeans simply became the place that shouted a half-truth long enough to win the association with the tomato. We need each other.
Great response and full of useful info! Thx for sharing your experience. You’re spot on regarding ways to make Americans feel full. This is why I don’t even bother with GF bread. All bread is just a filler. I do have my go-to gf biscuit but I partake maybe once a week.
This is why our parents were healthier. Their food was fresher and free of poison sprays. My mom remembers picking out the live chicken they would eat that night.
I didn’t the tomato was from N America.
It is ONLY the US and Russia where life expectancy is dropping. Eating crap and smoking are the proximate causes I suppose. The rest of the world has not yet been fully poisoned by the US food system but is likely at most two generations away from the same fate. We are the tip of the spear and our best export is probably obesity nowadays :) I wrote about chickens long ago and it is simply uncomfortable for people to swallow :) Think how crappy food would be without potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, chili, cacao, and vanilla (all new-world gifts to the wizards of cuisine in Europe) -- it is cool I can eat them all although corn in moderation and quite different than the one that is largely grown today. Once the good stuff is gone (like fish) it will likely get worse I fear. 580M years of fish and we've tapped out 70% of them in the last 150 years. Even the first five mass extinctions couldn't kill off the fish but perhaps we are in the on deck circle with a different strategy. By the time the world fishing fleets run their cycle I figure 90% of the medium to large fish will be gone, perhaps in the next 25 years. Think of the free for all and race to the bottom for protein once the "free" protein is gone around the same time we peak at 10B mouths. So much for optimism -- I need to seek out a silver lining.
I AGREE with you about the GF products. I bought some GF bread a while ago and toasted one thin slice to scratch the itch. I forgot about it and ate my regular stuff for breakfast. When I found it in the toaster oven I warmed it and gave it a try. I imagine these are engineered breads. The taste was indescribably bad upon reheat. I would imagine the surefire way to destroy stuffing for Thanksgiving would be to use GF bread especially on the reheat :)
How interesting. I am on a constant hunt for good vegan fare and am quite curious whether you tried any DF cheeses. If you came across a good recipe for one, I hope you post it! (I have failed miserably in finding a vegan cheese that is healthful, nutritious AND not a blobby mess).
At the wedding they made my sister and I (sis is also gluten and dairy free) our own little mille feuille for desert. It was amazing!
I know Kite Hill makes great DF products but they are wicked expensive. There’s an online company called Rebel Cheese. They were on Shark Tank and apparently delish! I need to try.
How interesting that there is Celiac disease in Italy. I though only the U.S. and our low standards for what we call food was the only place that had such illnesses. GF pasta in Italy seems like an oxymoron. I've heard the way they make their pasta actually makes it more digestible than other pastas.
Their flour apparently has less gluten. They use 00 flour. I tried it at home and still got a stomach ache.
I was surprised too. But at least they know the importance of food and did something about it.
1. I'm hungry! I ate up your words (and ignored the raw beef).
2. I can't drink soda and need to be careful about how much fat I eat, because of my IBS, but am lucky otherwise.
3. Nope, didn't know about the AIC, but we need one in the States!
4. Pasta or Pizza? How is that even a question? Both, of course! 😂
No soda? That’s a new one. I know the carbonation depletes us of our calcium. Is it that or the fake sugar or corn syrup?
Nope, it's the carbonation. It literally makes my belly swell up like a balloon. Last time I tried one can, I watched as my belly swelled up about two inches. Gas is funny in jokes, but in real life it HURTS like heck! But swelling bellies are funny to reminisce about, as long as the incident is far enough into the past.
I am currently travelling in Portugal and find the same wonderful accommodations for dietary intolerances. I am not celiac, only (North American) intolerant ( meaning I'm allergic to Monsanto and modified agriculture🤣) so I have found I'm able to fully eat and enjoy the bread here but everywhere we've been there are many foods for all people.
This is a very interesting article Carissa, thank you.
Thx for reading from Portugal— another place I’m dying to visit. Can’t wait to hear about it. My daughter was there for a wedding.
Yum to all of this! Didn’t know about all of the GF innovations. Will have to share with my bro. Lovely post.
Thx, Beth. Is bro Celiac?
Yes!
Oh boy. Is he in MA too?
Nope
This is so good to hear! I’m half Italian and spent a lot of time in Italy in my 20s. Fast forward to my 40s and I’m gluten intolerant. My partner and I are thinking about getting married in Italy, or at three very least, taking a holiday there next year. I was really worried about how I would go food-wise, but you’ve put my mind at ease. Grazie! 🇮🇹
Prego! Congrats on the engagement!
Just know that next year is their millennial celebrations. You may want to visit off season.
Oh yes I heard about this! We were thinking September / October. We’ve actually been engaged since 2019 and just haven’t got around to it (twins, Covid, life, etc).
Amazing thank you!! 🙏
Nice! If you need a wedding planner let me know. We interviewed like 10 and then we found Bea.