I was contacted directly by Nurse Practitioner Lolita Hanks about a new GFCF Menu planner that she has been involved in creating. Though we haven't had the opportunity to review the full planner at Go Dairy Free, we have reviewed the brochure and information sent, and it sounded like a useful resource. Below is the press release followed by a sample menu and some information from the brochure ...

"The Living Gluten Free Casein Free Menu Planner offers delicious, nutrient-dense meals made without wheat or dairy, plus professional medical lesson plans which combine to offer help to millions of Americans with an allergy or intolerance to gluten or casein. Colorado Certified Nurse Practitioner Lolita Hanks and Menus4Moms.com owner Mary Ann Kelley of Virginia developed the plan, based on the Menus4Moms concept.

Three or four million Americans – at least 1 in 100 – suffer from some degree of allergy or intolerance to “gluten” (a protein found in wheat, barley and many other grains ...

Whether it causes a dangerous auto-immune reaction, as with Celiac Disease, or causes inflammation in the body’s cells, any sensitivity to gluten can cause damage to a person’s health over the long term. Symptoms may include poor digestion, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, depression, sneezing or phlegm.

The most medically-appropriate treatment is to avoid foods containing gluten, which unfortunately is prevalent in almost every American’s diet.

“People in our society have bread at almost every meal,” says Family Nurse Practitioner Lolita Hanks. “Plus, half the things we put in our mouths have gluten added, from soups and sauces to toothpaste and chewing gum. Avoiding it is a daunting lifestyle change.”

Often, the same people whose bodies reject gluten also have a sensitivity to casein (a milk protein). Several serious auto-immune diseases may be associated with gluten and/or casein intolerance. Those who are dealing with autism also find that a gluten/casein free diet improves behavior and overall well-being.

Hanks says, “People need professional consulting to avoid the gluten and casein they find everywhere in their daily lives. This menu plan is a roadmap through those land mines, so people can feel safe feeding their family. Reports on related subjects come with every week’s planner, which will help people learn more about their disease.”

The Living Gluten Free, Casein Free Menu Planner is an affordable guide to preparing delicious and healthy meals the whole family will enjoy, as well as an instructional tool to show consumers how to recognize and avoid gluten and casein in our daily lives. The $30 Menu Planner offers shopping and food preparation lists and complete recipes (designed for a family of 6) for three meals a day, six days a week, for four weeks, along with weekly lesson plans developed by a medical professional that teach how to adapt to this lifestyle change. The menus avoid gritty rice-flour based recipes as well as high sugar or carbohydrate content.

Lolita Hanks is a Denver-based family nurse practitioner (RN, BSN, MS, FNP-C) with a master’s degree from Regis University. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first menu planner of its type by a medical professional of the stature of Mrs. Hanks. www.livingglutenfreecaseinfree.com"

Sample Menu:

Breakfast
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
Turkey Sausage Patties

Lunch
Salad Nicoise
Crackers
Grapes

Dinner
Creamy Tomato Soup
Flatbread with Olive Oil
Dipping Sauce
Country French Salad

Benefits of Living Gluten-Free Casein-Free Menu Planner:

• Learn about healthy fats, inflammation, and how to live without dairy and wheat
• Learn how to reduce sugars in your diet
• Delicious recipes that you and your family will enjoy
• Nutrient dense and antiinflammatory food plan
• 3 Meals a day 6 days a week for a family of 6
• Easy food preparation guide
• Shopping list included
• Lessons are designed to educate and inform so that you can achieve the best health for you and your family

You can find more information and sign up for this planner at www.LivingGlutenFreeCaseinFree.com