Options that offer gluten-free grains

Q: I am on a gluten-free diet and need suggestions for breakfast. I eat brown rice and oatmeal twice a week, but have no other sources of high-fiber grains. — Anonymous

A: There are plenty of delicious options. How about buckwheat pancakes? Buckwheat is neither wheat nor a cereal grain. It's actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb that's often milled into flour or served as a porridge-like cereal (called kasha). If you're making the pancakes from a mix, read the label first. Sometimes buckwheat is mixed with wheat flour or other grains. And don't overlook grains, including quinoa. Although it's often called a whole grain, it's really a kissing cousin to leafy green vegetables such as spinach. But its toasty, couscous-like texture and taste simply cries out for sliced apples, raisins, cinnamon and a little milk for a great, high-protein, high-fiber (about 5 grams per cup) start to the day.

Q: I am going to be traveling, first on a plane then on a cruise ship. Will taking Relenza or Tamiflu help me prevent the flu? Please don't suggest the vaccine, as I will not do that. — Kathleen, San Rafael, Calif.

A: The antivirals that often are given to shorten the duration of the flu by a day or two do work as a preventative. In fact, they can be about 70 percent to 90 percent effective in keeping you from getting it. The big caveat: They don't work against EVERY flu virus. The viruses change every year, and so does the vaccine to prevent them. This year's flu and H1N1 vaccines are formulated specifically for the strains of influenza we're expecting this season. Antivirals are not as effective as the vaccines, and side effects — including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, nasal infection, bronchitis, cough, headache and dizziness — aren't common with the meds but do occur. Plus, to avoid the flu, you'd have to take them for the entire season — that's usually December to March. You don't want to do that.

If you won't get the vaccine because you think it's not safe, let us assure you that its benefits in terms of preventing you from death or disability are about 10,000 times greater than its risk (the likelihood that you'd have problems is about the same as the chances of your choosing a winning Pick 4 Lotto ticket). So as long as you're not allergic to eggs, we'd recommend that you reconsider. Since the shot contains a killed virus, it won't give you the flu (although in very rare cases, you can get a fever and muscle aches that last for a couple of days), unless you can resurrect the dead, in which case you are needed elsewhere in our hospitals.

Q: I have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and am about 30 pounds overweight. When I'm stressed out, I tend to eat. What is a good meal plan for me? — Anonymous