Living a Gluten Free Lifestyle
Being diagnosed with Celiac Disease can be very overwhelming. In my case, I would get very sick after almost every meal I ate for as long as i could remember. I was misdiagnosed with Chron's Disease when I was 22, but none of the treatments helped me and I continued to get sick.
After seeing yet another doctor to try to get help, he suggested that I get tested for Celiac Disease, something that I never even heard of. When it was confirmed that I had Celiac I was given a sheet of paper that had a list of gluten-free foods, and was told that Celiac Disease is not curable and the only thing I can do is stick with a strict gluten-free diet.
Going on a diet sounds easy enough, right? Once you figure out just how many foods have gluten it is rather hard to stick to. Unfortunately, like a normal diet you can't just cheat here or there and get away with it. When a Celiac cheats on a diet you get very sick.
One way to stick to a gluten-free diet is to find replacements for many of your favorite foods. You can not eat breaded meat or other products such as meatloaf and meatballs that contain wheat; you can prepare your own meatloaf and meatballs with a gluten-free wheat substitute. It is unfortunate that so many products contain gluten, and many others may also have the substance. Salad dressings, ice cream, potato chips, chocolate milk, and non-dairy creamers are just a handful of the products that could contain gluten. Many times, products in the store do not list whether they have gluten in them or if they do, the gluten is under a different name. When you are shopping, you should keep a lookout for these ingredients because they signal that there is most likely gluten in your food product: flavoring, hydrolyzed, stabilizer, starch, emulsifier, and plant protein.
There are some grains you can have on a gluten-free diet: cornmeal, wild rice, hominy, and cream of rice. Try to buy bread specifically made with rice or corn. Create your own herb and spice mixtures instead of buying pre-packaged ones. Make your own bread and baked goods from scratch using a gluten-free flour. Instead of having beer (yes beer is NOT gluten-free), try a glass of wine with your dinner. Some medicines also contain gluten, so if you are taking any medicines check the ingredients with your local pharmacy. Adhering to a gluten-free diet takes preparation and knowledge of the foods you buy.
After seeing yet another doctor to try to get help, he suggested that I get tested for Celiac Disease, something that I never even heard of. When it was confirmed that I had Celiac I was given a sheet of paper that had a list of gluten-free foods, and was told that Celiac Disease is not curable and the only thing I can do is stick with a strict gluten-free diet.
Going on a diet sounds easy enough, right? Once you figure out just how many foods have gluten it is rather hard to stick to. Unfortunately, like a normal diet you can't just cheat here or there and get away with it. When a Celiac cheats on a diet you get very sick.
One way to stick to a gluten-free diet is to find replacements for many of your favorite foods. You can not eat breaded meat or other products such as meatloaf and meatballs that contain wheat; you can prepare your own meatloaf and meatballs with a gluten-free wheat substitute. It is unfortunate that so many products contain gluten, and many others may also have the substance. Salad dressings, ice cream, potato chips, chocolate milk, and non-dairy creamers are just a handful of the products that could contain gluten. Many times, products in the store do not list whether they have gluten in them or if they do, the gluten is under a different name. When you are shopping, you should keep a lookout for these ingredients because they signal that there is most likely gluten in your food product: flavoring, hydrolyzed, stabilizer, starch, emulsifier, and plant protein.
There are some grains you can have on a gluten-free diet: cornmeal, wild rice, hominy, and cream of rice. Try to buy bread specifically made with rice or corn. Create your own herb and spice mixtures instead of buying pre-packaged ones. Make your own bread and baked goods from scratch using a gluten-free flour. Instead of having beer (yes beer is NOT gluten-free), try a glass of wine with your dinner. Some medicines also contain gluten, so if you are taking any medicines check the ingredients with your local pharmacy. Adhering to a gluten-free diet takes preparation and knowledge of the foods you buy.
