Living Gluten-Free!

Perhaps you have just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Non-Celiac Gluten-Sensitivity or a Wheat Allergy. Sit back, take a deep breath! We know you are now 100% committed to following the  gluten-free diet – let’s not call it a “diet”, but rather a lifestyle! The key to becoming healthier is not only about limiting foods that will make you sick, which of course is essential, it also involves the day-to-day of living gluten-free … in a world filled with gluten! Perhaps you need a little help navigating this new world absent wheat, barley and rye. The task of keeping safe in various settings such as when dining out, attending school, traveling, socializing and even in your home, may seem daunting at first, but armed with the essential information provided here on CeliacCorner, you will soon be on your way to embracing your new lifestyle!

Good nutrition is important for everyone, but it is critically so for newly diagnosed Celiacs. Because Celiac is a disease of malabsorption, your body may have been starved of nutrients which are vital to maintaining a healthy body … and mind.  Shortly after being diagnosed, it is recommended to meet with a registered dietitian or nutritionist, preferably one specializing in Celiac Disease & eating gluten-free, to help with the transition. Be sure to read CeliacCorner’s Celiac 101 sections to learn which nutritional deficiencies often occur.  The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) offers the following on Nutrient Deficiencies: http://www.gluten.net/NutrientDeficiencies%2006-2011.pdf

If ever there were a time to be given a diagnosis of Celiac/DH, gluten-sensitivity or a wheat allergy, it would be the present. With the ever-increasing variety of gluten-free products available, and the wide variety of allowable fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables, fish, meat & poultry - no one should ever feel deprived. Try not to dwell on the foods you can no longer eat, and focus on simply replacing gluten-containing foods with healthy, safe alternatives. Soon you will be so accustomed to living the lifestyle, you may one day find yourself coaching another newly diagnosed!

Good Luck on your Celiac journey – let us know how you are doing.  Visit us on Facebook and Twitter too!

For more information on staying healthy be sure to visit the following CeliacCorner sections:

Other Helpful Articles/Information:

After the Diagnosis, Coping with Celiac Disease & Gluten-Sensitivity

Don’t Fear Food!

Dealing with Friends and Relatives When You’re Gluten-Free

Download: “Jump Start Your Gluten-Free Diet! Living with Celiac/Coeliac Disease & Gluten Intolerance” from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center