Celiac Disease Diagnosis: How to Live Gluten Free

They say 2 things are certain in life: death and taxes. Here's another 1. If you're diagnosed with Celiac disease, you will have a hard time finding medical professionals who know much about it. Medical schools don't devote much class time to Celiac disease or its management. Insurance companies won't pay for a consultation with a dietician, even though the only known treatment for Celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. You either pay out of pocket, or figure it out for yourself.

Figuring it out yourself isn't so bad. There are excellent Celiac disease websites and 1,000's of people willing to help you. You just have to know where to find them.

Following are tips for beginning a gluten-free lifestyle, links to associated Celiac-disease websites, and ways to find people to help you.

Choose gluten-free foods carefully

* When first diagnosed with Celiac disease, eat only fresh meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, rice, and dairy products with no added glutens.

* Try to buy products labeled "gluten-free." Such labeling makes choosing products a breeze. Wal-Mart's "Great Value" products are labeled gluten-free, if they are.

* Keep in mind that product ingredients change. Read all labels, even if you've bought a product before. If you aren't sure if a product is gluten-free, call the manufacturer. I often call while shopping.

* Health food stores and the health food section in grocery stores carry excellent gluten-free products. These products are helpful when beginning a gluten-free diet. My gluten-free staples include Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas, Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread, Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Pie Shells, Lundberg's Organic Brown-Rice Cakes, and A Taste of Thai Rice Noodles. Bob's Red Mill products are excellent, as well. I use their all-purpose flour and their gluten-free oats. "Gluten-Free Pantry" and "Pamela's" are my favorite brands of gluten-free cake mixes, though there are many more. I find all of the above products in the supermarket.

Learn the language of labels to find gluten-free products.

* Beginning a gluten-free diet requires a knowledge of the language used on labels. Many gluten-free products aren't labeled as such. Terms such as malt, bulgur, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HPV), natural and artificial flavors, mono and diglycerides, and spices, indicate the product is, or may be, unsafe. Click here to get the information you need to understand food labels.

* Gluten-free products can be processed in facilities that process wheat products. Gluten-free products can be contaminated through the shared use of machines, or from flour in the air. Many brands of nuts and beans are processed on equipment used for wheat products. Be sure products are processed on designated gluten-free equipment.

Find a Celiac-Disease Support Group

* Many communities have a Celiac- Disease support group. Click here to find one in your area. A support group is a good way to learn about Celiac disease, a place to meet others with the same disease, and a way to get involved in Celiac-disease awareness activities, if so desired.

Join a Celiac-Disease Mailing List Server

* A mailing list server allows subscribers from all over the world to receive and send emails to the group about a shared interest. You can ask questions there and receive answers from people who also have Celiac disease.

* The Celiac disease list serv (the "e" is supposed to be omitted) is an source of information. Click here for the Celiac disease list-serv homepage. When you arrive on the page, scroll down to "celiac" and click again. You will be directed to a page where you can join. Over 3,000 people with Celiac disease belong to the Celiac disease list-serve. They are ready to help you with any questions or concerns that you have about Celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

Find a Doctor

Finding a doctor that knows about Celiac disease is difficult. Celiac disease is still viewed as rare in the United States. More people are diagnosed every day, so hopefully medical schools will give Celiac disease more attention in the future.

There are several ways to find a doctor:

* Ask your gastroenterologist for a referral.
* Go to www.celiac.com for a list, by state, of recommended doctors.
* Ask members of the Celiac disease list-serv.
* Ask members of your local support group for recommendations.

Managing Celiac-Disease

* The National Institute of Health (NIH) held a conference in 2004 that focused on management of Celiac disease. Click here for their guidelines. For "What is the Management of Celiac Disease," scroll down to topic #5. Print this document and to take to your doctor. It will help your doctor develop a treatment plan for managing Celiac disease.

* It's helpful to provide a list of gluten-free drugs to be stored in your medical file. Your doctor can refer to this list when prescribing medication. Click here to print a copy of "Gluten-Free Drugs." You can print an alphabetical listing, or print according to the type of drug needed. Make a new copy of the list once a year. Just as food ingredients change, so do the ingredients in drugs.

Find restaurants equipped to serve gluten-free meals.

* Most people enjoy eating out on occasion, but people with Celiac disease have to make sure that they are eating gluten-free. The Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program, founded by the Gluten-Intolerance Group, is a useful site for locating restaurants that have agreed to follow the guidelines necessary to safely serve a person with Celiac disease. Click here to learn about the "Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program."

* Most restaurants have websites that can be useful in determining their ability to provide a gluten-free meal. Some sites list their gluten-free meals. Others don't, but a phone call to the manager, at non-busy times, is usually welcomed.

* If you haven't talked to the manager before going to a restaurant, be prepared to explain Celiac disease and the term "gluten-free" to your server. Be considerate. Try to avoid eating out at peak times, when staff is overloaded.

* A gluten-free restaurant card, which helps identify Celiac-disease dietary restrictions, is available through the Gluten-Intolerance Group. They charge a small fee, or click here for a free restaurant card. Give this card to the server, who'll take it to the chef. The chef will recommend gluten-free entrees to choose from.

* Be sure to ask questions. I discovered that the vegetable garnish served with a gluten-free meal at Bone Fish Grill is not gluten-free. Another time I ordered lettuce wraps from a gluten-free menu at PF Changs. When they arrived via a second server, I said, "Gluten-free, right?" He looked sheepish and said he'd better get a new batch from the kitchen. Mistakes happen, so be vigilant when eating away from home.

Remaining gluten free at social events is tricky!

* Social events, such as potluck dinners, buffets, and company functions are a difficult aspect of Celiac disease. Most people don't understand Celiac disease or the term "gluten free." They can become offended when you don't eat what's offered. People sometimes want to give advice when they don't have a clue about Celiac disease or the gluten-free diet.

* It's easy to avoid social occasions, but I do not recommend doing that. Usually there is something safe to eat. You can bring your own food, though that feels conspicuous. My best advice: Enjoy the company of others more than you miss the food!

All the linked sites from this article have good, clear information about Celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. It isn't easy to eat gluten-free, but it's worth it to re-establish good health and well-being.