Celiac Disease: How are you coping? Any favorite products you'd like to share ?

Question

Do you know of any good recipes, stories and or strategies for living the (painful) celiac lifestyle !!!

How were you diagnosed ?

Answer 1

If you haven't already, go to some of the message boards for celiac -

www.glutenfreeforum.com

www.celiacforums.com

Lots of great people and product reviews, recipes, etc.

My favorite products -

Pamela's Wheat Free Bread Mix - even SMELLS like wheat bread. It's fantastic! Even my non celiac family members like it.

Tinkyada Pasta - Holds up to anything. Doesn't fall apart like some. You can get it at a lot of regular grocery stores.

Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix - Great pancakes and the recipe for choc chip cookies on the back is really good too.

There is way too much to list (honestly!) so stop by those message boards and ask about whatever it is you're wanting and you'll get advice on making or buying anything you're looking for.

I was diagnosed basically by trying the gluten-free diet. I had tons of classic celiac symptoms plus some painful neurological changes that made it very difficult to walk (limping and everything). After I went gluten-free, all of my celiac symptoms AND my neuro symptoms went away like somebody flipped a switch. My doctor was blown away by all the stuff that went away for me. We were hoping for changes in my GI symptoms, but neither one of us was expecting the rest of it.

So anyway, come join us on the message boards. The holidays are coming and we've got all sorts of discussions and recipes already.

Nancy

Answer 2

Heh :) Living the non-gluten-free life was painful, but living gluten-free is great! It does take a while to get the hang of it, but the food is good (well, ok, I'll admit to being an ok sort of cook). I am also casein-free which is a bit tougher. I found that I missed wheat for about 6 months, and then just didn't miss it anymore. Same with dairy -- missed it about 6 months and have now adapted to life without it. I am self-diagnosed.

Strategies: Be sure to let people around you know you have dietary restrictions. If you're going to an event, it pays to call ahead. I was invited to a wedding and wanted to just skip the reception, but I talked with my friend a few weeks ahead of time, she talked with the caterer, and they made arrangements for me. I ended up having a great time and my food was fine. Check the web sites of chain restaurants as many of them have something GF.

Another strategy: When you go to a potluck-style meal, take some plastic serving spoons. Walk down the table and stick a serving utensil into every dish that doesn't already have one. Otherwise people will use *yours* to scoop up whatever, and then stick it back in your dish!

Basic everyday strategy: Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit -- there are no complicated labels to read, they are easy to fix and eat, they are less expensive and healthier than lots of packaged foods.

Great recipes -- anyone who makes me a flourless chocolate torte is likely to get followed home :) Just do a Google search and you'll find lots of recipes. My new favorite GF cookbook is Gluten-Free French Desserts and Baked Goods by Valerie Cupillard. The photography is beautiful.

Answer 3

Yikes, what a question... my mom is celiac but i'm only gluten intolerant at this point. There's really no tricks to it. Its basically eat all the packaged food they have on the market- which isn't much and is mostly horrible tasting and bad for you anyway, or just stay away from anything that involves gluten which is what we do. We use lettuce leaves for bread for "sandwiches"- this works great for BLT's, etc. And our personal favorite is the low carb burger from Carls Jr when we are out and about and have to stop to eat. Its gluten free.
I know those aren't any great tricks, but to cope we've just basically adjusted to not eating those kinds of foods anymore except on special occassions when we get dessert or bread mixes. We were gaining too much weight and it was so expensive!

Answer 4

The most important strategy is READ THE LABELS.

My wife has had it for about two years. The doctors ran lots of tests, but never bothered to have her keep a food diary. No 'diagnosis' was made, but she has been fine all the time.....except when there is some gluten in the food.

Answer 5

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