Newly Diagnosed Gluten Allergy?

What to do After being Diagnosed with a Gluten Intolerance.

Jan 12, 2007 Samantha Rufle

When newly diagnosed with a gluten intolerance grocery shopping, parties and eating out become challenging.

Fortunately, there are a few simple things that you can do to make the transition to a gluten free lifestyle easier.

Go through your pantry and refrigerator.

Get rid of foods that include ingredients with enriched wheat flour, whole wheat, rye, malt, oats, rolled oats, barley, and pasta. Most commercial brand cereals have unsafe ingredients. Other, not so obvious ingredients that need to go are soy sauce, modified food starch, and hydrolyzed vegetable or soy protein. Don't forget medications. Some use starchy fillers like wheat.

Try naturally gluten free foods first.

After being diagnosed, it can be tempting to look for or try to make gluten free baked goods. Products that are made to be gluten free can be very disappointing right after being diagnosed. The regular stuff is still fresh in your palate. Stick to foods that are naturally gluten free and that you are already familiar with. Substituting corn starch or rice flour as a thickener in a favorite stew is fine but, baked goods often have a different texture and flavor. Try these types of recipes in six months or a year.

Don't become a hermit!

Check out your favorite local restaurants. Many restaurant chains have their menu evaluated for (naturally) gluten free selections. In local restaurants, talk with the manager, they are often knowledgeable and can be very helpful, especially if you are a regular. Be polite and tip well. Make it a goal to find three or four restaurants that have gluten free selections near you.

Party!

The scariest place for the gluten intolerant person is other people's homes. Stick to the veggie platter (no dip), corn chips, and potato chips. The easiest thing to do is, to bring something yourself that is big enough to share. If you are familiar with the host ask if they will supply food packaging and recipes for you to review. If not, eat before the event. Also, avoid beer, gin and whiskey. These are all made with barley or wheat. Wine, rum, tequila and vodka are all fine to drink.

It is a big adjustment to go gluten free but, worth it. It gets easier with time and will, with time become less of a burden and more of an adventure.

The copyright of the article Newly Diagnosed Gluten Allergy? in Allergies is owned by Samantha Rufle. Permission to republish Newly Diagnosed Gluten Allergy? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Comments

Feb 14, 2007 5:45 PM

Kate Copsey :

I notice that you include oats in your gluten free list of off-limits. This is now tentatively considered GF. The gluten in oats does not contain the same gliadin (or chemical) that wheat etc does. The jury is still out though. Also many soy sauces and bbq sauces are indeed GF you need to check the label though. For BBQ sauces look for wine vinegare rather than 'vinegar' - there are some, generally better quality ones that are indeed putting this on the label now.

Feb 16, 2007 6:22 AM

Samantha Rufle :

Thank you for your comments!
Do you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance? or does some one in your family?
I do know about the contraversery surrounding oats but, I included them becuase as of right now they are officially not recognised as gluten free. Also, as a person with celiac disease myself, I know I can not eat oats. My grandmother also has celiac and she can not as well. I realize also there is controversery over if oats are not able to be tolerated because of cross contamination or if gluten intolerant people are also sensitive to the protein in oats. I also think that if your are "newly diagnosed" you should avoid oats and then (if they want), in a few months, they can try to introduce them back in their diet to see if they can eat them. It is important to note that it would be important to get a brand that says they do not process wheat on their equipment (there are brands that say that). After my experience though- I am afraid to try them. I have had a terrible reaction to oats.

As for soy sauce, I talked about it the sense that if you are newly diagnosed, the soy sauce in your fridge is probably the wrong one. Maybe though, I good article for me to write would be about stocking your pantry GF. Then, I could mention that GF soy sauce is relatively easy to find (I know, I have some:)) as well as other condiments. Also, anywhere but at home, soy sauce is usually off limits. A newly diagnosed person should probably be told that.

The only vinegar a celiac needs to worry about is "white vinegar". Unless it says that specifically it is not white vinegar. So if the label just says vinegar- it is fine and is for sure not white vinegar. Also, in Europe white vinegar is considered "rendered gluten free through processing". I do eat white vinegar without a problem. So does my Grandma.

Thanks again for your comments.
If you have any article ideas in this area you would like to see let me know.

Thanks

Mar 6, 2007 8:36 AM

Samantha Rufle :

It is good to know more people with celiac. You know, I forgot about malt vinegar. I think that sometimes I get blinders on as a person on a gluten free diet. I really do forget about all the food I can not eat. At the store, I just breeze past the isles that don't apply to me. It is not until I go to a new restaurant or someone else house do I then remember how ungluten free the rest of the world is. In my own little world I find the diet quite easy to stick to. Thank you!
BTW, do you have a good recipe for GF cinnamon buns? I sure miss those!

Mar 9, 2007 4:59 PM

Kate Copsey :

BTW, do you have a good recipe for GF cinnamon buns? I sure miss those!


No I do not have good recipes for those, but I did find some decent cinnamon bagel things by Whole Foods at the local specialty shop. They are not bad toasted.

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