My sister was just diagnosed through the blood test and she is devastated. She is engaged with no kids and they lead a very food-centric lifestyle of eating out and traveling.
Any tips, resources, websites, recommended restaurants or brands you can share? Thanks.
My husband's aunt has it. One of his cousins has it,too.
I always bake gluten free goods for his aunt. I can easily modify my fave holiday dishes that call for flour by using rice flour . There are SO many alternatives for a gluten free diet today... Especially in the last few years because it's become a health craze. My grocery even has a HUGE gluten free section. H's aunt uses Belvedere vodka for her cocktails ( potatoes instead of grain).
I know how shocking a food allergy can be. She will likely go through stages of grief since she isn't choosing this diet on her own. Once you get to the acceptance phase it becomes second nature. I really think she will find she isn't missing anything as much as she thinks she is going to because there are so many options and accommodations for gluten free.
P.S. If you can try to think of her diet needs at family get togethers. I always think of my H's aunt and bring things just for her. You can truly tell it's greatly appreciated and makes her day.
Thanks, guys! The problem is that they don't really cook very often. Obviously this will have to change. They also like specialty restaurants rather than chains, which are less likely to have a GF menu.
TrudyCampbell, avoiding Gluten is different than Celiac because if she "cheats" she can get seriously ill - infertility/miscarriages, GI cancers, other auto-immune disorders. 11% of people with Celiac end up with M.S. she said. Maybe that's if it's uncontrolled though? She will adjust, in time, but like lolaburns said, she's in a state of grief and mourning. She feels like they won't be able to travel through Europe carefree now or do the tasting menu at French Laundry or even eat her own wedding cake.
I feel badly for her, even though I know it's completely manageable after adjusting.
I have several cousins with Celiac disease from the very Italian side of my family. They miss pasta but for the most part have adapted their diet to avoid gluten and gluten substitutions. Lunch seems to be the hardest to think outside the sandwich/chips mold until you get used to it, but then it becomes second nature.
Thanks, guys! The problem is that they don't really cook very often. Obviously this will have to change. They also like specialty restaurants rather than chains, which are less likely to have a GF menu.
TrudyCampbell, avoiding Gluten is different than Celiac because if she "cheats" she can get seriously ill - infertility/miscarriages, GI cancers, other auto-immune disorders. 11% of people with Celiac end up with M.S. she said. Maybe that's if it's uncontrolled though? She will adjust, in time, but like lolaburns said, she's in a state of grief and mourning. She feels like they won't be able to travel through Europe carefree now or do the tasting menu at French Laundry or even eat her own wedding cake.
I feel badly for her, even though I know it's completely manageable after adjusting.
Avoiding gluten for health reasons like Trudy's H and celiac aren't really that different. And it's actually been fairly easy to eat out, you just have to do research. There are a lot of naturally gluten free foods. I am almost always able to order meat/seafood and potato or rice. Mexican is an easy cuisine to find safe foods. Italian is the only truly difficult one.
I understand mourning the change in eating habits. I had to do it when breastfeeding and I go in for the blood test next week. Ultimately, though, she will feel so much better and find foods that work for her. My family has found some replacement items that actually taste better than their gluten filled counterparts.
Butting in. She should have a scope done to confirm diagnosis. The blood test gives false positives and can't be used to diagnose.
Eta: unless things have changed since my son and I were diagnosed.
Not butting in... all input is good. Her doctor said she could have the scope, but there was no way it was a false positive. Out of the 3 markers, one of her markers was so high off the charts the lab couldn't even measure it. It was "over 100" whatever that means. The scope/biopsy is invasive and her doctor felt it was unnecessary. But, she was referred to a GI who specializes in this, so he might want her to have it done.
I have several cousins with Celiac disease from the very Italian side of my family. They miss pasta but for the most part have adapted their diet to avoid gluten and gluten substitutions. Lunch seems to be the hardest to think outside the sandwich/chips mold until you get used to it, but then it becomes second nature.
When my H's aunt went to Europe she actually found it more accommodating than the States. In Italy, every restaurant she went to had a gluten free option or gluten free pasta.
I have several cousins with Celiac disease from the very Italian side of my family. They miss pasta but for the most part have adapted their diet to avoid gluten and gluten substitutions. Lunch seems to be the hardest to think outside the sandwich/chips mold until you get used to it, but then it becomes second nature.
What's interesting is that 2 of our cousins have.
My dad just recently had the blood test done and his came back negative. We were sort of expecting a positive given family history, though it's nice he doesn't need to worry about it. I haven't looked into heredity but would assume some portion of likelihood is passed down in families.
I second the very thoughtful lolaburns. I would imagine family gatherings would be hard -- birthday cakes, Thanksgiving gravy, hamburger/hot dog cookouts. There's always gluten free options, just thinking of them takes a bit of effort but goes a long way.
My H has a gluten sensitivity so we eat relatively gluten free.
A lot of ethnic restaurants are actually pretty friendly towards gluten free and there's even pizza/italian places around here that offer gluten free options.
I like King Arthur and Trader Joe's all purpose gluten free flour mixes the best. King Arthur has an extensive list of mixes - bread, cake, cookies, pizza etc. that are all gluten free. They also have a lot of recipes for baked goods on their website/blog that turn out nicely.
Trader Joe's has a pretty good selection of reasonably priced wraps, mixes, snacks etc. that are gluten free. Our local grocery store has a good selection, but they're more pricey than Trader Joe's. I was surprised when we went on vacation that even some of the small-town grocery stores all seem to have a gluten free section so it is much easier to find options.
I second Lola's advice on bringing something at family get-togethers. My mom always has alternatives (normally gluten-free copycat recipes) so that my H can indulge like the rest of us, and then sends the leftovers home with us.
Post by skiesthelimit on Aug 28, 2014 11:16:19 GMT -5
I have been gluten free for a few years. I'm not celiac, just gluten intolerant. I stick to naturally gf foods like rice and potatos. GF is so "popular" right now that it's really easy to eat out and the grocery stores have so many gf options.
Thanks, guys! The problem is that they don't really cook very often. Obviously this will have to change. They also like specialty restaurants rather than chains, which are less likely to have a GF menu.
TrudyCampbell, avoiding Gluten is different than Celiac because if she "cheats" she can get seriously ill - infertility/miscarriages, GI cancers, other auto-immune disorders. 11% of people with Celiac end up with M.S. she said. Maybe that's if it's uncontrolled though? She will adjust, in time, but like lolaburns said, she's in a state of grief and mourning. She feels like they won't be able to travel through Europe carefree now or do the tasting menu at French Laundry or even eat her own wedding cake.
I feel badly for her, even though I know it's completely manageable after adjusting.
Avoiding gluten for health reasons like Trudy's H and celiac aren't really that different. And it's actually been fairly easy to eat out, you just have to do research. There are a lot of naturally gluten free foods. I am almost always able to order meat/seafood and potato or rice. Mexican is an easy cuisine to find safe foods. Italian is the only truly difficult one.
I understand mourning the change in eating habits. I had to do it when breastfeeding and I go in for the blood test next week. Ultimately, though, she will feel so much better and find foods that work for her. My family has found some replacement items that actually taste better than their gluten filled counterparts.
She is looking forward to feeling better. She's been sick for years, but it's really gotten so much worse in the past 6 months. I think that will be motivation for her to get into it.
Has she had an endoscopy? I have read that some doctors are using the blood tests as confirmation since many people consider an endoscopy to be invasive. However, before I made serious lifestyle changes, I would want to know for sure. I was diagnosed through endoscopy and only one of my blood tests was positive. I have slowly been changing my eating habits since we moved. The key for me has been to eat whole foods and not rely on the Gluten Free alternatives. Obviously there are soem exceptions. I have switched to Quinoa and Soba pasta and we use gluten free soy sauce and a flour called Cup 4 Cup - Cup 4 Cup has pancake and waffle mix that is damn good. I have otherwise eliminated 95% of gluten in my diet. I actually do feel a ton better. I have cheated but I really notice now when I eat soemthing with gluten, I almost always have to make a run for the bathroom and my insides feel churny and upset and uncomfortable.
With the gluten free fad, there really are tons of products out there. Personally, I have shied away from them because I notice that many are higher in something - fat, carbs, sugar, calories. I have found gluten free bakeries and so many restaurants offer gluten free alternatives now.
Honestly, doing this hasnt been as hard as I imagined it would be and I LOVE food and eating out and all that.
Good luck to your friend.
Thank you! I'm taking notes and jotting down your product recs. I'm going to help her research which grocery stores around here are best, etc. It's really good to hear that it's not as hard as it sounds. I hope she gets in a groove and feels that way too.
Did your dr mention anything about the increased risk for M.S. and other autoimmune disorders? She's very concerned about this. (It's my sister, not friend btw.)
I posted earlier about the endoscopy. Her GP did not feel it was necessary because out of the 3 markers for Celiac, one was so high off the charts it was unmeasurable by the lab. GP said that there is no way this was a false positive. She was referred to a GI who specializes in this, so he may feel differently.
I have been gluten free for a few years. I'm not celiac, just gluten intolerant. I stick to naturally gf foods like rice and potatos. GF is so "popular" right now that it's really easy to eat out and the grocery stores have so many gf options.
If I had only a fraction of your willpower when it comes to food restrictions, I'd be queen of the world. You are seriously amazing!
Because of him, my workplace is ranked number one for gluten free college. My coworker, who is celiac, uses his cookbooks. They're dedicated to his wife. It's the sweetest thing.
Because of him, my workplace is ranked number one for gluten free college. My coworker, who is celiac, uses his cookbooks. They're dedicated to his wife. It's the sweetest thing.
Awesome. I'm adding it to my list for her. Thanks!
Post by sunshineluv on Aug 28, 2014 12:01:34 GMT -5
My BFF was recently diagnosed. She too was overwhelmed, but her SFIL has it, so she was somewhat familiar with how to deal.
One thing she said, is that she feels like a new person. She has lost some weight, and just feels a million times better. No more all day nausea among other issues.
Thank you! I'm taking notes and jotting down your product recs. I'm going to help her research which grocery stores around here are best, etc. It's really good to hear that it's not as hard as it sounds. I hope she gets in a groove and feels that way too.
Did your dr mention anything about the increased risk for M.S. and other autoimmune disorders? She's very concerned about this. (It's my sister, not friend btw.)
I posted earlier about the endoscopy. Her GP did not feel it was necessary because out of the 3 markers for Celiac, one was so high off the charts it was unmeasurable by the lab. GP said that there is no way this was a false positive. She was referred to a GI who specializes in this, so he may feel differently.
My doctor and I discussed the risk of lymphoma with Celiac for obvious reasons. I definitely have to wonder if it had anything to do with my getting Hodgkins since I have had digestive issues for a long long time. I did a bunch of my own reading afterwards and from what I have read, having MS and/or other autoimmune disorders makes you more likely to have gluten intolerance rather than the other way around. I will do more research for your sister though.
My GI doctor told me the main reason that he feels endoscopy is important during initial diagnosis is that it can then be used for follow up to make sure eliminating gluten is actually helping the intestines to heal. My small intestine was pretty bad and if going gluten free does not help it heal then we have visit other options and therapies. If I never have any endoscopies, there is no way to really know if eliminating gluten is actually helping my instestines.
Wow, I didn't think of that. But, you're right. If they don't take a baseline, they won't be able to measure any improvement internally.
And that's interesting about the connection of other disorders and gluten intolerance. I always feel like you have to take what the GP tells you with a grain of salt since this is a specific disease and not their specialty. I'm interested in what the GI person tells her. It will be a huge relief if the correlation is the other way around.
We had a GF cake at my wedding and it was so good, nobody even noticed.
This is a long shot, but was it from somewhere in the Philadelphia area? We have a GF bakery, but she said she tried a cupcake there randomly a while ago and it wasn't good.
I do. When I first got diagnosed it was so hard. I remember crying in the grocery store and feeling completely overwhelmed. That was seven years ago. Now it's like second nature. I try to stick mainly to whole foods (like actual whole foods, not the grocery store), but if I want a treat there are so many options now. I feel 1000 times better and I can't imagine ever going back.
I find that it is pretty easy to eat out at the nicer restaurants because they are using whole food ingredient and the staff is usually knowledgeable. Most are aware and have several options/accommodations for gluten free.
I believe the propensity for other autoimmune disorders is worse if you don't take care of yourself. If you are not eating right, exercising, and getting enough rest your body is in a constant state of inflammation which can trigger an autoimmune response. I am not saying these things can be avoided or cured by doing all the right stuff, but for a lot of people it can make a huge difference.
Sorry to go and on. Just let me know if you want to know more.