How to Live With Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an intolerance to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, oats and barley. The only method of treatment is to eliminate gluten from the diet, which can be quite a challenge since it's found in so many food products.

Instructions

1

Avoid eating wheat, rye, barley and oats and all baked products containing these grains.

2

Watch out for other grains. Durum and semolina are wheat products. Spelt and kamut are also versions of wheat. Bulgur is a type of processed wheat, and triticale is a cross between wheat and rye.

3

Read labels carefully. Gluten, especially wheat gluten, is used in a large number of processed foods. These include cold cuts, prepared meats, breaded foods, cheese spreads, soy protein meat substitutes and many canned goods.

4

Beware of labels that read "modified food starch" or "food starch." It can be either corn or wheat.

5

Check the labels on condiments such as ketchup, vinegar, pickles, soy sauce and syrups. All may contain gluten unless specifically labeled "gluten-free."

6

Order simple foods without sauces and gravies when eating out. They're less likely to contain gluten.

7

Know that aside from corn and rice, a wide variety of other grains such as beans and peas (legumes, pulses) are used in gluten-free cooking.

8

Learn to use other, less common grains. Bread and pasta made from rice and corn are available at health food stores and some supermarkets.

9

Use tapioca, cornstarch, arrowroot or eggs as thickeners.

10

Try baking with different flours. Chickpeas, lentils and Job's tears can also be used as substitutes, and are available in health food stores.

11

Invest in a cookbook for gluten-free diets.

12

Drink wine, rum, tequila or sake if you wish to have an alcoholic beverage. They're generally safe. Some vodkas may also be safe.

13

Take a high-potency multivitamin and mineral complex. It should contain at least 10,000 IU of vitamin A and 400 IU of vitamin E. Fat soluble vitamins are not well-absorbed in people with celiac disease, so supplementation is necessary.

14

Use alfalfa tablets. Take 2 to 3,000 mg daily. They're a good source of vitamin K, which is also not well-absorbed with celiac disease.

15

Take a high-potency B complex vitamin, at least 100mg daily. B vitamins are not well-absorbed with celiac disease.