The Source...self
healing energy
The best Cure is to use your Self Healing Energy,
no
medication works the same for two people, then it is the
Self Healing Energy that makes the difference, know how
it works and make it work 100% to heal you once and for
all. Learn more about S.H.E. Self Healing Energy
What Does 'gluten-free' Have To Do With Me?
For many people who suffer from celiac disease, having your condition diagnosed is actually a big relief. Your diagnosis means that there is a medical explanation for your symptoms, which may have been non-specific and very debilitating. The best news for celiac sufferers is that treatment does not require surgery or medication. You will be able to manage your condition simply by eating a gluten-free diet. Once you learn the limits of your diet, it is easy to avoid gluten and not even miss it!
It is important to understand that definitions of 'gluten-free' vary. As a celiac sufferer, you need to avoid gluten derived from wheat, barley, rye and oats. Under a set of rules and regulations put forward by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, food for international trade is defined as gluten-free only if it contains less than 0.03% of gluten from wheat, barley, rye and oats. The definition of gluten-free In the United States and Canada is stricter: only food items or ingredients that have no gluten from wheat, barley, rye or oats, or any of their derivatives are termed gluten-free.
Some products, such as wheat starch and distilled-wheat or rye-based alcohol are rendered gluten-free during processing. Products or ingredients that have levels of gluten unable to be measured with current tests are labeled gluten-restricted, but cannot be confirmed as gluten-free. The European Celiac community has also developed a category of products known as naturally gluten-free. These are products that occur in nature without gluten and contain no traces of wheat, barley, rye or oats.
HOW do I become GLUTEN-FREE?
Eating a gluten-free diet will bring many changes to your life. First and foremost, adherence to the diet will see that you slowly and surely return to good health. This process is not instantaneous, and it is important to be patient and persistent. Once you start to feel the benefits of your new diet, sticking to it will become much easier.
As a newly diagnosed celiac, you may find it beneficial to consult with a dietitian. They can not only explain which foods and ingredients are "safe", but can also offer you important resources, such as an ingredient list, gluten free recipes or direct you to your local Celiac Association.
You will need to become an expert on food labels. Although processing and packaging companies must follow labeling guidelines, often "gluten" does not appear on the ingredient list and you will need to determine its presence using other key words. A good rule of thumb is that if you are uncertain about a product s gluten content, avoid it. It s definitely better to be safe than sorry!
As you become more used to reading labels, the task of shopping for safe food will become less onerous. It is important, however, not to become complacent. Sometimes the preparation of particular products changes and they may no longer be gluten-free. Similarly, while one product in a company s range may be gluten free, the same product in a different flavor may not be.
IMPORTANCE of Gluten-Free Diet
I have heard that due to high genetic incidences of contracting the disease, a sibling with no symptoms was tested for Celiac, and tested positive. However, they suffered no symptoms and felt no need to adhere to the diet.
Listen up!! As a celiac, it is very important to maintain a gluten free diet. Other very serious diseases can result or be contributed to from not following proper treatment. Untreated Celiac Disease can lead to insulin dependent type 1 diabetes, infertility, gall bladder disease, arthritis, anemia, some cancers (particularly of the digestive tract), kidney disease, liver disease, migraines, neurological disorders of various kinds, hypothyroid disease and, perhaps, others. Studies are still being conducted on the association of Celiac Disease in relation to other diseases. It has been found that celiacs do seem to be less resistant to tuberculosis than the general population if a strict gluten free diet is not followed.
If you find that after maintaining a gluten free diet for a period of time, your symptoms do not improve, it is possible that you are dealing with Celiac Sprue. This will, at times, result from going off the gluten free diet and then going back on. It is caused by damaged villi in the intestines that don't repair themselves after a gluten free diet has been followed, or has been discontinued then reinstated. It can usually, though not always, be prevented by starting and staying on the gluten free diet.
Usually, with a gluten free diet, celiacs can lead completely normal lives other than the fact they must avoid gluten. A celiac who is tested while on a gluten free diet will, more often than not, have negative blood test results because the damage caused by the disease has been healed. However, there is no known cure. You can be healed, but once healed, regardless of a negative follow up blood test, you must stay off Gluten forever.
EDUCATING Friends, Family and Strangers
Your friends and family will be the biggest help to your becoming gluten-free. Eating gluten-free will be easier if you are responsible for your meal preparation, however, when someone else is preparing your food, it can be trickier. You can help your family and friends support you by explaining how your diet works and which ingredients they should look out for if they are buying food for you. Encourage friends to keep the packaging of food they have prepared for you, or bring a gluten-free emergency ration to a dinner party, just in case. Above all, be patient as they are learning as you do.
Eating out at restaurants can provide a challenge. Now-a-days, it is common for restaurants to offer gluten-free options, and your local Celiac Society will have a directory of celiac-friendly restaurants. When eating out, remember that you know your diet best and it is perfectly fine for you to politely question staff about how their food is prepared. Do not let restaurant staff imply that you are being demanding for no good reason. If food arrives and obviously contains gluten, you are entitled to send it back.
Just as you will see a complete section of gluten free products in your local health food store, and all products will soon have to be labeled one way or another, the next trend will be gluten free menus or restaurants that cater specifically to a gluten free diet. It will become a lot easier to find that you are not alone and cater your need to eat out and not have to worry about paying for it later.
By: Celiac Princess Mommy
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
To receive your FREE Celiac 101, hard to find TIPS, and awesome RESOURCES, head over to www.celiacreport.com & check out what my daughter is eating at the blog!
|