More Help For A Newbie

[jaimi alderson]

Hi! I have been asked by several family members what happens to me if I accidentally eat gluten. The nurse said I do not have to go for zero tolerance as far as a gluten-free diet goes. How do I know if that is true (she did not know much about treating celiac disease only diagnosing it)? Are there varying degrees of celiac disease? Do I just wait & see what happens if I do have it in a hidden source? Or does my risk of cancer skyrocket if I am not 100%gluten-free?

Also, can it be really true that Kraft Jello Pudding is gluten-free if no wheat is mentioned? It has modified food starch, caramel coloring & artificial flavor but truly they say it will be labeled with wheat if its in there?

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jerseyangel]

Hi! I have been asked by several family members what happens to me if I accidentally eat gluten. The nurse said I do not have to go for zero tolerance as far as a gluten-free diet goes. How do I know if that is true (she did not know much about treating celiac disease only diagnosing it)? Are there varying degrees of celiac disease? Do I just wait & see what happens if I do have it in a hidden source? Or does my risk of cancer skyrocket if I am not 100%gluten-free?

Also, can it be really true that Kraft Jello Pudding is gluten-free if no wheat is mentioned? It has modified food starch, caramel coloring & artificial flavor but truly they say it will be labeled with wheat if its in there?

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Jaimi--The nurse was mistaken--it is important to be as close to 100% gluten-free as you can. There are not varying degrees of Celiac, although there are varying degrees of symptoms. Some people are sick for years with debilitating illnesses, and there are Celiacs who have no or very mild symptoms. But the treatment for all Celiacs is the same. The reason that you want to be careful is because even very small amounts of gluten can add up to damage over time. Kraft is a company that you can trust to clearly label any gluten ingredients. With Kraft, all you need to do is read the label--

[penguin]

About the Jello, BELIEVE IT!!!! If it doesn't say wheat, barley, rye, or oats, it's gluten-free! I've never had a problem. You'll come to nealy worship Kraft for allowing an iota of normalcy into your life!

I'm in the zero-tolerance camp, mostly because I get sick as a dog from a molecule of gluten since being gluten-free. I also feel lots better, generally.

I think it's hard for a doctor to "sentence" someone to a zero tolerance of anything diet, however, it's really easy for someone without Celiac to say "cheating is ok sometimes." I hate being sick, ergo, I hate gluten.

Also, any amount of gluten, especially over time, is going to do damage, the problem is that you can't go by symptoms. You may get away with a little gluten here and there, but eventually, it'll make you sick. Damage can be done and your risks can be higher, so why risk it? Does that make sense?

Welcome aboard the board!

[jkmunchkin]

Unfortunately like the others have said, the nurse was mistaken. There are no degrees of celiac. While yes some of us may get more or less sick (or not sick at all) when accidentally ingesting gluten; regardless of your reaction you need to be 100% gluten free all the time.

It may seem very overwhelming right now but you will quickly learn which brands (such as Kraft) are more "friendly" to our needs and which brands to just stay away from.

We're all here to help and answer any and all questions.