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Gf In China (?)


gooldenwending

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gooldenwending Newbie

Yes, I'm living in China and am fairly certain that I have celiac disease and was looking for some help or suggestions about how to go about remaining gluten-free here. Growing up both my mother and brother had celiac disease and so I'm fairly familiar with the symptoms, restrictions, etc. The main problem is the language barrier--I can say things like wheat, rye, oats, barley, soy sauce, etc. without hitch, but when we get into the more subtle variations of the way that gluten can be contained in food I have no idea (I don't know how to say gluten itself either). So, is there anyone out there who has a list of foods with gluten in Chinese (preferably with both characters and pinyin pronunciation, but I would live with just one of either)? Does anyone know how to say Celiac in Chinese??? (wishing on a prayer here, I know)

Also, I'm not certain that I can find a soy sauce without wheat in it, although I'm going to make the attempt. If anyone knows of one that you can readily get in China let me know. Also, if I were to find said non-wheat soysauce, can I safely have things cooked in a wok that has had soysauce containing wheat cooked in it? What if you only wash the wok with water (I don't know of anyone here who uses soap on their woks)?

I suppose it's possible that I only eat at home here, but the restrictions would become impossible whenever I attempted to travel anywhere.

Thanks in advance for any help you might provide.

gooldenwending

  • 2 months later...

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travelthomas Apprentice

The word celiac comes from the Latin word coeliacus meaning gut or abominal cavity.

Living in Thailand, India and Mexico I have found that it is way to hard to try and explain the disease, so I end up doing most all my own cooking. In Thailand I did really good with eating out, but in India I got sick quite often. I would have done much better in India if it was not for an insensitive girlfriend, because I had a backing stove that I could have cooked all my meals with. I left her in India and she seemed really suprised when I didn't come back! Some people...

  • 2 months later...
Sinophile Newbie

Its been six months since you posted your issue, Gooldenwending but I hope that you are still here in China doing well, feeling healthy and enjoying yourself.

I have been living in China for 3 years now so have a little experience. Although I have only been gluten free for six months, I have been speaking Chinese for a few years. I have a few things that I have learnt about staying gluten free here and would be happy to share them, and hear from you what you have learnt. I will wait for a confirmatory posting from you. I wouldn't like to use up my precious kilojoules/calories typing stuff up if you are no longer in China! :)

Regards, Sinophile.

  • 1 month later...
sfortney Newbie

Sinophile,

Hopefully I will be travelling to China within the next year, can you offer any suggestions for me as far as eating out gluten free?

stef-the-kicking-cuty Enthusiast

Hello Sinophile,

I have a question. Do you know of any asians, who have celiac disease? Due to trouble with an ex-friend of mine, that is from India, I would like to know. Because she is asian, her doctor said to her, she can't have celiac disease.

Hugs, Stef

  • 1 month later...
happycc Newbie

I am of Chinese descent and my blood test came back positive for celiac disease. My children also have celiac due to their symptoms. Will be getting them tested. They are mixed however. My husband does not have symptoms so most likely it is from me. My mom and dad and siblings all have gastrointestinal problems. My mom has diabetes and joint pains and my dad has thyroid problems. I have IgA Nephropathy an auto immune kidney disease.

My son has autism like behaviors and history of seizures and severe gastroproblems he is Chinese, black, white and native american. My daughters who are Chinese and Caucasian just have minor gastroproblems.

This is a miserable disease and a miserable diet and to get your Chinese family to understand is even harder. It took over 10 years to convince doctors and we were on a gluten-free diet for two years and I was in good health. Then we went off diet due to me going back to work and school and husband didn't understand. That is when I got the blood test as positive and finally it is being recognized. Very frustrating.

Carolyn

  • 1 month later...
Shweta Newbie

It is absolutely unreal for anyone to say that Asians cannot get celiac disease. I am an Indian, always lived in India and ate India food. And yet 2 years earlier (2003) I was diagnosed with celiac disease. However, my problem was not correctly detected untill after I came to the US. I agree with happycc, that is not easy to make your family and friends understand. But fortunately, it did not take long for my family.

Sinophile, I would appreciate that advice you were about to give to goldenwending. I am moving to Hong Kong in August this year. Was just there infact. And I was disappointed to see that gluten-free foods are very very rare in Hong Kong. I had a really tough time explaning my situation, and just having them make food without soy sauce in restaurants. I just love to eat. So it is even more important for me to know about gluten-free foods. Please help!

Shweta


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  • 4 weeks later...
Jennifer W Newbie

I'm soooo happy to see discussion about travel to China. :) :) :)

This is the first time I've posted on this group. I've searched the topic files and have gotten a sense of the discussions that have occurred around travel to China. In the spring, my husband and I will travel to China. I'm looking for suggestions about how to make it without eating gluten. It's been suggested to take a translated card about celiac disease. There's one in the back of Jax Peters Lowell's book Against The Grain. I'm hoping to find a list of ingredients that has been translated. Common and hidden ingredients would be great. Any additional advice is welcome.

Jennifer W

  • 1 month later...
glen4cindy Apprentice

This is a great find for me. I have not been active here in awhile, been so busy doing ohter things..................

My wife and I are in what we hope are the final weeks waiting for what is called a referral from an orphanage in China. We are going to adopt a baby girl from there, and will be traveling, most likely around the beginning of December.

I am doing everything I can to maintain a gluten-free diet, although, some gluten makes it's way into my diet every once in awhile. Case in point, my wife purchased some Chicken Salad from either Schnucks or Sams. I ate it 2x in 2 days, and then, the symptoms hit me like a ton of bricks! I decided to check the label, and found that it contained bread crumbs!!! I normally don't check things that my wife gives me because she has become very well informed as to what is safe and what is not. She just overlooked that one.

I need some serious help to avoid problems in China. Most likely place we will be spending much time is in Guangzhou at the White Swan. We will be flying into Beijing. Any help would be appreciated.

Merika Contributor
my wife purchased some Chicken Salad from either Schnucks or Sams.  I ate it 2x in 2 days, and

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Schnucks! You must be in St. Louis! Where can I safely eat gluten-free there? My BIL and family live there (and I did too for 6 years...pre-gluten-free). Sorry, no help about China.

Merika

  • 8 months later...
kristi Rookie
I'm soooo happy to see discussion about travel to China. :) :) :)

This is the first time I've posted on this group. I've searched the topic files and have gotten a sense of the discussions that have occurred around travel to China. In the spring, my husband and I will travel to China. I'm looking for suggestions about how to make it without eating gluten. It's been suggested to take a translated card about celiac disease. There's one in the back of Jax Peters Lowell's book Against The Grain. I'm hoping to find a list of ingredients that has been translated. Common and hidden ingredients would be great. Any additional advice is welcome.

Jennifer W

  • 2 months later...
kristi Rookie

Oops, don't know what happened to my last posting. Since my last post, I went to China for a mainland China for a month and returned. I found it a challenging place at least for a short trip. I was stuck with a tour group and preset menus so that was most of the battle right there...of fried, breaded, sauce thickened, cc stir fries, soy marinated meats and noodle options. It was hard for my guide to understand the cc issues. I ordered a lot of plain steamed rice (avoided stir-fries because of cc), hard boiled eggs and drank Sprite at meals. Towards the end of the trip was able to ordered steamed veggies, but too much fiber gets me too. I was really glad I packed some egg white protein powder I bought from home at a health store and packed added snacks for plane journeys. I read that the MSG made in most of Asia is wheat based as is the soy sauce. I still had a wonderful trip and saw amazing things. Other words of advice would be to pack (if you have the room) a Therma-rest style backpacking foam mattress (half size). They pack pretty small and I was the envy of my tour group on our deluxe hotel rock hard mattresses. I slept when other could not. I'm sure they just take a while to get used to. I also discovered that one can Seal-a-Meal adult disposable diapers down to a more convenient and packable size that is handy for traveling. It is a safety blanket for me now that I'm back out traveling since my illness hit. The world is too amazing to stay home.

Kristi

  • 2 years later...
Mitsy Newbie

My husband and I are moving to China next week (Ningbo) so I recently purchased the "Triumph Dining Cards" (Triumphdining.com). They are suppose to be in mandarin and describe the types of chinese food that you can and cannot have, specific to the culture. I haven't gotten them yet, but will post when they arrive. They may be helpful for you.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast

Hi Mitsy, try this group: Open Original Shared Link They are in Shanghai but might be able to help you out. Janet

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    • Theresa2407
      Usually when I digest gluten or wheat I have a 4 hour window before reacting.  If it is immediate it may be an intollerence to another food.  Dairy, Frutose, and bacteria (SIBO) will react with many of the celiac disease symtoms.Has your Doctor ran a  Fructose test which is measuring your Fruit Sugar?  A Hydrogen Beath Test which checks your intestinal bacteria and Dairy?After my biopsy and blood work, these (3) tests were also ran, along with allergy tests, which allery test was sent out of State.  It was a mouth swab. How fast you heal depends on the diet you are following… The following are my personal recommendations to healing. I talk to many newly diagnosed people who start the gluten-free diet with pasta, breads, snacks, and pizza. After a month or so, they do not know why they don’t feel any better and still are sick with their original symptoms: They worry the diet is not working for them. For some there may be other factors involved, but most just aren’t letting their body heal properly. I blame the internet, and misinformation it contains. People want a quick fix, not realizing this is a life long disease. They need a good support group, with people who have been through this and knows what works!  This is what I have found will work for you.                                                                                            First 6 weeks should be:                                                                                                                                 lean meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, salmon, sardines, buffalo, deer)                                                   fresh vegetables (steamed or roasted with a little Olive Oil) with 2 cups per day being raw (5 servings; a serving is 1/2 cup)                                                                                                                                      fresh fruit (3 servings; include strawberries, blackberries and blueberries daily)  Makes good shakes with Almond milk.                                                                                                                                        A hand full of almonds daily (pecans and walnuts can be substituted)                                                        brown rice, lentils, Citrucel daily (or the equivalent) Good source of fiber. I use Calm because my body doesn’t absorb Magnesium and I only need to take once in evening.                                                    No dairy of any kind (milk, cheese, yogurt, No breads, No past,  No oats, No pizza, No gluten-free beer, No snacks like cake, biscuits, pies, donuts.                                                                                                Many dietitians will tell you to follow a gluten free diet but you have to heal first. Don’t misunderstand me, dietitians are our friends and help us.                                                                                              10% of people with gluten-free will be intolerant to dairy                                                                                  10% can not tolerate oats                                                                                                                     After the six weeks, you can start to add these foods back into your diet. 1 new food every 4 days; this way you know if you react to this food.                                                                                                  Oats shouldn’t be tried for 1 year after being diagnosed; then start with 1/3 of a cup. Only gluten-free Oats are acceptable.                                                                                                                                              You should have results within 3 days of following a correct healing diet. Bloating should be leaving, migraines should be gone. Might take bowels a little longer to respond. If you start with 5 times a day on the Citrucel and cut back as your bowels return to normal; then use 1 Tbsp. daily. This works if you have constipation or diarrhea.                                                                                                        Meanwhile make sure you have had a Dexa test (bone density) and a blood test to check your vitamin and mineral levels: Zinc, D,K,B,C and iron levels.                                                                                  Don't take supplements while healing as your body is not accepting them and they will flush through your body.                                                                                                                                              Have you had a breath test for Dairy, Fructose, and bacteria overgrowth? Should have done when first diagnosed.                                                                                                                                        How fast you heal depends on the diet you are following… The following are my personal recommendations to healing. I talk to many newly diagnosed people who start the gluten-free diet with pasta, breads, snacks, and pizza. After a month or so, they do not know why they don’t feel any better and still are sick with their original symptoms: They worry the diet is not working for them. For some there may be other factors involved, but most just aren’t letting their body heal properly. I blame the internet, and misinformation it contains. People want a quick fix, not realizing this is a life long disease. They need a good support group, with people who have been through this and knows what works! This is what I have found will work for you. First 6 weeks should be: lean meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, salmon, sardines, buffalo, deer) fresh vegetables (steamed or roasted with a little Olive Oil) with 2 cups per day being raw (5 servings; a serving is 1/2 cup) fresh fruit (3 servings; include strawberries, blackberries and blueberries daily) a hand full of almonds daily (pecans and walnuts can be substituted) brown rice lentils Citrucel daily (or the equivalent) Good source of fiber. No dairy of any kind (milk, cheese, yogurt) No breads No pasta No oats No pizza No gluten-free beer No snacks like cake, biscuits, pies, donuts. Many dietitians will tell you to follow a gluten free diet but you have to heal first. Don’t misunderstand me, dietitians are our friends and help us. 10% of people with gluten-free will be intolerant to dairy 10% can not tolerate oats After the six weeks, you can start to add these foods back into your diet. 1 new food every 4 days; this way you know if you react to this food. Oats shouldn’t be tried for 1 year after being diagnosed; then start with 1/3 of a cup. Only gluten-free Oats are acceptable. You should have results within 3 days of following a correct healing diet. Bloating should be leaving, migraines should be gone. Might take bowels a little longer to respond. If you start with 5 times a day on the Citrucel and cut back as your bowels return to normal; then use 1 Tbsp. daily. This works if you have constipation or diarrhea. Meanwhile make sure you have had a Dexa test (bone density) and a blood test to check your vitamin and mineral levels: Zinc, D,K,B,C and iron levels. Don't take supplements while healing as your body is not accepting them and they will flush through your body. Have you had a breath test for Dairy, Fructose, and bacteria overgrowth? Should have done when first diagnosed. Remember to have a tTg IgA blood test repeated at 6 months then every year after, with another scope done in 3 years. Only way to know if you are healed. I don’t have all the answers; we are learning everyday new ways of doing things, but this is a start! Remember to have a tTg IgA EMA blood test repeated at 6 months then every year after 
    • Wheatwacked
      Marsh 3b is the Gold Standard of diagnosis for Celiac Disease.  Until recently, regardless of antibody tests, positive or negative, you had to have Marsh 3 damage to be awarded the diagnosis of Celiac. As I understand you,  you were having constant symptoms..  Your symptoms improved on GFD, with occassional flare ups. Did your doctor say you do and you are questioning the diagnosis? Regarding your increasing severity when you get glutened it is "normal".  Gluten acts on the Opiod receptors to numb your body.  Some report withdrawal symptoms on GFD.  I was an alcoholic for 30 years, about 1/2 pint of voda a day. Each time I identified a trigger and dealt with it, a new trigger would pop up.  Even a 30 day rehab stint, with a low fat diet (severe pancreatis) during which I rarely had cravings.  Stopped at a Wendys on the way home and the next day I was drinking again.  20 years later, sick as a dog, bedridden on Thanksgiving, after months of reasearch, I realized that gluten free was my Hail Mary.  Back in 1976 my son was diagnosed at weaning by biopsy with Celiac Disease and his doctor suggested my wife and I should also be gluten free because it is genetic.  At 25 years old I felt no gastro problems and promised if I ever did I would try gluten free.  Well, I forgot that promise until I was 63 and my wife 10 years dead.  Three days of gluten and alcohol free, I could no longer tolerate alcohol. Eleven years gluten and alcohol free, with no regrets. Improvement was quick, but always two steps forward and one back.  Over time I found nineteen symptoms that I had been living with for my entire life, that doctors had said, "We don't know why, but that is normal for some people". Celiac Disease causes multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  It is an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system B and T cells create antibodies against ttg(2) in the small intestine in Celiac Disease, and sometimes ttg(3) in skin in Dermatitis Herpetiformus.  'Why' is poorly understood.  In fact, it wasn't even known that wheat, barley and rye gluten was the cause.  Celiac Disease was also called Infantilism, because it was deadly, and believed to only be a childhood disease. So, as part of your recovery you must deal with those deficiencies.  Especially vitamin D because it contols your immune system.  Virtually all newly diagnosed Celiacs have vitamin D deficiency.  There are about 30 vitamin and minerals that are absorbed in the small intestine.  With Marsh 3 damage you may be eating the amount everyone else does, but you are not absorbing them into your system, so you will display symptoms of their deficiency.   As time passes and you replenish your deficiencies you may notice other symptoms improve, some you did not even know were symptoms. Our western diet has many deficiencies built into it.   That is the reason foods with gluten are fortified.  Gluten free processed food are not required to fortify.  Vitamin D, Iodine, choline.  The B vitamins, especially Thiamine (B1) run deficient quickly.  We only store enough thiamine for 2 weeks so the symptoms of Gastrointestinal BeriBeri can come and go quickly.  Magnesium, zinc, etc. each having its own symptoms affecting multiple systems.  High homocystene, an indicator of vascular inflamation can be cause by deficient Choline, folate, B6 and or B12.  Brain fog symptoms by deficient choline, iodine, thiamine B1. Dietary intake of choline and phosphatidylcholine and risk of type 2 diabetes in men: The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study  
    • Rogol72
      I cut out the rice because it was affecting my stomach at the time ... not necessarily dermatitis herpetiformis. It was Tilda Basmati Rice, sometimes wholegrain rice. I was willing to do whatever it took to heal. Too much fiber also disagrees with me as I have UC.
    • trents
      But you didn't answer my question. When you consume gluten, is there an identifiable reaction within a short period of time, say a few hours?
    • Scott Adams
      You can still have celiac disease with negative blood test results, although it's not very common:  Clinical and genetic profile of patients with seronegative coeliac disease: the natural history and response to gluten-free diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5606118/  Seronegative Celiac Disease - A Challenging Case: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9441776/  Enteropathies with villous atrophy but negative coeliac serology in adults: current issues: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34764141/   
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