Questions From The Newly Diagnosed

[ranvir]

Hey everyone,

I'm a type 1 diabetic who just recently got diagnosed with Celiac disease and I'm trying to make sense of everything. Definitely a lot of things to keep in mind and I'm learning a little every day. Anyway, my dietician handed me a packet of information and it contains various lists of allowed and disallowed foods but I had a few questions...

One list said that Corn Pops (the cereal) was allowed, but I checked the ingredients on the back of the box and it says it includes wheat starch, which makes it a no-no, right? Can people recommend some mainstream cereals and breakfast food that is allowed (I'm in college right now so I'm eating mainly from a dining hall... just want to know what they have that I can work with)?

I'm pretty big on Indian food, do people know if most Indian curries/food have gluten in them (obviously I'll have to avoid naan, which kills me a little inside, haha). What about other cuisines with curries or sauces (Thai, Chinese, etc.)? A general run-down would be appreciated.

What about candies? As a type one diabetic I try and keep some sweets on me in case I get low blood sugar or something, but I don't really know what the viable choices are... So far I've checked the back of a few things, like Snickers, which seem to be okay. Any other recommendations?

I also lift weights/exercise quite a bit and am looking to gain weight (I've been told that Celiac disease might have been keeping me from putting on pounds)? What sort of stuff should I be eating if I'm looking to gain weight on a gluten-free diet? I've been eating a lot of chicken and beef, but it sucks cause it has to be plain and what not (trying to avoid gluten in sauces and gravies... although I am really ignorant about the statuses of most condiments).

I guess my final question (for now at least, haha) is how bad is it for me to accidentally ingest gluten? Obviously I am trying to completely abstain from it, but if I accidentally eat a little bit does that set back all the progress I've made so far? Like, will symptoms that are getting better suddenly flare up even if I accidentally eat a little bit, and will my intestines become inflamed with the same small amount (meaning that I have to start from square one villi-wise)?

Anyway, sorry to bombard you all with so many questions and thanks in advance for any answers!

[MELINE]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I suggest you don't follow a general rule (like the one your doc said about cereals) and just learn to read the labels ALL THE TIME. In the home page of celiac.com there is a post about all the safe and non safe ingredients. I really think that this is the step 1 for a newbie. Watch out for artificial flavoring, it might contain gluten.

Some general suggestions......for the beginning stick as much as you can to simple / clear foods, avoid mixtures (at least for as long as you are not familiar with the no no ingredients) or processed food (it doesn't help your intestine to heal). Always order really simple and clear food in the restaurant. It is a little bit more tricky than it sounds. For example, if you order rice they may have put those food cubes that make food more tasty (I don't know how you call them...) and these cubes contain gluten.

Sometimes it is useful to eliminate lactose and casein and then eat it again when your villy is healed. Most of us become intolerant to these things because of celiac.

You asked about the damage that a small amount can make. Well you will not start from the beginning, if you have some gluten by accident, but it will certainly affect your progress. It is not like you will make the whole damage again. But keep in mind that if you keep having accidents you are delaying your healing and are increasing the risks for other side effects of celiac. And the worse part is that usually when you go gluten free and you have an accident, then the symptoms come back more severe than before.

Feel free to ask anything. You will eventually get used to it, and reading the labels will be no trouble for you. I am sorry I can't inform you about Indian food.....

You said smth about weight lifting and putting on some weight. Well you may try to consume tahini (sesame butter) and honey (if you can tolerate it / I don't know what is allowed for diabetes) and rice cakes. I found that this combination could stop my losing kilos process...

Meline