Dazed And Confused

[Valentin]

just got diagnosted with Celiac... found out what that means... no more wheat or gluten in my diet... not really been able to stick with it yet since I am dazed and confused of what I can or can't really have... and where to eat... this is going to be a while before I get my bearings... and right during the season too... with all the tempting (gluten rich) foods

[ravenwoodglass]

Welcome to the board and the gluten free lifestyle. The easiest way to heal and to avoid gluten at the same time is to go with whole unprocessed foods. Fruits and veggies, rice, potatoes, fresh meats (unprocessed), nuts and nut butters, beans, all are gluten free in their natural state. If you are not used to cooking it can be a challenge at first but you will get the hang of it. There are a lot of foods out there that are safe, if you have favorites post a question in the products section and someone may know whether or not it is safe. There are gluten free versions of almost everything. Be sure to check out the gluten free market on the home page, you'll be surprised how much is out there. Don't forget to check all your meds and supplements including scripts and OTC. I hope you heal quickly and feel free to ask any question you need to.

[frec]

Be careful of dairy. Sometimes the intestinal damage from celiac destroys your ability to digest dairy for a while. Some people are unaffected and some people are never able to eat dairy again. It depends on how long it took to be diagnosed and how well you heal (usually the younger you are, the better you heal) Sometimes the doctors forget to tell you that.

It does seem hard to be diagnosed during the holidays. Usually party food has no labels and is therefore quite risky. If it is a potluck, bring something you really like and eat that. Otherwise eat the vegetable tray! Keep treats at home to console yourself after all the carrot sticks. You know how people complain about gaining weight over the holidays? Problem solved.

If you have insurance, ask your doctor to recommend a dietician. He/she can give you some training on label reading and great local shopping advice.

You can use the google on this site to find recipes, check on product ingredients, ask about symptoms...People on this forum have helped me enormously. Good luck!

[SGWhiskers]

Congrats on the diagnosis and welcome. Even with having to change my diet, I'm so glad I have my diagnosis and am feeling better. You will too.

An easy, yummy, seasonal meal is to take a squash or sweet potato and cut it in half. Add butter or oil, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and a sprinkle of salt. With some hunting, you may be able to find soy nog or soy latte for a sweet treat.

I'm 3 months in, and still making mistakes, but it is getting easier and I'm finding more and more I can eat. Everyone here is so friendly, you will get lots of good info from these folks.

SGWhiskers

[Valentin]

Wow I see a lot of soy and dairy free too... I read there might be other allergies I could have... I guess I got diagnosed by accident... anual check up blood test came back twice with high liver enzymes (alp) and do tested for a variety of things at onces... found out it was celiac... I think I am sticking to something half way descent and I guess never really found issues with mayor symptoms... but I guess some of the "inconveniences" I had in the past from time to time make sense now... like the pains in my lower right abdomen (always was worried it was an appendix)

Well always been a Belgian beer drinker... that is out now as well as all the treats from there but oooh well its going to be a healthier lifestyle

I looks like there are a whole lot of nice people here with advise.... would you say I should be one of the books that helps with gluten free grocery shopping?

[ang1e0251]

Those lists can be very helpful to you as you begin your journey. If you can find a support group near you, it would be great. Even if you can't attend meetings, you could contact the group and someone would probably be glad to speak to you by phone. They can give you advice on where to shop and how to get through holiday events. I had a local mentor and it made a world of difference.

As for parties and such, I find if I eat at home before I go then take along something gluten-free that I can also share, the night goes smoothly.

Welcome to the forum and we're here for you.