I Know, This Is Really Random

[Susy13]

I'm going to have an endoscopy in January, and I know regardless of the results I'm going to go gluten free to see if I feel better.

So anyway especially near the beginning, I'm going to be always having to check whether things are safe yet...and I'm wondering how you guys deal/dealt with it in the beginning? I don't have internet on my phone, should I get it? I don't want to be stuck in a situation where it could be tricky. I'm sort of trying to think and plan ahead.

[Mey Marie]

I'm going to have an endoscopy in January, and I know regardless of the results I'm going to go gluten free to see if I feel better.

So anyway especially near the beginning, I'm going to be always having to check whether things are safe yet...and I'm wondering how you guys deal/dealt with it in the beginning? I don't have internet on my phone, should I get it? I don't want to be stuck in a situation where it could be tricky. I'm sort of trying to think and plan ahead.

I have a hard time still with my shopping trips. I make my list and go on line to make sure that my favorite brands are gluten free. If they are not I look for the name of one that is. I don't have a phone that goes on line but my hubby does, and I have to say that when he is with me at the store it is nice to have. Most times he isn't though. So just plan ahead and it will be ok. And you also can ask you store to print out a list for you of all the gluten free products in there store. I think most of them have a list. That way you have no question, and your not relying on someone's blog and hoping they know what they are talking about.

Good luck. You will get the hang of it really quick. It didn't take me to long.

[tarnalberry]

Nothing, not even the internet in your hands, replaces reading labels. Yes, on everything that has a label, EVERY time you go to buy it (formulations change). The list of ingredients to avoid isn't actually that long, and that's what really matters. (When in doubt, don't try it.) Of course, as much cooking from scratch (which doesn't have to time consuming, if it's simple) makes this all much easier.

[Welda Johnson]

Here's hoping you have an easy time with your endoscopy and with staying gluten free. I've been on this diet for years, and it gets easier and easier. Eating the same groups of foods certainly helps us be more creative with our menus. Meats, fruits & vegetables comprise my diet, and I have to agree with Tarnalberry that it's all about reading labels, endlessly. It takes time, but it's worth it. Food additives cause some people more problems than they realize, so be careful of things like casein, whey, egg whites, yeast, etc. Being intolerant of all grains, all milk & dairy, egg whites, yeast, casein, whey, etc. means being diligent about every food I eat, but that's okay, because I'm healthier than ever before. Best wishes to you on this journey. Welda

[Shess0816]

I'm going to have an endoscopy in January, and I know regardless of the results I'm going to go gluten free to see if I feel better.

So anyway especially near the beginning, I'm going to be always having to check whether things are safe yet...and I'm wondering how you guys deal/dealt with it in the beginning? I don't have internet on my phone, should I get it? I don't want to be stuck in a situation where it could be tricky. I'm sort of trying to think and plan ahead.

Here are a couple of other suggestions. I know that there are a couple different books that are published (I believe on a yearly basis) that contain a list of all gluten free products by brand or by type of food. The only caveat with these is, you still HAVE to read the labels before you buy those products since ingredients can change often in foods. But at least that would give you a starting point for which products to look at first. The second thing I do sometimes is if I am in a store and I am looking at buying a product that I am not sure is gluten free, there is usually a 1-800 number on the product. You can call up the company right while you are standing in the store and ask them if that specific product is gluten free or not. They should to be able to tell you right away if it is. If they seem confused or cannot guarantee it is gluten free, don't buy it! Third, a lot of stores have a lot of gluten free products in their health food sections. I shop there a lot for convenience foods because it takes the guesswork out of it.

Hope that helps some!

Sally

[Susy13]

thank you all for your great suggestions. I'm going to look into everything!