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Best Book About Gluten-Free Living?

Lynayah

By Lynayah
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted

I have another thread going here about the stickers on fruit: safe or not? In the thread, the discussion led to envelope glue, and one of the posters mentioned that envelope glue containing gluten is a myth (thank you to the poster!)

The poster added that envelope information in a recently published book is questionable. (gluten-free Diet)

It make me wonder how many other books out there might not always have the best information or come from the finest research.

My question: Which books do you feel are the best when it comes to reporting the most accurate information?

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sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Living Gluten Free for Dummmies. Funny, accurate and helpful.

I bought another book- The First Year, Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free. The info seems good so far, but my word that is the most poorly written book. It's dry, stale, boring, and not concise enough. I feel like I'm eating cardboard trying to read it. I can't force myself to read it anymore.

I read lots of reviews online and yes, EH's book is said to be very inaccurate so I didn't bother.

Honestly I think your best info will be here. I use the search forum a lot and read old threads in addition to posting.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I like Celiac Disease--A Hidden Epidemic by Dr. Peter Green.

miaryan Apprentice
miaryan
Posted

i read gluten free living for dummies too!!! i loved that book gave me alot of info on stuff and was very informative....

my friend that has been living gluten free for years didn't know half of the stuff that has gluten in it!!! i told her to read the book and she picked it up and learned so much that she didn't know.....

great book i so recommend it to anyone that want to go on the gluten free livestyle of has a loved one that has to be gluten free...

my daddy read the book just to make sure he wouldn't cc me.....

MIA

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

The problem is that ANY book is going to be potentially out of date by the time it's printed. Certainly not worthless, but also not something you could necessarily rely upon solely.

Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted
  • Author

The problem is that ANY book is going to be potentially out of date by the time it's printed. Certainly not worthless, but also not something you could necessarily rely upon solely.

I agree about The First Year book -- didn't care for it. I haven't read the Dummies book yet (I once tech edited a Dummies book and am a big fan) -- I have it on order through the library.

I really liked Healthier Without Wheat by Dr. Stephen Wangen -- it is also good for people who are non-celiac-gluten-intolerant -- it gives a great explanation about how important the Gliadin IgA and IgG test are -- as many of you here already know, a lot of doctors look only at the celiac side of things and not the non-celiac-gluten-intolerant.

I was going to read Hasselbeck's book, but not any longer. It is frightening to think of all the misinformation that might be out there -- I'm still pretty new to all this, so I still have a tendency to believe what I read if it is in a book published by someone who is supposed to be in the know.

Frustrating!

VioletBlue Contributor
VioletBlue
Posted

Dr. Peter Green's book.

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Nightingale8472 Rookie
Nightingale8472
Posted

I read lots of reviews online and yes, EH's book is said to be very inaccurate so I didn't bother.

Honestly I think your best info will be here. I use the search forum a lot and read old threads in addition to posting.

I really liked Elisabeth Hasselbeck's book. Some of the actual info on what is and is not gluten-free isn't entirely accurate (but she goes overboard with caution, rather than saying something is gluten-free when it isn't...if you follow her advice, you won't get glutened, but you'll end up cutting out foods that are okay. Her dining card also goes overboard.), but what I thought was wonderful is that she has fabulous advice for practical, day to day things, like how to handle stuff when your family isn't gluten-free, how to handle going to a party or event where there will be food, and how to talk to servers. I found it really helpful. It was also really helpful to just read someone else's story in depth. A lot of the other gluten-free books are great "how to" guides, but EH's book had a personal touch that got me to stop panicking and just try the diet.

Between her book and Gluten Free for Dummies, I've done okay...I use her book for the general "how to live gluten-free in a gluten world without being a jerk or high-maintenance" and gluten-free for Dummies for the little details like ingredients to watch for. I've also got the apps from Clan Thompson on my blackberry, which have been awesome.

Reba32 Rookie
Reba32
Posted

I have the Dummie's book, haven't finished reading it yet, but I like it.

I also have the Idiot's Guide book, and although it's informative, I don't like the fact that it's written by a non-Celiac. She's not even intolerant, she was just asked to go gluten free to write the book. So really she has No Clue how difficult it is to be intolerant or Celiac. She wasn't risking the pain and nausea with possible cross contamination or outright glutening!

I also have "The Gluten Connection" which I found really informative. Much more so than my doctor :P

And I quite enjoy Bruce Fife's "Cooking with Coconut Flour". Although it is not strictly about Celiac disease or being gluten free, all the recipes in it are gluten free, and all very yummy :)

kare101 Newbie
kare101
Posted

Living Gluten Free for Dummmies. Funny, accurate and helpful.

I bought another book- The First Year, Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free. The info seems good so far, but my word that is the most poorly written book. It's dry, stale, boring, and not concise enough. I feel like I'm eating cardboard trying to read it. I can't force myself to read it anymore.

I read lots of reviews online and yes, EH's book is said to be very inaccurate so I didn't bother.

Honestly I think your best info will be here. I use the search forum a lot and read old threads in addition to posting.

This info is so helpful! Just diagnosed with celiac disease and I was trying to figure out which books would be best. Was planning to get The First Year..., but now I won't. I'm definitely going to get Living Gluten Free For Dummies. Thanks!!

Cinderella10 Newbie
Cinderella10
Posted

This info is so helpful! Just diagnosed with celiac disease and I was trying to figure out which books would be best. Was planning to get The First Year..., but now I won't. I'm definitely going to get Living Gluten Free For Dummies. Thanks!!

Gluten-Free Girl is what got me through the first couple of weeks -- just to know that there was someone else out there made me feel good. She has a great blog, too: glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com.

gluten-freedom Newbie
gluten-freedom
Posted

I really liked Elisabeth Hasselbeck's book. Some of the actual info on what is and is not gluten-free isn't entirely accurate (but she goes overboard with caution, rather than saying something is gluten-free when it isn't...if you follow her advice, you won't get glutened, but you'll end up cutting out foods that are okay. Her dining card also goes overboard.), but what I thought was wonderful is that she has fabulous advice for practical, day to day things, like how to handle stuff when your family isn't gluten-free, how to handle going to a party or event where there will be food, and how to talk to servers. I found it really helpful. It was also really helpful to just read someone else's story in depth. A lot of the other gluten-free books are great "how to" guides, but EH's book had a personal touch that got me to stop panicking and just try the diet.

Between her book and Gluten Free for Dummies, I've done okay...I use her book for the general "how to live gluten-free in a gluten world without being a jerk or high-maintenance" and gluten-free for Dummies for the little details like ingredients to watch for. I've also got the apps from Clan Thompson on my blackberry, which have been awesome.

I really enjoyed her book, too! I also have THE GLUTEN FREE BIBLE, but it is quite out of date by now. Anyway, I was glad someone else said this, because I feel the exact same way about the practical help from her book.

starrytrekchic Apprentice
starrytrekchic
Posted

EH's book wasn't particularly inaccurate. The only thing I remember was Amy's Frozen dinners, which she recommended, but are not actually safe--they're at risk for cross contamination in the factory, though the ingredients themselves are gluten free. Of the two Amy's dinners I've eaten since being gluten free, one glutened me. That was the only inaccuracy I noticed though.

Her book isn't particularly in depth--it glosses over the science stuff, but it does give great advice about the living part of being gluten free--stuff like dining out, going to parties and weddings and social stuff, being non-gluten in a gluten household, etc. It was also really enjoyable to read how someone else has survived and even thrived with this illness--gave me a bit of hope, you know?

Since it's not very technical, I'd say it's a good start for beginners--or people who've got the home stuff down but don't know how to be gluten-free in society.

Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted
  • Author

Gluten-Free Girl is what got me through the first couple of weeks -- just to know that there was someone else out there made me feel good. She has a great blog, too: glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com.

She is a good writer, too -- it is easy to identify with her feelings -- definitely a "comfort" read.

I've been meaning to try her recipes but haven't yet had the chance. Thanks for the reminder about her book!

celiackitcat Newbie
celiackitcat
Posted

I loved Gluten Free Girl and regularly try to recreate recipes from her Gluten Free Goddess blog. Such a great read because it isn't dry, it's a story and it explains a lot and just reading about someone else getting through it was very helpful for me in the beginning.

GFLindsey Explorer
GFLindsey
Posted

I have read Gluten Free Living for Dummies and My First Year. (Didn't realize these were two seemingly "standards"!) I found them both to be helpful! I bought mine on Barnes and Noble's online store and got both for less than 20 dollars! I have used recipes and ideas from both so far.

Just recently a friend sent me several issues of the magazine, Gluten-Free Living. OH MY GOODNESS! I learned more from one of the magazines than ANYWHERE else -- especially about particular ingredients that cause red flags. I would definitely look into a subscription if you can afford it. They are quite expensive.

Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted
  • Author

I have read Gluten Free Living for Dummies and My First Year. (Didn't realize these were two seemingly "standards"!) I found them both to be helpful! I bought mine on Barnes and Noble's online store and got both for less than 20 dollars! I have used recipes and ideas from both so far.

Just recently a friend sent me several issues of the magazine, Gluten-Free Living. OH MY GOODNESS! I learned more from one of the magazines than ANYWHERE else -- especially about particular ingredients that cause red flags. I would definitely look into a subscription if you can afford it. They are quite expensive.

Gluten Free Living looks great, thank you.

Does anyone here have a link to a discount? I would love to get both this and Living Without for $20, but I cannot find it anywhere.

I am loathe to admit that I just re-subscribed to Living Without, by itself, for more than $20. Ouch!

The current book price for Gluten-Free Living is way beyond my budget.

$8.50 an issue for gluten-free Living - from what GFLindsey says, it certainly seems worth it, but from the perspective of my pocketbook (hubby being out of work), yipes!

BethM55 Enthusiast
BethM55
Posted

Gluten Free Girl, by Shauna James Ahern struck a chord with me. She writes engagingly, from personal experience, and offers recipes that have been tested and perfected. She and her husband, "The Chef", have a gluten free cookbook coming out soon. I plan to buy it and use it.

I also find excellent information at livingwithout.com. Thank you for the book suggestions, I will check them out!

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    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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      Contact them.
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