Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Slovakia Fyi

BabsV

By BabsV
in Traveling with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted

We're winding down our time in Europe and took a last minute ski trip to Slovakia this past week. We weren't in Bratislava (the situation might be better there) but in the mountains at a resort and eating gluten-free was just about impossible. Menus had very few items that I would even consider and servers had no idea when I would bring up the gluten issue. Luckily we drove down and our room had a kitchenette so I had brought food -- otherwise I would have been out of luck and very hungry. The only saving grace was the TESCO relatively nearby so I could pick up a few things I knew were safe. We have time for two more trips before we return to the States and I'm only going someplace I KNOW can handle the gluten-free diet with relative ease -- I'm voting Italy and Ireland!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

We're winding down our time in Europe and took a last minute ski trip to Slovakia this past week. We weren't in Bratislava (the situation might be better there) but in the mountains at a resort and eating gluten-free was just about impossible. Menus had very few items that I would even consider and servers had no idea when I would bring up the gluten issue. Luckily we drove down and our room had a kitchenette so I had brought food -- otherwise I would have been out of luck and very hungry. The only saving grace was the TESCO relatively nearby so I could pick up a few things I knew were safe. We have time for two more trips before we return to the States and I'm only going someplace I KNOW can handle the gluten-free diet with relative ease -- I'm voting Italy and Ireland!

Before we hit Slovakia we picked up lots of supplies. We did not eat out much there - sorry it was so hard! Have you been to Croatia? I find it to be quite a lot easier than Slovakia. Slovenia is ok, too. Parts of Croatia (esp. Istria) do tons of grilling fresh fish and not much deep frying (none at good restaurants).

Man, I love central and eastern Europe - the further east I go the happier I am. Have not been to Romania or Hungary yet but really want to.

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

Before we hit Slovakia we picked up lots of supplies. We did not eat out much there - sorry it was so hard! Have you been to Croatia? I find it to be quite a lot easier than Slovakia. Slovenia is ok, too. Parts of Croatia (esp. Istria) do tons of grilling fresh fish and not much deep frying (none at good restaurants).

Man, I love central and eastern Europe - the further east I go the happier I am. Have not been to Romania or Hungary yet but really want to.

I haven't been to Croatia...it is on the list of places I want to visit but we're running out of time and available school vacations! I think the closer you are to the Mediterranean the easier it is to eat gluten-free -- the cuisine is just more naturally tilted to fresh and gluten free (Greece was super-easy with lots of amazing grilled fish and yummy veggie dishes...)

I'm in Poland and flour and gluten are EVERYWHERE! Seriously...for example all ground meats in the stores have gluten as do most sausages and bacon, and I have yet to find lunch meats or hot dogs that do not contain gluten. And that is just the tip of the iceberg -- I really wanted some garbanzo beans but couldn't find any dry ones (not a popular item) at the two supermarkets I checked and the canned ones all included 'natural flavors' with no way of easily contacting the companies to check to see what exactly those flavors were! Plus a lot of the "gluten free" products here contain gluten free wheat flour (starch) -- I have a full on reaction to that stuff so am rather limited. At least I can find some Schar items at some of the 'natural' food stores here. Honestly I am ready to return to the States where shopping will be a bit easier and I'll have a few more options!

As for Hungary, we visited Budapest in August 2010 and loved it. It is an amazing city, and I highly recommend it. This was before my Celiac diagnosis so I honestly can't speak to how easy it would be to eat out gluten-free. Just don't go in July and August because it gets HOT and nothing is air-conditioned. I almost passed out in the Museum of Applied Arts because the center court is covered in glass and it raises the temperature to out-of-control levels. Or at least it did the day we were there!

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

I haven't been to Croatia...it is on the list of places I want to visit but we're running out of time and available school vacations! I think the closer you are to the Mediterranean the easier it is to eat gluten-free -- the cuisine is just more naturally tilted to fresh and gluten free (Greece was super-easy with lots of amazing grilled fish and yummy veggie dishes...)

I'm in Poland and flour and gluten are EVERYWHERE! Seriously...for example all ground meats in the stores have gluten as do most sausages and bacon, and I have yet to find lunch meats or hot dogs that do not contain gluten. And that is just the tip of the iceberg -- I really wanted some garbanzo beans but couldn't find any dry ones (not a popular item) at the two supermarkets I checked and the canned ones all included 'natural flavors' with no way of easily contacting the companies to check to see what exactly those flavors were! Plus a lot of the "gluten free" products here contain gluten free wheat flour (starch) -- I have a full on reaction to that stuff so am rather limited. At least I can find some Schar items at some of the 'natural' food stores here. Honestly I am ready to return to the States where shopping will be a bit easier and I'll have a few more options!

As for Hungary, we visited Budapest in August 2010 and loved it. It is an amazing city, and I highly recommend it. This was before my Celiac diagnosis so I honestly can't speak to how easy it would be to eat out gluten-free. Just don't go in July and August because it gets HOT and nothing is air-conditioned. I almost passed out in the Museum of Applied Arts because the center court is covered in glass and it raises the temperature to out-of-control levels. Or at least it did the day we were there!

I agree that it certainly is true that the closer you are to the Med the easier it is. We have a house in Istria, Croatia (a traditional old stone renovated house with blue shutters) and have found that we can forage for so much (i.e. all kinds of herbs, juniper berries, nuts, fruit, fennel) and want to get to know the mushrooms, too. And the sea is so close that we can go buy fresh fish and seafood from the boats.

Poland definitely sounds challenging. And we don't travel anywhere in July and August - I do not function well in heat nor do I like the crowds.

When do you return to the U.S.?

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

I agree that it certainly is true that the closer you are to the Med the easier it is. We have a house in Istria, Croatia (a traditional old stone renovated house with blue shutters) and have found that we can forage for so much (i.e. all kinds of herbs, juniper berries, nuts, fruit, fennel) and want to get to know the mushrooms, too. And the sea is so close that we can go buy fresh fish and seafood from the boats.

Poland definitely sounds challenging. And we don't travel anywhere in July and August - I do not function well in heat nor do I like the crowds.

When do you return to the U.S.?

Your house in Istria sounds amazing. So jealous. I think Croatia will have to wait until our next posting in Europe...Looks like Rome is up next for us vacation-wise and I can't wait! Then Scotland in late April as our daughter has never been and it is one of my husband's and mine favorite places in the world. Then we're out of time since we return to the States in late June/early July. The time will fly...

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Your house in Istria sounds amazing. So jealous. I think Croatia will have to wait until our next posting in Europe...Looks like Rome is up next for us vacation-wise and I can't wait! Then Scotland in late April as our daughter has never been and it is one of my husband's and mine favorite places in the world. Then we're out of time since we return to the States in late June/early July. The time will fly...

We adore our quaint house. It is not big but perfect for the two of us. The kitchen is so tiny that it feels like cooking in a camper but we usually cook over the fire in our outdoor kitchen (there is also a small oven out there). Our garden is so pretty and filled with roses, lavender, rosemary, figs, acacia trees and we cannot see any other buildings or anything as we face solid trees.

Anyway, you will LOVE Rome! On our first trip there we thought it would be the only one but we enjoyed it so much that we have now been there four times and each time is as amazing as the last. If you go to Rome for several days I would recommend the book called, "Secret Rome" as it contains many things that you would not otherwise notice such as a significant little statue here or a pillar there. But only if you are there for quite awhile as there is so much to see there. The Pantheon is my favourite thing. It is 2,000 years old but looks like it was built last week.

I, too, love Scotland. It will be so nice for you to see it through your daughter's eyes! All the majestic castles, beautiful scenery, history, culture...an incredible place.

Have a fantastic time on your travels! :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      0

      Celiac Diner Sues Olive Garden After Gluten Mix-Up Leads to Medical Emergency (+Video)

    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed. Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jordan Carlson's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      Fruits & Veggies

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better. Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor. PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12. Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the...
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1. There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine. In Thiamine deficiency, the body...
    5. Scott Adams
      0

      Inmate with Celiac Disease Wins $630,000 After Jail Denies Gluten-Free Food

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,033
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    DeeDeeS
    Newest Member
    DeeDeeS
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed.   Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    • knitty kitty
      Fruits & Veggies

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better.   Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor.  PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12.  Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the production of digestive juices (stomach acids).  This results in foods not being digested thoroughly.  If foods are not digested sufficiently, the vitamins and other nutrients aren't released from the food, and the body cannot absorb them.  This sets up a vicious cycle. Acid reflux and Gerd are actually symptoms of producing too little stomach acid.  Insufficient stomach acid production is seen with Thiamine and Niacin deficiencies.  PPI's like Tecta also block the transporters that pull Thiamine into cells, preventing absorption of thiamine.  Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are difficulty swallowing, gagging, problems with food texture, dysphagia. Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are symptoms of ADHD and anxiety.  Vyvanse also blocks thiamine transporters contributing further to Thiamine deficiency.  Pristiq has been shown to work better if thiamine is supplemented at the same time because thiamine is needed to make serotonin.  Doctors don't recognize anxiety and depression and adult onset ADHD as early symptoms of Thiamine deficiency. Stomach acid is needed to digest Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in fruits and vegetables.  Ascorbic acid left undigested can cause intestinal upsets, anxiety, and heart palpitations.   Yes, a child can be born with nutritional deficiencies if the parents were deficient.  Parents who are thiamine deficient have offspring with fewer thiamine transporters on cell surfaces, making thiamine deficiency easier to develop in the children.  A person can struggle along for years with subclinical vitamin deficiencies.  Been here, done this.  Please consider supplementing with Thiamine in the form TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which helps immensely with dysphagia and neurological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms.  Benfotiamine helps with improving intestinal health.  A B Complex and NeuroMag (a magnesium supplement), and Vitamin D are needed also.
    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1.   There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine.   In Thiamine deficiency, the body burns its stored fat as a source of fuel.  That fat pad between the aorta and digestive system gets used as fuel, too. Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test to look for thiamine deficiency.  Correction of thiamine deficiency can help restore that fat pad.   Best wishes for your recovery!   Interesting Reading: Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089433/#:~:text=Affiliations,tissue and results in SMAS.  
    • trents
      Positive biopsy

      By trents · Posted

      Wow! You're pretty young to have a diagnosis of SMA syndrome. But youth also has its advantages when it comes to healing, without a doubt. You might be surprised to find out how your health improves and how much better you feel once you eliminate gluten from your diet. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that, when gluten is consumed, triggers an attack on the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestines where all our nutrition is absorbed. It is made up of billions of tiny finger-like projections that create a tremendous surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the person with celiac disease, unchecked gluten consumption generates inflammation that wears down these fingers and, over time, greatly reduces the nutrient absorbing efficiency of the small bowel lining. This can generate a whole host of other nutrient deficiency related medical problems. We also now know that the autoimmune reaction to gluten is not necessarily limited to the lining of the small bowel such that celiac disease can damage other body systems and organs such as the liver and the joints and cause neurological problems.  It can take around two years for the villous lining to completely heal but most people start feeling better well before then. It's also important to realize that celiac disease can cause intolerance to some other foods whose protein structures are similar to gluten. Chief among them are dairy and oats but also eggs, corn and soy. Just keep that in mind.
    • pothosqueen
      Positive biopsy

      By pothosqueen · Posted

      26F!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.