Newly Diagnosed

[mamma-j]

So I just found out yesterday that I have Celiac Disease. I'm a 21 year old mother of a 2 year old, I'm anemic, I'm a complete foodie, and I also found out I have high cholesterol. Since about December I've been having really bad stomach pains after eating. It'd be very random though, I could eat a certain food one day and feel fine, but then feel sick the next day. My symptoms are my stomach gets very bloated, I feel like its literally turning inside out, and I get extremely tired.

I'm the type of person who, when I get sick, I just like to ignore the problem until it goes away. I finally decided to call the doctor though when one night the pain and exhaustion were so bad that I passed out. Overall I'm actually a pretty healthy person. I may eat a little too much junk food but I'm in no way overweight and have always been very athletic. Basically I've come on this forum wondering from other foodies such as myself how you cope with not being able to eat junk food. Even when I was pregnant, unfortunately, I couldn't help but eat cold lunch meat and drink caffeinated drinks (two of the biggest things you're not supposed to eat/drink while pregnant). I'm some what of a hypochondriac so I'm now psyching myself out thinking I'm going to keep eating things I'm not supposed to and make myself even more sick.

[mamaw]

Don't worry there are plenty of unhealthy junk foods availabe on the gluten-free diet! And yes, you will need to be VERY careful with food so your body can heal & you can be healthy ...with that said you will need to become a label reader with everything so you don't make mistakes. It does take time to learn & to heal the body. I suggest taking it in steps that way you will not become overwhemed & give-up...

Many go through a greiving process very similar to losing a loved one, all normal so if you feel yourself becoming sad, angry, denial why me type of things its okay just vent to us. We all have been at the beginning of this process.It will get better but you need to be strict to the gluten-free lifestyle...no cheating ever. As with a school kid they cheat once & don't get caught they repeat & repeat over & over. Then it becomes a big health issue.Totally not worth it..

Many many companies label there goodies so reading every label you will know what is okay for you to eat. ie:: Kraft, Lay's Snyder,s pepsi, contadina & so on all label.

You will find hidden gluten in products too. ie: soy sauce, beer.Any malt product is off limits.

READ< READ READ< RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH! best advice anyone can give you...

Starting out I will suggest taking it in steps so you don't get overwhelmed & freak out. That is what you don't want or need..You may even feel worse before you start to heal .It does take time no instant relief all better type of thing. But you may notice a slight difference immediately ...

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It is very healthy to vent your emotions so feel free to let go on here...

There are so many fast food & sit-down restaurants that now have a gluten-free menu. Just google your favorite & what is in your area...

My next suugestion is to buy some ready made gluten-free goodies you already love & keep them on hand. always carry a protein bar in your purse, make a care pkg for your car, office ... Don't deprive yourself just make your choice gluten-free...

Glutino & Snyders both have tasty pretzels ( better than the wheat ones)

celiac specities has donuts & crossiant buns to die for

Joansgf great bakes has pizza, english muffins & bagels -wonderful

Starfidh has breaded gluten-free fish, shrimp

Bell & Evans has gfbreaded chicken

Feel good foods has asain dumplings, egg rolls

conte's ravioli, pierogi's..

Full flavor foods has the very best gravies& sauces.

snickers, hersey kissesjumior mints,& more ( again read label)

breyer's , dreyer's, edy's ice cream no crunchies& cookies...

cheesewhiz, philly cream cheese, philly swirls all okay.

This is just a VERY short list & many of the places I mentioned have alot more product than I mentioned.

Progresso soup has many gluten-free..

HTH

Let us know your tastes&questions & we can help you..

blessings

mamaw

Myself, I'm a gluten-free mentor & gluten-free food tester for many companies...

[Victoria6102]

Reeses, Hershey bars, 3 musketeers, snickers, lifesavers, sour patch, Swedish fish, all gluten free!

Oscar Meyer is made by Kraft and has many lunch meats, just read the label to make sure no gluten is listed. If no gluten is listed, it's gluten free!

All Pepsi products are gluten free. Coke is gluten free.

Peeps. On the Border, utz tortilla chips, gluten free! Many junk food options. See?! I know it's very unhealthy but eating sugar is the only way I can make myself satisfied to not eat want to eat gluten! Good luck!

[mamma-j]

The hidden gluten totally through me off. For example, last night, had sausage for dinner, one of my favorite meals. Felt awful after and didn't know why. Read on here this morning that sausage has hidden gluten

[Takala]

Food cravings are a part of being malnourished from the damage that celiac causes to the linings of the intestines, so you are not getting all your necessary vitamins and minerals. The caffeine cravings are from the fact that getting glutenned makes one sleepy, groggy, or brain- fogged and the caffeine is a handy antidote.

This means if you stick to a gluten free diet, and take the proper simple gluten free supplements of a multivitamin with the B complex, and a calcium/magnesium supplement, you will develop control over your eating/snacking habits.

While many lunch meats are supposed to be gluten free, and many are labeled that way, there is another ingredient(s) in most of them (except the ultra expensive organics with no preservatives) which really does a number on me. It only took me about 8 years to figure this out (the light bulb went off last summer, finally) that my turkey lunchmeat habit was making my joints in my ankles puff up horribly and my feet swell up further. Now, I like turkey lunchmeat, but I like NOT having my left ankle be plaguing me so much that I could not do things like go for walks in a regular shoe, and I hadn't been able to fit some of my boots on for several years now. It's a trade off, buh-bye turkey lunchmeat, hello being able to get in my Ariats and my ski boot buckled on and having enough stability in that joint to do things.... no brainer. It was so indescribably weird to have the joint swelling finally go down. It was coming and going, and then my spouse got into this habit of making hamburgers and homefries for lunch, and I noticed on hamburger days it was better. Duh !

I am way over twice your age, so this is a high maintenance body I am stuck with at this point, but I have another condition which makes me injury prone anyway.

You may find out that as you age, you are less carbohydrate tolerant than the average person (don't worry, your chance of being as grain carb intolerant as some of us is not that high) and you will do better on a higher protein and vegetable and lower carb diet. You may also find that a lot of sweets just makes a sugar rush and a crash that leaves you wondering why you bothered eating it.

There are brands of sausages, Aidell's, that are gluten free, that come in many flavors. Hormel pepperoni is also gluten free.