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Just Diagnosed

K-Dawg

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K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted

Hi all:

My liver specialist called me Thursday to tell me my biopsy indicates I have celiac disease. Have spent the days since then trying to figure out what to eat (I'm a vegetarian as well and allergic to citrus). It's a bit overwhelming at first, eh?

Well, I just wanted to say "hi"

I also wondered if anyone can tell me if there is any sort of granola bar we can eat? (I already miss my granola bar or is granola out??)

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mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

Hi

There are several granola bars gluten-free, one the kids like is Bakery on the Main.......

Wonka Apprentice
Wonka
Posted

Some people with Celiac Disease, about 10%, react to oats, so it is recommended that they are avoided for the first year. The following recipe is what I make and they are really very good. I skip the dried fruit (daughter wouldn't eat them) and add 1 cup of chocolate chips. I also mash 1/4 of dates with the honey and brown sugar (daughter can't tell it is there, this is important, lol). I do a mix of nuts and seeds (toasted first), 1 cup nutty flax cereal and 1 cup of gluten free rice crispies, the chocolate chips and then mix it all with the peanut butter glue (I use almond butter because I can't tolerate legumes). I can throw it together pretty fast, but they don't last long at my house. The recipe is really just a guide, put in what you like, just keep the proportions the same.

This IS overwhelming at first. You'll make mistakes, but forgive yourself. It's a process. If you have an old toaster, buy a new one (it's impossible to clean it well enough for it to be safe to use). Clean your stainless steel well and it will still be usable. Replace kitchen utensils that are wood or old plastic, it's impossible to clean them well enough. Replace any old plastic cutting boards, gluten can hide in the crevasses.

Keep you food simple at first. All fruits, vegies, rice, quinoa, potatoes, legumes, most single spices, dairy are all naturally gluten free. There is still lots of good things to eat. Tinkayada rice pasta is the best one out there, and it's good. So you don't have to give up pasta.

Good luck with this and ask as many questions as you need to. We've all ask for help, and still do, that's what the forum is all about.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients:

Granola Base

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) or almond butter (if you want to make almond granola bars) (I use almond butter as I can

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Welcome to the board! Feel free to ask questions!

Re: oats

Regular, mainstream oats are not safe for Celiacs at all. Once you have healed, most Celiacs can tolerate specially grown/processed oats that are free from wheat contamination.

Help to get you started:

Unsafe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html

Safe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-...ents/Page1.html

A list of companies that has a clear gluten policy. If you don't see "wheat, rye, barley, barley malt, oats" on the labels, its not there, or hidden in "flavors, starches, etc." Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link This makes shopping MUCH easier.

FDA foods are required to list wheat - it cannot be hidden.

Rule #1: Never eat anything without reading the label first.

Rule #2: Consistently check labels, even of your favorite products, as product formulations can change.

Rule #3: If you are unsure of an ingredient, or the company's policy on labeling, call the phone number on the back of the product or email the company.

Great info to get you started: Open Original Shared Link

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted
  • Author

Sincere thanks everyone. The responses have been very helpful. I plan to make those granola bars this weekend and purchased some gluten-free peanut butter on my way home from work! Baking corn bread tonight (since that seems easy as I"m using a gluten free mix).

I bought a new toaster yesturday, but it never dawned on me that I would need to replace my old plastic kitchen utensils. Really? I guess this means I should quarantine the new ones as mine.

With respect of my stainless steel pots, etc... After scrubbing them (which I never thought to do) would it be best to keep them separate for my sole use? This may be a silly question, but should I worry about putting my pots/pans/etc through the dishwasher with dishes that have been used to eat gluten containing food? Related to this, it seems like it may be difficult to prevent cross-contamination within my own home. Is it common for family members to adopt a gluten free diet when it comes to what is eaten in the home.

Also, I tried the rice pasta tonight (very good - thanks). Has anyone tried corn pasta?

Again, thanks everyone -- I must say, this does not seem as overwhelming tonight as it did on Thursday when I got the call from my dr.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

You'll probably some ups and downs, but I have no doubt you'll get the hang of it!

I prefer rice pasta over corn pasta - it tastes more 'normal' to me. For many, its just a personal preference.

My favorite flour that I use to convert all my 'normal' recipes is Open Original Shared Link . I also really like the Gluten Free Pantry mixes.

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted
  • Author
My favorite flour that I use to convert all my 'normal' recipes is Open Original Shared Link . I also really like the Gluten Free Pantry mixes.

Oh....my....goodness.

There are flour substitutes! This is fabulous.

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happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Of course there are :)

There are lots of different ones - but BB is the best, hands down (in my opinion) I wish it was available when I was first diagnosed.

Wenmin Enthusiast
Wenmin
Posted

This is an old list but still very reliable. Print yourself a copy to grocery shop with. Don't try to find all things at once. Selectively pick 2-3 items weekly and look specifically for those. Will save you tons of time.

hopepage.mac.com/sholland/celiac/GFfoodlist.pdf

Hope this helps!

Wonka Apprentice
Wonka
Posted
Related to this, it seems like it may be difficult to prevent cross-contamination within my own home. Is it common for family members to adopt a gluten free diet when it comes to what is eaten in the home.

People handle this in different way. Because my daughter and myself both have Celiac Disease, and I wasn't getting well, we made the house totally gluten free (two vegetarian daughters, so I do let the odd vegie hotdog/meat, which almost all contain wheat into the house but, i use a stainless steel pan to cook them in and I scrub really well after then throw the clothes in the laundry).

Some people are successful melding the two diets together, but keep the gluten stuff and gluten free stuff in completely different cupboards. When we were a mixed house, at the beginning, I had the old white cutting boards for gluten stuff and bought all new coloured cutting boards and those were exclusively gluten free. All microwaving was done on a plate. Don't put anything down on a counter unless there is a plate or a cutting board to place it on safely.

Most find that cooking two meals doesn't work, so dinners are usually just gluten free for everyone. Limit the gluten that comes into the house. Think of it like glitter. Have you ever tried to clean up glitter, it sticks to everything and you still find it 6 months later. Gluten is just like that, it's small and it's sticky so cross contamination is a real issue.

I don't know how to answer the question about the dishwasher. I suspect that I was getting cross contamination through the dishwasher (it's not the best at getting everything as clean as I'd like) but I really can't say that for sure.

It's sounds like you are feeling way more relaxed about this, that's good. You may want to tackle the cupboards in your kitchen. I was overwhelmed with this at first (due to the immense fatigue that I had) but I managed by tackling a cupboard at a time (sometimes a shelf at a time). Separate the gluten foods from the non-gluten foods, and really scrub down the cupboards. You'll want to try and clean any sources of gluten that could possibly contaminate you. It took me a few days but I managed to scrub and clean everything up in the kitchen (and boy it was time anyways, lol).

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted
(I'm a vegetarian as well and allergic to citrus). It's a bit overwhelming at first, eh?

QUOTE (happygirl @ Apr 14 2009, 03:50 PM)

My favorite flour that I use to convert all my 'normal' recipes is Open Original Shared Link . I also really like the Gluten Free Pantry mixes.

Oh....my....goodness.

There are flour substitutes! This is fabulous

FYI since you said you are allergic to citrus... Better Batter Gluten Free Flour has pectin in it and it is derived from citrus. You can verify this on their website just look up the ingredients. I don't know if this would pose a problem to you or not.

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted
  • Author

Wonka -- I want to thank you for the granola bar recipe. My husband made them tonight and they are so good.

You're right, I'm not as panicked...probably because I do feel slightly better and because this board helps a lot. I"m not sure how people managed this without the internet. Honestly. But I"m still feeling overwhelmed. I have a very busy high stress job and absolutely no energy (not an original story on this board, I'm sure). For such a long time, every day has been a struggle and I feel like I don't have any energy left to tackle this. I want to really clean out the kitchen...sooo tired though. I guess it's just about doing one thing at a time.

We are considering a gluten free home. My husband and I are vegetarians and I feel bad about him giving up his faux sandwich meats, etc..... and this gluten-free food is so EXPENSIVE!

Question (for you or anybody): What do you do when you go to a party / family dinner / whatever? I assume you bring your own food. Do you bring your own plates so that you can heat it up?

Also, you mentioned that you wash your clothes after preparing the veggie hotdogs. My h/d and I were thinking that we could, at a minimum, easily have veggie meats in the house for him to eat and use in his lunches. Is the contamination from the meat limited to the surfaces that meat touches...and then the transfer from that surface to other surfaces? There is no "glitter" to worry about, correct?

Finally, related to the washing of the clothes -- this leads me to believe you may use gluten-free beauty products or hair products/ etc. Is this the case? Can you explain to me if it is necessary to use gluten-free hair products, moisturizer? I don't understand this and will do it if necessary.

Thanks

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted
  • Author
QUOTE (happygirl @ Apr 14 2009, 03:50 PM)

My favorite flour that I use to convert all my 'normal' recipes is Open Original Shared Link . I also really like the Gluten Free Pantry mixes.

Oh....my....goodness.

There are flour substitutes! This is fabulous

FYI since you said you are allergic to citrus... Better Batter Gluten Free Flour has pectin in it and it is derived from citrus. You can verify this on their website just look up the ingredients. I don't know if this would pose a problem to you or not.

Yes it does. Thanks. I saw that they use lemon. I can't have it. I guess this may mean I won't be able to buy the packaged flour mixes. Not sure. I guess I can use arrowroot cookies as a thickener in stews? Not sure what to bake with....or make rue with.

Wonka Apprentice
Wonka
Posted
Question (for you or anybody): What do you do when you go to a party / family dinner / whatever? I assume you bring your own food. Do you bring your own plates so that you can heat it up?

Also, you mentioned that you wash your clothes after preparing the veggie hotdogs. My h/d and I were thinking that we could, at a minimum, easily have veggie meats in the house for him to eat and use in his lunches. Is the contamination from the meat limited to the surfaces that meat touches...and then the transfer from that surface to other surfaces? There is no "glitter" to worry about, correct?

Finally, related to the washing of the clothes -- this leads me to believe you may use gluten-free beauty products or hair products/ etc. Is this the case? Can you explain to me if it is necessary to use gluten-free hair products, moisturizer? I don't understand this and will do it if necessary.

Thanks

It depends on where I go for the party, some of my family/friends get the cross contamination issue and are very careful, I will eat what they prepare. But the majority of people really don't get it, so I bring my own, or I eat before I go, and go for the company not the food. People understand, mostly.

My two daughters are vegetarian, so I let them have the vegie meat, we are just very careful with the clean up and don't put it on any of th counter surfaces. She takes it from the package, straight onto her sandwich (gluten-free bread).

You do have to be careful with any product that could end up being ingested. So check the ingredients, and if necessary contact the company regarding any product that goes near your lips. Gluten isn't absorbed in the skin and must be ingested to cause harm (for most people anyways). So make sure you have safe lipstick, lipbalm etc... I tend to use very few products, my shampoo/conditioner that I used before celiac disease is already gluten free and I rarely have to use a moisturizer (I've just got well hydrated skin) but I make sure it is gluten free.

I do understand your fatigue, I'm still dealing with mine (I ended up with iron deficiency anemia and adrenal fatigue). Just tackle small projects at a time. If all you can manage is one shelf every other day, then that is what you do. Get your hubby to give you a hand, make it a group project with him as the labourer and you as the supervisor, lol. You'll get there. One step at a time.

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted
  • Author

Hey Wonka -- I guess the anemia must be common among celiacs, eh? I am severely anemic as well -- had no detectable iron levels at one point (and no stored iron). I hope your anemia is improving as your villi (sp?) heal. My limited understanding is that celiacs are unable to absorb nutrients and minerals due to damaged villi but that we can heal the damage to our villi (although I"m not sure how long that takes).

I"m already having issues about what to eat/how to eat. I have meetings scheduled for tomorrow all morning and a conference all afternoon. I did not know I had celiac disease when I registered for the conference and when I called them yesturday to ask about whether they could provide gluten-free food they said "NO"

hmmmmmm

Thank goodness for the granola bars ;-P

Good information on the moisturizers/beauty/hair products. The idea of immediately replacing all of those was a bit overwhelming. I am going to stick with foods, cleaning up the kitchen, etc. We are moving in a few weeks so I also need to work on packing, etc.

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
Yes it does. Thanks. I saw that they use lemon. I can't have it. I guess this may mean I won't be able to buy the packaged flour mixes. Not sure. I guess I can use arrowroot cookies as a thickener in stews? Not sure what to bake with....or make rue with.

There should be several pre-packaged flour mixes that don't have pectin or citrus products in them. I prefer to make up my own mix - it's easy and much less expensive. This is what I do:

3 C Brown Rice Flour or Sorghum flour

1 C Potato Starch

1/2 C Tapioca Starch

2-1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Sift together 3 times. I use this cup for cup to replace regular flour in quick breads, cookies and cakes. I follow recipes from my Betty Crocker cookbook.

For making things like gravy, I use Mochiko brand sweet rice flour - it's very fine and thickens gravies and sauces really well. I buy it at Wal Mart - look in the Asian food section. I've also used cornstarch with pretty good results.

Wonka Apprentice
Wonka
Posted

There are some good blogs and recipe sites on the internet for finding recipes that suite all different tastes. Here are a few that I like:

Open Original Shared Link (she has some excellent wrap recipes and it is her granola bar recipe that I passed on to you)

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Yes, anemia is pretty common. I am getting better. My anemia is resolved, just working on getting my iron stores up now. My energy is improving, and just recently I started not being cold all the time. I taking that as a sign that the treatment for my adrenals is starting to kick in, yeah!

It's tough having to move when you are so fatigued, but the good part is that you get to start out in a fresh new clean environment.

ranger Enthusiast
ranger
Posted

I don't buy much in a health foo store but I cook a lot. I make my own crackers, bread, donuts, even Danish. We have an almost gluten free household ( DH not celiac) but the few gluten things in the house are kept separate and used with care. Most meals shared are gluten-free, with the exeption of a few things like pizza and some pasta meals ( a matter of economics), but sometimes I make my own gluten-free pasta and then he eats that. He rather enjoys my gluten-free cooking. At first, I felt like I was lost, but as times go by, the gluten-free diet is not that big a deal. I do take my own food to others houses - I am very sensitive to tiny amounts of gluten. The last time I got glutened was by putting my own gluten-free food into a dirty microwave! I'll eat sandwhiches next time I go there. Good luck!

Janessa Rookie
Janessa
Posted

there is a site vegiac.com for us vege celiacs

Also gluten free goddess blog is my favorite gluten free blog, all the recipes are wonderful

My favorite cookbook is the Gluten Free Vegetarian Kitchen

If you have Trader Joes near you, they have really good brown rice pasta, tortillas, brownie mix and mac and cheese that as decently priced

Sunshine burgers are good vege burgers (since most have gluten in them)

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    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome, @catnapt! The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of a minimum of 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for a minimum of two weeks. But if possible stretching that out even more would enhance the chances of getting valid test results. These guidelines are for those who have been eating gluten free for a significant amount of time. It's called the "gluten challenge".  Yes, you can develop celiac disease at any stage of life. There is a genetic component but also a stress trigger that is needed to activate the celiac genes. About 30-40% of the general population possesses the genetic potential to develop celiac disease but only about 1% of the general population actually develop celiac disease. For most with the potential, the triggering stress event doesn't happen. It can be many things but often it is a viral infection. Having said that, it is also the case that many, many people who eventually are diagnosed with celiac disease probably experienced the actual onset years before. Many celiacs are of the "silent" type, meaning that symptoms are largely missing or very minor and get overlooked until damage to the small bowel lining becomes advanced or they develop iron deficiency anemia or some other medical problem associated with celiac disease. Many, many are never diagnosed or are diagnosed later in life because they did not experience classic symptoms. And many physicians are only looking for classic symptoms. We now know that there are over 200 symptoms/medical problems associated with celiac disease but many docs are only looking for things like boating, gas, diarrhea. I certainly understand your concerns about not wanting to damage your body by taking on a gluten challenge. Your other option is to totally commit to gluten free eating and see if your symptoms improve. It can take two years or more for complete healing of the small bowel lining once going gluten free but usually people experience significant improvement well before then. If their is significant improvement in your symptoms when going seriously gluten free, then you likely have your answer. You would either have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity).
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