What To Do If You're Diagnosed With Celiac Disease

When you or a member of your family are told by your doctor that you have celiac disease, you will most likely feel overwhelmed.  Of course, you may also feel relieved to know that your symptoms are easily treated, and damage to the small intestine can even be reversed with the proper diet.

Then you find yourself slipping back into overwhelmed mode. You may even be tempted to stop at the grocery store on your way back from the doctor's office to grab all the foods in the 'gluten-free' aisle you can get your hands on. However, this will surely cause even more frustration. 

So, what should you do when you are diagnosed with celiac disease? Read. Study. Learn. Let's take a look at a few simple suggestions for changing to a gluten-free household.

Learn to Read Labels

Understanding Food Labels (Photo credit: Healing and Eating)

One of the best things that has happened in the gluten-free world is new food labeling laws.  All foods manufactured and labeled after January 1, 2006, must be labeled in plain language with the eight most prevalent food allergens, which includes wheat. If any wheat gluten is used in any form and in any amount, it must be clearly stated on the label. Even if gluten is used in coloring or flavoring, it must be listed.
Of course, that just covers wheat gluten. You will still need to watch ingredient labels for other sources of gluten, such as barley (malt) and rye. You may wish to avoid oats, as well, even though they are not actually a gluten-containing product, because there may be cross-contamination in grain packaging and processing plants.

Learn to Recognize Gluten

Any simple internet search for the term 'gluten free foods' will give you lists of foods with gluten, foods without gluten, and foods with 'hidden' gluten. Start by creating a list for yourself of all foods with gluten (obvious foods like wheat flour, crackers, pasta, etc.), along with the potential 'hidden' sources of gluten (ketchup, broth, soy sauce, croutons, stuffing, marinades, dressings, etc.)

Now make a list of all the foods that are naturally gluten free. Here is where your whole fruits, vegetables, and proteins such as meat, fish, chicken, and eggs come in.  I guarantee, once you list all the foods you can eat without worry, you'll feel better about sacrificing other foods. (Not to mention, most of these foods are actually healthier for you anyway!)

Purge the Pantry

With a good understanding of how to read labels, and with your lists in hand, you are ready to begin at the beginning - in your kitchen. Rather than approach the grocery store yet, dig into your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and purge anything that you know to have gluten, such as anything made with wheat flour.

Once you have cleaned out the obvious sources of gluten, it's time to put your label reading expertise to work. Take your time and read the label of each packaged food, looking for both the allergen listing and the ingredient list. Double check the labels against the list you made of foods with gluten, and remember to look for the 'hidden' gluten sources. This will take some time, but you and your health are worth the effort. Once you get used to doing this, you will quickly be able to recognize sources of gluten with just a glance.

Time to Shop

The reason you go through your kitchen first is because you need to see how much food you already have in the house that is actually gluten-free.  You may be surprised to find plenty to get you by for a few days.  If not, then get ready to take your lists to the grocery store.

Some gluten-free foods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, before you embark on this journey, remind yourself that you don't need to stock the kitchen full of special 'gluten-free' foods.  You'll be overwhelmed (and over budget) if you start out by buying these specialty items. Many foods (especially whole, non-processed foods) are naturally gluten free, making the shopping much easier, especially in the beginning.

Start with the basics so you can eat healthy without the frustration of trying to discover new foods. Shop the perimeters of the store, which is where your fresh produce and proteins typically can be found. Stick to the foods that you know are gluten-free to avoid label reading over-load. There is plenty of time for that later.
Stock up on naturally gluten-free foods and plan out your first few meals. Try fish seasoned with real lemon and fresh dill, and a side dish of quinoa tossed with diced fresh vegetables. Skip all the prepackaged foods to make these first meals easier - and healthier as well!  Then you can branch out and look for other foods that are gluten-free when you're feeling more adventurous.

This is a learning process, so take it slow and you can relax and enjoy (finally!) how good you feel after a delicious meal. And be sure to keep your eye on this blog for some more tasty gluten-free recipes!

Simple Tips for Choosing Healthy Foods for Weight Loss

If you ask ten people what the hardest part of losing weight is, nine of them will say shopping for food. When you are dieting and trying to slim down, the most daunting place you can go is your local supermarket. There is just so much food and you can't get in and out without passing by your favorite sweet treat or deli counter. Shopping for groceries when you are trying to lose weight takes a bit of practice, but once you've learned the basics, you'll be able to sail right past those cookie samples without even a glance.  Here are a few tips to get you in and out without a hitch - and without an unhealthy impulse buy!

Shop the Perimeters

Fruits & vegetables are commonly found around the perimeter of the grocery store. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A good rule of thumb when shopping your local grocery store is to hug the outer lanes of the store to find the healthiest foods. Typically, grocery stores line the perimeter of the store with the produce cases, the dairy case, and the fresh meats and fish.  The inside aisles hold the majority of the prepackaged foods that you want to avoid.  This is generally speaking, of course, but give it a try at your grocery store and see how much easier it is to shop healthy.

Shop for Color

As you push your cart along the outer walls of the store, look for the bright and vibrant-color foods.  As we've all learned in our nutrition classes, foods with rich, bright, or dark colors generally have more nutrients than those with a pale color. For instance, strawberries and eggplants have a higher nutrient-density than potatoes or onions. Even though potatoes and onions are perfectly fine and offer nutrition, to get the most bang out of your dieting buck, go for the bright colors. You can apply this to proteins in many instances, as well.  A deep red salmon fillet is likely going to be more nutrient-dense than a salmon fillet that has a light color (it's also more likely to be naturally raised; farm-fed fish are often artificially colored with bright pink dye). Dark red meat (such as bison) is usually more likely to be grass-fed, and therefore more nutritious than grain-fed animals, whose meat is a lighter pink.  (Remember - when shopping for meat, it is ALWAYS best to choose organic, and grass-fed if at all possible.)

Avoid Sugar by Any Name

You would be surprised at all the places sugar can hide in a grocery store. It is practically around every corner. Since sugar will stealthily rob you of your weight loss goals, it is important to turn into a detective in order to avoid it. Just for reference, here is a laundry list of aliases for sugar.

Agave nectar
Barley malt syrup
Brown sugar
Cane sugar
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
Dehydrated cane juice
Dextrin
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltodextrin
Malt syrup
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Powdered sugar
Raw sugar
Rice syrup
Saccharose
Sorghum or sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Syrup
Treacle
Turbinado sugar
Xylose

Of course, not all sugar is created equal.  Raw sugar may be a better choice than refined sugar, and the less-refined/processed, the better.  However, when it comes to weight loss, your body isn't going to know the difference.  It's going to want to turn that sugar into fat.  Learn your sugars and learn what levels are tolerable for your diet.  Be aware also that most processed foods that are labeled “low fat” have added sugar to adjust the taste!  Here again, you need to know what is better for you and know your tolerable limits.  Labels are your friend – get used to reading them.

Choose whole grains when possible. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Choose Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains

One of the easiest tips to remember when buying bread, pasta, flour, and any type of baking ingredients is to go for whole grains rather than refined grains. Eating whole grains adds much-needed fiber and nutrients to your healthy diet.  Fiber helps speed digestion and metabolism both.  Refined grains have all that goodness cleaned right out of them during the refining process.  Eating whole wheat pastas and breads, and baking with whole grain products may take some getting used to, but you can ease into it by using half refined and half whole grain to get started. It won't be long before you prefer the firmer texture and nuttier flavor of your favorite muffin recipe made with whole grains.

You don't have to carry a big list of foods allowed on a special diet along with you to the grocery store.  You just have to shop smarter with these simple rules.  It's easier to eat healthy when you have simple tricks to use when you're in the grocery store, and make a habit of following them. If you consistently fill your cart with foods from the perimeters, brightly colored foods, foods without added sugar, and whole grains, without much effort you are already well on your way to eating a diet that will help you lose weight now and keep it off for a lifetime!