Gluten Free Resources

After I found out what “Celiac Disease” actually was, I figured I should equip myself with some good resources (considering it is for life).  The biggest challenge is adopting a completely different way to cook, dine, eat and grocery shop. For 30+ years I have used cooking and baking as an outlet, I am a foodie and LOVE to try new foods from all over the world (traveling is part of my job and personal life), I never thought twice to reach for a taste off my friends plate and I actually like going grocery shopping.  I suppose there are some non-food related factors that are important to understand, like, what the hell is happening inside my body when gluten is consumed (disease vs. intolerance vs. allergy)?! All of these things I thought would be clear as crystal within the first 48 hours of diagnosis (HA!). All it took was a glimpse at a book title to realize maybe I’m in for a reality check: The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. Wow-that sounds dramatic...a year of “guidance”…really?

Well. 182 DAYS later (yes, that’s over 6 months) that “clear as crystal” thing is about as far from truth as gluten is from my mouth. However, I have found helpful resources that have made my GF life a bit more satisfying. I’ll admit, “GF” can be overwhelming at times but at the end of the day, we just have to take on the challenges as they come (believe me, they come…at full speed).

Here's what I've discovered over the last 6 months:

The Healthy Villi is a local Celiac community that provides support, advice, news, etc. to its GF members. I signed up within that first 48 hours in an effort to gain the latest info of what’s happening in my area (Gluten Free Expos-yes, they exist!). They also coordinate “support groups” , like AAA but for Celiacs –I have yet to have the time to attend but strongly feel the need to vent (hence the blog). I would recommend seeking out a local community or group, I attended an Expo 6 months ago and plan to attend one this month but would not have known about it unless I was a member of the Healthy Villi. 

Living Without and Gluten-Free Living magazines- I subscribed to both (again within that 48 hours), mostly because I really enjoy reading magazines (everything from celebrity trash to Real Simple) and figured it would be a great way for me to gain insight from a source that also brings pleasure. Living without is a magazine for multiple allergies (dairy, nuts, shellfish, etc.) but ultimately we all go through the same struggles of cooking, dining, cross contamination, traveling, etc. so I appreciate the content. Gluten-Free Living focuses on exactly what the title says. It's worth signing up for one subscription if you like magazines as much as I do, but you probably don't need more than that.

The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed- This was the 'reality check' book. Receiving news that you have Celiac Disease or are intolerant to Gluten isn't easy, no matter the age or lifestyle. I found this book to be extremely useful in understanding more about Celiac Disease.  It is very important for you and those close to you to understand the facts. Read and pass along to family member or friends.

Cookbooks-I have received a handful of cooking and baking books, (which I'll list in a different blog) but I'll be honest, I have just recently been able to dive into these-mainly because 5 months ago it seemed that baking a batch of GF cookies would cost about $23 (by the time you get the 6 different specialty flours) and would entail a whole lot of extra steps for something that would not taste nearly as good as the original Sugar Cookie recipe I have used since 1990. Secondly, I figured that I had to just adjust a lot of "go-to" meals that I typically make  to be GF...so it was a combination of intimidation and survival that 6 months later I have just now opened the cookbooks.

Find Me Gluten Free- a fabulous website and app that locates GF restaurants in your location using GPS, I have even found it useful in looking up safe restaurants to places where I plan to travel (I've successfully used in NY, Boston, Milwaukee and Charlotte!). 

Whether you have been living without gluten for one month or one year, due to Celiac, an intolerance or allergy, the scene changes and discoveries are on the rise -so equip yourself!

Would love to hear about great resources you have come across...