Gluten Free Tips

Coeliac Condition Two Adults Story
I am a mother with a coeliac child ? she was diagnosed with the condition over 8 years ago; and we?ve settled into a routine at home, school, church, eating out and on holidays and cope with her gluten-free diet very well. During the past 2 months, two mums at school who?ve recently been diagnosed with Coeliac Condition have approached me.

As our community is small, they were aware of my daughter having the condition and they contacted me to seek advice on how to cope with the condition ? especially everyday questions. Herewith follows some background, observations and anxieties experienced by these 2, 40-something ladies.

Lady A is Irish ? working mum ? 3 children and husband. On a recent trip to Paris, she struggled to keep up with the rest of the family whilst walking around Paris and couldn?t join them on a climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Upon her return, she was advised a blood test by her GP ? she was anemic, and was prescribed iron tablets. The blood was also tested for coeliac condition and the blood test came back positive for this. An endoscopy later confirmed the condition.

Lady A loves bread, cakes etc. , so is finding the adjustment to gluten-free bread and baking rather daunting. However, she has felt much better since starting the gluten-free diet and more energetic, so this is motivating her to continue with the regime. I pointed out to her that ?food is her medicine? and she needs to treat it as such. Lady A had 2 practical concerns ? going on holiday and receiving communion hosts at her local church.

Lady A and husband are celebrating a significant birthday this year, so they planned a European city trip to mark the occasion. She is concerned she may not be able to find or communicate her need for gluten-free food adequately ? I believe they were going to Italy. I suggested she use a printout, in the local language, explaining the coeliac condition and gluten-free diet. She can then show this to the hotel, restaurant waiter, waitress or cook; so they can read and absorb this information in their own language, in their own time. I also suggested she take with her some bread and crackers, as these items are often not readily at restaurants or shops abroad.

Gluten-free communion hosts are available from many church-suppliers. I?ve ordered them via the phone; and they are posted within days to your address, in plastic ziplock bags with 50 in each. They differ in appearance from regular hosts, in that they are square and white; so easy for the priest to distinguish.

Lady B is a Scottish lady ? stay-at-home mum with 2 children and a husband who travels abroad for his work. She has suffered from irritable bowel syndrome ever since she was a teenager ? she was often prescribed milk of magnesia by her mother and told ?to get on with it?. Lady B is in her forties, but ?feels like she?s 80? and has been passed from specialist to specialist at the local hospital. Recently, she had an operation ? however her anemia and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms have not disappeared. She?s been anemic for many years and is on a constant prescription of iron tablets. She recently ended up with a gastro-specialist and an anti-gliadine blood test was done. It came back positive and this was followed up by an endoscopy ? a biopsy of her small intestine was examined and confirmed the coeliac diagnosis.

Lady B is relieved and feels ?liberated? now that she finally knows what her condition is. Lady B is also a devout catholic, and shared the concern about the communion hosts. I gave her the phone number of the church-supplier which I use to order gluten-free communion hosts. Lady B goes to the same church and mass as we do, so we now sit together so that both she and my daughter may be close in line with each other as they go up for communion.

I hope this article illustrates on the importance of a network group for newly diagnosed coeliac patients. Although the support at hospital, by the dietician and consultant are encouraging, nothing replaces the advice from parents of patients or other patients who have the condition and who live and eat with it every day, 3 times a day!

My last piece of advice was to have the children tested for the condition, as it may be that they too may have the condition ? symptoms may be very slight or hidden in other ailments. For their long-term health benefits, it is important to find out whether they too may have the condition. Also, catering for 1 more coeliac in the family is no more problematic than catering for 2 ? it probably makes it easier and it ensures that items of food remain fresher as there is more than 1 eating the same diet.