Your Path to Gluten Free Living
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with celiac disease, it is important to eliminate gluten from the home so that the person does not consume it in their everyday diet. Although the reactions from consuming gluten are not immediately apparent, like a reaction to peanuts or seafood, the reactions can become severe over time. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, and muscle cramping can put the strongest person on the couch writhing in pain and misery. So with the new-found diagnosis, it’s time to clean out the cupboards.
First of all, there are some foods that very obviously contain wheat products, like noodles, macaroni, and most crackers. Those cannot be consumed by someone with celiac disease, and should be given away or disposed of. Wheat products are the biggest culprit in causing the symptoms of a reaction in celiac disease, but there are others. You have to read the labels on the foods you have to be sure they are really gluten free. Any foods that contain wheat, rye, barley, oats, and malt flavorings are red flags. If there are people in the household that are not affected by this disease, those products can still be used. But there are some precautions that must be taken.
For example, if one child in the home is affected by celiac disease, but the rest of the family is not, you have to be sure that the surfaces used in preparing his or her food is thoroughly cleaned to prevent and “carry-over” of gluten from other foods for the rest of the family. A family toaster used by others and then used with a gluten free bread product can still allow the gluten free bread to have gluten particles attached to it. Strict adherence to having dedicated gluten free appliances and surfaces is sometimes necessary.
The recommended limit for gluten consumption with celiac disease is 20 parts per million (ppm), but some people still have bad reactions to that level. A better guideline is 10 ppm or less, although some may still react to this level. You have to read labels carefully to be sure that the foods you are serving or eating are actually gluten free. Although some processed products say they are gluten free, they may not be. Testing at different points in the food’s production may not give the correct gluten content. It is best to stick to fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and pure rice products to remain gluten free.
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