Celiac, you bitch.

Having celiac disease has been a whirlwind. There simply isn't enough information out there. When I was first diagnosed with celiac in 2019, I didn't have a clue what that word meant. I immediately did a deep dive into everything the internet could offer me, which to be honest, wasn't very much. I know I'm not the only one who has had a difficult time in finding out exactly what this disease means. I didn't find much information from doctors, but rather from other people who have experienced this. This may not be the case, but to this day I attribute all other underlying health conditions that I have to this disease. It is pretty soul sucking at times. The signs and symptoms of this can be quite overwhelming at times. I wish I would have had someone to help me along the way, especially when I first found out and I was in a state of shock of everything in the world that contains gluten or gluten that goes by a different name like Sandy or Bill. Just kidding. Well, kidding about Sandy and Bill because gluten certainly has a lot of other names. In fact, gluten is in most common household foods and products. When I first found out, and still 6 years later, reading labels is a time sucker like Dracula in his search for blood. Reading labels and understanding the gazillion different names of celiac gluten sensitivities shouldn't be so hard. It is 2025 and there should be very clear cut definitions and words for having products that are celiac safe. To be very clear, having gluten sensitivities is very different than having celiac disease. Unfortunately, I am one many who have hyper sensitive celiac which means that things even made in a factory that also produces gluten products affects me. Do you know what parts per million means? I didn't either until I was 100% positive that I had eliminated all gluten and by products of gluten from my diet and was still sick. I thought I would magically be better with the elimination of gluten, but it just doesn't work that way. First, it takes time. Your body needs to time to heal from all of the intestinal villi damage that has been cause from years of consumption of gluten. Secondly, if you are a hyper sensitive celiac, like me, then you will realize that just because something says "gluten free" doesn't actually mean that it is gluten free. There is a system in the US to measure the amount of gluten in products. Parts per million or PPM for short. The US metric system and FDA allows for 20ppm to be labeled as gluten free and safe for gluten free consumption. Yeah, not for this celiac. I was eating a bowl of cheerios and was still sick. The US has different ranges for their cheerios than other places that are safer with a lower ppm. I had zero clue that I needed to research even further to fully understand what it truly means to be gluten free with celiac disease. Everyone has a different story and everyone is affected in different ways. This is my story being told in great hopes that it can help someone else.

The symptoms: Brace yourself because this is real and unpleasant.

When I get glutened, aka a term I use to explain to others how I am feeling without going into detail. Although, the outward signs that others notice are my rosy cheeks and grumpy attitude. I have experienced a multitude of symptoms when I get glutened that include: diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, inflammation throughout my body (hello puffy face, swollen fingers and a "gluten baby"), body aches, joint pain and stiffness, extreme fatigue, red to almost purple cheeks, aggression, anxiety spikes, insomnia, and lack of desire to do anything/malaise, brain fog, and dizziness. That is a lot of things that have happened to my body for there to not be more information and better labels on food. It's a shame that so many people suffer with this disease and there isn't a clear guide for what is safe to consume and not consume.

The unsafe words:

Please always do your own research as there may be some that I have forgotten. That is sometimes the case because I have trained myself over the years to not eat products because at some point along the way it directly or indirectly had gluten in it. I also have celiac cross-reactors which are things that are in the grain world that affect my body in the same way as gluten. Here are several key words to be on the lookout for: wheat, barley, rye, spelt, farro, durum, triticale, wheat protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, wheat starch, malt and malt derivatives, emmer, semolina, dinkel, farina, einkorn, kamut, bulgar, natural flavors, brewers yeast, matzo meal/flour, triticum vulgare, triticum spelta, msg, carmel color, maltodextrin.

The unsafe products:

Again, please do your research and be aware that what affects me may not affect you. For those of you out there in the world just needing a good start then this is for you. It is so hard and overwhelming when you first find out you can't have gluten or a loved one can't have gluten. It is in everything. This is an initial base guideline to read the labels for. It doesn't mean that you can't eat anything, it just means that you have to eat different things than what you are used to. Eventually, the new things become your norm. Please don't be discouraged by this list as I know it can be very daunting, but I believe in you! Common foods with gluten and gluten derivatives: bread, pasta, baked goods, breadcrumbs, pre-made sausage, pre-made meatballs, deli meats, bacon bits, meat alternatives such a vegetarian burger, beer, crackers, croutons, cereal, cereal bars, granola, granola bars, pudding, pie fillings, pancakes, waffles, canned soup/soup bases, salad dressings, spice mixes, french fries (frozen and many restaurants use flour to coat them or in the fries for a binding agent and most places deep fry their fries in the same fryer as other breaded products), gravy, marinade, soy sauce, terriyaki sauce, hoisin, chips, candy (twizzlers...why?), and oats are often heavily cross contaminated with gluten.

Advice:

Don't be discouraged! I know there are so many new things that you can't eat. From the get go, that is how it looks and I would be lying to you if I told you that it gets better overnight and every alternative tastes great. The truth is that sometimes pre-made certified gluten free just tastes gross (certified is a very key word here because this let's you know without a lot of extra research that the product has a low ppm threshold). The truth is that pre-made gluten free foods cost triple, sometimes quadruple the amount of "normal" food. This economy? That freaking sucks. The truth is that gluten free food is not only more expensive, but also comes in smaller amounts than "normal" food. Again, that sucks. There is no pretty picture I can paint you for the sheer price gouging of gluten free foods. I know I said don't be discouraged, but hang tight with me for a minute. All of that definitely seems pretty discouraging, but the great thing about your life is that you get to take control of it. You have the power to learn how to cook home-made meals. You have the power to create delicious recipes for yourself. Look for alternatives to your favorite foods. You know something I miss? Fried chicken. Do you know how many times I have made fried chicken at home that tasted just as good as what I remember "normal" fried chicken tasting like? At least 5. I know that is a low number, but I'm scared of getting popped by hot oil, okay? If I weren't such a scaredy cat then I would probably make it more. Honestly, it's a bit time consuming too. But, it is easy to do with alternative flours! I have made it with various flours like almond flour, cassava flour and chickpea flour. I will eventually make a video and a post about fried chicken for you. You just have to get a little creative in the kitchen. Most of the time, I can find great recipes via a quick google or pinterest search. Just type in what you are wanting to make, look at the ingredients, and then search for an alternative to that ingredient that you can't have. Most things are interchangeable and still pretty tasty. I will say that gravy is a hard one to replicate the taste, consistency and flavor. Celiac disease doesn't have to ruin your life, although it may seem like it at times because of your limitations. I am happy to answer any questions you may have and I will continue to provide insight to places you can eat, recipes you can make, and ways to make celiac life a bit more frugal. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

xoxo,

Ashley