Hello. I was told that I need to start a gluten free diet, and that I have Celiac Disease. It looks like I’ll be on a gluten free diet forever. Is that true?
Hi, on one hand, I’m sorry that you’ve been diagnosed. On the other hand, I’m excited for you. My guess is, you’ve been dealing with health issues for a while and now you have answers and can move forward on your journey.
The only “cure” for Celiac Disease is to avoid gluten. 100% avoidance I might add. For some people, after several years of being gluten free, they heal tremendously and think they can go back to gluten. BIG mistake. Everyone who goes back is full of regret.
Not only that, but they become more in-tune with what getting “glutened” feels like. That’s when a small (sometimes even trace amounts) amount of gluten is in your food without your knowledge. Then you have a series of symptoms, and you realize what happened.
It’s important to know that no two people are the same. You’ll make friends in the coming months that are also GF (I’m hoping you’re in an online forum or are in a support group) and even though you’re all gluten free, everyone will have a different story. There will also be different levels of tolerance. Additionally, not everyone you meet who is gluten free also has Celiac Disease. There are several medical reasons a person would need to start a gluten free diet.
For some people, a particle smaller than a crumb can land them in the ER. For others, they can have trace amounts from shared manufacturing equipment and be OK.
So in answer to your question, yes, you’re going to be on a gluten free diet forever. This should put your symptoms related to your Celiac Disease into remission. Please don’t let that get you down though.
We live in such an amazing time for people with restricted diets! There are so many food companies, chefs, and advocates creating resources and food that you’ll enjoy. I’ve linked to a few things to get you started.
Wishing you all the best on this journey!
~The Allergy Chef
Have a question? Send it to ask@theallergychef.com
Celiac Disease Resources
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