Before the Diagnosis
In the beginning, most people suffering from celiac disease have no idea of their condition. All they know is that they have developed a series of disquieting symptoms they didn’t have before, including nausea, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, severe headaches, weight loss and malnutrition. Needless to say, these symptoms have a profoundly negative effect on their quality of life.
Even more troubling, when they finally see their doctor, the situation doesn’t get much better. That’s because celiac disease is largely unfamiliar to the average doctor and is often misdiagnosed, leading to unnecessary and ineffective treatments. As a result, patients tend to get frustrated and continue to look for help without success. The average person with celiac disease goes nine years before their condition is properly diagnosed.
The Diagnosis
Once the truth has been discovered, it can have a traumatizing effect on the celiac sufferer. The idea of doing without so many of the everyday comfort foods that we’ve all come to rely on may seem inconceivable, even unbearable. The good news is that within the last few years there has literally been an explosion in the amount of delicious and nutritious packaged foods and restaurants willing to cater to a celiac customer. Some of the larger health oriented supermarkets have gluten-free aisles and many mainstream restaurants have added dedicated gluten-free menus. These trends will only continue to grow as awareness of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet increase.
After the Diagnosis
With the implementation of a gluten-free diet, most people start feeling better within a few days. This makes compliance with a gluten-free diet much easier. The thought of going back to the way they were feeling before becomes unacceptable, if not distasteful.
Now comes the tricky part: Most packaged foods, as you soon discover, contain gluten-based additives. In addition, many packaged food items are poorly labeled and most restaurants are not familiar with the danger of cross contamination while preparing your meal. Many waiters assume that taking the bread off of a sandwich will suffice.
Fortunately, with the increasing awareness of celiac disease, the world is making some adjustments. A bounty of gluten-free packaged foods are now on the market, with more being introduced regularly. Restaurants which were previously unaware of the problem are now offering gluten-free menus. Moreover, they are educating their staff to respect the dietary requirements of the person with celiac disease by helping to guide them to the right menu items.
The important thing to remember is to stick to the gluten-free diet, even after years of feeling better. When you eat something containing any form of gluten, you may or may not experience symptoms, but you will be damaging your small intestine. Prolonged exposure can lead to irreversible problems and make treatment of celiac disease much more difficult.
Once you have become adept at reading labels at the supermarket and talking with restaurant staff, you will find that living with celiac disease is not the burden you feared. Rather, it’s easy to accommodate to your body’s needs and at the same time—enjoy your favorite foods.
