How to Battle Celiacs Disease

"Today is world pasta day!" 

That is what my morning announcement opened with at work today. Two years ago, I would have been all over World Pasta Day. Pasta and I had a very loving relationship. There were so many types to enjoy, and I was borderline-obsessed with each one.

Cue summer of 2010. Mom had sent me to a chiropractor and dietician to make sure that I was keeping my hypoglycemia under control after losing my 'Freshman 15' and it was during my sessions with the dietician that I learned that I had a mild form of Celiac's disease. For those of you who aren't aware, Celiacs is a wheat and gluten intolerance that disturbs the lining of the intestines, preventing them from absorbing the necessary vitamins and minerals from the foot that we eat. People who have a family member with Celiacs are more likely to develop an intolerance, which can occur at any point during your life. Turns out, Mom was diagnosed a year before me, but her intolerance is much, much worse than mine.

At first, I didn't see how I could have Celiacs. I had none of the same effects as my mom. She had a few bites of bread and was sick for 24 hours. I ate pasta all the time! I was fine. I was healthy. I was a college sophomore dealing with a lot o stress of my constant involvement. Any problems I was having I just attributed to stress. Unfortunately, after some close examination, it turned out that wasn't the case.

After doing a bit of research into the more uncommon symptoms of Celiacs, everything that I had been attributing to stress could be explained by Celiacs. Nausea, bruising easily, nosebleeds, anxiety and depression, fatigue, and others were all symptoms of Celiacs due to the lack of absorption of  key nutrients.

Fast forward to today.

Yes, I still eat pasta, sandwiches, pancakes, and all of my favorite foods. I don't drink beer, I make my own salad dressing, and I try to limit wheat/gluten intake to once a day.

Here are the 5 best tips I've learned from battling Celiacs:

1. ALWAYS do your research before consuming something. I treat my celiacs almost like a nut allergy. Gluten and wheat can be found in things that you would never expect (salad dressing, OTC cold medicine, soy sauce, tortilla chips, and cold cut sandwich meat to name a few), so I always make sure that I know not only what is in what I'm eating, but also the different names that companies use for wheat and gluten. I also have learned to never trust a box that says "gluten free" or to assume that something is gluten free because it's not obvious.

2. Get tested specifically for celiacs. Many people are diagnosed with IBS instead of Celiacs because IBS is a much more common diagnoses. Fortunately, doctors are now equipped with specific methods of testing for Celiacs, and the process is usually a simple blood test. Unfortunately in some cases, more invasive testing may be required, such as a biopsy of your intestines to see how much damage has been caused. If you are getting tested or if you think you may have Celiacs, do not attempt to treat yourself before being tested. Beginning a gluten-free diet before being tested can cause inaccurate results. However, even if your blood test comes back negative, there is always a way that your doctor can test you for a lower intolerance such as what I have. Spend 14 days eating absolutely no wheat or gluten. No cheating! On day 15, go out and buy yourself beer and pizza (assuming you're 21!) and stuff yourself. Beer and pizza are very high in wheat and gluten, so if you get very sick, chances are you have an intolerance.

3. Resist temptation. I know that I am always going to be temped to eat wheat and gluten, mainly because I love it so much. One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to limit temptation by limiting your exposure. For me, this means buying wine or cider instead of beer, planning my meals instead of eating on the go where I am more likely to grab something that will make me sick, shopping for healthier foods and refusing to buy something I know is going to make me sick. If you are constantly looking at a box of cookies in your pantry, chances are sooner or later you're going to eat them. So what's the solution? Don't buy them!

4. Find a buddy. For me, I have tried my best to get my boyfriend on board with me in terms of eating less wheat and gluten. Sometimes, we do just have pizza for dinner. Giving in to the occasional craving is okay as long as you accept the consequences. My mom is the same way. The other day when we went out to eat, she wanted mac & cheese, so she got it. Having my mom be able to tell me what I can and can't eat is really helpful, and the fact that I do most of the shopping instead of Brian is also a big plus!

5. Make social media your best friend. Now-a-days, Pinterest can basically tell you how to do just about anything. Try and create a board that is strictly gluten/wheat-free recipes and use that for the majority of your big meals. Another way that I like to get involved with being gluten-free is with the support groups in the area. Going gluten-free is a big trend right now because of how many health benefits people can get from it even if you aren't allergic. This pairs well with finding a buddy, but just make sure that you are really dedicated to making the healthier choices. Speaking from a pasta-lover, it's really not as hard as you think!

So now it's your turn! Do you have any tips? Favorite gluten-free recipes? SHARE THEM WITH ME! Or if you are newly diagnosed, find me on Twitter or send me a message or comment on here and I'd love to talk to you!