I have been living gluten free for nearly twenty years ago after falling ill while I was living in London and struggled to get a diagnosis for two years. I am a diagnosed coeliac and therefore need to eat gluten free to stay healthy. If you know a coeliac you’ll know just how hard a task it is staying gluten free. So here are some tips on where to find good information and the best websites for living gluten free.
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune reaction to eating gluten. Gluten is in wheat, oats, barley and rye. It is a lifelong condition, although many have late onset. Currently there is no cure other than to live a gluten free life.
Symptoms range from diarrhoea, bloating, wind, fatigue, low blood count (anaemia) and osteoporosis. Some also suffer from muscle tension, headaches, gastric reflux and constipation.
Coeliac Australia is a great resource, especially if you are newly diagnosed. The site goes into detail about coeliac disease, how to get diagnosed and how to start living a gluten free life.
Eating Out
One of the biggest challenges living gluten free is eating out, be it at a restaurant or friends and families houses. Twenty years ago no one understood what gluten was, and even still today I find myself explaining to people about it.
More over now, there are standards around professional kitchens. Servers have to explain if they cook other gluten ingredients in their kitchen. Unfortunately there are few completely gluten free kitchens, and there is a stigma around being gluten intolerant.
Below are some gluten free eating directories that are great guides to finding restaurants in your area, or for when you’re travelling.
My favourite bakeries in Melbourne are Gluten Free 4 U in Kew and Moorabin. They have other stores, so check their website. A25 Pizza is a Coeliac Australia approved restaurant. They have great pizza at a few outlets around the city.
Eating In
Another big challenge in going gluten free is cooking at home. What in my kitchen is gluten free? What is not? Often naturally gluten free ingredients like fruit, vegetables and meat are the easiest option, but not always convenient. Processed foods have an array of ingredients that can be confusing.
The best way to ensure you are eating gluten free is to only use ingredients that are clearly labelled gluten free. Coeliac Australia has a list of gluten free ingredients on their site and they also have an app.
There is an abundance of websites out there with gluten free recipes. Many, once experienced with cooking gluten free, use regular recipes and swap out the ingredients for gluten free versions. There are so many substitutes available these days.
One of my favourite go to recipe sites is the Minimalist Baker. Her recipes are often simple and don’t use many ingredients, and often vegan or vegetarian. They use ‘gluten free oats’ in their recipes which are not easily available in Australia, nor suitable for coeliacs. They can often be substituted for rice or quinoa flakes.
If you have a Thermomix (a great tool for gluten free home cooks) another great site with lots of gluten free options is Skinny Mixers.
Social Media
If you’re on social media, again, there is an abundance of pages and profiles featuring gluten free living. Below are some recommended pages to follow.
Read more on health
The most frequently asked questions about arthritis
