| Have you been instructed to follow a gluten free | | | | - Dairy products are gluten free but many gluten |
| diet but you just feel lost reading all those | | | | intolerant patients initially have problems ingesting |
| ingredient labels when you get to a grocery | | | | the dairy proteins because of the poor condition |
| store? | | | | of their intestines. You may have to wait a while |
| Your first step in this transition to a gluten free | | | | and give your digestive system some healing time |
| diet is accepting your new lifestyle. Yes, you are | | | | before you can start eating dairy again. |
| going to be angry and wish to deny the whole | | | | - Seasonings which are safe and can be used for |
| thing as if it's just some bad dream. You will try | | | | flavorings include olive oil, fresh spices from the |
| to second guess your doctor and go through a | | | | produce department, salt and pepper plus lemon |
| denial stage because you believe he has to be | | | | and lime juice. You may combine these in any |
| wrong. During this stage of denial, you will be | | | | combinations to add flavor to your new diet. |
| feeling grief over the fact there is nothing left in | | | | - fresh corn or rice tortillas, rice itself, dried beans, |
| your world you are allowed to eat still. But | | | | eggs and potatoes are all 100% gluten free.Now |
| gradually, with a little bit of time and support, | | | | that you realize you are comfortable with the |
| some education and soul searching, soon you will | | | | basics and you realize you still have plenty of |
| come to realize you have probably gained more | | | | food to eat, it is time to start adding back in the |
| than you just lost. | | | | "labeled foods." |
| What Do I Buy First | | | | The easiest way to get accustomed to this is |
| As traumatic as it is, the first thing you must do | | | | grab yourself a notebook. Do not ever make the |
| is go through your cabinets, refrigerator and | | | | mistake of going to a store and trying to check |
| drawers and pull out all products which contain | | | | everything at once. There is not enough hours in |
| gluten. Your doctor's office will give you a general | | | | a day plus it will be way to overwhelming for a |
| list and usually you will be informed, if it's not | | | | first trip. |
| considered fresh foods, throw it out. Almost | | | | When you arrive, pick one type of food group for |
| everything you used to eat in today's | | | | today's investigation. Say today you decide on |
| marketplace does contain gluten if it was | | | | pasta. Read some labels (you should have been |
| processed at a factory. After your cleaning | | | | practicing and learning daily while eating from your |
| session, now you get to go grocery shopping. | | | | fresh foods menu) and mark down some |
| So what do I buy first? The answer is start very | | | | varieties you think are safe. Mark down any |
| simple. If it does not have a label on it already, it | | | | words you do not recognize so you can follow up |
| means it is probably not processed. Therefore at | | | | with research at home. |
| first, learn to start enjoying real foods again. No | | | | Continue this pattern each time you visit a |
| more food from a box, a can, a bag or shrink | | | | grocery store. Soon you will have a notebook |
| -wrapped at the bakery or deli case. Use these | | | | filled with alternatives you may purchase with |
| real foods in your new diet until you get a little | | | | your new diet. |
| more comfortable with your new diet. So when | | | | Two words of caution though for when you do |
| you arrive at the store, find the following sections | | | | go to a store. "Wheat-Free" on a package does |
| for the safety of your new healthy eating plan. | | | | not necessarily mean gluten free. Wheat is only |
| - Produce department and pick up any kind of | | | | one of the grains which contain gluten so this |
| fresh fruit or vegetables | | | | must be avoided on a gluten free diet. The item in |
| - Meats/Seafood department - again pick out any | | | | question though may have used one of the |
| kind of fresh meats with no processing. This | | | | alternate grains such as rye, barley or spelt. |
| includes roasts, steaks, chops, whole chickens, or | | | | Always read the ingredient label to be sure. Never |
| fresh seafood such as salmon steaks. For now, | | | | ever trust a manufacturer's label on the front of |
| avoid all processed meat such as ground beef, | | | | their packaging. |
| sausage, hot dogs crab cakes, etc.. | | | | |