| mon question among the newly diagnosed with | | | | can also make their way to your mouth as you |
| celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered | | | | touch your food. Foundations, powders, blushes |
| by the presence of gluten (wheat, rye, barley and | | | | and bronzers can settle on your lips during |
| oats), is whether you should be concerned about | | | | application. They can also be a source of gluten if |
| gluten found in inedible products—products | | | | you absent-mindedly touch your face and then |
| that you don't eat but only use. The answer is | | | | forget to wash your hands before eating. Washing |
| yes. After using inedible products that contain | | | | your hands with confirmed gluten-free soap and |
| gluten, make sure that you wash your hands well | | | | water before you eat and getting into the habit |
| with non-gluten soap and water so that any | | | | of not touching your lips or mouth with your |
| residue found in the products will be washed | | | | hands, may help keep you from ingesting the |
| away and not later find its way into your food. | | | | gluten in this manner. When you feed your pet, |
| Inedible products include shampoos, conditioners, | | | | be especially careful. Many pet foods, especially |
| hair styling products, cosmetics, lip balms, nail care, | | | | dry pet food and treats, contain gluten. Make sure |
| soaps, lotions, sunscreens, laundry and household | | | | that you use the same precautions as you would |
| cleaning products, pet foods, arts and crafts | | | | use in handling any other type of gluten-containing |
| supplies, etc. | | | | food. Unfortunately, inedible products don't have |
| The rule for these inedible products is the same | | | | the same labeling laws and restrictions as food |
| as for any product containing gluten. Your food | | | | does. Sometimes a product will contain gluten |
| must not come in contact with it! Neither should | | | | without it appearing on the label. |
| your mouth. If you touch any product containing | | | | Many manufacturers simply don't have the ability |
| gluten, wash your hands with soap and water | | | | to fully verify all of their ingredients because one |
| before eating your own gluten-free food. The | | | | ingredient can come from several sources. You |
| tiniest bit of residue left on your hands can cause | | | | can get some good advice and information on |
| an adverse reaction. The fact that a reaction can | | | | whether or not the products you use contain |
| occur with such minimal ingestion is the reason | | | | gluten from on-line celiac support groups. A quick |
| that inedible products can also cause a reaction | | | | search of the message board archives can pull up |
| and should be avoided or treated properly. | | | | information on the specific brands and items that |
| Most people with celiac disease do not get a | | | | concern you. If nobody has any experience with |
| reaction from merely touching gluten. The reaction | | | | the products that you are concerned about, you |
| occurs when the residue on your hands makes its | | | | can either switch to products trusted to be |
| way to your lips or into your mouth. This can be | | | | gluten-free by others in the celiac community or |
| easier than you might think. There are many | | | | withdraw from using all of the unknown products. |
| ways to ingest gluten. Take hair products. | | | | You can then slowly reintroduce them, one by |
| Unfortunately, a majority of hair care products | | | | one, to determine which one, if any, is causing a |
| contain gluten. Although you don't intend to get | | | | reaction. It is like adding new foods to your |
| any shampoo or conditioner into your mouth, the | | | | newborn baby. Individual products should be |
| water that comes out of your hair with the | | | | reintroduced several days apart from each other |
| shampoo can bounce off the shower wall or | | | | because reactions can sometimes take a few |
| shower curtain and land on your lips. You won't | | | | days to manifest. The bottom line is that if you |
| even notice yourself licking it off. Cosmetics, | | | | suffer from celiac disease, it is your personal |
| especially lipsticks, lip balms, nail polish and artificial | | | | lifestyle and habits which will help you decide |
| nails, can also be a source of gluten. While lip | | | | whether or not to take the chance of using |
| balms and lipsticks are the more obvious sources | | | | inedible products containing gluten. |
| for ingestion, nail polish and artificial nail products | | | | |