8 steps to living (happily) without gluten

An estimated one per cent of Canadians have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that makes it difficult, and even dangerous, for them to eat wheat.
In people with such a sensitivity, gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, damages the surface of the small intestine, making it impossible for it to absorb nutrients from food. There is a genetic component as well; celiac disease is linked to certain genes. Diagnosis is important. If left untreated, celiac disease can cause malnutrition, severe weight loss, osteoporosis and anemia.

A gluten intolerance is a lifelong disorder for which there is no cure. "The only current treatment for people with celiac disease is a gluten-free diet," says Bruce Maddox, executive director for the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA).

With increased awareness and more sophisticated diagnostic testing, more and more Canadians are being properly diagnosed with the disease.

So how do you accommodate a gluten-free diet in a world saturated with wheat products? It isn't easy, but here are some tips to help you live wheat-free.

1. Consult a dietitian
It can be tricky arriving at the correct diagnosis, since the classic symptoms for celiac disease -- cramping, weight loss and diarrhea -- accompany many other gastrointestinal disorders. "Many people are malnourished by the time they're diagnosed," says Charlotte Varem-Sanders, a registered dietitian in Sherwood Park, Alta. Once a person is diagnosed, all foods containing wheat are off limits, says Varem-Sanders. She encourages clients with celiac disease to consult with a dietitian when mapping out a gluten-free lifestyle.

2. Experiment with new products
Making meals for friends and relatives with celiac disease is getting increasingly simple now that gluten-free foods are available in grocery stores across Canada, says Janet Dalziel, vice-president at the CCA. Dalziel herself was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of 53. There's now gluten-free pasta, cereal and snacks such as pretzels and cookies. There's even gluten-free beer -- La Messagère, from the Canadian brewery New France Beers -- available at select stores across the country.

The newer gluten-free products taste better, too. In the past, many gluten-free foods were very dry, but not any more. "We have brownie mixes that have a wonderful taste and are really soft and moist," says Cristina Cicco, a dietitian with The Specialty Food Shop located in The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Page 1 of 2