<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

First, thank you to the 100+ list members who responded to my request for
general suggestions to coping with Celiac.  I cannot tell you how
overwhelmed and reassured I felt with this response.  Many not only gave
suggestions but wonderful words of encouragement and support.  Second, my
apologies for letting weeks and weeks past before posting back a summary.
Life has gotten a bit "full" lately (celiac + baby + wife + job/travel +
occasional sleep), so time to summarize was pushed near the end of my
priorities.  Finally, though, I am here, and I hope this is helpful to other
newbies (or anyone).

I tried to eliminate duplicate advice, and I tried to put all the opinions
here... so you may not agree with or like everything you read.  Also, since
my original post, I've found a wonderful doctor/specialist and a very
knowledgeable nutritionist at Univ. of Chicago Hospitals, so if anyone is
interested, let me know.

Enjoy!


G E N E R A L   S U G G E S T I O N S

#1 Request from CSA/USA, P. O. Box 31700, Omaha, Ne  68131 for a Commercial
Products Listing - It contains over 100 pages of products you can buy in
your supermarket which are gf - soups, cold meats, everything from salsa to
alcoholic beverages.

#2 While waiting fro the CPL, go to:
http://www.celiac.com
http://www.idsl.net/celiac/
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/ggpages/topics/
http://www.panix.com/~donwiss/
http://www.gluten.net/default.htm
http://www.glutenfreemall.com/
www.fastlane.net/homepages/thodge/archive.shtml

#3 And for more reading, suscribe to this forum:
http://forums.delphi.com/celiac/messages/

#4 Subscribe to a magazine called Gluten-free Living.  Ask for the
March/April issue and the Jan/Feb issue which contains the new rules for the
basic diet and the back issues (2) that cover vinegar and natural and
artificial flavorings.  A year subscription is $29 and back issues are $6.95
each.  Not cheap but worth it.  Address is PO Box 105, Hastings-on-Hudson NY
10706.

#5 Get Jax Lowell's book, Against the Grain.  I think it's in paper now.
Hardcover publisher was Henry Holt.  This is THE survival guide, and led me
to a lot of fine info sources and vendors.

#6 Look into support groups, such as affiliates of CSA/USA which has over
100 support groups throughout the country.  Call to find the one nearest you
402-558-0600.

#7 A few dissenters to CSA:  a) Very helpful, but after getting the info I
needed I stopped going since so many people were whining about their
condition and not being able to eat what they used to.  b) Get thee away
from the CSA.  They ban foods without scientific reasons such as canola oil,
vinegar, some natural and artificial flavors, etc. Please don't quote me or
I will get hate mail :-)

#8 Gluten Intolerance Group may be contacted at: website www.gluten.net,
email [log in to unmask], telephone 206-246-6652, fax 206-246-6531, address
15110 10th Ave SW, Suite A, Seattle, WA 98166-1820.

#9A One of the best ways I get through this is to order foods from
specialists either on-line or by phone.  There are many mail order houses
out there with excellent gf food in addition to the health food stores.

#9B Watch out for sites that just are a collection of vendors and act simply
as an advertiser/credit card processor for them - you will pay a shipping
charge from each vendor.

#9C A favorite is www.kinnikinnick.com, but if you go to the search portal
site www.dmoz.org and search for "celiac" you will find a category called
Shopping:Food:Diet:Gluten-Free. You'll see about 25 different vendors to
choose from.

#10 You will find the Celiac disorder less depressing if you make a list of
all the foods you CAN eat....GF (gluten-free) peanut butter, fish, poultry,
meats (unless you're digestive enzymes are low and red meat is hard to
digest at present), fruits, most vegetables, brown rice bread (in freezer
case at health food stores/co-ops), brown rice/tapioca bread, etc.

#11 It is an expensive disorder (the foods) and an inconvenient one (fixing
foods or buying them special places, and asking questions).  Keeping up with
manufacturers' changes - which may mean gluten in the product - is a pain,
too.  But there are equivalents for most foods.

#12 For a simple list of good and bad, try
http://www.celiac.com/forbiden.html.  It is a useful list of foods and
additives that are safe, and those that are not safe for celiacs.

#13 Check out everything before you ingest it, even if it's on a list as GF.

#14 Attending the CSA/USA national convention next Sep 29 in Albuquerque New
Mexico would really get you started on the right track.

#15 This is NOT what was once thought of as a rare disease.  It occurs in
one in every 250 people in the U.S.  It was previously thought to only
occur in one in every 3,000.

#16 All of your food choices must be made on an individual basis.  Some
people on the list are adamant about being completely gf and will chastise
people who don't conform to their personal view.  Others are more tolerant
and eat whatever does not cause a reaction.


H O M E   C O O K I N G

* Keep things very simple in the beginning....lots of rice, potatoes, plain
meats and fish, fresh fruits, and veggies, yogurt, cheese and rice crackers

* Get all the Betty Hagman's cookbooks, she has great chicken pot pie, pizza
crusts, pie crusts, waffles, most everthing you ever ate before.

* When you (or your wife) makes a gluten free specialty item (very time
consuming)make double or
triple the batch and freeze it.

* Get a separate pasta strainer for your corn noodles (some rice noodles
taste ok)

* Get a separate toaster for your bagels, rolls and breads.

* Dedicate cupboards for GF food and supplies.

* Some use the same spoons etc for preparing food, just wash them in the
dishwasher so you don't contaminate.

* For snacks, corn chips are easy. And if canned kidney beans and cheeses
are ok, you can probably manage nachos

* You do not have to give up pasta. Only wheat or gluten full pasta. There
are corn, rice and potato pastas out there

* You can't drink beer, but you can drink wine, rum and Glacier or Ludkvosa
Vodka.

* Get separate butter/margarine, jams, jellies and peanut butter, etc.

* Be careful with the BBQ, don't let food with gluten touch your own or use
the same tools for flipping gluten and non-gluten food items.


M E A L S   O U T

* Get a restaurant card, from the CSA or GIG.

* The better the restaurant the more likely you'll be taken care of.

* You can always stick with plain foods, grilled meats/fish, baked/boiled
potatoes and steamed vegetables.  Sauces are what makes things tricky.

* When travelling, bring your own GF food (bagels, snacks), and have the
hotel restaurant hold and/or prepare it for you.

* Always carry fruit and Balance Bars with you where ever you go.  You must
always be prepared in case you get stuck.

* Have a positive attitude, don't apologize, tip the wait staff well if they
were helpful

BREAKFAST out doesn't always need to be a nightmare:

* coffe and juice

* hash browns, eggs and sausage

* Omelets are generally safe

* Tell them to hold the muffin and toast... Most people will think you are
just trying to eat less carbs..that is the rage now a days.

LUNCH or DINNER need not be a nightmare either:

* At your favorite restaurant, talk with them during their slower time of
the day. Explain what it means to have CD and see if they have a few dishes
on the menu which are GF. I have not found
a chef yet who was not willing to accomodate.

* Take your lunch and eat alone before or after your business lunch.

* For fast food, Wendys' restaurants have quite a gf list.  Go to Subways
and have a grilled chicken salad with Lays potato chips.

* Request chicken or shrimp salad platters.  If they don't have platters,
ask them just to put the chicken salad on a plate, no bread thank you

* Steak, broiled fish, baked potatoes until you get better acquainted