Tips For a Newly Diagnosed Coeliac

If you have been suffering from symptoms of coeliac disease and have recently been diagnosed, it is important to shift your mindset and remove gluten from your diet completely. There are a few initial steps that you should take to help you make the transition as smooth as possible.

  • Learn about gluten free food

The first thing you should do once you have a diagnosis that you are coeliac is to learn about which foods are naturally gluten free. There are loads of healthy and delicious options for food that is naturally gluten free, providing you with the chance to cook and eat gluten free food before you even begin to look at gluten free alternatives to traditional foods that contain gluten, such as bread and pasta. Rice, pulses, fish, meat, eggs, milk, and cheese, fruits, vegetables and potatoes are all naturally gluten free.

  • Visit a dietitian

Once you have been diagnosed as coeliac, your GP or gastroenterologist will refer you to see a dietitian. A dietitian will help you put together a plan to remove gluten from your diet. This advice will be personal to you and before you go, you should keep a food diary so that you can show accurate descriptions of the food you usually eat. This is so a replacement can be found to allow for a balanced, healthy, and nutritious diet that no longer contains gluten. 

  • Check out your local supermarkets

Take a trip to your local supermarket of choice and take a good look at the free from aisle. This will give you a fair idea of what ingredients and products are available to you that you can trial in new recipes that are gluten free. Every supermarket brand and location will differ in what is available. In some stores you might find plenty of gluten free products, from pasta, pizza, and crackers to gluten free beer. In others, there might not be many products available. Understanding what is available near you will help you to plan your gluten free diet accordingly and look for support in other areas, such as in gluten free prescriptions. 

  • Join a community

There is a whole host of support available for you in the UK, in the form of online communities or local groups for coeliacs where you can meet other people in a similar situation to you Other people who have recently been diagnosed with coeliac or those who have been eating gluten free food for many years will be more than happy to offer you support and guidance on your new journey as a coeliac. 

  • Gluten free prescription

You may be entitled to gluten free products on prescription if you have recently been diagnosed as coeliac. What this means is that you are entitled to order gluten free products and ingredients, such as gluten free bread, gluten free pizza, pasta, and cereal. By purchasing your gluten free products on prescription, you are gaining access to products that are not available in supermarkets. Depending on where you are located in the UK, there will be different products available in different areas, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differing from England.

Learning how to change your diet and lifestyle once you have been diagnosed as coeliac is very important. Making that transition quickly is the key to success, and with the help of gluten free prescriptions and medical advice, you could soon be on your way to a healthy, balanced lifestyle without the inclusion of gluten.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *