Tag Archives: celiac

Gut Feeling Week

13 May

This week is Coeliac Awareness week, this year called Gut Feeling week.  This is event is being run by Coeliac UK to raise awareness of Coeliac Disease.  As many of you know I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2011, and I now spend much of my time spreading the word and trying to help fellow coeliacs.  The disease affects an estimated 1 in 100 people in the UK according to Coeliac UK.  However only around 15% of this number have been properly diagnosed.  That means a massive 85% of those with coeliac disease are still being made ill, with the long term risk of osteoporosis or even bowel cancer remaining without treatment.

Awarenesss Week

When a coeliac ingests gluten, an autoimmune response will cause the body to attack the lining of the small intestine.  This leads to damage to the villi (small finger like projections lining the gut).  These are flattened reducing the surface area of the gut, preventing food and nutrients from being properly absorbed.  This can lead to malnourishment and anemia.  There is currently no medical cure for the disease, and the only treatment is a lifetime gluten free diet.  This means strict avoidance of wheat, rye and barley.

Gluten is commonly found in foods such as pasta, bread, cakes, biscuits, pizza, pastry and flour.  Food is not the only issue, as many drinks such as beer and cheaper cola’s can also contain gluten.  Other symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, headaches, joint pain and fatigue.  Coeliac disease is also a hereditary condition, so if you have a family member with coeliac disease you are at an increased risk.  Many patients are also incorrectly diagnosed with IBS.  So does this sound like you?  Make sure you see your GP and get tested.

For more information on coeliac disease, please take the time to read the story of my diagnosis here.  I would also be really grateful if you could share this post to your Facebook and Twitter feeds to help spread the word.

Do you have bloating, fatigue, IBS, diarrhoea, vomiting, anaemia or abdominal pain? Could you be living with coeliac disease and not know it? Listen to your gut with Coeliac UK’s Gut Feeling campaign – visit www.coeliac.org.uk/gutfeeling for info.

Kevin, Gluten Free by the Sea

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Living With Coeliac Disease

27 Jan

I have been asked a few times recently about my tips for those newly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease, and advice for those struggling to get to grips with the disease.  So I thought I would put together a post with some advice for those struggling, based on my experiences over the past year and a half.  Please bear in mind that I am not a medical professional and this is based purely on my personal experience.  Always seek advice from your GP or Dietitian before making any major changes to your diet.

Kev_Abby

The photo above is of myself and my wife Abby in Lyme Regis is Easter 2011.  This was one of the few moments of our trip away that I didn’t spend in a public bathroom.  Little did I know these bathroom trips were to be the start of my coeliac journey.  As I’m sure most of you that are reading this will know, this means a lifetime without gluten, therefore a lifetime without wheat, rye and barley.

So you’ve just been diagnosed with coeliac disease.  You are probably feeling like the world has just ended.  So what to do next?  Well the first thing to know is that life isn’t over.  Gluten free life can be a challenge, but there are lots of gluten free options out there and plenty of people willing to help.  First stop for anyone newly diagnosed should be the Coeliac UK website, where you will find a wealth of helpful information.  Membership for the first six months is free, and it is worth joining for the annual Food and Drink Directory which lists thousands of safe to eat foods.  They will also put you in contact with your local coeliac support group.  It is also worth getting a book to read more about the disease.  I can recommend “Coeliac Disease: What You Need to Know” by Alex Gazzola.

It is also a good idea to register with some of the gluten free food manufacturers, as this can lead to lots of gluten free freebies.  After I was diagnosed I registered and received free samples from Juvela, Glutafin, Dietary Specials and Livwell.  Ask your GP if you are entitled to gluten free food on prescription, and hopefully your free samples will help you choose what to have if so.  I am lucky enough to get Juvela foods on prescription, but many regions have recently made cuts in this area.

Unfortunately accidental glutenings will be part of the learning process, and coeliac life going forward.  It’s a good idea to stock up with peppermint tea as this can help calm your stomach when you have accidentally ingested the evil stuff.  The psychological impact of being diagnosed is one of the biggest things to deal with, and is not something that the NHS will offer any help with.  The best way to deal with this is to become part of the gluten free community.  Sharing experiences with other coeliacs, and having people who understand what you are going through is a massive help.  I have written about how to become part of the GF community for the Foods You Can website here.

Those of you who have read the story of my first year as a coeliac will know I’ve seen major heath improvements, but coeliac disease is different for us all and it can take as long as two years for the gut to recover in some cases.  It’s my belief that I’ve had a relatively smooth recovery due to a fairly swift diagnosis.  I’ve read many stories since from people who have been suffering for over ten years before being diagnosed, and this level of damage can have much longer recovery times.

So you’ve gone gluten free, but you’re not feeling better.  What to do now?  Hopefully by now you will have been referred to a dietitian, and will have been advised to cut out oats (even gluten free versions) for the first year.  A small number of coeliacs react to oats and it is best to be back to full health before slowly reintroducing to see if oats are a problem.  From talking to other coeliacs it is clear that after-care and advice from the NHS varies dramatically and I have spoken to several people who have not had this advice.

Many coeliacs suffer from lactose intolerance when first diagnosed, which can be a side affect to gut damage.  Fortunately this was never an issue for me, but I have spoken to many coeliacs who have been affected.  In most cases this should be temporary and you hopefully you will be able to tolerate lactose once your gut has healed.  There is further information on the Coeliac UK website.  Consult your GP or dietitian if you feel lactose may be an issue for you.

Personally I have cut out anything carrying a “may contain wheat/gluten” or anything “made in a factory handling wheat/gluten”.  I’ve had some bad experiences with these products and now avoid completely rather than risk it.  Cross contamination is one of the hardest aspects to deal with.  If you are living with others that are eating gluten then having your own utensils is a good idea, your own separate toaster, chopping board and pasta drainer etc.  I’ve recently thrown out all my wooden spoons and replaced with silicon versions.  Always clean down surfaces before preparing food, one crumb is enough to make you sick.  My wife now eats gluten free as much as possible at home, and keeps all her gluten containing food in a cupboard in another room.  I am very grateful to her for this.  If you are outnumbered by the gluten eaters then a lot of coeliacs have their own cupboard for their GF food.

Eating out is another big challenge.  I try not to eat anywhere that I haven’t thoroughly researched first.  Use the internet to search for recommendations and social media to ask for suggestions.  There are websites such as Live Gluten Free that have searchable databases of gluten free friendly restaurants.  See also my guest post for the Give Me Gluten Free website for more eating out advice.

Also pay close attention to what you are drinking.  The last two times I’ve been glutened have been from drinks.  Firstly I was drinking Tetley Green Tea which I later discovered carried a “may contain gluten” warning, and then I drank cider in a pub and got ill so I assume the glass or pumps had previously been used for beer and not cleaned properly.  Many squashes contain barley and it’s an area that’s often easy to overlook.  Beer is obviously a no go, though there are some gluten free beers on the market.

I am taking several supplements to help me get back to health.  I have always taken a multi vitamin with added iron, due to leading a previously largely vegetarian diet at home (my wife is vegetarian) and I believe this helped me from becoming anaemic when I was going through diagnosis.  I have since started taking a prescription calcium supplement (AdCal) after a bone density scan showed osteopenia.  I also take an Omega 3 supplement as I don’t eat fish.  Please consult your dietitian with regards supplements.  I have also started taking a good quality probiotic (Culturelle) with the aim of improving the health of my gut.  Since being diagnosed with coeliac disease I have also developed issues with acid reflux, and have been prescribed Omeprazole to combat this.  The acid reflux has also led to me having to give up black tea, and I now drink green or peppermint tea instead.

So have you struggled to get back to health despite going gluten free?  Do you have any tips for the newly diagnosed or those struggling to feel better?  Please use the comment section below to share your experiences and tips with the gluten free community.

Kevin, Gluten Free by the Sea

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Supperclub Tweet-up and Gluten free tour of London!

21 Aug

Well I really would like to keep this blog focussed on Plymouth, but I couldn’t really go on an epic four day gluten free food tour of London and not talk about it could I!  Back in May I had the good fortune to meet some of the brilliant coeliac and gluten free Twitter community at the Allergy Show in London.  An idea was soon formed about having another “Tweet-up”, but this time having a much more social event.  After much planning by Siân Drew, we met at Annie’s Supperclub in Bromley.  It’s a long way from Plymouth so my wife and I made a long weekend of the trip, and here are our eating out experiences along the way.

Tweet-up at Annie’s Supperclub

Well obviously this was the centre piece event of the weekend away, and what an absolutely fabulous time was had by all.  I have always been a shy lad, and the thought of attending a secret supperclub type event would have been something I would have run a mile from in my pre-coeliac days.  However, since being diagnosed I have found so many fellow coeliacs on Twitter and they have taken me into their online community.  It is something very special, and Chef Annie herself is a massive part of that Community.  To spend an evening with these great folk was nothing short of a privilege, and something I had looked forward to for months.

Moving on from the company and onto the Supperclub, this too was absolutely fantastic.  The story behind why Annie runs the Supperclub, is a powerful one and in my opinion that comes across in the food.  There is clearly a lot of love and pride that went into making these dishes, and some of the ingredients even came from Annie’s back garden.  Annie’s husband Roarke is an excellent front of house host, and drew frequent laughs from the guests.

The food was second to none.  We were served four Italian themed courses, each of which were excellent.  The first course of panella really set the tone, and this was followed by panzanella, cannelloni with the most amazing garlic bread and finally tiramisu.  I ate and loved every mouthful of every course.  I don’t really like cucumber or coffee and enjoyed both as part of this meal.  I couldn’t find fault with any part of this meal, and the fact Annie made a dairy free, coffee free and gluten free tiramisu for one of the guests shows you the lengths she will go to to ensure nobody feels left out.  Thank you to Ann Perkins from Perk!er Foods for letting me use her photos of the night, and also the goodie bag!

My only disappointments of the night were that I didn’t get to spend more time chatting to those at the other end of the table, and that we didn’t get to spend more time with Annie herself!  I’d highly recommend a visit, but as our hosts rightly pointed out this isn’t the sort of place you come for a romantic meal for two.  I just wish I lived in range of Annie’s London lunch delivery service too. UPDATE: Annie’s Supperclub has now moved to Margate

Oh and the fun didn’t end there, there was more fun and cocktails after too.  Really hope we can organise another GFEatUp soon!

Bruschetta

On our first night in London we visited Bruschetta Restaurant in Kingston.  It was 30 minutes on the the train to get there but was well worth it.  This is actually a gluten free restaurant, and we coeliacs can choose from the entire menu!  The sign at the front of the restaurant even includes the crossed grain symbol, a welcome site for any coeliac I can assure you.  Unfortunately we had a late lunch due to train delays so ended up skipping the starter, but the food was excellent.  I had a chicken pasta dish with a chilli sauce, which I am still raving about now.  The sauce was excellent.  I had a lovely cheesecake too, and my wife pasta with artichokes followed by chocolate cake – all gluten free.  Only downside was travelling distance, but I would recommend a journey if you are in London for the experience of a gluten free restaurant.  The owner was very friendly and made us most welcome, and was pouring us an extra Limoncello by the time we left. UPDATE: Sadly Bruschetta has now closed

Otto Pizza

Situated in Notting Hill, Otto make a delicious deep dish gluten free pizza.  It has a cornmeal crust which is really unusual, and I really enjoyed it.  Note if you buy the gluten free crust you need to buy at least half a pizza.  This pizza is very filling and polishing that off is more of a challenge than it may sound.  This is certainly the best gluten free pizza I have found since being diagnosed.  All toppings are gluten free, and each pizza is cooked in it’s own dish and I have not had any problems with cross contamination on my two visits.  If you go make sure you order a side of the delicious BBQ sauce, and a gluten free pilsner to wash it down. UPDATE: Sadly Otto has now closed

Honest Burgers

Honest Burgers have taken the concept of doing something simple and doing it well:  a perfect burger on a gluten free bun from the WAGFree bakery in Brixton.  It was thoroughly satisfying and the cheeseburger I’ve been missing for so long.  We visited the new branch in Soho, and it was just as good as the original Brixton branch and also has more seating available.  Each burger is served with rosemary salted chips and gluten free beer is also available, or delicious lemonade if you prefer.  I don’t think I will ever come to London again without visiting this place.

Wahaca

There are several branches of Wahaca in London serving great Mexican food.  I have eaten here twice now, and although there is no gluten free menu they are very knowledgeable with regards gluten free and the food is delicious.  There are still plenty of choices once the waiter crosses off the “can’t haves” from the paper menu.  Amazing sweet potatoes too!  Oh and have a margarita or three, they really are very good here!

Leon

With numerous branches in London Leon is a healthier fast food stop, and perfect for both the elusive gluten free breakfast and also lunch.  We made stops for both while we were there.  For breakfast I had Poached Egg with Ham Hock & Truffle Gruyère, and then went back for Morrocan meatballs and fries another day too.  The fries have recently changed recipe and are now gluten free.  Make sure you try the lovely Leon Lemonade too, and I have been reliably informed by my Twitter friends I missed out on a great gluten free brownie.  There are plenty of gluten free options on the menu and this place is the perfect pit stop while on the go in London.

Shops and Markets

On Saturday we made a stop at the market on Marylebone High Street to pick up some cup cakes from Sweetcheeks.  I’d previously tasted these gluten free and vegan delights at the allergy show and it was lovely to meet Catherine.  We also stumbled upon Wild Thexton while there and snapped up one of their gluten free rarities – the scotch egg!  Next day in Camden Market we visited Cookies and Scream, where I had a chocolate chip cookie which had a lovely texture.  It had a slight aftertaste though, but my wife really enjoyed their peanut butter cookie.

We also made a stop off at the new Whole Foods Market store in Picadilly, where I picked up some treats from B-Tempted and Sugargrain to take back to Plymouth.  I actually bumped into Caroline from Sugargrain while there, whom I’d also met at the Tweet-up the previous night.  I find Whole Foods slightly frustrating as the gluten free foods are mixed in and can be a challenge to find.  They have impressive gluten free labelling, although we did spot several gluten free items that didn’t have these labels.

Finally I stopped off at Totally Swedish for some Kladdkaka for the freezer which I have been craving since the allergy show!  Diet starts next week I reckon…

For further information on London, check out these great London based blogs:

http://www.glutenfreemrsd.com/
http://glutenfreeb.com/
https://naturallyglutenfree.wordpress.com/
http://glutenfreecakelover.blogspot.co.uk/
 

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