"Are you sure that's gluten free?"

Have you ever heard about Celiac Disease? Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects 0.5 to 1 percent of the general population. With having this, people will experience nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fatigue, and other side effects. Celiac disease is caused by reactions and consumption of gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley. People who get this disease have a very different lifestyle with food unlike others and there is no cure for the ones that live with it.

A few steps for people with Celiac disease would be first to get your team on board and this includes family, friends, housemates, etc. Then, remove gluten containing foods from a space in your household. Next, clean your kitchen for any potential contaminants. After that, restock an area designated for gluten-free foods. Lastly, grocery shop and get cooking.

Not only does your home life change, going out and eating does too. Another thing with being gluten free is that cross contamination can also play a big role. Those who have this disease can have reactions and allergies if gluten has been prepared in the same area. Most restaurants will also have options and even a separate menu for gluten free only. This is a really important part of trusting yourself with going out and eating and also trusting that the cooks will prepare the food the way you need.

If you are newly diagnosed with Celiac, there are a lot of resources for making sure what you buy is gluten free and what you consume as well. Apps that are helpful are Fig, Find Me Gluten Free, and many more.