Being diagnosed with a Wheat Allergy or Coeliac Disease.

A little while ago my sister and I were diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. Hers is more severe than mine. I am 27 and my sister is 24, just until this year we haven't had any real symptoms. My sister was rushed to the hospital after drinking a specialty wheat beer. She felt horrible, first with a stomach ache and then progressed to violent vommiting. After this episode she went to the doctor and she was told that she had a gluten intolerance. I do not have symptoms nearly as severe as she does. I only get the stomach ache and bloating.

There are 15% of people that suffer from wheat allergies and 10% of people suffer from Coeliac Disease.  Living a gluten-free lifestyle is the only way to go. This does not mean that you have to give up everything that you live to eat. There are plenty of gluten-free breads, pastas and many other foods.

When shopping I always check the labels to see what is in my food.  Foods to avoid: anything that contains cracker meal, high-gluten flour, cereal extract, maltodextrin, bran, couscous, enriched flour, bread crumbs, high-protein flour, semolina wheat, vital gluten, wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat malt, wheat starch or whole wheat flour. Less obvious sources of wheat could be gelatinized starch,natural flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, modified food starch, modified starch, soy sauce, soy bean paste, hoisin sauce, vegetable gum, vegetable starch. People with wheat allergies who are gluten sensitive may also should avoid related rye, cereals, and barley, which are similar.

All of the posts to come will be gluten-free recipies and foods I love to cook.