Diabetic Menu Guide

The focus of this blog-site is primarily on Type-2 diabetes, the form affecting more than 90 percent of all diabetes sufferers. But we do not intentionally avoid the two other main forms of the disease, Type-1 and Gestational diabetes, in fact it is my attention to soon provide more information and explanation of those forms of diabetes and our shared diabetic problems.

The article below, contributed by the Gluten Free Cooking School, is directed to people suffering from Celiac Disease, a serious digestive and intestinal disorder in which the protein gluten, found in many foods, especially those containing wheat, rye, or barley, cannot be absorbed or tolerated by the diseased person. Without a cure, celiac disease is managed through special dietary approaches that avoid all gluten containing products.

Type-1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease

Some while ago, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation reported that in the United States, where 1 in 100 people in the general population suffered from celiac disease, the figure for those persons with type-1 diabetes was a staggering 1 in 10. About a year ago, researchers at Cambridge University, whose findings were announced in the New England Journal of Medicine, confirmed that there appears to be a genetic relationship between the two diseases, suggesting that there is a common underlying mechanism that leads to the auto-immune conditions in both diseases. Our Guest Post follows:

Maintaining a Gluten Free Diet

If you have just been diagnosed with Celiac disease, your doctor may have told you that you need to adopt a gluten free diet. In the past, this would mean cutting out almost all pastas and bread products. However, as more and more people are diagnosed with the disease, more gluten free products have been introduced to the market. Depending on the area in which you live, it may even be possible to find a number of restaurants that now offer gluten free menus or dishes. There are a few things to keep in mind if you are just starting your gluten free diet.

Wheat, rye, barley and other grains are some of the most important things to avoid in a gluten free diet. Of those things that contain these products, bread and pasta dishes are perhaps the biggest offenders. If you are eating out, or buying bread at the store, make sure that you only buy those products that are clearly marked as being gluten free. Health food stores are often the best source for gluten free breads, pastas and crackers.

If you will be cooking at home, make sure that your work area and dishes are free of any of these ingredients. In many cases, only one person in the home will require a gluten free diet, so the entire kitchen will not be kept grain and starch free. When this is the case, it is important to be vigilant to ensure that there is no cross contamination between food products. Before you begin cooking your gluten free food, take the time to wipe down all the surfaces in the kitchen, and make sure that you are using only clean plates and utensils.

Some people have actually found that a gluten free diet has made them healthier in other ways. Find alternative snacks like carrots and carry them with you so you will not be tempted to take a doughnut at the office.

For an article on Gluten Free Cooking, go to the entry under the heading “Related Posts” at the bottom of this website page:  Learn to Cook

This article was brought to you by Gluten Free Cooking School, which has tons of gluten free resources available, including a how-to for a coconut flour pie crust.

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