Chances are, if you have one or more autoimmune conditions, you may have heard of celiac disease, or maybe you or someone you know has it. Celiac disease is an autoimmune reaction to eating foods containing wheat, rye or barley. The treatment for the disease is complete avoidance of these foods, also known as a gluten free diet. This is both easier and more complicated than it sounds. Many foods contain hidden gluten, such as restaurant French fries coated in wheat to make them crispier, or gluten free foods fried in the same basket as or cooked on the same grill as wheat containing food, which contaminates the gluten free food. How does one avoid hidden gluten without missing out on all their favorite foods? “Living Gluten Free for Dummies” tell you how.

This recently published book provides the very latest information available about celiac disease, gluten intolerance, which previously questionable foods are now considered gluten free, and why someone would actually choose to give up wheat, barley, rye and oats. Oats do not contain gluten in and of themselves but are frequently contaminated and so remain on the questionable foods list. And before you start wondering what food is left to eat, the author has generously provided gluten free recipes!
Like all “Dummies” books, this one is broken down into easily comprehensible parts. At the very front is a cheat sheet a listing naturally gluten free foods, grains you can eat in place of wheat, a guide to give to restaurant workers, main foods to avoid, ingredients to question, gluten free indulgences, and healthy snacks. This is something you can memorize or at least refer to quickly when someone asks you a general question about what you can and cannot eat on the gluten free diet. The rest of the book goes into more detail.
Chapter 1 explains what gluten actually is, the benefits of a gluten free diet, and what there is to like about being gluten free. The author, Danna Korn, relates what she went through when her son was diagnosed with celiac disease and how little was known about it at the time. She also explains that the transition to going gluten free doesn’t have to be about deprivation if you are willing to try new things and do some modification or substitution of your favorite foods.
The following chapter goes into the differences between allergy, sensitivity, intolerance and celiac disease. If you have an autoimmune disease, turn to Chapter 2 immediately because several are closely associated with celiac disease, especially lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, thyroid disorders, ulcerative colitis, scleroderma, Crohn’s disease, type 1 diabetes, myasthenia gravis, Addison’s disease and Raynaud’s phenomenon. I thought I was well-read on this subject, but even I was surprised at the list of symptoms of celiac disease/gluten intolerance that are not digestive in nature. The author also goes into the various types of testing and why a negative result on one doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to continue eating gluten. She also lists the risking involved in consuming gluten when you are intolerant of it.
Chapter 3 gives the technical details about why some people can’t eat gluten without getting sick. It involves a genetic predisposition, an environmental trigger, and of course gluten in the diet. When these three factors are present and celiac disease is activated, your immune system begins attacking the villi on the lining of your small intestines. Once the damage has begun, the only way to heal is to stop eating gluten.
Next, Danna Korn goes into detail about the ground rules of the gluten free diet, which grains are safe, which ones are pseudonyms for wheat, rye or barley, and what food ingredients you should either question or avoid. I recommend Chapter 4 to everyone, especially those who have had celiac disease a long time and might not know that thanks to new labeling laws, several food ingredients which once were questionable are now considered gluten free. This allows many more food choices and less confusion when grocery shopping. But the author does warn readers that if they are unsure of the safety of a food, the best choice is still to avoid it.
The following chapter reveals how to properly interpret food labels as to whether or not they contain gluten. It also outlines how to verify with a manufacturer whether their product is gluten free. It also covers reliable sources of information and helpful resources.
Chapter 6 delves into nutrition and the healthiest way to eat gluten free. This is particularly helpful for individuals who have both celiac disease and diabetes as the connection between the two diseases is quite strong. The author explains the glycemic index, the “caveman” diet, and nutritional deficiencies possible on the gluten free diet. And since celiac disease prior to diagnosis can cause a person to become overweight or underweight, she mentions how to get to a healthy weight range.
Part II goes into the practical aspects of shopping, cooking and maintaining a gluten free kitchen. If your family has one member with celiac disease and others who are healthy, you’ll have to decide if the whole family goes gluten free or if you’ll have a mixed kitchen containing both regular and gluten free foods. Chapter 7 gives tips on how to avoid storage cross-contamination in a mixed kitchen, which specialty products are worth stocking up on, and what gluten free mixes you might want to consider. Chapter 8 contains helpful shopping tips such as meal planning, making lists, deciding where to shop, navigating through the average grocery store, and how to keep costs down. Chapter 9 introduces the reader to gluten free cooking. It covers the issue of cross-contamination while cooking, how to substitute gluten free ingredients in recipes, and differences in cooking gluten free foods. It even addresses gluten free baking, which does take a certain amount of skill.
Part III gets down to the nitty gritty: recipes! The six chapters in this section contain a total of 65 gluten free recipes in the following categories: breakfasts, appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes, entrees, pizzas, pastas, breads, and of course desserts. The author is not a chef, but each of her recipes were tested to make sure they are doable by the average person. I have not yet tried any of the recipes, but am tempted particularly by the Chile Rellenos Casserole, the New England Clam Chowder, the Sweet-Potato Potato Salad, the Baked Lemon Mahi Mahi, the Alfredo Sauce, and the Oops-Proof Peanut Butter Fudge. Some of the recipes are simple enough even for a person who is low on spoons, some are great for kids, and others are fancy enough for a dinner party. Each recipe includes nutritional info.
Many people with celiac disease are afraid to eat out because they have limited control over their food. Chapter 16 gives ideas for social situations, such as inquiring ahead of time about the menu, eating before you go, bringing your own food, etc. It also gives tips for dining in restaurants including which choices are the safest, how to talk to the staff, and judging whether or not the staff understands your needs. Finally, it covers the challenge of traveling.
Chapter 17 covers what to do when the person with celiac disease is your child. Raising a gluten free kid can be truly scary at first, especially when they are away from home at school, with friends, etc. Danna Korn instructs parents on how to focus on the positive, whether the whole family should go gluten free, how to explain the gluten free diet to your kids and others, how to give control of the diet to your child, trusting your child and caretakers, and challenges you may encounter with teenagers.
Chapter 18 is especially important for readers who are new to the gluten free diet. Since this involves making permanent changes, it can seem overwhelming or at the very least upsetting. The author does a good job covering the various emotional reactions to adjusting to gluten free living, how to stay motivated, and the importance of looking at the big picture.
The final section, Part V, contains the famous “Dummies” top ten list chapters. In this book, they are: gluten free benefits, tips on loving the lifestyle, and the worst excuses for not going gluten free. These chapters round out the book nicely.
I recommend this book for both the newly diagnosed and veteran celiacs who want the very latest information. This is a handy volume you’ll want to refer to again and again, particularly for the recipes. Bon apetit!
Title: Living Gluten-Free for Dummies
Author: Danna Korn
Publisher: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
IBSN: 0-471-77383-2
Submitted by: Karen Brauer, Butyoudontlooksick.com, © 2006