Tips and suggestions

We have a section devoted exclusively for our older children. In addition to the FAQs and other resources in that section, we have some tips and suggestions too for them.

To begin with

• Start a gluten free diet and any medications prescribed by your doctor immediately. Your body needs the nutrients which it hasn’t received in a long time now.
• You may find it difficult to stay away from some of your favorite foods initially but as you recover from all the symptoms, you will slowly learn not to get tempted to eat those food items.
• Read about celiac disease  and gluten free diet.
• Discuss with your siblings, friends, and teachers. Share the new information that you have gained. Express your feelings and share your concerns – They may have ideas too to help you with your new diet.

Food ideas

• Indian cuisine offers a lot of variety for people on gluten free diet. Read the gluten free cooking section for recipes and more ideas.
• Experiment and explore different flavors and different cuisines from different parts of India and the world. You might experience flavors which might be better than the ones that you seem to have lost!
• Get involved in cooking:

-Learning the basics of cooking will help you in situations where you might have to cook for yourself and will also help you  while dining out. You will be more familiar with ingredients and possible sources of cross-contamination.
-You may want to learn some basic recipes to begin with. Read the recipes on this website, other books and websites, download them, make folders and save your favorite recipes. You will find many dishes which are naturally gluten free.
-Once adept at some recipes, prepare a gluten free meal and invite your friends. They would be impressed with your new skill!
-For all the boys out there – Don’t be shy entering the kitchen. Remember, many famous Chefs in the world are men!

Away from home

• Read our Dining out section for tips on how to be safe while dining out.
• Not many packaged food products are available in India which are labeled gluten free. That would mean carrying your own snack from home when you step outside. Don’t be shy eating it in front of others.
• With time, you can sit with your parents and work out the snack ideas which work for you while you are away from home.
• Always remember the golden rule of gluten free diet- when in doubt- leave it out.

Learn to Say NO and be firm

• Don’t eat gluten containing food items even when your symptoms fade away completely.
• Keep in mind that every time you will eat gluten, even if it’s just a bite, you will damage your intestine. It may or may not result in immediate symptoms, but will definitely result in long term damage.  You have suffered for many months or maybe even years now. I am sure you will not want to bring about more suffering upon yourself by cheating on your diet.
• Once you understand about the safe and unsafe food items, take ownership of your diet. Comply with your diet even when nobody is seeing.
• Many relatives, friends or neighbors may insist on offering ‘just a little bit’ of gluten containing food items to you. Please remember that they may not fully understand this condition and the damage which even a little bite of gluten can do to your health. Say NO politely. Be firm and explain to them that if they care for you, they would not want to see you sick again. Suggest that they can instead learn and prepare some gluten free dishes for you and teach you too! Once they know that you are extremely responsible towards your health, they will respect you. Your parents will be proud of you and so will I be.
• Read some of our patients’ experiences to know more about non-compliance and its consequences.

Increase your knowledge AND SPREAD IT

• Internet is an extremely powerful resource for finding information. At the same time, there is a lot of inaccurate information there too which can misguide or confuse you. Please be extremely judicious about your choice of resources.
• Start reading the food labels on packaged food products and try to understand them. Read about ‘Reading food labels’.
• Call up companies and write to them about gluten free labelling and various ingredients in their products. We have provided with sample letters which you can use to write to them.
• Remember that gluten is found in many unexpected places and in some medicines too.
• Help in creating awareness. Share your experiences. Help another celiac child or teen or even an adult!
• Hold an awareness campaign in your school, city, building or neighborhood.
• Share your experiences with us which others can read on this website.