The internet is littered with lots of outdated resources and misinformed blog posts and articles that can make gluten-free research a huge challenge for those who have been recently diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Because of that, I've decided to share with you a few reliable, basic resources that will be helpful for those with gluten-related issues. You don't have to be new to enjoy these links, as I have resources for medications, blogs, apps, and certified products.
The only way to stop the body from reacting to gluten is to remove all of the gluten from your life.
Permanently.
This isn't a temporary illness. It's an autoimmune disease.
A gluten-free diet is the fix, but it has to be for life. And you have to take your diet seriously, despite the mocking you'll get from the public, friends, and family.
Getting yourself truly gluten free is key to reclaiming your health, but that can be a challenge because gluten hides in so many places that you might not think about:
- prescription and non-prescription drugs
- personal care products
- food prepared by others
- airborne flour and steam
- shared household supplies
- cooking utensils
- perfume and scented products
- rags and sponges you use to clean up with
- scratched up pans and baking dishes
- toasters and other kitchen appliances
- colander used to drain pasta
Except for the phone apps, these resources are sources that I use myself. Most resources I know of are not appropriate for a super-sensitive celiac, but what's posted here is completely trustworthy and useful.
This is a work in progress, so you'll want to check back now and then to see if I've added anything new. (And don't forget to pin the article to make it easy to find later on.)
How to Find a Celiac Support Group in Your Area
If you're the type of person who needs a little group-support, you can take a trip to the Gluten Intolerance Group website (otherwise known as the GIG) and type in your city or zip code.
Gluten Intolerance Group Website
They will show you a listing of all of the support groups that are located in your area. Each group has beginner packets that they offer to new members loaded with basic information about celiac disease, which is extremely useful for those just starting out.
These groups have regular meetings and social events to help you cope with your new lifestyle.
Finding Gluten-Certified Products
When new, most celiacs start with the up to 20 ppm of gluten legal limit that the FDA allows by law on gluten-free packaging, and then lower that only if necessary. This isn't always a good way to do it, since no symptoms doesn't mean the intestines are not being damaged, but symptoms are the only way that many of us have to know when we're ingesting gluten.
These can be gluten symptoms or lactose intolerance.
So this is basically a search engine for gluten-certified products. Products that just say gluten free are gluten free up to 20 ppm. Products certified by the GIG are certified for up to 10 ppm. The Canadian Celiac Association only certifies products that are up to 5 ppm.
You type in the basic product and this search engine will give you a list of brand names that are certified to be gluten free.
The Gluten Project
FritoLay Listing
One of the easiest ways to stay safe while out and about is to grab a bag of chips from your local gas station, so this is the FritoLay listing for chips and snacks that are gluten free.
FritoLay is in the process of testing all of their products, so their list is divided into products that have been tested and found to be gluten free and products with no-gluten ingredients that they have not tested yet.
Products not tested are thought to fall within the FDA guidelines, but it's not official yet. Some people stick with just the ones that have been tested, while others eat from the entire list.
Keep in mind that portion size really matter here. The up to 20 ppm is per serving and not per bag.
FritoLay Chips and Snacks
Gluten-Free Spices and Seasoning Listing
This is an extensive listing on herbs and spices, which includes statements by the manufacturers, so it's pretty reliable.
Gluten Free Herbs and Spices List
Gluten-Free Candy List
Hubby also likes to grab a candy bar on the way home from work, sometimes, so here is the most accurate and up-to-date listing for gluten-free candy.
Keep in mind that portion size matters.
A small Hershey's bar is gluten free, while their King-sized bar contains barley, so it's not. Miniature Hershey's bars like you see at Halloween are also not gluten free, so you need to read the list carefully.
Gluten-Free Candy List
Prescription and Non-Prescription (Over the Counter) Drugs
This listing has not been updated in a while, but is still fairly accurate. Many brand-name drugs are gluten free, but it is unknown if their generic counterparts are. Unfortunately, most insurance plans won't pay for brand name drugs if a generic is available.
*Please note that gel-cap pain relievers must say “gluten free” on the label or they are NOT gluten free.
Gluten-Free Medication List
100-Percent Gluten-Free Restaurants
This listing is by state, but some of the links are out of date. For example, none of the links for Texas work.
100-Percent Gluten-Free Restaurants Listing
Phone Apps
I have not personally used any of the following apps because we rarely go out to eat, except for breakfast at Golden Corral or dinner at P.F. Chang's, but many people really like these apps, and swear by them, so I've decided to include them here.
The most popular phone app for seeking out safe restaurants is:
Find Me Gluten Free App
Make sure that you read the reviews for the restaurant you're considering and keep an eye out for those saying they got glutened. Reviews are not just written by celiacs. Some of the reviews are written by those who are gluten free by choice, so raving reviews do not mean that the establishment is safe.
Eating out is very risky, even if you've been gluten free for years.
For help in grocery shopping, there are apps that let you scan in a bar code with your phone and it will tell you if the product is gluten free. However, keep in mind that gluten free means less than 20 ppm. It doesn't mean the product is guaranteed to be safe, so this is only useful if you can eat at that level of sensitivity:
Scan Gluten Free App
For a more complete list of different gluten-free phone apps, you can visit:
Gluten Free Iphone Apps
OR
Gluten Free Apps
Canadian Celiac Association
While we live in the U.S., the Canadian Celiac Association certifies to 5 ppm or less, and doesn't support General Mills' Cheerios scam (many boxes of Cheerios are NOT gluten free, due to the way the oats are sorted and tested, despite the gluten-free designation on the label), so I tend to accept their information above all other celiac organizations.
The Canadian Celiac Association
Celiac Blogs I Read and Trust
Getting reliable information on celiac disease is hard, so these are the blogs that I trust to stay up-to-date and accurate.
Very Well Health Celiac Disease Section - Jane Anderson is a super sensitive celiac but writes for the general celiac population, including extra information for super sensitives when appropriate.
Gluten-Free Dietitian - Tricia Thompson is the most reliable dietitian I know of.
Gluten-Free Watch Dog - This is Tricia Thompson's membership site, which personally tests products and then shares the information with her members. When something is of vital interest to the whole celiac community, she share that info for free.
Gluten Free for Life - Jules has been gluten free for a very long time and cut's right to the heart of gluten-free living.
Gluten Free Easily - Shirley is a super-sensitive celiac and blogs for the whole community.
Gluten Free Homemaker - Linda is a super-sensitive celiac and also blogs for the whole community.
I Hate My Gluten Free Life - retrogirl77 has been diagnosed with a wheat allergy, but eats gluten free. If you want to know what living gluten free is really like, this is a great blog for that.
Gluten Dude - Another blog that spells out what it's really like to live with celiac disease. Due to a few things he's done recently, I can't link to his blog but you can type "Gluten Dude" into a search engine and his site will come up.
Got Any Other Resources You Like?
I'll be adding to this list as I run into new, reliable information, so make sure that you bookmark this page or pin it to one of your Pinterest boards, so you can get back here when you need to.
What are your favorite resources? Any that I don't have listed here?
If so, let me know in the comments below, so we can check it out.
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