Don’t fret if you’re new to living a gluten-free lifestyle.  I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not easy some days to maintain such a lifestyle.  It gets to be aggravating constantly having to read every last nutrition label and to ask, what sometimes feel as embarrassing questions of your wait staff, just to ensure the food is free from gluten.  Let’s not forget to check the manufacturing of a product – many food companies use the wording “manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat, soy, nuts, dairy” – this does not mean the product is gluten-free.  Unless you’ve called and spoken with the company’s quality assurance or management team, there are no guarantees.

I also know for me, even with writing this blog and with the other food writing I do, at times simply get sick always having to watch what I’m eating.  It doesn’t stop!!  It’s a lifestyle not a fad, let me be 100% clear about that for those who think it’s a safe, fast, effective way to lose weight.  For those living with this autoimmune disease, it’s about survival and if you’re new to this lifestyle that will be come apparent every time you consume food that has gluten in it.  You will be tempted, surely I was,  and to this day still am at times.  I would love nothing more at times than to walk into a french bakery and buy up all of my favorite pastries or slide up to a bowl of high gluten Pasta Bolognese, but every time you do that it destroys the villi in your intestines and you have to start over.

Is it worth it?  I used to think it was ok to cheat from time to time, as sometimes my symptoms weren’t immediate.  Today, I know for me it’s a gamble and I’ve reached a point in my health and well-being I don’t wish to roll the dice and take that risk.  I am tired of feeling like shit, or to be more specific like a woman with an 80 year old body that is so ache some days I just don’t want to get out of bed or even be touched.

There are so many great gluten-free blogs and cookbooks out there today there is no need to cheat.  You do have to be prepared for sure!  You must overhaul your kitchen and pantry.  Here are gluten-free FAQ’s & tips I’ve come up with over the years while living with Celiac Disease that I hope will be as helpful to you as they were and are to me!!

Also here is a list of some amazing gluten-free bloggers & cookbook authors I love in no particular order:

• Karen Morgan of Blackbird Bakery (Blog & Cookbook Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free; Soon-to-be-released 2nd book The Everyday Art of Gluten-Free)
• Tess Masters of Healthy Blender Recipes.com (Blog & Cookbook The Blender Girl)
• Dianne Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites.com  (Blog & Cookbook Practical Paleo)
• Michael Natkin of Herbivoracious.com (Blog & Cookbook)
• Biju Thomas & Allen Lim of The FEED ZONE (Cookbook)
• Oliva Dupin: Author of The Complete Guide to Naturally Gluten-Free Foods
• Laura Russel of The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen (Blog & Cookbook; Also authored Brassicas)