It can be difficult to wrap your head around the next steps you need to take when first diagnosed with coeliac disease. Luckily, with a great amount of literature available (especially online), support from medical professionals and assistance in the form of gluten-free products on prescription for those who qualify, it isn’t quite as daunting as it might have once been. This article is written to help you make this change, no matter what time in life that you have been diagnosed with coeliac disease and need to take on a gluten-free lifestyle.
Tips for changing your lifestyle
The only sure-fire treatment for coeliac disease is to adopt a gluten-free diet, but gluten can be found in many unexpected places, so it is important to understand how you can shift to a gluten-free existence in the most effective way possible.
Love ingredients – One of the first things you should do when changing to a gluten-free lifestyle is to start checking the ingredients list for everything that you buy and cook. This will help you to be vigilant in looking for places that gluten might be present and ensuring that you only buy gluten-free products.
Access a gluten-free prescription – If you are diagnosed with coeliac disease you may qualify for gluten-free prescriptions, which provides you with access to gluten-free products that can make a big, positive influence to your life as you change to a gluten-free diet.
Be careful when eating out – Luckily, these days most restaurants, cafés, and other eateries have gluten-free menus, but it won’t be as simple as it was before you were diagnosed with coeliac disease to just pop out four brunch or dinner with your friends and order whatever takes your fancy. Always ask your server to make sure what you are ordering is gluten-free.
With some careful thought and by following some simple steps it might not be as challenging as you first think to change your lifestyle once you have been diagnosed with coeliac disease, even later in life. Although, as with anything else, it might seem challenging to change habits that you have built up over a lifetime, the improved quality of life that you will experience once you switch to a gluten free diet will make it all worthwhile. Reach out for advice wherever you can, whether that is from your GP or medical professional you are liaising with since being diagnosed coeliac, or by contacting Coeliac UK.