How To Cope When You’re Diagnosed With Coeliac Disease

It's not easy being diagnosed with coeliac disease, but you'll get used to your new diet before you know it. Here's how!

If you’re anything like me, being diagnosed with Coeliac disease isn’t exactly a walk in the park. You’re probably used to filling your face with the delicious chicken nuggets from McDonald’s or your favourite packet of biscuits after a long day of work, so the thought of going gluten free for the rest of your life makes you want to cry. It is hard, yes, and undeniably a huge lifestyle change, but I promise you will soon become very used to this new diet. Here’s how:

1. Do your research

I am fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you view it) enough to have four other members of my family with a Coeliac disease diagnosis, so I already knew a lot about what exactly it involves. If you feel utterly clueless and want to find out more, I’d recommend either doing your own research or, if you want to, joining ‘Coeliac UK’ (basically just a society for coeliacs). Although the membership isn’t free, it is completely worth it for the expert advice you will receive. Its existence is also a great reminder that you’re not alone – the number of people being diagnosed with Coeliac disease is increasing daily!

2. Know what you can and can’t eat

Without wishing to scare you, you risk developing numerous other health problems if you continue to eat gluten; your body just can’t absorb the nutrients from these kinds of foods, and if you continue consuming them your gut won’t be able to heal. The main foods that you will have to find alternatives for include bread, pasta, cereals, flour, cakes and biscuits. However, these days there are many products out there which taste very similar, if not better (and some people even think they’re healthier!)

3. Experiment!

If you’re going to experiment with foods at any point in life, it’s got to be now. You might as well go all out and treat yourself to those Nairn’s biscuits you’ve had an eye on for a while (the chocolate chip oat ones are to die for), or maybe you just want to see which gluten-free loaf of bread tastes best for your toast in the mornings. Either way, there are loads of different brands for you to try, and you can even order some things (such as pasta and bread) on prescription!

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4. Talk to other coeliac sufferers

As I said earlier, it’s amazing how many people actually do suffer from Coeliac disease. You might have to do a little bit of investigating to see if there’s any near you, but there are support groups all over the country that you can join. Doing so acts as a great way of helping to raise awareness of the disease, and with many organising events such as coffee mornings and cooking demonstrations, you’re bound to have a lot of fun too!

5. See the bigger picture

No, being gluten-free isn’t fun, but there’s likely a reason you were diagnosed in the first place. Perhaps you were experiencing some nasty symptoms, such as abdominal pain, extreme fatigue or diarrhoea, and if you were, this strange new lifestyle might actually end up being a blessing in disguise. It can take anything from a few months to a few years for your gut to heal, but hopefully, you’ll be feeling a lot perkier in no time!

While it does take some getting used to, being a Coeliac really isn’t the be all or end all. Do you suffer from Coeliac disease? Do you have any tips for those who are newly diagnosed? Let us know in the comments below!