Tips for not being Glutened Over the Holidays

Like most holidays my wife Sue and I are returning home to visit our families in the UK. While it is great to catch up with everybody it can be a tricky navigating the trip while remaining true to your dietary restrictions. With this in mind here are some tips you might find useful this coming holiday:

1. Hold Gluten-Free Holiday Celebrations at Home

This may not always be possible but having full control over food preparation is the sure fire way you won't get any gluten fall out after holiday meals. Wish me like while I eat our meal at my mother-in-laws who insists our food sensitivities are just a fad!

2. Don't Focus So Much on the Food

After most holidays we often end feeling like we have eaten far too much. This is usually because there is far too much emphasis put on the food. The Holidays should really be about reconnecting with family and friends so try and organise plenty of activities outside of the home where you can enjoy quality to time together.

3. Remember to Feel Joyful for Good Health

Having a restrictive diet can for some seem a huge inconvenience and unfair. Rather than feeling sorry for yourself try to be thankful for your new found good health. There is more to life than eating. Like you should really work to live, you should also be eating so that you are able to live to the fullest.

4. Whatever You Do, Don't Cheat on the Diet!

There is no such thing as being a little bit pregnant. The same goes when you are gluten sensitive. Once your body decides that it does not like it then one little slip can, according to some studies, set you back 6 months! Think about that when you pick up that mince pie!

5. Be Assertive

When eating out, whether it be at a restaurant or with friends, be sure to make it abundantly clear that you will and must not consume anything with gluten. I often hear from my clients that they do not want to offend people. Personally I think if people really genuinely care about you they should respect your decisions. Think about it another way, is it worse to hurt someones feelings or to suffer the consequences of being glutened.

6. Don't Feel Guilty

If in the end that Christmas pudding looks too delicious to miss then make sure you eat and enjoy it without any guilt. Having negative thoughts while eating anything can have a detrimental effect. If it has a negative effect then at least you know why. None of us are perfect, including myself!

Finally

I just like to wish you and your family the happiest of holidays and a healthy New Year!

6 Tips to help your children go gluten free

One the hardest things that I have to do in my practice is too tell the parents that their child needs to go gluten free. There is normally a brief moment of silence as I watch the cogwheels of the parents brains whizzing around as they begin to look at what seems an impassable gluten mountain they need to surmount. The task ahead for the parent is not easy but not impossible as I have seen many families before them succeed in making the change and most importantly a resolution in the child's symptoms.

To help your child and family climb that gluten mountain here are some useful tips:

1. Take time to explain why they're eating gluten free

Children never like to be seen as different and going on a gluten diet sooner or later they are going to notice the limitations. Try to explain why they are on a special diet - in age appropriate language that they can understand - and give details on things you might not think they care about. A good approach is to talk about why other children they know may or may not need to eating gluten free.

2. Strength in numbers

Being the only one in the family that is on a gluten free diet may make your child feel ostracised. If there is one thing I know is that if your child  needs to be gluten free then there is high possibility that the rest of your family needs to be as well. Making the change and together what going gluten free entails makes the task a lot easier.

3. Lets get cooking and eating together

The first thing I explain to anyone who is going gluten free is that it is not just a case of changing gluten for gluten free products. To really safely avoid gluten you need to avoid as much processed food as possible and cook much more from fresh. Try to get your children fully involved in that whole process from going grocery shopping, getting them help in meal preparation and sitting down and eating together as a family.

4. Show them they are not alone

Try and introduce them to children that are already on a gluten free diet. This can go along way towards making them feel less different and a little more "normal". If you do not have any friends or family with children that are gluten free then look for local gluten free support groups.

5. Treats are still on the table

Kids and adults love the occasional treat so it is important for them to understand that going gluten free does not mean that their treats will disappear. Explain that you are not giving up on things but simply substituting to something that is safe for them to eat.

6. Focus on the positives

When making any big change any one whether they are a child or adult needs to feel that it makes a difference in their life. This can be both feeling better but also what this means thay can do in there life again including playing with their friends, being able to play hockey or soccer again. Be sure to remind your child of all the positives that going gluten free has brought.

Finally

I hope you found these ideas useful. More importantly, I hope you do something with them.