Once you have become an expert at following a strict gluten-free diet, you may no longer be plagued with the terrible symptoms of celiac disease. However, while you are just realizing you have this disease and you mistakenly eat a food that has gluten (it is hidden in so many foods), you may find yourself in serious pain or discomfort.
It’s at times like these that natural remedies for those on a strict no-gluten diet will be helpful.
1. Heal the Stomach: Yogurt, Papaya and Fish Oil
Eat yogurt to heal your irritated digestive tract after ingesting gluten. And take papain supplements or papaya enzymes to make it easier for the small intestine to digest gluten.
Taking a papaya supplement makes it easier for your body to recognize and process wheat so it doesn’t have such a negative effect on your body. Take it according to the recommended dosage. However, first make sure that you are not allergic to it, and it is recommended that pregnant women avoid it.
If you notice the onset of symptoms caused by this disease and realize you must have eaten something you shouldn’t have, then a dose of fish oil capsules will help to relieve the symptoms.
2. Herbs: Golden Seal, Olive Leaf Extract and Horsetail Tea
Some herbs to take are Golden seal and olive leaf extract. Taken according to their recommended dosages, they can provide relief and protection after having consumed foods that aggravate your condition.
Sip a cup of horsetail tea to help you relax and to calm the digestive tract. Chamomile is a good herbal tea to help calm the digestive tract.
These natural remedies will work for adults or children as long as they are given the appropriate dose and as long as they aren’t allergic to any of them. You can also use these remedies to ease the symptoms of this ailment if you really want to indulge in a food that contains gluten but at your own risk.
Taking Supplements
Often, those with this ailment also have anemia. According to Gluten.org, gluten intolerance is due to a weak small intestine, which makes it unable to properly handle and process gluten as it passes through. This small intestine is also incapable of absorbing all the nutrients from foods as well as supplements.
So even though you may eat foods that would normally supply you with all the nutrients you need, your body may still get an insufficient supply of certain supplements thus leading to low iron. The solution is to take supplements intravenously.
Supplements That Anemics with Celiac Disease Should Take Intravenously:
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
- Iron
You may not have to take these supplements intravenously forever. Once you cut out all foods containing gluten, your small intestine will begin to function better and once again begin absorbing the nutrients in regular foods and supplements. It is possible to enjoy a balanced healthy diet while avoiding gluten.
3. Avoiding it All Together: Food Label and Cosmetics
It’s not always easy to avoid gluten, especially if you eat out. When grocery shopping, it’s easy to read the labels and tell when gluten is included in products, but at restaurants, you may end up eating some gluten if you just order off the menu even when you’re trying to avoid foods that contain wheat.
According to dermatologist Dr. Sam Bunting in an article on GetTheGloss.com, those who are allergic to gluten should avoid ingesting any cosmetic that contains it. Thankfully, more and more companies are creating wonderful products for those who need to avoid gluten.
For the most part, it’s not necessary to check products you apply to your skin or shampoos and soaps, but it is safer if you use gluten-free lip balm and toothpaste.
4. Tips for Dining Out
Get in the habit of calling ahead if you can to make sure the restaurant is able to cater to guests who are on a strict no-gluten diet. It’s important to make sure the staff understands that gluten comes from wheat, barley and rye as a lot of people confuse it with dairy.
Some foods that you may not realize have gluten are soy sauce, soups and gravies as well as breaded or battered foods or even foods fried in the same oil as breaded foods.
A few of the types of cuisines, which are normally gluten- free are Indian meals, most soups, salads without the croutons, pavlova, rice dishes, roasts without the gravy, mousse, panna cotta, ice creams and sorbets.
How the Famous Ones Do It
Jennifer Esposito, from the show Blue Bloods, is also allergic to gluten. She mentions the importance of inspecting everything you are considering eating because gluten is hidden in so many things.
She says you even have to be careful with medications because unlike foods, drug companies don’t have to list all of the ingredients, so they may contain gluten and end up making you feel worse instead of curing you.
She hopes to change this through her gluten awareness campaign. Most importantly, Jennifer says to do yourself a favor by completely avoiding foods if you’re not sure whether they contain gluten or not. The pain and discomfort that could result from eating such foods could be unbearable.
Zooey Deschanel, the star of New Girl, suffers from celiac disease, and thanks to famous people like her, this condition has become more well-known, more researched and less feared.