Your Health Press

Living Well With Celiac Disease: Abundance Beyond Wheat and Gluten, Second Edition, by Claudine Crangle; (Your Health Press: 2006)

"A delightful, accessible and indispensable set of tools for managing life without wheat or gluten." -Bev Ruffo, Past President, Canadian Celiac Association

Downloadable Press Release (1.5 MB)

Audio
Hear author Claudine Crangle discuss celiac diease and gluten allergies on the radio show Celiac Disease and Gluten Allergies.
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Here's what people are saying about Living Well With Celiac Disease: Abundance Beyond Wheat and Gluten:

"[This book] made the dietary needs associated with Celiac really clear and gave strategies for how to normalize one's social life in spite of having dietary restrictions." —Complete Health Magazine, Summer 2005

"...empowering ...informative ...a refreshingly positive approach to life without wheat." —Living Without Magazine

“Great healthy lifestyle advice for those with celiac disease.” —Shelley Case, B.Sc., RD and author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide

“A no-nonsence, practical book filled with empathy, and more importantly, get-up-and-go which is a must for any newly diagnosed celiac patient or parent. Crangle advocates a healthy lifestyle with lots of variations but no gluten. By the end of the book she feels like the celiac best friend you never had...definitely a book for the Christmas stocking.” —Coeliac News, Coeliac Society of Ireland

“Living Well with Celiac Disease will both inform and inspire readers. Crangle’s positive focus on the many food alternatives, combined with her friendly and informative style and excellent advice, makes this a wonderful and necessary book for all who need to find optimum health on a wheat- and gluten-free diet.” —R.E. Warren, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., D.T.M. & H., Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Division of Gastro-enterology, St. Michael’s Hospital

“A delightful, accessible and indispensable set of tools for managing life without wheat or gluten. This book is an invitation to happy and healthy gluten-free living and should find a home on the bookshelves of everyone with celiac disease.” —Bev Ruffo, Past President, Canadian Celiac Association

“Crangle’s approach to ‘free living’ is beautifully empowering. I look forward to using this book as a reference for my own life as well as a tool for my patients.” —Sarah Baillie, B.Sc., N.D., Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword: by Cynthia Rudert M.D.
Introduction: Gone Are the Days of the Flour Child

Chapter 1: The Facts: What’s the Damage?
Understanding Celiac Disease
How the GI Tract Works
The Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Diagnostic Tests for Celiac Disease

Chapter 2: The Food: On the Table:
Controversy
Sneaky Gluten
Sore Tummies

Chapter 3: The Feelings: It Takes Guts
Food for Thought
Family Affairs
Growing Pains

Chapter 4: The Support: Strength in Numbers
Associations
People, Periodicals and the Internet

Chapter 5: The Set Up : Cupboard Love
Clarity Begins at Home
Cookbooks as Tour Guides
Recipe Binders for Overachievers

Chapter 6: The Provisions: Shop Without Dropping
Touring the Aisles
The Dirty Dozen
Manufacturers
Gluten Free around the World

Chapter 7: The Meals: Enough on Your Plate:
Outside of the Box
Up for the Challenge
The Brown Bag
No Matter How You Slice it
Hail the Almighty Rice Cake

Chapter 8: The Recipes: If You Can’t Stand the Wheat, Get Into Your Kitchen

Chapter 9: The Restaurant: Table Manners
Dissecting Your Dinner
Traveling around the Block
Being High Maintenance
Drive Right on Thru

Chapter 10: The Social Scene: Life Skills
Piece of Cake
The Beer and Pizza Party
The Watering Hole
Kiss But Don’t Tell
I Do and I Don’t
The Dinner Ring
The Unsuspecting House Guest
Better Living

Chapter 11: The Excursion: Getting Away With It
Sleeping Around
On the Road Again
Preparing for Take Off
Adventures in Eating
By Any Other Name
Definitely Not the Epilogue

Celiac Associations Worldwide
Bibliography
Glossary of Terms

AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION FROM THE BOOK
Gone Are the Days of the Flour Child
My parents bragged about having the perfect baby—at least until I began gnawing on teething biscuits. Every parent anticipates terrible two, but things just got progressively worse. By the time I was three I needed an exorcism.

My mother tells me that I would sit jammed between her legs and the kitchen cupboards screaming for hours with my frail arms wrapped tightly around her ankles as she washed dishes and cooked supper. Today, Children's Aid or Social Services would investigate the parents of a child who made regular visits to emergency for broken limbs. Instead, doctors told my mother that the little girl with sunken eyes and a pot-belly that screamed of starvation was simply a neurotic child.

On my fourth birthday, my baby brother was bigger than I was. Ironically, I received a set of cake mixes for the Easy Bake Oven I hoped to someday own. It's not a rare occurrence for a child to behave poorly at her birthday party, but I understand that I was a sickly little psycho terror. Finally, after almost three years of insanity, my mother reached the end of her rope. She handed my shell to the doctor and told him to do something with me or they would have to lock her up.

I spent many weeks undergoing prodding and tests. I moved into two different hospitals over a couple of months, while doctors tried to figure out why my little body was dying of malnutrition. It was our family GP who finally came up with the suggestion that I be tested for celiac disease. After a biopsy and positive diagnosis, my mother was handed a diet to follow and I was released from the world of metal bed frames.

Within weeks, my emaciated body began to fill out, and a new child emerged. Aside from my tiny stature, I was starting to look like any other kid about to enter kindergarten.

My mom stayed home and spent many a day experimenting with the one cookbook available to her. Many of these experiments never met my lips, but instead went straight from the baking sheet to the bin. The ingredients we take for granted these days were not as widely available as they are now and allergies and intolerance of foods were not nearly as socially understood, nor were they catered to. In 1972, health food stores were musty little places where the hippies shopped. And no one else was asking for soy flour.

My friends will tell you that when I first moved out on my own, I'd consider a can of nuked green beans and a bag of potato chips dinner. Chocolate was always on hand, and the coffeepot was forever brewing. I was gluten free.

At twenty-five, I moved to Italy and spent my first summer living with an East Indian and Italian couple. These were worldly people who introduced me to new flavor combinations in the simplest of foods. In the fall, I moved in with an old-school Italian man, and suddenly I was the person responsible to shop for and cook the meals if I was going to eat.

I had to learn fast. I picked up my Italian vocabulary in the kitchens of the neighbors and my friends' mothers. And it was in these kitchens that I acquired the pleasure of cooking and sharing food with others. I loved food, and the mothers loved my appetite. "Mangia bene!"

Even with all of that wonderful healthy food around I was unable to satiate my appetite for the fine gluten-free cookies, cakes and chocolate bars available in Europe. My last week in Italy was spent in a Roman hospital where a case of suspected appendicitis turned out to be an ovarian cyst. I returned home to Canada overweight and lethargic. My friend Sarah, who was studying naturopathic medicine, suggested that I make a trip to the clinic.

I believed I was very conscious of what went into my mouth. It wasn't until I was asked to do a diet diary that I realized I was eating a lot of flour—albeit gluten-free—and hence my diet was full of carbs and refined sugars. Living on a gluten-free diet doesn't necessarily mean living healthy. It was time to take a new look at what I'd been putting into my body. It was also time to take a hard look at the excuses I'd been making about all the junk I'd been eating because I was "so limited."

What a difference a diet makes. Again, it only took a few weeks to feel the benefits of a few simple changes. With the help of my naturopath, in three months I was in better shape than I'd ever been before. I'd finally signed a peace agreement with food, and the story of what happened in my subsequent explorations will follow in the chapters ahead.

CELIAC FAQ
Q. Is there anything else that might contain gluten that I should be aware of?
A. Yes. Gluten can be found in some unsuspecting places. These include:

Stamps and envelopes. Use a damp sponge to moisten these rather than your tongue.
Play dough, modeling clay, finger paints and glue. Be sure that you wash your hands after use and before having a meal.
Drugs. Some drugs contain gluten so have your pharmacist check them out.
Vitamins. Buy only supplements that clearly state that they're gluten free.
Manufacturing facilities. Inquire about how the food is made. Production lines sometimes dust conveyer belts with flour so that products like candies and chocolate bars don’t stick.
Toiletries. Many toiletries contain gluten. If you think you're having a reaction, call the manufacturer or try taking a break from the product. If the problem clears up, it was probably caused by that product. Watch out for talcum powder, shampoo, toothpaste, body lotion, lipstick, perfumes and denture adhesive.

Q. I want my child to be able to enjoy sleepovers and other social activities. How do I make sure he or she is safe?
A. It is important not to make your child feel left out, while still ensuring that your child understands the gravity of the situation—all the while knowing that you understand how he or she feels. It really is a balancing act between paying full attention to your child’s needs and making everything appear to be as normal as possible. If your child is asked to a birthday party you might want to send along some safe hot dogs. Remember to tell the host that the hot dogs must be boiled or cooked separately from those that may contain gluten. You can also provide the host with a meringue shell to be filled with ice cream and strawberries in lieu of the cake. Or if you have some time, you could offer to supply a “free” birthday cake. That way your child can share the cake with his or her friends. Be careful of using this method with a young child, however, since he or she may become confused and think all cake is safe. Have a conversation with the hosts when you RSVP to let them know about your child’s special diet. Then remind them of this when you drop off your child. You can write down simple instructions including what foods your child must avoid. And you can save the instructions on your computer to use each time your child receives an invitation. That way you won’t have to think about it each time.

Q. How do I accommodate a weekend visitor with celiac disease? What can I make for her meals?
A. There's much you can prepare for your guest that your whole family will enjoy eating! First of all, check the list of ingredients. Make sure that what you're using to prepare the dinner doesn't contain any wheat or gluten. If you still feel unsure about what's safe and what's not, why not ask your guest to help make the meals. (Your visitor probably has more experience than you do.) If you don’t feel comfortable asking your guest to help, why not ask your guest to sit in the kitchen and chat with you while you work? That way, you can ask him or her about any ingredients that concern you. There are some great recipes that can be found online at:

CELIAC LINKS
Visit the Sarahealth.com Celiac Information Page

Canadian Celiac Association

Celiac Disease and Down Syndrome: this website discusses the link between Down Syndrome and Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

Celiac Disease Foundation: this web pages is designed to offer information and support and to increase awareness of celiac disease.

CeliacSolutions.com: this site reports on the latest research regarding celiac disease.

The Coeliac Society

Celiac Sprue Association : celiacs helping celiacs.

Fondation Quebecoise de la Maladie Coeliaque: the French-Canadian celiac association.

Gluten Intolerance Group, North America

National Institute of Health Celiac Page