A gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease. It may not be as difficult to follow as you think. Dr Irene has given some starter ideas in her newsletter "Tidbits", which we reproduce here.

The Gluten-Free Diet

Irene Berman-Levine, PhD, RD
October 15, 2004

This is the tenth article we've published by Dr Irene Berman-Levine. It's taken from one of her newsletters, "Dr Irene's Nutrition Tidbits", and continues with the theme: celiac disease. You can subscribe to this newsletter by clicking on: http://www.healthandage.org/Home/gm=22 Robert Griffith, Editor.

Following a gluten-free (GF) diet can be challenging. Fortunately there are many foods that are naturally gluten-free, including plain meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, milk, yogurt, cheese, fruits, and vegetables, as well as gluten-free grain alternatives such as rice, wild rice, amaranth, flax, quinoa, sorghum and teff that can be consumed in a variety of ways. Here are some sample meal plan ideas taken from dietitian Shelley Case's "Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide" (see first link below).

Breakfast:
Cooked cereal (cream of brown rice, cream of buckwheat, or cornmeal) with ground flax, chopped apricots or raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar and milk or milk substitute
GF freezer waffle (e.g. Van's GF toaster waffles), strawberries or blueberries, syrup and a glass of milk
GF bagel with peanut butter, sliced bananas and yogurt
Omelet with veggies and cheese, leftover fried potatoes and juice

Lunch:
Spinach salad with sunflower seeds, chickpeas, feta cheese, and strawberries, GF rice crackers
Stuffed baked potato (cheese and ham or broccoli and cheese) and glass of fruit juice
Stir-fry with meat, seafood or chicken, Chinese veggies, sauce made from GF soy sauce and tapioca (or corn starch), brown rice topped with sesame seeds and toasted almonds
Tuna or salmon on mixed greens, GF pureed vegetable soup (e.g., carrot, squash, potato) with grated cheese

Dinner:
Steak, baked potato with butter and chives, coleslaw and fresh fruit salad
Homemade chili con carne, GF cornbread, raw veggies and ice cream or sorbet
Beef, chicken or seafood kabobs, brown rice pilaf with nuts and dried fruit and stir fry veggies
Roast pork with applesauce, mashed potatoes and gravy (thickened with GF starch) and vegetables
Hamburger patty or grilled chicken breast, tossed salad with GF dressing, corn on the cob, watermelon

Source

• I Berman-Levine PhD, RD. "Dr Irene's Nutrition Tidbits" Newsletter published by HealthandAge.com. Volume V Issue No 17, July 2004.

Related Links
Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide
Undiagnosed Celiac Disease
Celiac Disease Foundation
NIH: Celiac Disease