“You have Celiac disease”. When my doctor told me that six months ago, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do, and I surely didn’t know what gluten was. How could I possibly live without bread (gasp)? What is a Celiac disease support group? And why do I need support?

After the shock of that day wore off, I dug in and started researching everything about this disease and living a gluten-free life. I spent countless hours on the internet learning all I could about this condition. My face became one with the computer screen for weeks. It seemed like wheat, rye or barley was in EVERYTHING. But aren’t these foods good for you? For most people, yes, but for someone with Celiac disease they cause “flattening” or “blunting” of the villi in your intestines. Think of your villi as small fingers that reach out and grab minerals and nutrients from the food you eat. When they are blunted, they cannot absorb the nutrients and you become malnourished, which can cause a host of problems with your health. Even the smallest amount of gluten (even a bread crumb) that is consumed can cause blunting. But the good news is, as soon as you make the change to a gluten-free diet, your villi start to heal themselves.

So with all my newfound knowledge I had to rethink everything I did now. I couldn’t just go to a restaurant and order anything off the menu. I had to be careful that what was put on my plate hadn’t come into contact with anything that could contaminate it. Have you ever…

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