New To Gluten-free?

If you are new to the GF diet, you have a few things to learn.
This is a transition from something familiar and easy, to something that requires time, patience and focus - which is sometimes frustrating, but ALWAYS worth the hassle! 

You will eat well! You are not condemned to a diet that tastes like cardboard. "Gluten-free cuisine" can be gourmet and organic - delicious and nutritious.

Once you have things figured out, it's all a matter of being efficient.
This is about following a few basics and paying attention to what you eat. And you are not alone - Don't forget that there is a lot of support out here when you need it.  

Have no fear! It's not rocket science, and it will quickly become a way of life. 
Tips

There are 3 quick issues when you find out that you have celiac.
Food - Health - Family members.

There are 3 main steps in adjusting your lifestyle to this diet. 
Learn - Buy - Cook.

~   ~   ~ 

Food & Food Lists 
- What should I know and do to eat safely? What can I eat (and not eat)
today? Find safe foods and what foods to avoid! Food Lists
Later: Your personal preferences- at home, dining out and more. 

Health 
First steps to becoming healthy: Food, medicine, facts about your health. 
About Medications 
Follow-up: Health follow-up: today, this year, future.

Family Members
Everyone in the family potentially has this inherited condition and should be tested, even if no symptoms are evident. 
Follow-up: Be persistent! This disease can affect families in many ways: depression, temperament, judgment, behavioral or learning problems, work or financial issues.

For newsletter, support, new products, and answers to questions, become a member of Celiac Disease Foundation.

Other valuable, informative  sites / references:
Columbia Celiac Disease Center, NFCA, Gluten Intolerance Group

~   ~   ~ 

1-Learn 
1. Safe / Not Safe Foods 
2. How to read labels
3. Where to buy food 
4. How to prepare safe food (cross-contamination, cooking near gluten)

HINTS
* Figure out which food you already eat that is GF.
* Use Food Lists to find new GF foods- books & magazines, websites.

2-Buy
1. Order online. 
2. Supermarkets - Ask a manager for the Gluten-free section. 
3. Shopping Aids: 
Use online food guides, books, magazines. 
Bookstores - books, cookbooks, magazines. Browse for free! 

HINTS
* Get a book or list to bring to the supermarket.
* Use the gluten-free websites to know about products you can find (or ask for) locally.  * Always use recent lists. Manufacturers do change ingredients.

3-Cook  
1. Cookbooks and recipes: Internet and bookstores. 
(Recipes can be found on most celiac health web sites, newsletters, gluten-free product web sites, and even Food magazines and web sites.)

2. Cross-contamination: If you share a kitchen that is not gluten-free, take precautions for safe food preparation and storage. For example, some equipment cannot not be shared safely. Take steps to make sure everyone understands.

3. Prepare and eat simple food at first and take no risks, adapt carefully, add items into your diet one at a time. Skip long, complicated lists of ingredients. The idea is to include only safe foods. 
4. Adapting recipes - works for some and not for others.