Use Your Resources

Ok ok, sorry about yesterday's grumpy post.  In my first post I said the pity parties were getting less, not gone completely.

Today I want to mention a few useful resources.  I feel pretty dorky doing this, because it means admitting how into the whole gluten free thing I got, but that's ok.

Gluten Free Girl.  Read her blog, read her book.  Shauna helped me to realize life was going to be ok.

I joined the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group.  I've met some nice people and gone to some cool events like a grain tasting and a dance show with a gluten free reception.

Erin leads the Meetup Group and also writes this blog: Gluten Free Fun.  The blog has a map of gluten free restaurants in NYC as well as recipes and different activities going on in the gluten free community.

A surprising source of valuable information has been from people I know that I had no idea were gluten free.  Several acquaintances wrote me really long and thoughtful emails with information and tips on being gluten free.  My favorite comment was from a woman I went to college with:


"People will forget that you can't eat like them. Every day. All the time. Your brother, your friends, your family. They will keep forgetting. Even in the SAME CONVERSATION people forget. They will offer you cookies, crackers, muffins. And when you remind them they will apologize profusely."

This is true.  Six months after being diagnosed, my brother, who I see at least once a week, continues to offer me food with gluten.  Oh well.

My suggestion for getting this word of mouth information is to complain a lot about being gluten free.  Then everyone will know and people you had no idea were gluten free will tell you all sorts of useful information.  I got countless product tips from people.  This was helpful because I had no idea where to start.  And the sad truth is a lot of gluten free products suck, so having some pointers was great (although some of those products sucked too...).

I also subscribed to Gluten Free Living.  It's a quarterly magazine that has a lot of great articles and I like looking at all the different advertisements to get more product ideas.

There are lots of gluten free cookbooks.  My mom bought me three on Amazon the day I got diagnosed.  I'm not going to suggest any because I don't feel like it.

There are also hundreds of other gluten free blogs to read.  Hence the name "Another Gluten Free Blog".  I already mentioned my two favorite, but there are a lot of other good ones with recipes and useful information.  As well as a lot of useless information.

Ok I'm going to go drink some hot cocoa now - Swiss Miss is gluten free.