If you know a coeliac you should know about the new book: Coeliac Disease & the Gluten Free Diet. It is written by Dr Kim Faulkner-Hogg, a highly respected dietitian who has specialised in this area for most of her long career. This book is not too long. It covers all you want to know if you are wondering if you or a family member has coeliac disease, with the important info on genetics and diagnosis, and why using the diet strictly is a good idea. And it is not too short. It manages to cover gluten containing foods and a table of varying gluten levels in foods, setting up a gluten-free kitchen, take-away suggestions and travelling tips. It is not too detailed, with info on how to read food labels, and on Dermatitis Herpetiformis. But it is not too limited. Much is packed into the 42 pages. It has useful websites, introducing gluten to babies at risk, and a very useful section of various foods you want to know about. It is the book you need as well if you have a gluten free recipe book. It is not too scientific. It explains everything in language everyone can understand. But it is not too simple. It clarifies labelling food gluten free, in Australia and New Zealand, and international food labelling standards. It is written for everyone and for dietitians like me who do not know all the up-to-date detail of coeliac patients. I think this book is just right for you!
Many of my lean food sensitive patients have been checked to see if they have coeliac disease. Some do but many others are just food chemical sensitive, some having wheat sensitivity where they need to be careful to exclude wheat but not to the degree that those with coeliac disease have to. I once attended a conference for people who have coeliac disease and asked for a show of hands for those who were sensitive to other foods, such as high additive foods, or acidy fruit, or cocoa or MSG and quite a few people responded. Where that happens, it is best to concentrate on being gluten free first and then later go through the diet investigation process, which can feel strange. There you are adding on a diet which you have to challenge to see what you can add back in! For those who are food sensitive and eventually find they are coeliac as well this book is the right one to get. Go to www.food4me.net.au to obtain your copy, and to see some recipes for the low chemical diet too.
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