And as time has progressed that has become more and more easy. Because years ago gluten free alternatives were very few and far between and what gluten free food were available were, let's face it, not very palatable.
Gluten free breads that were heavy and seemed to be somewhat stale even when they were fresh and gluten free pastry items, if available, seemed to be made out of a mixture of cardboard and dust. They were crunchy, but not in a good way.
But that was then and this is now! Now things are vastly different and many gluten free foods and ingredients are just as good as their gluten-rich counterparts. And every supermarket and heath food retailer, plus other establishments like delicatessens, farm shops, some convenience stores, etc have "free from" sections on their shelves.
And this change has come about in no small measure due to the hard work and dedication of Coeliac UK over the past half century.
It is a registered charity that is dedicated to helping people who need to live gluten free. They work alongside healthcare professionals to improve the recognition and diagnosis of coeliac disease, then the care people with the condition receive after diagnosis.
They also work with the food industry to drive improvements in safety, choice and availability of gluten free food, so people on a gluten free diet can safely manage their diet, no matter where they are.
They work with a lively and dedicated research community to keep growing the knowledge and understanding of coeliac disease and gluten. And we push to see that knowledge used to drive improvements in treatment, food products and other ways to make living with coeliac disease easier until, one day, there will be a cure.
They also work with Government agencies and policy makers at home and abroad to make sure safeguards and legislation in place to aid people living gluten free is clear and easy to understand.
To learn more visit https://www.coeliac.org.uk
