Freshly baked crusty bread with a soft, chewy center topped with melted butter.

The sharp, salty comfort of a creamy homemade macaroni & cheese.

The satisfaction of peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat after a morning hike.

If I had a soulmate, its name would be GLUTEN. 

But while the thought of these lovelies sends my heart a’flutter…they send my small intestines a’quivering.

Because when you have celiac disease, gluten might as well be an old Chevy Beauville with “Free Candy” spray-painted on the side.

What is it?

Though it’s confusing for some, celiac disease isn’t a gluten intolerance or a wheat allergy. Rather, it is an autoimmune disorder – which means that exposure to gluten (a family of proteins) causes the body to unleash an attack on itself. And in this case, that attack occurs on the villi in the small intestines.

Think of it this way: it’s like your small intestines are the Great Barrier Reef & gluten is all of humanity.

Now, for the literal folks out there, it’s not an exact comparison, because your insides aren’t actually dying, they’re just being damaged to the point that nutrient absorption is inhibited. It can also cause a domino effect of other autoimmune responses, such as joint inflammation, fatigue, brain fog, migraines, and more.

Normally, those villi are finger-like projections, but when they’re damaged, they become flattened.

For a visual, wiggle your fingers in front of you (palms out). That’s akin to what normal villi would be like. Now bend your fingers in half at the second knuckle & tuck the top half of your fingers in so that your knuckles form a shelf.

That’s essentially what’s happening in celiac disease. Those longer villi become stunted, which eliminates much of the surface area once available for nutrient absorption.

And the resulting damage –  & its circus of side effects – are nothing short of calamitous.

Your body may heal with adherence to a gluten-free diet, but it can take months. And in some cases, symptoms don’t improve. It’s always best to work with a GI specialist to be sure that you’re getting the care you need to heal appropriately and to take the proper steps if it isn’t occurring the way it should.

Being Diagnosed

I still remember the nurse telling me – in a cheerful tone no less –  “you tested positive for celiac!”

I am not exaggerating when I tell you my initial reaction went a little something like this:

I repeated those words several times during that phone call. And I said them in that very tone.

Once it sank in that gluten-free was my new reality, I saw food flashing before my eyes.

Foods that I could never eat again.

From dishes and pastries I loved to junk I hadn’t consumed in 15 years, it was the principle – I couldn’t have them for the rest of my life.

And that left me feeling like….

But finally, I was able to accept reality, even if it still hurt a little.

There’s no cure at present, so if you have it – you’ve got a pal for life.

I was fortunate that given my background in baking & health, I was fairly knowledgeable about the disease as well as gluten-free options. I was also fortunate to know a few folks who could show me a TON of stuff I didn’t know now that I couldn’t afford to screw up.

Though you can find a number of resources online about the disease and what you can or can’t eat, nearly all of them fail to mention the nitty gritty. The seemingly minor things that you may never even consider – but things that will nail you if you don’t take the proper precautions.

In this “Living with Celiac” series, I’ll be sketching out these details in a series of posts, starting here with what to address in your own kitchen so you don’t accidentally “gluten” yourself on the regular without realizing it.

Cleaning House

At first, it may feel overwhelming. This stuff can hide better than Waldo if you’ve spent most of your life enjoying wheat products.

And remember, we’re talking less than 20 parts per million (ppm) to be considered gluten-free and safe for those with celiac disease in a gluten-free item. That means in one 1-ounce slice of gluten-free bread, there could be up to 0.57 milligrams of gluten.

For comparison, the average M&M weighs approximately 1 gram. So  1/1000th of an M&M is 1 milligram. And 0.57 milligrams is a little over half of one milligram.

So take an M&M, divide it into 1,000 pieces, then divide those pieces roughly in half. That’s the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM you could consume in 1-OUNCE of a gluten-free item without eliciting a reaction.

And again, we’re not just talking about some miserable waterfalls – we’re talking damage to your GI system that will set your body back on its route to healing.

That’s why this process is meticulous. Even if it feels frustrating, most of it can be done upfront and not repeatedly. But doing so will help you avoid exposing yourself to something that your body recognizes as an invader – and unfortunately, you can’t afford not to be careful.

First, the obvious…

The first items are easy – get rid of or sequester anything with gluten – that goes for the pantry, fridge & freezer. If you live alone, get rid of it altogether. If you live in a mixed household, determine how you’re going to handle it so that you stay safe.

The people in your family or any roommates need to understand that this is a serious issue, and you absolutely cannot cross-contaminate. They also can’t slip you any gluten to “test you” because they think you’re being dramatic.

Rather, they’ll need to be supportive & stay vigilant so that their behavior doesn’t cost you a setback later on. Along the same lines, you’ll need to be vigilant & understanding as well, because this is a big change not only for you, but for them, too.

Clean all counters, drawers & cabinets in your kitchen

I KNOW, I know…this sounds awful. And I’m not gonna lie, it sucks. But your best option is to take the time to wipe down & clean thoroughly every surface in your kitchen.

Countertops, drawers, cabinets, pantry shelves – you name it.

Assuming that you’ve baked or cooked with wheat flour (remember that all-purpose flour is still wheat flour), chances are it’s landed on various surfaces and in nooks & crannies throughout the years. So it’s better to clean everything to get rid of all the dust & residue you can.

Because even some of those lingering amounts in a bowl you’d put away & subsequently use to make gluten-free pancakes could create a problem.

Again, it might be frustrating, but it should only take a few loads in the dishwasher and maybe a few days if you do it over time because you can’t/don’t want to take a whole day to tackle it. In the process, you also can view it as an opportunity to purge anything that you no longer want or use.

But taking this step will help you start from scratch & eliminate as much potential for future cross-contamination as possible.

Toasters & toaster ovens

This one is easy to overlook. The elements that grip the bread in a traditional toaster are impossible to clean, so there’s really no option but to donate it or ditch it. Or if you live in a shared household, you can declare it the “gluten only” toaster. But if you’re a fan of toast, you’ll need to purchase a separate “gluten-free” toaster to be sure that you stay safe.

For toaster ovens, you have more flexibility. Because there’s a wire rack that you can remove, chances are you may be able to scrub it clean of any residue. You can also put some nonstick aluminum foil on the bottom pan to cover up any potential residue that you can’t clean.

Assuming that you can do so, you should be okay. But if not, then you’ll always need to use a dedicated “gluten-free pan” or consider getting a dedicated gluten-free toaster oven for your items only.

Ditch the double dippers

Consider each & every item that could have been contaminated by double dipping a utensil. Did a knife that once touched bread ever touch that food, whether it was toast, pancakes, French toast, a sandwich, hamburger or hot dog bun, dinner roll, tortilla, etc.?

Often condiments & other jarred items can fit this list because we’ll use a knife to spread butter on toast, then dip the knife back in the butter if we need more after it’s already been up close & personal with the bread (and its devilish crumbs). And that’s where the contamination occurs.

Here are some foods that have potential to cause trouble:

• Mayo
• Mustard
• Relish
• Peanut butter (or other nut butters)
• Butter or margarine
• Jams & jellies
• Fluff
• Honey

And if you’re a baker, it’s not unusual to reuse your measuring cup after you’ve used it to scoop your flour. Even if you only ever use a spoon to spoon it into the measuring cup, did you use the same spoon afterwards in another item? If so, it’s been contaminated & it’s best if you don’t use it. Consider items like:

• White or brown sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Sugar alternatives
• Cocoa and/or cacao powder
• Chocolate chips
• Cornmeal
• Oats (a reminder that oats are not gluten-free anyway)
• Shortening
• Baking soda & baking powder
• Cornstarch
• Herbs or spices
• Canned frosting
• Non-pareils & other decorations (sometimes people toss the leftovers, others keep them)

Mixing bowls, baking pans & cookie racks

You’ll want to be careful here that there are no specks or even small bits of leftover crust on your pans that have seemed impossible to clean. If so, you have two options.

You can either choose not to use them, or if you don’t want to get new ones, BE SURE to use parchment paper & use it carefully so that no part of your food touches the pan.

As for cookie racks, you should be able to clean them with enough elbow grease. But if not, you’ll need to replace them and see to it that some are declared “gluten-free only.”

Metal and glass mixing bowls should only require a thorough cleaning to be rid of any residue or dust that’s settled on them.

Cutting boards & rolling pins

Consider it an issue if you’ve ever rolled out cookies, bread dough, pie dough, or similar treats on your cutting board(s), or if you’ve used them to roll or cut any dough.

If so, be wary of any cuts or scratches your cutting board might have, as those are perfect hiding places for the villainous gluten to be hiding.

As for your rolling pin, chances are you can clean it well enough to re-use. If you don’t feel comfortable with it, or it has scratches, you might want to rehome it or ditch it. Or again, if you live in a home with others, declare it a “gluten only” item.

Pots & pans

You’ve likely used these for pasta, pancakes, French toast, or other gluten items, so be sure they are thoroughly cleaned with NO residue at all before you cook anything for yourself.

If you can’t get rid of the residue, or there are sticky bits on a pot that won’t budge, either get rid of it or declare it gluten-only. Just be sure you know how to keep track of which one is which so there is no confusion about it later on.

Stand mixers, bread machines & food processors

The same rules apply here, especially because some of these gadgets have little nooks & crannies where leftover dough can hide like a sonuvogun.

If you have to scrub it with a wire brush, Q-tip, or something similar, do whatever you can to remove it. Most of these appliances can be pricey, so the last thing you’ll want to do is replace them.

With some patience, elbow grease, and multiple soakings or washings depending upon the item, chances are you’ll be able to clean & keep them.

If not, or if you realize that you don’t use them anyway, now may be a good time to rehome them.

Knife blocks & silverware

Knife blocks are easy to overlook, but they often sit where you do your food prep & they aren’t cleaned often (if ever). As a result, they’re likely hiding flour dust that contains gluten. And that’s not only on the outside, but on the inside as well.

And when the knives go into their resting places, they can come back out with dust that’s ready to contaminate your food.

So it’s best to play it safe, clean your entire knife block, and wipe each knife before you use it just to be careful.

The same goes for your silverware, which includes your in-drawer organizer. It’s best to clean all of it thoroughly so you can start fresh without having to worry about accidentally glutening yourself with a spoon or an old crumb that fell into the drawer.

Potholders & aprons

Though I don’t know many people who wear aprons, some diehard folks still do so. And if you’re one of them, make sure it gets a hefty wash before you do anymore cooking or baking.

And because potholders have been shielding you from pots & pans holding gluten-filled goods, it’s best to give them a solid wash & a fresh start before moving forward.

Your Grill

If you have one, be sure to clean the hell out of it or see if you can replace the racks. Though the meat, veggies, or fruits you grilled were gluten-free, some of the marinades you used likely contained gluten at one point or another (items like soy sauce, for example, contain gluten).

If you can’t clean it – because sometimes that stuff STICKS – be sure that your food sits on nonstick foil or another barrier so you don’t accidentally gluten yourself.

Store gluten items on the bottom shelf

If you share your household & can’t sequester all gluten-filled items in a specific cabinet, make sure they’re on the bottom shelf. That way, when you’re removing them, they won’t drop any crumbs onto the gluten-free items by accident.

The same rule applies to the fridge & freezer.

Be careful about reusing items

Chances are you might like to reuse bags & other items to be less wasteful. But if you’ve saved old bread bags, cereal bags, or mylar snack bags to carry your lunch or to store produce or other foods, you’ll need to be a lot more selective.

Depending upon what you’ve saved, it’s worth throwing out anything that would’ve held a wheat/gluten product. You might be able to wash it thoroughly enough, but in my opinion, it’s not worth the risk.

If you share your household, then others may be able to use them. But for you, be sure to avoid anything with the potential to create a reaction.

And above all else…no more baking with gluten

The days of baking with wheat flour in your kitchen are over. Unless you can find a creative way of keeping the flour contained only in that bowl (a Herculean task if there ever was one), it will end up in the air & subsequently on other items in your kitchen.

And then? Rewind & repeat this list, because you’ll need to clean everything that fine powder could have touched during the several hours that it was lurking in the air.

The bottomline

Remember, when it comes to celiac disease, we’re talking about an irreversible condition that causes physical damage to your body that occurs as a result of being exposed to a barely perceptible amount of gluten.

It’s entirely manageable, but we have to take it seriously in order to thrive.

So as irritating or overwhelming as some of these initial steps might seem, they’re for the benefit of our own short and long-term health. And when it comes down to it, there’s nothing more important than that.

Stay tuned for Part II coming soon, where I’ll discuss some of the annoying places it can hide – including foods you may use to replenish after an adventure or while you’re outdoors.