Gluten Free Carlsberg

 

I have a friend in Denmark and his flat-mate is coeliac.

They have said that doctors say that Carlsberg is gluten-free over there, but others here have raised doubts on this.

Never drunk that sort of lager anyway!

Always was an Adnams man, which has a very low gluten level as do a lot of real ales! Unfortunately, no-one will publish how much!

Now I stick to cider. Aspalls of course as I was conceived in and live in Suffolk!

Sun and Sensitivity

 

We are all at different levels of sensitivity.

After all I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 55 and had eaten bread for those years. Basically the only symptom I had was tiredness and very low B12. But I was fit and healthy in many other ways. I’m not fitter and my real tennis handicap has improved about four points.

So I can as you put it take the odd breadcrumb and not really be bothered. But that still doesn’t mean that I go after them. In fact I now have a totally bread-free diet, preferring to eat potatoes for bulk. (But then I always liked my spuds. Especially, new and plain!)

So I’ve never really had any trouble in PizzaExpress as I stick to the salads, the tuna and beans and the ham and eggs. I can also confirm that they have told me to bring my own base in. To me though, as with bread they’ve gone!

The funniest thing though is that since I’ve been on a gluten-free diet, I have no problem working in the heat or sitting reading in the sun. These are both things I couldn’t do before. I suspect, it was due to some problem with lack of vitamins or something else my body couldn’t absorb.

Save Our Sausages

 

I've just got Tesco's list of their own gluten-free foods. Apparently their Finest Freedom Food premium pork sausages are gluten-free. The only other sausages of their own make that are gluten-free are their own gluten free ones.

I've just checked and these are available online from our Tesco's (Newmarket), which is not anything special. They also have the gluten-free ones on-line. The Freedom Food ones are 1.99 and the others are 1.59!

For us sausages are important, as my wife doesn't like gluten-free ones. Even if they're the famous Musks ones!

So I'm going to get some of the premium ones for supper tonight.

Beer

 

I don't drink beer now, but interestingly I have a friend in Denmark, who has a celiac friend. The doctors there, have told him that he can drink Carlsberg!

I know that modern lagers don't contain anything of note or quality at all, but my e-friend at Adnams reckons that most lagers have a lot more gluten than real beers. I get the impression that Adnams are watching the market for gluten-free beers as well.

Perhaps we should write them nice letters saying how terrible it is that we can no longer drink their excellent product.

How I Was Diagnosed

 

I posted this when I was asked how I was diagnosed.

"Increasingly over the years I’d been getting lethargic and found it difficult to shake off colds and flu.

So I went to the GP and saw a locum, who must have been well into his 70’s. Sharp as a nut though and decided I needed a check over. So he did a blood test and that showed up a shortage of vitamin B12 and other things.

I started the injections for B12, but things didn’t get better, so I was sent to Addenbrokes. They diagnosed it first from a blood test and then confirmed it with a endoscopy.

Since then I’ve felt so much better having cut out bread, beer and pasta. Never touched it since the diagnosis was confirmed.

As I feel so much better, I think there is scope for a book on the positive sides of coeliac being diagnosed. Especially, if like me you are probably not a serious case. After all, I’ve found some truly wonderfully non-PC meals, that are gluten-free, that you can now eat without guilt! Bacon, eggs and beans for a start! I still can’t put on weight easily!"

I've been very surprised at the posts I have received from people who were diagnosed at an older age than me!

UK-Coeliac Group on Yahoo

 

This was the post I put up when I joined the UK-Coeliac Yahoo Group.

"Hello

About six months ago, I was diagnosed as a coeliac. At the age of 56!

I can remember as a child, that my family thought something was wrong, but nothing was every found. They thought I was allergic to eggs.

Interestingly, in the interim period, I've tended to eat lots of potatoes, no puddings, few sauces, pies, lots of liver, meat and fish. I did eat and like bread, but otherwise I was tending the right way! I also tended to drink whisky, wine, bottled Guinness and real beer. Obviously, the latter has now gone, but Adnams tell me that real beer is lower in gluten than mass-produced lager!

In the last six month, I feel about ten years younger. The interesting fact is that my Real Tennis handicap has improved by four points. So not only do I feel better, but I think I've proved it as a Real Tennis handicap is a very sound measure of competence. (It works like a very sophisticated golf handicap, but it is computerised
on a world-wide basis!)

On the other hand, I don't think I'm a particularly serious coeliac, but I do keep to a fairly strict diet.

James Miller

P.S. I put a coeliac diary on my web site at http://www.jamesmiller.com/ for the period of sorting me out!"

Update October 2006

I've been on the group since and would recommend that if you are a coeliac or care for someone who is, then join!