People who suffer from celiac disease might feel alone and unable to participate in such everyday activities as going out to eat. Try as they may, friends and family simply might not be able to understand or relate to the symptoms caused by celiac disease or the steps people living with celiac disease must take to curb symptoms.

Support groups are a helpful way for people living with celiac disease to connect. Being able to talk to someone who is experiencing similar symptoms can be invaluable and can help people cope. In addition, support groups allow people to talk about effective celiac disease treatments.To find a support group near you, talk to your doctor. You can also use the Internet to search for a celiac support group in your community. Online support groups also exist.

[youtube gC3tL4uvpAY]

People living with celiac disease will need to make changes to their diet. Generally, people with celiac disease will need to follow a gluten-free diet.To avoid gluten, you should remove all gluten-containing foods from your diet. The following all contain gluten:

• Grains
• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley

In addition, people might want to avoid oats and quinoa, as these foods are usually processed in facilities that process gluten-containing foods. On a gluten-free diet, you can still enjoy the following:

• Fresh meats and poultry
• Fresh fish
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Potatoes
• Rice.

You can also incorporate gluten-free flours into your diet. These include soy, corn, potato and rice flours.

(photo credit: quinn.anya)