Dr. Paul Deglmann
Meghan Feir Walker
As anyone with celiac disease knows, every day requires more than simply avoiding certain foods. Getting and staying healthy requires a consistent, intentional approach to daily habits that support your gut, energy, and overall well-being. A thoughtful approach to celiac disease self-care helps reduce symptoms, protect long-term health, and make gluten-free living feel more sustainable.
At its core, self-care for celiac disease is about awareness, consistency, and nourishment. Small, daily decisions—what you eat, how you prepare your food, how you manage stress—can have a meaningful impact over time. When done well, these habits help restore balance in the gut and support the body’s ability to function at its best.
Key Takeaways:
- Celiac disease self-care focuses on strictly avoiding gluten while supporting digestion, energy, and overall wellness through daily habits.
- Even small amounts of gluten can disrupt balance, so consistency and avoiding cross-contamination are essential.
- Simple food swaps and whole, nutrient-dense meals can make gluten-free living easier and more sustainable.
- Rest, hydration, and gentle foods can help support the body during occasional digestive discomfort.
- Some patients with celiac disease also react to other grains such as corn, oats, rice, etc.
Understanding Celiac Disease and Your Body
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system reacts to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, spelt, and rye. When gluten is consumed, it triggers inflammation in the small intestine, damaging the intestinal lining and impairing nutrient absorption.
This connection between gut health and nutrient absorption is critical. When the gut lining is compromised, the body may struggle to absorb essential vitamins and minerals, which can lead to fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, other immune imbalances, and more.
This is why ongoing celiac disease self-care matters. It’s not just about avoiding symptoms in the moment. It’s about protecting the integrity of the gut and supporting long-term health. Consistent habits help reduce inflammation, improve nutrient absorption, and create a more stable internal environment.
Who Can Develop Celiac Disease?
When it boils down to it, celiac disease is largely a genetic disease. The two genes most associated with celiac are HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, and roughly 30-40% of the population carries at least one of these genes. However, only about 3% of that segment of the population go on to actually develop celiac.
While some people don’t develop celiac disease until later in life, those who develop true celiac disease carry at least one or both of these genes. Developing celiac disease can be triggered by various factors, including other autoimmune issues, chemical exposure, exposure to gluten, etc., turning on this gene expression.
HLA-DQ2.5 is the gene found in about 90-95% of celiac patients.
HLA-DQ8 is the gene found in about 5-10% of celiac patients.
HLA-DQ2.2 is the gene least likely to cause celiac. It’s found in only 1% of celiac patients.
That being said, many people have developed non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), which closely resembles the symptoms of celiac disease.
What Foods Should Celiacs Avoid?
The primary sources of gluten include:
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
However, gluten often shows up in less obvious places and can go by many names. Processed foods, sauces, dressings, and even supplements can contain hidden gluten. Unexpected exposures are often the cause of lingering symptoms.
In addition to the basic names listed above, keep an eye out for the following ingredient names in foods, beauty products, and more.
Wheat Derivatives
Any ingredient derived from wheat almost always contains gluten.
The following products always contain gluten, unless otherwise specified (e.g., gluten-free panko):
- Various types of wheat include durum, einkorn, emmer, farro, kamut, khorasan, semolina, spelt, and wheatberries
- Milled wheat products include bulgur, couscous, farina, graham flour, matzo, panko, and seitan
- Concentrated forms of wheat are often called hydrolyzed wheat protein, wheat bran, wheat germ, and wheat starch
Please note: Some certified gluten-free products still contain wheat, so if you have an issue with wheat, in addition to the gluten it usually contains, please be mindful of this.
Barley and Rye Derivatives
Barley and rye derivatives most often go by the following names:
- Various forms of Barley, including barley malt, pearl barley, malted barley flour, and brewer's yeast
- Various forms of rye, including rye flour, rye bread, Secale cereale (the scientific name)
Additives
Look out for gluten-containing ingredients as thickeners. Some of the most common gluten-containing thickeners and additives include malt products, such as:
- Malt extract
- Malt syrup
- Malt flavoring
- Malt vinegar
Modified food starch or dextrin can also be derived from wheat. However, if it’s from corn/tapioca, it’s free of gluten.
Wheat Aliases: The Scientific/Latin Names for Gluten-Containing Grains
Manufacturers, especially in beauty products, will sometimes list the scientific names of ingredients. This includes grains. This is a list of the most common terms. However, please look up more detailed lists of possible names for wheat, other grains, and their derivatives.
- Wheat: Triticum vulgare, Triticum spelta
- Barley: Hordeum vulgare
- Rye: Secale cereale
- Hybrid Grain: Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
While food labels are required by the FDA to state whether or not a product contains wheat, companies are not required to state whether it contains barley or rye, so reading ingredient labels is a must.
Certifications like the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) mean the product meets the legal ≤ 20 ppm of gluten, which is supposed to be safe for most celiacs.
Choose Naturally Gluten-Free Foods
A key part of self-care is learning to read labels carefully and choosing foods that are naturally gluten-free whenever possible, such as:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits
- High-quality proteins (grass-fed meats, poultry, wild-caught fish; be wary of flavorings and other additives injected into the meat; try to buy meat where it is the only ingredient)
- Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, tallow)
The more you shift toward whole, unprocessed foods, the easier it becomes to reduce risk and support your gut.
Simple Gluten-Free Swaps for Everyday Eating
One of the most practical aspects of celiac disease self-care is making simple, sustainable food swaps. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Small changes can make a big difference.
Planning ahead is key to making sure you aren’t hungry and staying the course. Keeping whole foods and gluten-free alternatives stocked at home helps reduce the temptation to “just grab something quick” that may not be safe.
If you’re looking for more guidance on structuring your diet, explore additional strategies.
Gluten-Free Alternatives:
| Gluten-Containing Food | Better Alternative |
| Wheat bread | Almond flour or gluten-free bread |
| Pasta | Rice, quinoa, or lentil pasta |
| Soy sauce | Tamari or coconut aminos |
| Cereals | Certified gluten-free oats or grain-free options |
These swaps allow you to maintain variety while staying consistent with your dietary needs. However, it’s important to note that some celiacs also have issues with the structure of oats, corn, rice, and other “gluten-free” grains.
Why do some people have to stay away from all grains?
Some celiacs also have issues with oats, corn, rice, and other “gluten-free” grains because all grains technically contain a type of gluten/prolamins. It’s just a different type from one grain to the next, but they are all structured similarly. The types of gluten that standard “gluten-free” food doesn’t contain are the types of gluten found in wheat (gliadin), rye (secalinin), and barley (hordein).
Those with celiac disease react to the gluten/prolamins found in these grains, which are resistant to digestive enzymes. When these proteins can’t be broken down correctly, the undigested fragments can cause autoimmune responses in the small intestine.
While many celiacs seem to handle other types of gluten without major effects, if you have celiac and you’ve adopted a strict gluten-free diet, yet you still don’t feel better, you should consider eliminating all grains to see if it makes a difference.
| Grain | Type of Gluten |
| Wheat | Gliadin |
| Barley | Hordein |
| Rye | Secalinin |
| Oats | Avenin |
| Millet | Panicin |
| Corn | Zien |
| Rice | Orzenin |
| Sorghum | Kafirin |
| Teff | Penniseiten |
We don’t encourage most of our patients to continue eating grains. We’ve found, for most people, that staying grain-free lowers inflammation and alleviates many contributing problems in the digestive tract.
How Strict Do Celiacs Have to Be?
When it comes to celiac disease, strictness is not optional. It’s essential.
Even small amounts of gluten can trigger an immune response and cause intestinal damage, even if symptoms aren’t immediately noticeable. This is why avoiding cross-contamination (or cross-contact) is such an important part of celiac disease self-care.
Simple habits to reduce exposure include:
- Using separate toasters, cutting boards, and utensils
- Avoiding shared condiments, like butter, mayo, jam, or peanut butter jars
- Asking detailed questions when dining out about their prep and cooking areas, and if they take measures to avoid cross-contamination
- Being cautious with bulk bins and shared food preparation areas
- Avoiding products that say they’re manufactured on shared equipment with wheat
Consistency is what heals and protects your gut over time.
How to Calm Down a Celiac Flare-Up; What to Do When You’ve Been “Glutened”
Despite best efforts, accidental exposure can happen. When it does, the focus shifts to supporting the body as it recovers.
Helpful strategies include:
- Taking a binder like activated charcoal (with plenty of water) to help detox the body faster
- Prioritizing rest to allow the body to heal
- Staying well-hydrated
- Eating simple, easy-to-digest foods (like broths, cooked vegetables, and lean proteins)
- Reducing stress and prioritizing sleep
These steps don’t undo exposure, but they can help the body recover more efficiently and reduce the intensity of symptoms.
Supporting Gut Health and Long-Term Balance
Beyond avoiding gluten, long-term celiac disease self-care is about rebuilding and maintaining a healthy gut environment.
This includes:
- Eating nutrient-dense foods to replenish deficiencies
- Supporting digestion with balanced meals and proper meal timing
- Managing stress, which plays a direct role in gut function
- Prioritizing sleep and recovery
Over time, these habits can improve energy, resilience, and overall quality of life.
It’s also important to note that many people with celiac disease are simultaneously dealing with other gut issues, such as candida overgrowth, bacterial overgrowth, or low digestive enzyme output. This can be another reason why dietary adjustments alone haven’t helped you get completely better.
For a deeper look at how gut health impacts your overall wellness, visit our gut health page and gut health blog.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’re looking for personalized guidance, testing, and a structured plan tailored to your needs, we can help. With the right approach, celiac disease self-care becomes less overwhelming and more empowering.
Are you ready to improve your gut health? Schedule your free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Paul’s team today.
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