Self-Care at Home

For the most part, successful control of celiac sprue consists of what happens at home to modify diet and to select foods that can be eaten. Many resources are available to assist a person with choosing appropriate foods and modifying recipes to work within his or her diet (see For More Information).

Food labels should be read carefully. Wheat and rye flours, barley, and oats are common ingredients in many products. Many products a person would not suspect contain flour, such as salad dressings. In addition, barley is used in the brewing process of beer. The following substitutions may be tried:

• Rice flour and bread made with rice flour may be found at local specialty grocery stores.
  
  
• Cornstarch may be substituted for thickening sauces or gravies.
  
  
• Sorghum may also be substituted.