7/7/07 How do celiacs maintain their gluten free diet while hospitalized? I had time to ponder that question when my wife, who is not celiac, was recuperating from surgery.

  Somehow, this site came up in a conversation between my wife and the hospital dietician. I wish I had been there to hear this first-hand. The dietician mentioned that she had requests for gluten free meals every day and asked for the address of my site. Apparently, she needed information and fully intended to use it, but did not know where to begin.  I don’t know how common this situation is, but it reminded me that I may very well face problems when I am hospitalized.

  I found two or three hospitals on the internet that specifically mention that gluten free meals were available for their patients. I won’t bother reporting my findings: the chance that you live near one of these hospitals is very small, and realistically, one does not choose a hospital because of its cuisine.

  If you are hospitalized for a short period of time, you can always request cream of rice cereal, eggs, salads (no croutons, dressing on the side), tapioca pudding,  or jello. Depending on your medical problem, a friend can easily smuggle in gluten free food bars.

  If you are there long enough to attempt to educate the hospital staff, I recommend “food cards” designed for use in restaurants. Many versions are available. I like the plastic card that’s available from The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG).The GIG also publishes a downloadable “Quick Start Guide for Celiac Disease”. If staff members are interested in digging a little, click on this link to other GIG publications.

Good luck! Stay healthy! E-mail me at  gfceliac@gmail.com if you have had hospital experiences  that should be part of this article.