Wheat allergies

[frmikeminn]

A friend saw some of my pictures from a previous Camino and is interested in attempting the trip. She is allergic to wheat. Any thoughts on how challenging it would be for someone with a wheat allergy to walk or bike the camino?

 

[Jorygen]

Hi Michael

Diagnosed as a coeliac in 1998, I had been on a completely wheat-free diet until last year when I completed my first Camino.

Coeliac disease is a condition of being intolerant to gluten (and therefore to wheat) rather than being allergic to it. An important difference, I don't get an immediate reaction to wheat other than a bit of stomach upset - its the long-term effects that are serious.

On the camino (Roncesvalles to Santiago) I found it too hard to remain wheat-free, in fact I gave up and reveled in the hither-to forbidden joys of bread and beer.

There were three reasons for this:
- I know very little Spanish, so I just didn't have the skills to find out what I was eating;
- bocadillos (sandwiches) were often the only readily -available food along the way, especially early in the day;
- I really wanted to experience Spanish life and food, tapas and menu del dia are rarely wheat-free but I could have tried harder.

The result? I was fine for five weeks during the camino but became very sick immediately afterwards. I could barely eat for three weeks and lost about 13.5 kg (just under 30 pounds). Three months later and back on a strict diet, I had fully recovered (although there may be some long-term damage).

So I paid a price for a fantastic experience.

I strongly believe that a determined person with sufficient language skills could complete the camino without breaking their diet. Fruit and vegetables are available in many places but some effort and planning would be required.

The experience hasn't deterred me, my wife and I start our second camino (SJPP to Santiago) in five weeks time. I intend to break my diet again and am fully prepared to pay the price. But I will be a bit more careful and will seek out fruit etc wherever possible. It is generally possible to buy suitable foods for the next days breakfast and lunch, it just takes a bit of time.

Please don't let this deter your friend. I'm sure that she can stay wheat-free if she is prepared to try. The best tool to help her is a good knowledge of Spanish. We found so many wonderful people along the way who were happy and willing to help - just needed to know how to ask.

Buen Camino
John

 

[Mouse]

I also don't eat wheat (no bread, biscuits, cakes!! ) but have decided that when we do our walk I want to enjoy all the food in Spain and try all the tapas etc.

So I'm just going to carry extra tablets and accept that I will have pain but hope that overall the experience is worth it.

 

[sillydoll]

I am an asthmatic and, as a child, was allergic to some pollens, dust mites etc. but grew out of these or just learned to tolerate most of them.
When you walk in a different country, with different seed spores, pollens, dusts, all your allergies can resurface. I recommend to pilgrims that, if they have ever had any allergies, they take antihistamins with them - daytime (so that they don't get drowsy whilst you are walking) and night time.
When I walked the Via Francigena my friend Kathy suffered terribly with swollen eyes, breaking out in hives, sneezing, coughing... until we found a good antihistamin medication and cream for the welts on her arms and legs.
There are more farmacias in Spain than bars (sorry Arn!) so you won't have a problem getting the correct medication.

 

[fiona]

Re: Wheat allergies/celiac/coeliac

I hadn't intended to post on this subject until after my return, but here goes!

I too am coeliac (as is my mother) - I have travelled very successfully in Latin America and she has travelled in Northern Spain, again without problems. She recommends living on tortillas - as she speaks no spanish. I have taught myself menu Spanish. I also use "restaurant cards" - see this site: http://www.celiactravel.com/restaurant-cards.html I print out a couple of sheets of A4 and cut them up into little handouts and actually give one to waiters in restaurants so that they can take them into the kitchen. Used together with a smile and a heartfelt "muchas gracias" they have got me through Chile, Argentina, and Mexico with some absolutely delicious local food, and my enduring gratitude to a bunch of lovely strangers who helped me.

I think it would be perfectly possible to be a (well fed) tourist on the Way, but I'm not convinced that one can be a pilgrim - a tourist demands, a pilgrim is grateful. Just how will I cope with communal meals, a big bowl of pasta, cooked with love, in an Albergue? Add to the mix the hunger (and the desperate need for carbs) that results from a 25 km hike, in a tiny village with no shops, and all the personal "baggage" around the fear of food (which should nurture) being toxic. I think I may learn a lot about myself on this trip.

From my research so far - tortillas are good, safe and widely available (thanks mum!). Skimmed chocolate milk performed better than sports performance drinks for athletes' recovery in a recent research project - so that's breakfast most mornings. Buy it the night before and sip it on the road. (300 calories of protein and carbs). Also, my plan is to do my walking up to about 2pm, have a good lunch as my main meal, either picnic from a shop (plenty of protein from cheese and sausage, carbs from tomatoes and fruit including bananas) or a meal in a cafe with the help of my cards. Also, I can snack on dried fruit and nuts, drink UHT milk if I get hungry and keep a sachet of instant potato in my rucksack for emergency fuel. In this way I hope that even if I can only pick at the salad and drink the vino, I can join in the community of a communal meal or set pilgrim meal in the evenings.

I have also discovered that the paradors pride themselves on having a coeliac menu. Expensive, but perhaps a way to persuade oneself to eat another week of instant potato with the promise of a good meal once a week.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Fiona.

 

[Deirdre]

Hello All,
I mentioned in another posting that I broke my front tooth (off!) at the beginning of my Camino last summer. It was an adventure to eat as I was not only self conscious but acutely careful of both the broken tooth and those around it. I lived on the Spanish "ensalada mixta". I was very slow to eat and found that while my companions ate a full meal I could only eat the (huge) salad portion in the same amount of time. So I even gave up ordering the "pilgrim menu" and just got the salad portion - or gave my main course to one of the guys who could always eat more! The salads were spectacular - including tomato, hard boiled egg, tuna, carrot, cucumber, etc. They were on a huge dinner sized plate and always SO fresh - no matter how small the town! I would suggest that you can do very well with the salads and fruit - I bought a small paring knive and cut up fruit for breakfasts and snacks along the way (grapes are good and plentiful as well!) Although I give you all a great deal of credit! I love my "breads" and pastries and can't imagine having to do without...but I found I couldn't bite into any kind of a bocadillo... so you get creative! But I didn't go hungry!

Buena suerte y buen Camino!

 

[frmikeminn]

Dear Friends: Thank you for the replies to this post. I stand corrected on the allergy/coeliac issue. My friend is indeed a Coeliac and your answers will certainly help her to discern whether she should walk or bike the Camino. I will be seeing her tonight and plan to share your words. She will be grateful.

I am also 5 weeks away from my second Camino and looking forward to the trip with anticipation. Spring is just starting in the part of the world I normally walk and it is good to out again and enjoying the weather. I will be walking a few full days next week so I should get a better feel for how fit and ready I am for the experience. A blessed Camino to all who are walking soon.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Igualmente Michael - and also to you!

Buan Camino

 

[Javier Martin]

I know an spanish coeliac pilgrim who use to walk frequently without any problem.

I'll ask him about any advices for you.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[Javier Martin]

The opinion that I've received about is the next:

Your best option is to provide yourself in the stores diet, with a based salads and vegetables menu.

Salad, roast lamb, rioja wine, peaches in red wine for dessert or curd.

It is best to take with a certain amount of millet, which is done in 20 minutes soup (with leek, celery and onion), which always draws a hurry and fill our stomachs for dinner. It's good for its mineral against muscle fatigue

I hope it helps you,

Buen Camino!!

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[sillydoll]

Spanish Bishop Opts for Almost Gluten-Free Host

HUESCA, Spain, MARCH 19, 2008: A Spanish bishop joined his voice to that of others in the Church who have clarified how to pastorally care for those who cannot consume wheat products, but still want to receive the Eucharist.

Read the article here http://www.Zenit.org

 

[Javier Martin]

Spanish Bishop Opts for Almost Gluten-Free Host

HUESCA, Spain, MARCH 19, 2008: A Spanish bishop joined his voice to that of others in the Church who have clarified how to pastorally care for those who cannot consume wheat products, but still want to receive the Eucharist.

Read the article here http://www.Zenit.org

As something important for coeliac people, the EROSKI supermarkets are often found in the Camino:

http://www.eroski.es/images/home_eng.htm

These are the gluten-free products available in Eroski supermarkets.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

 

[fiona]

An update from the road - on the stretch from Pamplona to Burgos I have found no difficulties at all. eg Bar Basseri in Pamplona advertises a gluten free menu in its window. Breakfast - drinking yogurt, chocolate milk, the ever available tortilla in a bar. Lunch, picnic from a shop, or another tortilla. Dinner- usually the pilgrim menu. safe options include beans (alubias) lentils (lentejas) judias verde (green beans) and for the second course fish or meat "asado" or "a la plancha". Postre - frutas or yogurt.

In albergues with kitchens, i cook risotto for the evening, flavoured with a tin of something - squid in salsa americaine, or en su tinta is good, as is the tinned lentil or bean stew with chunks of meat or chorizo ( but read the labels on those tins as some contain gluten). As rice is heavy, I put enough rice for a single portion in a plastic bag and carry that with me. in albergues where there is a rice mountain - eg 6 bags in one place, I use that instead. When I have needed to buy it, I leave the rest behind. If starting out again, I would bring a couple of bags, no more, of quinoa as it cooks so quickly and for a treat when I can't face rice again.

I also carry a tin of sardines in tomato sauce as an emergency snack, and try to carry a couple of pieces of fruit.

The real challenge is getting enough carbohydratge to fuel the walking- lots of sugar in the morning coffee, bananas, other fruit, choosing paella or beans on a menu whenever available, are all working out just fine. In one place I cooked rice pudding with milk and sugar in the morning - but I had the half hour to do it and that isnt always the case.

Everyone has been very helpful when I've needed it. The celiac condition is known and understood in Spain. In my bad fractured spanish, I point to myself and say "celiaca"; "una cena sin gluten, sin pan, sin harina, sin pasta, sin trigo...por favor" has always worked just fine. In the one albergue where there was a set dinner offered and no restaurant in the village, the hospitalero cooked me an omelette for the main course while everyone else had meatballs in sauce.

Finally - some places with special menus - allegedly all the paradores have a gluten free menu available for all meals. Bar Basseri, in Pamplona. The albergue in Najera has a list of restaurants at the desk and one states that it has a gluten free menu. El Corte Ingles department store - the cafeteria in Bilbao has a gluten free menu of pizza, croquettas, chocolate tart, and gluten free beer. The food shop also sells the standard European range of GF products - cakes, biscuits breads etc.

 

[sillydoll]

Church denies gluten-free communion wafer option to coeliac sufferer

By: thinkSPAIN

The parents of a young coeliac sufferer are appealing against church leaders in Huesca for not allowing their son to celebrate his first communion with a gluten-free wafer using a type of maize corn approved by the Coeliac Association.
In their defence, the parish priest of Santiago Church and the deacon of the Diocesis of Huesca refer to a text written in 1995 by Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who decreed that communion wafers without gluten are "invalid for the sacrament."
The boy's parents also requested that their son be allowed to drink grape juice instead of communion wine on the premise that minors are not allowed to drink alcohol, only to be told that it had to be wine.
Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease of the small bowel that is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea and fatigue and the only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'm also supposedly "allergic to wheat" but miraculously, I found I was perfectly able to eat the wheat bread in Spain! I can only assume that what I'm REALLY allergic to is the chemical preservatives they put in US wheat, perhaps? I don't know.. all I know is I did fine on Spanish wheat.

Otherwise, you can eat nuts, fruit, grains that are not wheat along the camino easily.

 

[sillydoll]

You are following in an age old tradition! In the middle ages, many poor communities in France and Spain became ill from eating moldy rye and wheat and developed 'St Anthony's Fire' (ergot poisoning) which resulted in hallucinations, heart disease, gangrene in their hands and feet. After spending some time with the monks at St Anton's Monastery in Spain they recovered and could continue their journey. It is now known that the rye and wheat in Spain was not affected and this is what contributed to their recovery.
It is also thought that the blue Tau (T shape) on the vestments of the St Anton monks represented a crutch as many pilgrims with ergot poisoning lost lower limbs and had to walk with crutches.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Hahaha Sillydoll! That is awesome information!
Thanks!

 

[Annaliese&Maarten]

I was living in Italy before I began the pilgrimage in 2006, and that is where I discovered I was coeliac! Where else!!! Anyway, I had not yet lost the 10kg of weight I had put on - majority of which was fluid from my swollen body - from eating gluten rich Italian meals...

As I was new at the whole coeliac disease "game", I could only find a very very small number of restaurants who new what it was. I asked for everything Sin Glutin, and every now and then I was ok. The menu del dia for the pilgrims, normally consist of bread, soup, meat/chips & salad as well as desert and I will never forget the carafes of vino tinto!!! Of course I didn't touch the bread, sometimes the soup if I could clarify there was no wheat thickeners used and I would avoid the desert as I was also lactose intolerant at the time!

So basically I ate the meat, sometimes the chips and if they hadn't yet added the dressing, the salad! (Gluten is in Vinegar too).

Breakfast was even harder as I had to search out a place that did tortilla sin leche, or without milk! Everyone sold tostadas (toast) so just the smell in the end was enough to send me off with another painful belly.

Dinner was when I could really cook up a storm - poor maarten had to carry all the ingredients on his back! There are kitchens in a lot of alburgues, but if there isn't one where you are planning on staying, then I suggest eating a bigger lunch or risk eating whatever you get when you are tired and hungry! And remember it's lights out at 8 in lots of places so that also makes hunting for your meals a little harder too.
Great thing is, I ended up losing the 10kgs of weight, but also the taste for scrambled eggs!!!

 

[trueheart]

Hi I'm Therese from Sydney, Australia; Im going to walk the camino francais in early July, and have Gluten and dairy intolerances, it was very good to read all the comments so far, but I am a bit concerned as I am pretty thin already that I may loose more weight, as I get sick if I eat these foods. Is it possible to eat something substantial for breakfast & lunch while on this camino if I dont eat gluten & dairy; if not is it easy to get rice cakes (thats what they are called in australia) and tins of tuna at most supermarkets in Spain. As I am also small I dint want to have to carry too much food with me. I'm also a bit scared as Ive never been on a forum before and this is all new to me.

 

[sillydoll]

Hi Therese - and welcome to the Forum. This is just like a big friendly, cyber-albergue and you can ask any questions you like. You might get 10 differenct replies but you'll get the answer you need eventually!
There is another thread here with the heading 'celiac' disease. Click on this link to read all the posts on this topic.
medical-issues-on-the-pilgrimage/topic3750.html

If there are other subjects you'd like to research, scroll down to the end of this page where it says:

Camino de Santiago Search:
and type in a word that you want to look up. Chances are it has been discussed before and your answer might be there.

Good luck!

 

[trueheart]

Thank you so much for your help, Ill try that, I think I'm going to learn a lot from going on this pilgrimage, I can feel it already,

From Therese

 

[sillydoll]

Wheat allergies and Coeliacs

This year, SANTIAGO TAPAS, the tapas competition held in Santiago de Compostela, has decided to demonstrate its commitment to people suffering from gluten intolerance with the inclusion of 10 gluten-free tapas from different eateries in this year’s edition of the event. The tapas in question were evaluated by the Galician Association of Coeliacs (Acega), which has collaborated actively in the competition’s organization.

The gluten-free tapas include “Zamburiña con repinaldo frapé e jamón de A Cañiza”, “Ravioli de repollo y gallina”, “Ensalada de mango con pollo marinado” and “Milhojas de verduritas al celahu”. Both the tapas and the eateries where they can be ordered are identified by a special symbol in the “Tapasport”, a booklet containing the 109 tapas and the 56 eateries/tapas bars participating in the competition, as well as the different tapa trails or “(é)tapas” in which they are included.

In the words of Isabel Capdevila, manager of Acega: “On behalf of all coeliacs, we are delighted to be able to participate for the first time in SANTIAGO(é)TAPAS. Thanks to this initiative, coeliacs feel integrated in society and this helps make our daily life more tolerable.”

The importance of this problem is reflected in the number of coeliacs in Acega’s census: 1,900 in Galicia, and 306 in the city of Santiago and its county. During the competition, scheduled to be held from 11 June-4 July, locals and visitors from abroad with gluten intolerance will be able to participate for the first time in SANTIAGO(é)TAPAS.

For further information, ring Isabel Capdevila, manager of Acega, on +34 690 711 834.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi I'm Therese from Sydney, Australia; Im going to walk the camino francais in early July, and have Gluten and dairy intolerances, ............... I dont want to have to carry too much food with me. I'm also a bit scared as Ive never been on a forum before and this is all new to me.

Hi Therese, I have sent you a PM, just click on the new message link near the top of the page to read it.
Hope you enjoy the forum, we were new to forums too but it is really helpful - and easy once you get the hang of it.
Have a great Camino
Tia Valeria

 

[notion900]

I always carry a little bag of almonds with me as an emergency food supply. You can easily cope with a missed meal as they are so filling and nutritious.

 

[julianeb]

I have 2 grown sons who are both on the gluten free diet. One is diagnosed with celiac disease; the other had symptoms but did not test positive for true celiac, but is on the diet and has been in great health. I have been their personal chef for 11 years now, so I know the ins and outs of eating GF, including travel in England and France.

I was shocked by the responses above, of people who are diagnosed with celiac disease PURPOSELY going off the diet in order to "experience the cuisine" of the area! This will certainly cause intestinal damage, even if no symptoms show up immediately. Worst case scenario, you could end up having to cut your experience short and even end up in the hospital from diarrhea/dehydration! Why would anyone choose to make themselves ill when it is not necessary? If that person is not very young, you could be doing permanent damage to your body which may leave you more susceptible to other auto-immune diseases in the future - things like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease - that have no cure.

I understand the camino is a wonderful experience. I understand the inconvenience of having to try and communicate your needs, and having to plan instead of leaving things to chance. What I DO NOT understand is people deliberately choosing to sabotage their own health, just so they can pretend to be like everyone else. Would a diabetic decide to just skip his/her insulation for 2 mos. in order to eat whatever they wanted? Celiac disease is not an optional condition - the body reacts to any quantity of gluten, even if no immediate symptoms appear. And if the symptoms DO appear, having pain, diarrhea, vomiting, cramping, etc. on a trail in the middle of nowhere sounds like torture to me. :shock:

OK, enough lecturing from me. Please take your health conditions SERIOUSLY and don't play around with your immune system!!!

 

[julianeb]

Church denies gluten-free communion wafer option to coeliac sufferer

By: thinkSPAIN

The parents of a young coeliac sufferer are appealing against church leaders in Huesca for not allowing their son to celebrate his first communion with a gluten-free wafer using a type of maize corn approved by the Coeliac Association.
In their defence, the parish priest of Santiago Church and the deacon of the Diocesis of Huesca refer to a text written in 1995 by Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who decreed that communion wafers without gluten are "invalid for the sacrament."
The boy's parents also requested that their son be allowed to drink grape juice instead of communion wine on the premise that minors are not allowed to drink alcohol, only to be told that it had to be wine.
Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease of the small bowel that is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea and fatigue and the only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.

For Catholics with celiac disease who want to receive on the camino - there is a very very low gluten host available in the US, that has been certified as being valid matter. At least, that is true here - Not sure if the very rural churches in France and Spain would consider it to be valid. It does have enough wheat to be considered valid matter, but it has been tested as below the threshold for any reaction by celiacs. My sons receive by the chalice here at home, but some churches do not offer the chalice to the congregation, so that is a challenge. In that case, they do not receive.

Here is the website of the low-gluten hosts made by a group of nuns in Missouri. You can order them on the website. It took years of trying to make these and at one point, they had given up. Truly the work of the Holy Spirit.

http://www.altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php

 

[yellowshoes55]

Lactose allergies/intolerance

Hi.

I am also new to the forum. I have read heaps of forums. Hubby & I are planning to do the Camino May, 2014.

I am lactose intolerant. I will bring 1litre of Zymil UHT (lactose free) for a daily coffee. I can use Lacteeze tablets, but they are very hit and miss. Much prefer, if available, fresh milk. Can anyone tell me if Lactose free milk is readily available in Spain. What name would it be labelled as.

Of course, I am able to consume all the local cheese except the very soft ones. But limits other things I can eat - no cakes as they usually made on milk or have cream in them. Dark chocolate only.

Love the forums and sillydoll's replys.

 

[sillydoll]

Gluten intolerance/celiacs
You need carbohydrates to walk for weeks so carry and cook lentils, rice and potatoes in the albergues. Eat tortillas, sausage, fish and lots of fruit and nuts.

Eroski supermarkets stock gluten-free products. http://www.eroski.es

If you need a gluten-free meal in a restaurant, print out a few of sheets of these gluten-free cards to give to waiters and store keepers.
http://www.celiactravel.com/gluten-free ... anish.html

 

[yellowshoes55]

Lactose allergies/intolerance

I could not find a thread about Lactose Intolerance.

I am not Gluten intolerant, but Lactose or diary intolerant. Assuming sillydoll's last response was for my previous post.

 

[sillydoll]

Oh Yellowshoes - I apologise!
The advice was for gluten intolerance. Perhaps you could amend the wording on the card and adapt it for lactose intolerance? I'm sure they would be very useful.

 

[yellowshoes55]

Lactose allergy/intolerance

Perhaps I should start a new topic - might be easier.

 

[godslamb]

I was wondering, since there is a larger awareness of celiacs, if it's becoming easier for someone with this disease. Knowing that there are meals out there that are gluten-free without too much frustration will bring more peace of mind.