One of the biggest decisions people face when they're newly diagnosed -- and may face again as they learn how to be completely gluten-free -- is the question of whether or not they should share a kitchen with people who eat gluten.

In some cases, you may not have a choice -- your family may decline to go gluten-free with you, or you may have roommates who (quite reasonably) want their own food.

However, not everyone can make a shared kitchen work. Whether you can or not will depend on your level of sensitivity to trace gluten, plus the willingness of everyone involved to pitch in.

To guide you through that decision -- and ultimately set up a shared kitchen if that's what you decide to do -- I've written two articles:

Can You Successfully Share A Kitchen? and
How To Set Up A Shared Kitchen

In them, I detail the potential benefits and pitfalls to sharing a kitchen, plus how to set up a shared kitchen so it has the least chance of glutening you. Hopefully, this information will help you as you and your family members decide how to approach the question of whether to share a kitchen.

Don't forget to nominate your favorite gluten-free bread, pasta, cookies, restaurants and more in the 2012 About.com Gluten-Free Readers Choice Awards!

Photo © Getty Images/Digital Vision

I really thought when I launched the 2012 About.com Gluten-Free Readers' Choice Awards last week that I'd get hundreds of nominations for best gluten-free restaurant chain. After all, many of us love going out to eat -- and have restaurant chains we visit again and again because they can serve gluten-free meals.

Well, it hasn't turned out that way. Yes, I've got a bunch of nominations, but nothing like the hundreds I was expecting.

So I'm asking you, my readers: If you have a gluten-free restaurant chain you really like, please share by nominating it for the award! I really want the award to highlight the best of the best -- identifying the top choices will help us all figure out where to eat and what products to buy. To nominate a gluten-free restaurant chain (or a gluten-free bread, bread mix, cookie, pasta or frozen pizza) visit the 2012 Gluten-Free Readers' Choice Awards homepage.

Keep up with the latest in the celiac/gluten intolerant world -- sign up for my newsletter, connect with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter - @AboutGlutenFree.

There's no doubt that navigating the gluten-free diet can be ridiculously tricky, especially once you venture beyond foods specifically labeled "gluten-free." And there's also no doubt that "mystery glutenings" can be frequent occurrences, especially if you're particularly sensitive to gluten.

That's why I've pulled together this gluten-free food list. It's not intended to take the place of label-reading or contacting the manufacturer, but it does provide tips on what you may want to rule out from the start, and on what foods are very likely to be safe ... despite urban myths saying they may have gluten in them.

I'm hoping this extensive list helps you navigate the aisles of your local supermarket a little more easily, and with a little less stress, too.

Keep up with the latest in the celiac/gluten intolerant world -- sign up for my newsletter, connect with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter - @AboutGlutenFree.

Photo © Jane M. Anderson

Men aren't diagnosed with celiac disease anywhere nearly as often as women, but that doesn't make celiac only a woman's health issue. Men are only slightly less prone than women to getting celiac ... but many men tend to seek medical care only when they can't ignore their symptoms any longer, whereas women tend to get help sooner.

In addition, doctors seem less likely to diagnose celiac in men than in women; it's usually the men with classic symptoms who get diagnosed. Still, the most common celiac disease symptoms in men differ from those symptoms most commonly found in women -- while women have infertility and reproductive problems, men tend to have reflux and dermatitis herpetiformis.

Few studies have been done on celiac disease specifically in men; I've summarized what's known in this article: Celiac Disease Symptoms in Men. Nonetheless, there's clearly plenty more research to be done in this area ... and plenty more men (and women, and children) to be diagnosed.

Keep up with the latest in the celiac/gluten intolerant world -- sign up for my newsletter, connect with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter - @AboutGlutenFree.