Going without gluten isn’t easy, but Mattapoisett’s Gluten Free Group is here to help.

Started in 2014 by Noi Sabal-Louden, the group offers support for those trying to figure out how to eat without wheat in a society built on bread.

“The number one thing is just knowing that you’re not alone because it can be really isolating,” said Sabal-Louden. “So much of our society is based around breaking bread together and when you can’t eat the bread…”

Eight years ago the Mattapoisett resident was diagnosed with celiac disease, a genetic gluten intolerance. As someone particularly sensitive to even a spec of gluten, she said it took her years to figure out how to avoid gluten altogether.

“Nobody will tell you how to do it. Doctors will say ‘good luck’ and you’re left to fend for yourself,” said Sabal-Louden. “It takes so much time, which is why I want to pool everybody together and share so we don’t all have to do the individual work.”

Sabal-Louden was part of a gluten free group and started her own in Orlando, Florida before moving to Mattapoisett with her husband and son a few years ago.

Sabal-Louden said moving to the South Coast was like starting over in many ways, but she found restaurants where she can eat without fear of cross-contaminated food, and she’s pretty much mastered the grocery store.

There are many hidden ingredients in packaged food that could cause someone with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance to have a reaction. For example, soy sauce and even vanilla extract often contain gluten, while other products may be processed in a plant that also processes products with gluten.

The Gluten Free Group is a way to navigate those issues in community.

Sabal-Louden said the group is small, but it’s a place where people who have a sensitivity or an intolerance to gluten, or who have relatives that do, can find ways to still eat well.

Fellow Mattapoisett resident Judy Anthony was diagnosed with a gluten allergy almost 13 years ago and said it’s beneficial to be part of a group where everyone is in the same boat.

It’s helpful “talking with someone who knows what you’re dealing with,” said Anthony. “Sometimes families don’t understand what you’re going through.”

Her family is understanding with her dietary restrictions, which also include dairy, soy, nuts and salt, but others in the group have had a more difficult time.

“It’s nice to be with other people who are like you,” she said.

The holidays can be one of the most tough times to stick to a restrictive diet, so Sabal-Louden helps members learn to thrive during the holidays, including safe Halloween candy.

Sabal-Louden also maintains TheGlutenFreeGroup.com, an online resource with links to help people get started and maintain a gluten-less diet.

She said a self-help group may not be for everyone, but the goal is “to support each others' health, that’s what it’s all about.”

And there is a silver lining, said Sabal-Louden.

“I think I eat better now than before I found out I was celiac,” she said. “I’m eating less processed food and much more healthfully than I had been prior to the diagnosis. It’s a pain in the butt but it’s also better for me in the long run.”

The group meets the last Wednesday of every month at the Mattapoisett Library at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Noi Sabal-Louden at info@theglutenfreegroup.com.