When it comes to gluten-free diets, unfounded beliefs abound

a reply to: knoledgeispower

I did not misunderstand, and I apologize if I came off snippy. I appreciate the chance to bring some awareness to the situation. I refuse to walk into a restaurant because of the fact that a fad has given the celiac sufferers a bad name. I encounter it with people in my daily life as well. The fad portion of it has been blown way up and people assume because I won't touch food that it is because of the fad and I have to take the time to explain and still get blank stares. Most of the time when I see the interviews, like the one posted, or read the articles I am helpless to change a perception. This being ATS and having the chance to interject, I did. So, while the ignorance of some people has made a bad name for those of us that do suffer, the fact that people are willing to spend outrageous amounts of money on this particular fad has made life much easier. There's always two sides to a coin right?

That being said, I absolutely agree that we should be aware of why we consume what we do, in any circumstance!

a reply to: woodsmom

I guess I don't get how a fad has given celiac sufferers a bad name....

My daughter suffers from celiac. All her friends know and if she is included in an outing make adjustments. When she is in town visiting us, we will take her out to a restaurant that serves gluten free meals.

While I do not walk in her shoes, I have never heard anything like that from her.

a reply to: woodsmom

Glad i could help

a reply to: bbracken677
Yes fad is real, when it started people who do not needed to eat glutein free food cos of the celiac actually emptied the shelfs of grocery store ( just because some celebrities chose to go glutein free they should too ) and there were many times that fresh glutein free bread was sold out, bakeries who make glutein free breads are often small bakeries and they couldn´t handle the sudden demand. Same happened in restaurants too.. glutein free became a boom and importance of glutein free diet which some of us HAS to obey went away. As a fashion phenomenon how to keep restaurant meals glutein free lacks of wariness, glutein free rolls are side by side with rolls which has glutein, butter knives in buffets are serving both glutein free and normal customers unless you specifically ask waiter a new butter and new knife. One time error even how "small error" sounds in glutein free diet can cause a damage which take healing of 3 months time. Its not something to joke about, its actually issue restaurant workers should really be more aware of and deal with respect and more careful.
We also eat out in restaurants which serve glutein free meals, hubby always says to waiter that we eat glutein free meals not because its a fashionable but because its a health issue. Sad but sometimes it needs to be told.

a reply to: bbracken677

As dollukka said, the importance of avoiding cross contamination is often overlooked. I have actually had people roll their eyes at me while trying to explain the importance of not even a speck of gluten. We host several people during the summer months and trying to explain why we can't go out to eat together, or why they can't bring their gluten filled snacks into my kitchen have not been entirely pleasant. I have had friends get me sick by being super sweet and making food especially for me to eat, but didn't wipe the bread off of their cutting board first or washing their baking dish. I have had to become that person who has offended nice people and gestures just to keep myself out of bed. Because many of these people have performed the same gestures for others, they are doubly confused as to why it's " not good enough" for me. I spend more time explaining than visiting sometimes it seems.

I'm very glad that your daughter hasn't encountered any issues alongside these lines. My youngest sister is of a different generation, and she doesn't seem to have as many issues either, but then again she follows this diet by choice and has wiggle room to cheat. Perhaps it is a difference in the age groups we associate with? I must admit though, it's been nice seeing so much of her this year, and food never seems to be an issue with her either.

I think I might be gluten intolerant because my skin gets itchy rashes sometimes and my poop is often pasty. I would like to go gluten-free, but I don't have money and I'm afraid I'll starve if I go gluten-free. I'm tired of the itchiness and the little to no pooping. I've always eaten healthy. What the shell is wrong with me?! Am I gluten intolerant?

a reply to: ShadowGhost
There is two kind of celiac diseases the regular one and the other that needs even more strict glutein free diet skin celiac, go to doctor. If you are celiac your body starves without right diet, what you described sounds like skin celiac it has same symptoms that regular one but also skin problems.