If you’ve dipped even a toe into the swirling waters of social media, chances are you’ve encountered these sorts of eye-roll-inducing posts and comments:
“Oh, you have celiac? Is that a bagel? LOL!!”
“I drink regular beer and I feel fine.”
“My friend cheats a bit with gluten, and he’s totally fine.”
“Celiac disease isn’t the end of the world. Stop being so dramatic.”
Mix in a healthy dose of general ignorance and a lack of empathy for those of us grappling with this lovely condition, and you’ve got yourself the perfect recipe for a good old-fashioned rant from a fellow celiac. So, here goes:
“I am SO fed up with the comments about “going off your diet for just one meal”, or “oh, I know someone who has trouble with gluten and she does organic spelt flour” or “oh, it’s not THAT bad.”
No, really, I can’t go off my “diet” for just one meal. You see, I’ve spent nights clutching my stomach in pain, while simultaneously wishing I could shove my head into a grinder in hopes of relieving the pounding migraine. Only to spend the next day never more than a step away from the bathroom. All because of accidental ingestion from cross contamination! So, no, thanks but no thanks, a slice of that delicious looking cheesecake, or a half of your delicious looking cheese danish is not worth the misery for who knows how long. And no, it’s not worth the damage I would be doing to my body.
It’s great your friend can have spelt flour! I’m genuinely glad when I hear people are able to find acceptable substitutes that don’t mean an entire lifestyle change. But, alas, no such luck for me. There’s no such thing as “a little Celiac”. I just have it. And it means no more gluten, in any form, ever again. But please, keep in mind, this is an autoimmune disease, not a food sensitivity, not a fad. It will never go away. It will never change. I will spend the rest of my life gluten free, and HOPEFULLY being able to live a somewhat normal life in our gluten inundated society.
Not that bad? Really? Who was it who had to deal with above mentioned head splitting migraine? And the stomach pain so bad I was almost convinced maybe it was labor and not stomach cramps? Or the explosive diarrhea the next day? Oh, that’s right. Me! Not you. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I can’t fault you entirely because you don’t get it. You don’t understand because you don’t have it or have a family member who does. But please, when I’m trying to educate you, don’t roll your eyes. Try and understand.”
I couldn’t have articulated it better myself. You’ve got one body, one life—treat yourself with the care and respect you deserve.