No News Could Be Bad News

2 and a half years. It has been exactly this long since I've fully glutened myself  and not a day goes by that I don't mentally pat myself on the back for it. Just imagine how many meals, mystery ingredients and new recipes I've lived through without a trace of wheat, barley or rye present...or was there??

Ok so it definitely is a fact that I have celiac disease and that it's a lifetime commitment of avoiding gluten but is it possible to gain the ability to tolerate this grain again?? Looking back, I distinctly remember accidentally swallowing a sip of beer or eating food that I found out later was processed in a factory that makes wheat - only to not experience any symptoms of being glutened. Although I appear to be winning this food allergy Russian roulette, I could very well be occasionally consuming gluten and not necessarily aware of it, which kind of scares me.

A college friend of mine was actually diagnosed with celiac disease a year or 2 before I was but she never changed her dietary habits because she didn't experience any symptoms. At first I envied her but then I realized that she's now leaving her body vulnerable to cancers, intestinal damage and many more side effects by ignoring her diagnosis.

No matter what your symptoms, or lack thereof, for this autoimmune disease are, I encourage you to remember that the only solution is to avoid gluten at all costs. Is bread really worth the gamble of your intestines?

Online Dating 2.0

Christians. Cat lovers. Farmers.

You wouldn't think these defining characteristics above would have anything in common with each other until you realize they all have their own dating websites devoted to them. In this day and age, Match.com and Eharmony.com are a thing of the past as online dating takes the extra step to specify common interests that could make or break a relationship. As these apps and websites continue to sprout up across the internet, it's only fitting that gluten free people get their own attention as well with Glutenfreesingles.com.

Everyone and their mom either has a best friend, significant other or family member that's gluten free but I seem to be lacking in these connections. Knowing this, I couldn't help but fantasize about dating and simply communicating with other Celiac Diseasers when news of this dating site came to my attention last year. So one free afternoon I sat in front of my laptop in order to take advantage of the opportunity Glutenfreesingles.com could potentially provide. However, my story pretty much stops here because there was a glitch in the site and the page would never load correctly for me. I never got to see inside that world and, to this day, I continue to ponder if opening up pandora's box (aka becoming a member of the website) would have impacted my life at all.

I think it's reassuring to know that the gluten free community is large enough to have our own online dating website. With this form of communication permanently on the rise, it makes us both trendy and connects us in a way that wasn't always possible.

Although my experience didn't go so well, who's to say that I won't try again in the future?

Lying With My Fingers Crossed

Every week day from 12:45 to 1:15 pm you can find me in the cafeteria at work munching down on a homemade gluten free meal as I'm surrounded by co-workers who are busy eating gluten-filled pizza, fried things and more. Besides the fact that I secretly envy their ability to eat whatever they want without exploding on 1 or both ends (TMI?), I try my best to one-up them with my gluten free pastas, sandwiches and yummy desserts - but the thing is that they don't even know it.

You could probably call me the newbie as I've only been employed here for about 2 months now. This could also be defined by the fact that none of my lunch buddies know that I have Celiac Disease yet. With meals that look like they're filled with gluten, I haven't had the opportunity to let my eating habits become known. This seems like a topic that could easily be brought up during lunch but I can't seem to find a way to drop the bomb without sounding sorry for myself or seeming random.

I wish there was some kind of social formula that could tell me the best time to bring up my autoimmune disease because, as time goes on, first speaking of this fact turns into a bigger and bigger deal for everyone involved. Maybe I should start just introducing myself by saying, "Hi, I'm Amanda. Don't feed me gluten if you don't want me stuck on the toilet for 10 hours."... Or something like that.

I know I'm being dramatic but after having lunch with the same people for 8 weeks now, I almost feel like maybe I'm secretly trying to hide the fact that I'm gluten free. However, it's been going on so long that I don't know how to turn this secret into common knowledge to my new co-workers. I mean, it is fun going along when they talk about how I should try out the new Chinese restaurant in town or bonding over some food that I haven't honestly eaten since before my diagnosis. How do I bring it up without them realizing I've been keeping it a secret?

Does anyone else subconsciously see how long you can go knowing someone without them figuring out that you have Celiac Disease? Or am I the only one?

Gluten Free As An Oxymoron

"I need to lose a few pounds so I think I'll go gluten free' = the most annoying and inaccurate statement ever. We all know a person or two (or a dozen) who have uttered such a phrase and it makes me cringe every time as there is a major difference of eating gluten free and taking bread out of your diet. I can vouch for this as I eat (gf) bread on a daily basis and let's just say that my pants are more likely getting tighter than looser.

The second after I was finally properly diagnosed, my doctor told me point blank that I would probably gain weight as I would actually be fully digesting my food for once. What he didn't mention was the fact that gluten free foods have additives and lead to an even more unhealthy solution as they also lack the elements that could make that food item better for you. The moral of the story is that the purpose of eating gluten free food is not to lose weight - it's to wake up energized, without stomach pain or the need to use the bathroom every 5 seconds (in my case).

Are you thinking about cutting bread and carbs out of your diet? My only advice is to be a little more specific about your new weight loss plan as you could be reciting a phrase that makes all celiac diseasers laugh behind your back!

Dental Visits Gone Wrong

Over the years I've gotten into the habit of contributing the most random things to my Celiac Disease and most of the time it ends up valid. Noticing my acne clearing up, no longer falling victim to sinus infections and having more energy are just a few examples. One of the things these accusations have in common is that they're all advantages but I was bound to find negative effects of this autoimmune disease eventually...

Every 6 months, like clockwork, I sit in the dental chair and have my teeth poked and prodded vigorously in a way that I don't recall from childhood. In the end of the appointments, my gums feel raw and bloody like they they're own little crime scene as the dentist explains everything that's wrong with them. I think to myself 'I brush, floss and use mouthwash so why isn't it working?' as they lecture me about proper dental care.

One day after my dreaded appointment, I told my friends and nonchalantly mentioned it's probably because of my Celiac Disease. At the time, I was 100% joking but it wasn't long that I Googled this concept and found out that I was potentially right.

Now as I mentally prepare for my next torture (dentist) appointment that's coming up, I'm left pondering why my teeth are suffering when the rest of my body is celebrating in the fact that I'm free of gluten. Why would the absence of this unnecessary food ingredient wreak havoc on just one aspect?

Do you know why our pearly whites are suffering???

Losing My Taste For Bloody Marys

Three words: Bloody Mary Bar. One does not simply pass up such an opportunity to load an alcoholic beverage with goodies like they're fixing up a salad at a salad bar - so obviously me and my friends had to partake.

After mixing up my own drink concoction, I sat down at the booth and began sipping away. However, within a matter of seconds I had convinced myself that it could possibly contain wheat because I hadn't had one since my diagnosis. This led me to Google 'Are bloody marys gluten free?' to gain a consensus on the situation. The search results consisted of conflicting information that didn't put me at ease in any way. When someone's allergic reaction relies on the fate of Google's search results, it's disconcerting when half of the results say it's gluten free and the other half definitely reads otherwise. Losing my appetite for the drink I was so excited for, I pushed it aside and kept to my water for the rest of the meal. Damn Google!

The point of the matter is, I wish Google or a similar website could give me one specific answer when the fate of my stomach is in the internet's hands. I've said it once and I'll say it again: when Celiac Diseasers rely solely on Google to give the 'ok' for what we consume, it worries me how easily the internet could easily lie or give inaccurate information. I know celiac.com is available but it doesn't include every drink or food I ponder about. So for those situations where Google is pulling me in different directions, I'll just keep to my water.

Decreasing the Length of the Pre-Celiac Disease Journey

Grey's Anatomy is one of my favorite shows and I can honestly admit to having watched every episode. One common story line (other than the doctor's sex lives) throughout the series is a misdiagnose of a patient's symptoms. Of course I mainly watch the show to soak up some McDreamy and (now dead) McSteamy eye candy, it's safe to assume that this situation is a common occurrence in reality beyond the TV show.

Every Celiac Diseaser knows his or her facts: 1 out of every 133 people knowingly and unknowingly has this autoimmune disease. I distinctly have memorized this statistic because I'm pretty sure it was one of the first things the doctor told me upon my finally correct diagnosis. It intrigued me that this disease was a lot more common than I ever thought but, after my own long journey of doctors visits, it makes sense that many people don't even know that gluten is their enemy.

Although I'm thankful of my eventual diagnosis, I cant help but resent all the doctors I visited in those 2.5 years of mystery and stomach pain when one simple blood test or intestinal biopsy was all that was required. My million dollar question is: Why aren't people automatically getting tested for Celiac Disease??

Some people are born with Celiac Disease while other unfortunates develop it over time. Doctors know this but they don't seem to be acting upon the fact. My only hope is that someday our society will be tested for gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease before they experience the stomach pains and intestinal issues that I dealt with for years.

I worry I may be biased because of my own experience, which leads me to ask you how long was your pre-Celiac Disease journey??

Follow me on twitter @holdthewheat to read my perspective of celiac disease on a daily basis.