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.

A Love Post to Biaggi's

Don't you love it when a restaurant just 'gets' you?

I know that gluten free menus are popping up everywhere now-a-days but they're still a little more sparse than I'd prefer. Some places claim to be gluten free friendly but all that's available to me is salad and burgers without buns. That's fun while I'm at home but if I'm paying over $10 for a meal, I want it to actually fill me up. However, every now and then I find a restaurant that knows their food allergy knowledge and even offers to cook me my own gluten free bread...it's like I've fallen in love.

Let's cut to the chase. This awkward lovey dovey post is actually devoted to a restaurant called Biaggi's. It is located in pretty random states across the country and thankfully I've always lived near one (since being gluten free). Not only does their food taste delectable but it's also not as expensive as one would think. For only $15, I can have the best alfredo of my life and make almost 3 meals out of it. I kid
you not!

I don't think Biaggi's gets enough credit for how much they've gone out of their way to cater to people with food allergies, Celiac Diseasers in particular. Biaggi's, I will continue stuffing my face with your fancy Italian until I grow sick of it, which is hopefully never.

Now that I've admitted my favorite restaurant that makes me feel like a king, what restaurant in your area makes you feel the same exact way?

Staring in the eyes of gluten

Have you ever ordered something at a restaurant, it comes and you realize that you're staring directly in the eyes of GLUTEN?! You blink a couple times to make sure you're not dreaming and think to yourself, How do I get out of this without a scene and with a non-glutened substance in my belly?

Well, I don't quite have an answer to this because the first time it happened to me I took the 'poor me' approach and let my girly emotions take the best of me. However, the second time this nightmare occurred, I apologized to the waitress, explained my food allergy and ordered a different menu item. She looked a bit doubtful of my excuse but I didn't get charged for the first meal. I'd say that was a success!

Upon being diagnosed, the doctor can't exactly tell us what awkward situations we'll eventually be put in and how best to react to them because, let's be honest, they don't even know. No one does. I may have my days where it doesn't bother me that everyone in the office gets free pizza except me but for every 20 'good behavior' days I have, there's about 1 or 2 'bad behavior' days. They do say that negative experiences often overtake positive ones in your memory and that's true in this case.

My best advice on the matter is to surround yourself with people that respect your disease and understand that it can be a sensitive subject from time to time. We all have our bad days and it definitely doesn't help when your restaurant food is inedible for you and your stomach is growling at you to feed it.

Show gluten who's boss the next time you two cross paths!!

(Follow me on twitter if you like what you've read)

'It' who shall not be named...POOP

I was carousing good ol' Facebook this morning like I normally do and came across a post that 'Find me gluten free' added and I KNEW I had to share it to anyone who comes in contact with me today - which is a good thing I decided to write a blog post this afternoon. I bet you're wondering what the big deal is so I have taken a screen shot and attached it. -->          

Now I'm not certain how many celiac diseasers all experience bowel issues when glutened but I know I do and it does seem odd when strangers ask me this question: "What happens when you eat gluten?". I am aware they're just curious but how many ways can I avoid the word 'poop' or 'diarrhea' or simply 'spending the whole day on the toilet'? I mean I'm obviously pretty open about the subject but I have dated guys in the past who are still convinced that girls don't poop and it's not exactly a dinner topic.

I know celiac disease and gluten intolerance can affect the whole body, even causing headaches and an overall achy feeling. To us, gluten is a poison and when it gets inside our body, all is fair game. That being said, what do you say when people ask you the harmless question?? Do you provide a sugarcoated answer or do you describe such a vivid image that the question-asker feels like they're being glutened themselves??

(want to hear from me daily? Follow me on twitter @HoldTheWheat)

Forever Unaswered Questions

The pain gets worse each time: acid reflux, stomach cramps, numerous trips to the bathroom, feeling feverish. The only thing that would keep me going is knowing that it will go away within 3 hours.

When I first started going gluten-free, I used to have a 'slip up', aka gluten myself, more than once a month. There was a period of time last summer, 3 months into my new diet/lifestyle, where I was glutening myself once a week. That's when it truly hit me that each slip up was more painful than the last. Ever since then, I've been getting increasingly more cautious as time goes on because I know what all I have to lose.

Recently I began to wonder, how often do other Celiac Diseasers gluten themselves? What's the norm? I can gladly say that the last time I was glutened was 5 months ago but I have nothing and no one to compare my accomplishment to.

The thing that really freaks me out is that the pain truly does get worse over time. But does it ever hit a point where the level of pain levels out, or does it truly get worse and worse? How bad will my symptoms be when I'm 30, 40, or 50??

At this point in the gluten free game that is my life, you couldn't pay me enough money for me to willingly gluten myself -- unless a million dollars is out of the question.

Gluten Free = Contains Wheat?!

I've never been a very observant person when it comes to grocery shopping. I didn't even trust myself to go grocery shopping alone until I literally had to do it otherwise I couldn't eat.

My sister was always my favorite shopping buddy because she noticed the details that my mind automatically ignored. "The buy one get one free is for that type of cereal, not this one..." "The milk's leaking..." "You dropped your wallet on the ground over there..."

Ok may I make myself sound a little more helpless than the reality of the situation but the moral of the story is: I just didn't pay attention at the grocery store. So imagine how hard it was for me to grocery shop after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease and being forced to check every label of every food. Let's just say it wasn't a piece of (gf) cake.

I'd say after a year of my label-checking routine, I've got it down...But there are still times when I slip up, and that means money down the drain and a potential glutened situation.

I'm used to slipping up but I'm not used to slipping up when I bought something from the gluten free section of the grocery store. Last week, I decided to start trying out gluten free soups so I stocked up on a few. Right when I was about to heat them up, I glanced down at the label and saw: "contains wheat". I was pissed! Every can I bought contained wheat. I'm sorry for thinking that gluten free meant it doesn't contain gluten.

I'm not sure if the store intentionally stuck those cans of soup in the gluten free section because the were Annie's brand but I have definitely learned my lesson: Check literally every label of every food!!

Has anyone else had a mishap like this happen or am I just shopping at the wrong grocery store??

Oh and in case you're wondering, I prefer to shop alone now-a-days and have completely weaned myself off of using shopping buddies.

Convincing Myself the Grass Isn't Greener on the Other Side

It's so easy to get caught up into the chaos of life and forgetting to treasure the little things. We all are guilty of this. People who have minor disabilities, disorders, or diseases have to live by this saying or they'll have trouble simply living day to day.

I follow this girl on twitter that once tweeted a thought that I had felt so many times since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease but hadn't realized it until she made it vocal. It went along the lines of "Sometimes I wake up and wonder how this life of Celiac Disease became mine."

It's so true.

For people who didn't aquire Celiac Disease until way after they were born, they constantly find themselves thinking about how life was before their disagnoses--at least I do. It's weird to think about that for the first 20 years of my life, I didn't have anything potentially holding me back. I didn't even know what gluten was.

I honestly miss the taste of a glazed donut, the ability to go to any restaurant and order what I want, and the satisfying thought of knowing I just bought a burger for $1 (from McDonalds).

But this is my life now. Though it is good that I know what all these foods that I can't eat anymore taste like, sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I never knew what I'm missing out on. I have to remind myself most days that I should be happy that I don't have cancer, I'm not pregnant, and I have a great life yet to be lived.

I am healthy and eating gluten-free makes me stay that way. The end.

Taking My Gluten Free Vacation Virginity

Well, I did it. I went on my first Gluten Free vacation.

The good news: I didn't gluten myself. The bad news: how emotionally draining I found it to be on vacation with someone who doesn't understand the gluten free lifestyle. Sometimes I worried I was a burden or that I was going to starve from all the salads I'd eat. And, obviously I worried about initially glutening myself.

I really look up to the people with Celiac Disease who go on vacations often, travelling across the globe, effortlessly finding gluten free food. They make it sound like such a small accomplishment but kudos to them.

I'm not a controlling person or an anxious person in general, but take any Celiac Diseaser to a restaurant they haven't been to and they're willing to get sweaty palms about it. Throughout the entire 4 day vacation, I kept waiting for my stomach to reject whatever food I was depositing into it. I even find it hard to trust that the waiter/waitress knows what gluten free means or if they just assume it's safe. Does anyone else have worries like this or am I just too cautious?

The little control I had over my trip itinerary was probably the main cause of the anxiety I would experience around meal times. In the future, I plan on travelling with people who know me well enough to know what foods I can and cannot eat so I don't have to explain myself the entire time. However, my first gluten free vacation still went a lot better than I thought it would. But boy am I happy to be back to my gluten free kitchen :)

~How was your first gluten free vacation??~

Does Patience Come With Time?

It has come to my attention that most of my blogs seem to shed a negative light on Celiac Disease. I suppose it's because I'm in that state of mind with the disease that I resent it more than I embrace it at the moment. Do people embrace it more over time?

When explaining my gluten free lifestyle to people, I don't tell anyone that I hate it but in my head the thought definitely crosses my mind. I don't want to come off ungrateful for being able to rid myself of the stomach issues I had for 2 and a half years undiagnosed. I don't want to be that girl that whines and complains about things she can't control.

Since I have made it pretty clear that this is a positive blog, not a negative one, I'm going to list the benefits of being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, emotionally and physically:

1) Forcing you to eat home cooked meals, not fast food or restaurant food, which can be very unhealthy

2) Finding out who your real friends are. Your true friends will go through the process with you, researching the meaning of Celiac Disease and restaurants and foods you can eat

3) Sence of maturity, knowing that one slip up can cause you pain for hours, or even days. Yes, you always have to be on guard, but you realize that the fate of your stomach is your own decision

4) It's a great conversation starter for people who want to know a random fact about you. It takes them off gaurd, which I find entertaining

5) Appreciation for the taste of food. I used to be a really picky eater and it just makes me cringe because, now, as long as something tastes like food and not cardboard, it puts me in the best mood ever. It doesn't take a Celiac Diseaser long to realize the red flags for cardboard-tasting food. Eating home cooked meals always taste better than any precooked meal found at the grocery store.

So there you have it. But what I really want to know: Do people truly embrace the disease more over time?? I sure hope so. I can see how the link between Celiac Disease to depression is very high (Don't worry. Celiac Disease doesn't get to me that much)

(Follow me on Twitter @HoldTheWheat)

Going Against the Celiac's Motto

Sometimes I wonder if the articles I read about Celiac Disease are really truthful or not. On twitter, these articles are passed around the Celiac tweeters from one retweet to another. And it seems like there is a new one popping up almost everyday: "Celiac Disease may raise migraine risk", "Do people born in the spring at higher risk of being diagnosed with Celiac Disease?", "Celiac Disease may initially present as a neurological disorder"....

Most of these articles are day ruiners for us Celiacs because they're not exactly aimed at cheering us up. But a person is probably a lot more likely to read an article about risks and hazards than one about how going gluten-free is a great opportunity to switch to healthy and natural foods. I bet that for every article that talks about advantages of going gluten-free, there's at least 5 articles saying the opposite.

However, the Celiac motto is "Better Safe Than Sorry" and ignoring articles like the one's I've been complaining about goes against this particular motto. We want to know everything about our disease, whether it is legit or not. I can't tell you the amount of times I've avoided eating a certain type of food simply because just one person posted online about getting a reaction to it. That's a lot of trust I am putting into a stranger's opinion on the internet.

I think it's about time that doctors, writers, and whoever else who claims that they've got Celiac Disease all figured out to finally admit that they actually don't. They are doing more harm than good by filling our gullible minds with hypotheses that don't have enough facts or evidence on its side to be proven true. We simply don't know much about this autoimmune disease yet and maybe we never really will. I'd rather be fed 1 truth than 100 lies that are supposed to make me feel informed.

Now that's my take on the matter. What's yours??

Not Just a Habit, It' s a Lifestyle

Celiac Disease is a lifestyle. Anyone who is diagnosed with it can say no different. The words 'gluten free' are on my mind 24/7, even if I'm unaware of it. Yes, I know Celiac Disease should only be relevant and present when it comes to eating but people are eating all the time. I can't even tell you the amount of times a day I am offered some sort of food and, unfortunately, I have to deny most of it, even when I'm starving.

The proof is in my dreams. I seriously Gluten myself in my sleep once a month. I can't escape it. Why can't I eat a hypothetical donut?? I know I'm not actually being Glutened but my dream will tell me otherwise. I always wake up completely drained from making myself feel nauseaus. But then again: my dreams always seem real to me, in a way that I don't think other people can relate too. For instance, when I'm dying in a dream, I seriously feel like it's happening. I know what it feels like to be shot, burned, beheaded, and any other form of torture (slightly exaggerating, but you get the gist).

-But that's besides the point. This blog is about Celiac Disease and I intend to keep it that way.-

You have to legitimately train your mind and body to be alert and disciplined at all times. I wish I could put "I have Celiac Disease" on my resume and managers could understand the traits and learning experiences that have come from this fact alone.

Now that you've read this, imagine what this phrase's true meaning is: "My name is Amanda Schebler and I have Celiac Disease."

(Follow me on twitter @HoldTheWheat)

Future (Gluten Free) Betty Crocker

Variety. I seem to be lacking this in my diet but I am too poor/too lazy/too busy to do anything about it today, or tomorrow, or the day after that.

I look forward to the random weekends spent at my parent's house mostly because the promise of actual homecooked (gluten-free) meals that I lack in my current diet living on my own. Before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I never craved a homecooked meal like this because there are so many options for (for a lack of a better word) 'normal' people. Former Me used to live off of frozen meals, fast food, and junk food.

First of all, gluten-free frozen food is soooo expensive and frankly tastes like moth balls most of the time. Secondly, the only fast food available for me now is a baked potato from Wendy's. I'm too much of a pansy to attempt any other fast food at the moment. 4 hour symptoms of the stomach flu is not worth it only for a variation of a Big Mac without the bun. Sorry McDonalds. And lastly, I can still eat a lot of junkfood (for example, most chips and ice cream) but do I really want to live off of it? I'm not pooping my guts out after every meal anymore, which means my built-in extremely fast metabolism no longer exists. If you're squeamish, maybe you should have skipped over that sentence.

The moral of the story is that, nearly a year of my new diet later, I truly am starting to realize that I need to start cooking some real meals around here. My current goal to start being Betty Crocker is when I graduate college at the end of May. I think this is a legit goal because right now I'm only a poor college student. I lack the time and the money for the commitment needed for real cooking.

(If you read through my blog and want to know more, follow me on twitter @HoldTheWheat)

Celiac Diseaser's Version of YOLO

I have 2 words for you. 2 glorious words that any person in thier school years will appreciate as much as a snow day....SPRING BREAK! Bring on the kegs, suburns, day drinking, oceans, wet t-shirt contests. Just kidding! This is may be some people's spring breaks but I have yet to have one that consisted any of these things, except for sunburns and oceans. And this upcoming spring break is the last one I will ever experience.

The other day my dad asked if I wanted to come visit him in South Carolina for my spring break. I was totally for it! And now he's talking about us potentially visiting my uncle in St. Thomas for a couple days on top of that. Sounds like a dream come true, right?

I reveled in this dream vacation to come until I realized that this would be my first vacation since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. My dad has only seen me once since my diagnosis and he was saying things like "You'll grow out of this within 7 years I bet." and "Good thing there's not a pill to fix it because it sucks having to be reliant on something." Moral of the story is: He simply doesn't get it. So I am willingly putting my tummy on a Russian Roulette in a foreign place for 5 days where we will be eating at restaurants for basically every meal (my dad doesn't cook). If that's not YOLO then I don't know what is.

I am excited yet very nervous about my spring break. Being the planner I am, I have already started looking up resaurants that have gluten free menus in Columbia, South Carolina and now I have to attempt to do that for St. Thomas. I'll make sure to pack a lot of pepto bismol, tums, and immodium. And you better know that I'll be blogging about it when I get back!

(Follow me on twitter @HoldTheWheat)

To Explain Your Disease or Not??

We all have that moment. The moment when you have to make a decision whether to tell them the real reason why you're turning down the candy that they just offered you. If it's not candy, it's a cupcake. And if it's not a cupcake, it's those new crackers advertised on those new commercials. Regardless of whatever awesomely gluten filled treat it is, most of the time it's a forbidden fruit that Celiac Diseasers (is that a word?) are used to denying everyday of thier lives.

However, to tell them the truth turns into a 5 minute conversation where they look at you with a mixture of confusion and like you just told them your puppy recently died. They put you on the spot and ask "Then what do you actually eat?" You don't know how to answer that question. Do they expect you to list off the last 10 meals you ate when you can barely recall what you ate yesterday? In you end, it's best to respond with: "I don't know...Gluten free things."

You wish you had the nerve to tell them it's not as hard or as sad as they think. People would be surprised how easily thier body and mind can adapt to change. I mean, America consumes the most bread than any other country. In fact, there are many countries where they don't even eat wheat and never have.

Most of the time I avoid the whole conversation by simply saying "I'm not hungry". Aint nobody got time for that!

(Follow me on Twitter @HoldTheWheat)