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!!

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