Gluten has become such a buzzword nowadays. And not in a nice way.
I was diagnosed with Celiac’s disease when I was 14.
I think I actually got pretty lucky finding out then because I meant that I had time to try most gluten-filled foods and was just starting to be in control of what I ate by myself.
All in all, the truths about being a celiac are that it isn’t all that traumatic.
I’ve written all about my gluten journey on this blog before. And while I enjoy making jokes about being gluten-free as much as the gluten free duck, there are some things that I wish glutenous people would understand.
1.It’s not a fad diet choice.
While I’m lucky and my symptoms don’t leave me in bed for days on end, gluten does pretty much slowly kill me inside. Avoiding gluten isn’t a fashion trend I’m trying to follow.
I also promise you that we get just as annoyed as everyone else at the whiney girls who preach about how gluten isn’t good for anyone (so much research says that it’s perfectly fine).
2. The fear of undercooked pasta at restaurants is real.
While I love being able to have pasta or pizza on a night out with friends, so many restaurants tend to undercook their gluten free pasta. This is probably because it tends to look done even when it’s only halfway cooked and takes longer than more ‘normal’ pastas.
I have, however, found that if I just beg waiters to make it extra soft the pasta generally comes out okay. #glutenfreelifehack
3. Why. Is. It. So. Expensive.
At the risk of sounding complain-y, it does really bother me that you can get two servings worth of tortellini for £1 but four gluten free rolls are £3!
Not only are gluten free substitutes super expensive, but avoiding them can be even worse. Most ready-made meals have sauces that contain gluten and paying for fresh ingredients, veggies or good meat, can cost so much more time and money.
Overall, I’m just trying to keep faith that as the gluten-free trend continues, maybe prices will drop and quality of products will increase.
4. Not it’s not PMS, I just ate a lot of gluten.
So my Celiac’s in weird in that when I eat gluten, (pardon the inelegance) I just get a little gassy and suuuuuper lethargic.
It’s like feeling you’ve pulled an all nighter even with nine hours of sleep. And when it comes to trying to be motivated to do work? It’s like moving mountains.
I always end up thinking, was that panini really worth it? … and most of the time the answer is kind of yes. However, I know this isn’t the case for everyone. I’m lucky in that some people get seriously bad stomach cramps, diarrhea and painful bloating when they eat gluten. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms then I recommend you check out the services offered by a gastroenterologist. A lot of people are unsure if their symptoms are actually due to Celiac’s, so seeing a gastroenterologist should confirm that for you.
5. I’m not posh, I just literally can’t drink beer.
Living in a culture where pub culture is such a thing can be a little difficult. Going for a casual pint when you can’t actually have a pint can be tricky (and let’s be real, who really likes cider?).
Sure, I might always order a G&T or wine when I go out instead but it’s a little more acceptable to have a 2pm pint of Tennants than it is a G&T.
All this being said, I try to never ever make anyone feel bad for offering a bite of something glutenous.
Honestly, being a celiac admittedly isn’t always easy but it’s fun to explore new foods or even just live vicariously through others.
So those are my truths about being a celiac.
Have you ever tried going gluten free? What did you think?!
*Photo credit from here.
