Shauna -- what a GREAT visual! People just do not realize ... and this pretty much makes it crystal clear. I think I'd like to carry a copy of this picture along with me to restaurants and family gatherings.
Oh, yes, those crumbs. Like the ones that appear on the salad the waiter brings me after I've ordered *very clearly* NO croutons. Especially lovely to know that someone dug around my salad to take them off as an afterthought. I've taken to making sure the waiter knows "I am very allergic to wheat. I will be VERY sick if there are any croutons or crouton-remnants on my salad." Seems to have done the trick so far...
Can you really be that sensitive? I have celiac disease and had to go on a week's normal diet once for a test (long story) - I was deliberately eating a lot of gluten and couldn't tell.
I thougt that was the difference between an allergy and intolerance (celiac disease is the latter) - with intolerance you don't get sick immediately, no anaphylactic shock but long term, hardly perceptible damage.
Btw, I've become a regular reader and really enjoy your blog.
Gaile, Anonymous, Suzanne, GrewUpRural, Anonymous II, and Debbie, I hear you. It truly is amazing how little it takes to make me feel sick. To make us all feel sick. And Gaile, to answer your question, I did get glutenized, because of an insensitive waiter. I'm going to tell the story in a few days.
Emma, actually, yes, I am that sensitive. And many of us are. Since I was diagnosed, nearly a year and a half ago, I have not eaten a full bite of gluten. I have never cheated. I have never been tempted. Because of this, I feel SO healthy that I can tell immediately when I have some gluten in me.
Dr. Peter Green at Columbia says that all it takes is 1/8 teaspoon for the celiac to feel sick, and for us to be damaged by it.
Some of us are more sensitive than others. Certainly, I don't go into anaphylactic shock. It's more subtle. I have a blotchy red rash all over my throat and face. I get a headache. I feel logey and tired. That's all in the first fifteen minutes. It's always the same. And then, the next two days, I have terrible intestinal troubles.
That's why people have to be so careful about cross-contamination. About a little barley flavoring in something that seemingly doesn't have gluten. Or a smidge of flour on top of candies.
From what I understand -- and I am no doctor, but I have read, extensively -- the people who can eat gluten and not feel much reaction are actually more in danger, because they are doing damage to their system (more than hardly perceptible) and not knowing it.
Shauna, thank you for the reply. By 'hardly perceptible' of course I didn't mean it is to be taken lightly! All I meant was that, just as you say, for many celiacs it is hardly possible to tell if they've eaten gluten or not.
I didn't have many symptoms before diagnosis (from what I've read this is not uncommon). Since then (and I DO follow the diet strictly; the above mentioned week was a medical test) my stomach feels a little worse, if anything (probably for unrelated reasons).
I just wanted to point out that the experience of celiac disease varies greatly and is not always that straightforward.
And I guess I am even a tiny bit jealous (!!) that some of you can be so certain when you've eaten gluten althought the reaction is definitely unenviable and I hope you don't have to suffer it ever again.
Shauna writes: "the people who can eat gluten and not feel much reaction are actually more in danger, because they are doing damage to their system (more than hardly perceptible) and not knowing it."
You bet your bippy on that one! I hate my gluten reactions (and they are many, and they are awful), but I am strangely grateful for them. The latest news out is strong associations between celiac disease and dementia and TB. Hey, hon, that's not a path I care to mess with! I never purposely ingest it -- yet, I've had more inadvertent exposures than I care to count.
Cannot wait to read your account of the "insensitive waiter." Just looking at the breadcrumbs in that basket gives me the willies. Besides the fact that you are actually in love with the Chef -- how wonderful to have a restaurant where you feel safe eating!! :-) I am such a romantic, eh? I love my husband, but I am JEALOUS of your chef's RESTAURANT! {HUGE GRIN}
The conversation and community is the best part of being here. Id love to hear what you have to say.
Let the conversation be spirited and full of questions. However, any nasty comments with a personal attack, or scurrilous ones with no intention but to hurt? They]re not getting published.
This is why I am no longer accepting anonymous comments. Too many insulting comments come through those.
This space is like my kitchen, and Im inviting you in. If you would feel comfortable pointing your finger at me and shouting during a party in my kitchen, well, I'd ask you to leave. And then the rest of us would clear the air and go back to talking and laughing. The same is true here.
9 comments:
oh no. I hope you didn't get glutened!
yeah. I know from personal experience. blech.
Shauna -- what a GREAT visual! People just do not realize ... and this pretty much makes it crystal clear. I think I'd like to carry a copy of this picture along with me to restaurants and family gatherings.
You don't have to remind me about those little crumbs. They are the worst.
Oh, yes, those crumbs. Like the ones that appear on the salad the waiter brings me after I've ordered *very clearly* NO croutons. Especially lovely to know that someone dug around my salad to take them off as an afterthought. I've taken to making sure the waiter knows "I am very allergic to wheat. I will be VERY sick if there are any croutons or crouton-remnants on my salad." Seems to have done the trick so far...
Can you really be that sensitive? I have celiac disease and had to go on a week's normal diet once for a test (long story) - I was deliberately eating a lot of gluten and couldn't tell.
I thougt that was the difference between an allergy and intolerance (celiac disease is the latter) - with intolerance you don't get sick immediately, no anaphylactic shock but long term, hardly perceptible damage.
Btw, I've become a regular reader and really enjoy your blog.
Gaile, Anonymous, Suzanne, GrewUpRural, Anonymous II, and Debbie, I hear you. It truly is amazing how little it takes to make me feel sick. To make us all feel sick. And Gaile, to answer your question, I did get glutenized, because of an insensitive waiter. I'm going to tell the story in a few days.
Emma, actually, yes, I am that sensitive. And many of us are. Since I was diagnosed, nearly a year and a half ago, I have not eaten a full bite of gluten. I have never cheated. I have never been tempted. Because of this, I feel SO healthy that I can tell immediately when I have some gluten in me.
Dr. Peter Green at Columbia says that all it takes is 1/8 teaspoon for the celiac to feel sick, and for us to be damaged by it.
Some of us are more sensitive than others. Certainly, I don't go into anaphylactic shock. It's more subtle. I have a blotchy red rash all over my throat and face. I get a headache. I feel logey and tired. That's all in the first fifteen minutes. It's always the same. And then, the next two days, I have terrible intestinal troubles.
That's why people have to be so careful about cross-contamination. About a little barley flavoring in something that seemingly doesn't have gluten. Or a smidge of flour on top of candies.
From what I understand -- and I am no doctor, but I have read, extensively -- the people who can eat gluten and not feel much reaction are actually more in danger, because they are doing damage to their system (more than hardly perceptible) and not knowing it.
Be careful!
Shauna, thank you for the reply. By 'hardly perceptible' of course I didn't mean it is to be taken lightly! All I meant was that, just as you say, for many celiacs it is hardly possible to tell if they've eaten gluten or not.
I didn't have many symptoms before diagnosis (from what I've read this is not uncommon). Since then (and I DO follow the diet strictly; the above mentioned week was a medical test) my stomach feels a little worse, if anything (probably for unrelated reasons).
I just wanted to point out that the experience of celiac disease varies greatly and is not always that straightforward.
And I guess I am even a tiny bit jealous (!!) that some of you can be so certain when you've eaten gluten althought the reaction is definitely unenviable and I hope you don't have to suffer it ever again.
Shauna writes:
"the people who can eat gluten and not feel much reaction are actually more in danger, because they are doing damage to their system (more than hardly perceptible) and not knowing it."
You bet your bippy on that one! I hate my gluten reactions (and they are many, and they are awful), but I am strangely grateful for them. The latest news out is strong associations between celiac disease and dementia and TB. Hey, hon, that's not a path I care to mess with! I never purposely ingest it -- yet, I've had more inadvertent exposures than I care to count.
Cannot wait to read your account of the "insensitive waiter." Just looking at the breadcrumbs in that basket gives me the willies. Besides the fact that you are actually in love with the Chef -- how wonderful to have a restaurant where you feel safe eating!! :-) I am such a romantic, eh? I love my husband, but I am JEALOUS of your chef's RESTAURANT! {HUGE GRIN}
Post a Comment
The conversation and community is the best part of being here. Id love to hear what you have to say.
Let the conversation be spirited and full of questions. However, any nasty comments with a personal attack, or scurrilous ones with no intention but to hurt? They]re not getting published.
This is why I am no longer accepting anonymous comments. Too many insulting comments come through those.
This space is like my kitchen, and Im inviting you in. If you would feel comfortable pointing your finger at me and shouting during a party in my kitchen, well, I'd ask you to leave. And then the rest of us would clear the air and go back to talking and laughing. The same is true here.
Now. Enough of that. Let's talk.