Saturday, August 05, 2006

Celiac Disease

I have Celiac Disease - as do a lot of people. This is when a person has an intolerance to gluten - which is found in wheat flour, barley, malt, hydrolyzed plant and veg protein, etc. It attacks and inflames the villi in the small intestine, causing malabsorption of vitamins and minerals and has many yucky visible and invisible side effects. And it doesn't help my Irritable Bowel Syndrome much either :)

ANYWAY... in my experience (15 years) I have come across two types of Celiacs: people who are celiacs and people who happen to have celiac disease as part of their make-up in life.

The first group are bound to it and let it run their lives. The second group lives with it and tries not to let it run our lives (which is difficult once you think about the 4 main food groups we are supposed to eat - now are you getting my addiction to candy/chocolate - it has become a food group!).

I am part of the second group. It's annoying and a pain but so are a lot of other things. And a gluten-free diet for life isn't all that bad - it's actually pretty healthy - just very restrictive and boring and not conducive at all to pub food.

So I wanted to let this out about me in case there are others who want to talk or share or have questions or just want to vent. I know the dietary guidelines vary somewhat country to country, but the gist of it is the same.

Sandy

4 comments:

Donnetta said...

This was thoughtful of you to be vulnerable and share in the hopes of supporting others as well!!

I consider chocolate a food group and don't even have ciliac disease. What does that say about me?

Thanks for leaving your link at "My Quiet Corner" and feel free to stop back any time! Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!

Laura said...

Hi Sandy, thanks for visiting me. I can understand about what it means to be gluten free because my son, although he doesn't have celiacs, is allergic to gluten. He was diagnosed six years ago. I did the diet for 8 months myself when I was pregnant with my youngest. It was tough but you are right much healthier! Looking forward to reading your blog. Laura

Girl Raised in the South said...

Sandy, just wanted to stop by now that I've gotten some sleep. When I saw your blog name, I would have read you just for that. I've always said if I were to put a bumper sticker on my car (husband not so crazy about them) I'd put mean people ..... (fill in the blanks) but the way you put it - so much nicer, and that is the point, isn't it. So I'll seriously be looking on the web for the bumper sticker I've been wanting for forever, and in the meantime, anybody who named their blog that - I'll be back. Because nice DOES matter!

Keziah said...

Well done for not making it control you although it must make things difficult when eating out.

Nice blog - I came here via A Qiet Corner but I hope to wander past again some day soon.