Staying upbeat when Gluten gets you down

Christiana the gluten free greek

Some days I get really down about my gluten-free diet and having coeliac disease. There are times when I just want to have a KFC and be normal!

Having to steer clear of gluten all the time is a real task, as you are always checking that there is no contamination with other foods. There are a lot of things to watch out for in the kitchen, and so you must be extra vigilant! I try to ensure that kitchen surfaces are always in pristine condition before I do any food preparation. I use toastie bags for toasting, to make sure that there is nothing contaminating my bread and then there’s the problem of kitchen utensils! For people like me who live in a non gluten free household, it can be rather difficult to avoid being ‘glutened’ and my dad is always gritting his teeth whenever I use another knife to butter my bread or another pan to cook my pasta. He even tries to eat my special gluten free home made cakes! I have now resorted to labelling my gluten free foods in the fridge and even have my own gluten free cupboard!!

The key to staying upbeat throughout all this is to remain calm and not fret. Just be sensible when preparing food in your home and when eating out, ALWAYS inspect the gluten free menu before entering the building! If you are at a restaurant that does not have a gluten free menu and you absolutely have no option but to eat there, be careful about what you choose to eat and tell the waiter/waitress that you are gluten intolerant. Accidentally popping something in your mouth that is not gluten free can have serious affects, to others it may seem a bit ridiculous, but it is very true!

I have been a little naughty here and there, as I have eaten foods that are so yummy but definitely NOT gluten free, which has made me feel unwell afterwards and I am on the loo a lot (so not something I would advise), but on the whole I have been extremely good and have not succumbed to the pressure of stuffing my face with a Chinese takeaway. You certainly do not want to make yourself ill when you embark on your path to gluten free-ness!

So go with the flow and try not to worry too much. Stay as safe as you can. If you do ever get glutened then there are ways in which to help you recover. For example, drinking lots of fluids to flush the bad stuff out of your system. Some people avoid dairy and eggs after getting glutened. I try and eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and I eat oily fish and other healing foods. Find what works for you. Your body is a temple and it must be treated with love and respect.

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