Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Ridiculous Conversations

Auntie-Manda

Recommended Posts

Auntie-Manda Apprentice
Auntie-Manda
Posted
  • Author

This JUST happened last night:

Me (to concesion lady at museum): Do you know for sure if the popcorn is gluten free?

Her: Umm, I don't know. Do you know if popcorn usually has gluten in it?
Me: Usually it's fine. Popcorn itself is gluten-free, but it would depend on the flavorings. I've never come across popcorn that wasn't. I just thought I'd double check if you knew.

Her: *terified look* It has salt in it. Is that ok????

Me: Salt is fine.

Her: oh, good. I was thinking about not eating gluten anymore, but I don't know what it's all in...

 

(Really? I couldn't have guessed)

Popcorn was fine, by the way.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • Replies 142
  • Created
  • Last Reply
ItchyAbby Enthusiast
ItchyAbby
Posted

Friend (who has just found out that I cannot eat gluten and I'm low iodine): So what can you eat?

Me: Oh lots of things. There are many foods that are gluten free naturally...

Friend: I made this amazing stew you would like. I made it for Michael - he's vegan, so I bet it would be good for you too.

Me: Ummmmm

 

This has happened several times lately - why does gluten free automatically get lumped with vegan? (Or is this just in Portland?) I am the near opposite of vegan these days - more Paleo/primal. Being low-iodine knocks out a LOT of vegan staples soy and many legumes.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

Yes!!!!

I was at a liquor store and they were sampling pre-made jello shots.  I don't normally drink but I thought I would taste one. The lady at the table is the company founder and makes it all herself.

Me: "Are these gluten-free?  I have a medical issue where I can't eat gluten."

Her: "Well they are vegan I am sure they will be fine!"

Me and my husband:  "..... that is not the same thing......"

Auntie-Manda Apprentice
Auntie-Manda
Posted
  • Author

Haha! I've never gotten any funny vegan comments, but a lady at my church approached me one week and said that since I'm gluten free, I should come to her house any time I want, and pick some of her lettuce and help myself. I thought it was so random! People seem to think that since so many things have gluten in them, that I must feel so fortunate to have every single thing that is gluten free. I actually don't love lettuce, so I've never stopped over, but it WAS sweet. My mother in law is always buying stuff and assuming I'll want it because I CAN have it. She bought some glutino pretzels (which I feel taste like stale toast), and every time I come over, it's "here's your bag of pretzels", like I'm obligated to eat them since they're gluten-free. I do appreciate the gesture, though.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

 every time I come over, it's "here's your bag of pretzels", like I'm obligated to eat them since they're gluten-free. I do appreciate the gesture, though.

 

One of my friends bought me these weird vegetable chips, she was so excited she saw they were gluten-free, they tasted like crap but I felt it was so sweet she wanted me to have something safe to snack on at her party :)  It was right after my diagnosis, too, so the niceness made an extra impact on sad Laura.  By the way, snyders gluten-free pretzels, if you can find them, are the bomb!  Good with hummus :)

Auntie-Manda Apprentice
Auntie-Manda
Posted
  • Author

Yeah, I love those (with nutella or peanut butter)! It's my go-to snacky snack at work :) And they're so inexpensive compared to glutino.

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted

Hi Everyone -

 

I'm new at the gluten-free thing, having just been diagnosed 10 days ago (not officially, just by blood test).  But I haven't touched a spec of gluten in those 10 days.  I have had several of these types of conversations though.  I brought 3 unopened boxes of cereal into the office that I had just bought before finding out that I couldn't eat them.  I gave them to a coworker who has 3 kids that will eat anything.  He offered to trade me for them... for his Hostess snowball cake thing (something I wouldn't eat anyways - gluten or not).  I said, "that has gluten too".  He said, "Really?  it's bread??"

 

I've also gotten, "but you can eat pasta, right?"

"won't you lose too much weight?" 

"what will you eat for lunch?"

"what about when someone brings in bagels?  how can you not eat a bagel?"

 

My sister is worried about what I will eat for Thanksgiving - because we typically hold it at her house.  I said, ya know... you really should get tested too... it runs in the family...  She thinks I'm crazy.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


CR5442 Contributor
CR5442
Posted

Three times I went to my Dad's house and he presented me with cakes or gluten free bread saying 'there's no egg in this, or milk' with pride.  I didn't have the heart to tell him he keeps missing soya.  Twice I've gone home feeling poorly... the third time I made everyone else eat the macaroons and told his wife to lie!

AND, the people who keep saying to me 'but surely you can have a little bit', 'but you can't be intolerant to all these foods, couldn't it be in your head?!'  Grrh, I second the nervous breakdown!

 

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

...AND, the people who keep saying to me 'but surely you can have a little bit', 'but you can't be intolerant to all these foods, couldn't it be in your head?!'  Grrh, I second the nervous breakdown!

 

My reply to anyone who said this and was pushy would be: "Come hang out with me in the bathroom for a few hours after I eat this, then" 

 

 

And I have a ridiculous conversation to add!  More of an appalling conversation.  Like Laura fuming at the ears mad abd wants to strangle someone conversation.  I did my weekly grocery shopping and I wanted to do a test run with the pilsbury gluten-free pie crust before I make a really ugly one on thanksgiving and try to pass it off to my family.  I stop at the section and because I always look at expiration dates, noticed all the pie crusts and pizza crusts were expired by a couple of days.  There are two stock boys a few feet away so I say

"Hey guys, a bunch of these are expired."

 

Stock boy #1 walks up and looks, "Well I don't like people who eat gluten free stuff anyways."

I really couldn't tell if he was trying to joke or meant it, but it made me so PO'd, I am sure it showed on my face.  

 

"Well, I actually have a medical condition and eating gluten puts me in the bathroom all day.  So you...."

Here I trailed off.  I was about to finish that with "Can go [redacted] yourself" but somehow I managed to think I better not give celiacs a bad name

So I said, ".....So ....I just don't have anything nice to say to you about that."

 

Stockboy #2 gives stockboy #1 that look like "Duuuude you messed up haha" while stockboy#1 looks embarrased as heck, and I helped them pick out all the expired ones and rotate the stock.

 

I then bought a Stonyfield yogurt that expired in September (really people?) because I was too fuming mad to remember to look at the date when I put it in my cart, haha. I am not going to file a complaint on that, because I am sure that guys buddy is going to give him crud for days by the way he looked at him.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I'll be the first to admit that I have the habit of calling the health food store the hippie store. (Which is confusing here because we have three health food stores so when I say I need to run to the hippie store my husband never knows where I'm going.) But I think the issue with people confusing gluten free and vegan is the general attitude of "hippie" that some people just apply to people who eat what they in their minds apply to a healthier way of eating. Vegans are hippies. Those gluten free people are hippies. Those weird paleo people are hippies. I'm not saying I agree with the sentiment, just saying I can see how it happens.

 

I've had some very painful conversations.

 

"Is that gluten free?"

"No, it has a ton of sugar."

:huh:

Please excuse me while I find the closest brick wall to slam my head against until I bleed because it will be less painful than the stupidity of the conversation I just endured.

 

And I think like everyone I get the "what can you eat?" question way too often. And they never ask with interest, it is always with the edge to it as if they think I'm on the brink of starving to death. "Oh you know... cupcakes, brownies, pizza, pasta, pie, crackers, cookies. It's a miracle I haven't starved to death yet!" :lol:

w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

My latest is......    " her :Hey how are ya? Me : I'm good how are you? Her: I am doing ok.. I lost 8 lbs. I am on a low gluten diet. You know the Atkins diet. I don't eat anything white. Me: Ohh wonderful for you!! 8 lbs thats alot!! Bla bla bla 

 

 

 

Not sure why Gluten even came into the conversation 

CajunChic Explorer
CajunChic
Posted

One of my favorites: while at a family gathering, my uncle says, "Don't you have that disease that's all over the Internet where you can't eat anything?" Me: I guess so : / him: " good, this cake was made with white flour, not wheat! Enjoy!" Me:

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

"Don't you have that disease that's all over the Internet where you can't eat anything?"

 

I don't even....

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

One of my favorites: while at a family gathering, my uncle says, "Don't you have that disease that's all over the Internet where you can't eat anything?" Me: I guess so : / him: " good, this cake was made with white flour, not wheat! Enjoy!" Me:

 

This cracks me up.  I have gotten that, too.  "It is white bread not wheat, there is no wheat in this!"  

 

People have no idea what goes into their food, haha.

 

And Adalaide, I met a Vegan, sometimes gluten-free hippie at the store that same day.  Saw her with her kids grabbing pamelas bread mix so I say, "Are you guys celiacs, too?" because I am always eager to meet local gluten-free people.  She goes on to tell me they are vegan (as I look at the really non-vegan stuff in her cart but perhaps it was for someone else) and she feeds her kids gluten-free when they are sick because it makes them feel better.  I tell her as nice and politely as I can, "Ya know if you think gluten makes them ill, you may want to get that checked out at the doctor." She goes,"Oh no they don't get sick from the gluten but I just feed them a pure diet while they are sick because gluten is bad for you and gluten-free helps you keep the weight down..... blahblahblah" I just politely smiled and told her have a good one!  :)  lol  Some people are not worth the effort to talk to.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

Those are exactly the people I think of when I think hippie. The kind people who have an idea of a lifestyle in their head but have no freaking clue what the hell they are talking about or doing. They'll wear pants made of hemp and recycle everything... and only drink water from single serve throwaway containers and drive to the store 4 times a week because they need their produce to be SUPER fresh. <_< And they look at me like I'm the crazy one because I'm the freak who eats gluten free.

mbrookes Community Regular
mbrookes
Posted

At our local "hippie" store

Me: Where can I find gluten free soy sauce?

Clerk: Ask the guy over there with the purple hair.

I barely made it out of the store before I doubled over laughing. YES! Hippie Store!

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Yes!!!!

I was at a liquor store and they were sampling pre-made jello shots.  I don't normally drink but I thought I would taste one. The lady at the table is the company founder and makes it all herself.

Me: "Are these gluten-free?  I have a medical issue where I can't eat gluten."

Her: "Well they are vegan I am sure they will be fine!"

Me and my husband:  "..... that is not the same thing......"

Now THIS is funny! Last I heard, jello is made from animal parts. DEFINITELY not vegan.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

And on a more humorous note, things my husband has lovingly said to me:

 

"-redacted dirty thing- is gluten free!"   (if you are a married woman, use your imagination here, haha) 

He got slapped over that!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Yep, I've heard that one too!

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Friend (who has just found out that I cannot eat gluten and I'm low iodine): So what can you eat?

Me: Oh lots of things. There are many foods that are gluten free naturally...

Friend: I made this amazing stew you would like. I made it for Michael - he's vegan, so I bet it would be good for you too.

Me: Ummmmm

 

This has happened several times lately - why does gluten free automatically get lumped with vegan? (Or is this just in Portland?) I am the near opposite of vegan these days - more Paleo/primal. Being low-iodine knocks out a LOT of vegan staples soy and many legumes.

People don't seem to know what vegan is either.  Or vegetarian.  Can't tell you how many times people will say that they are or they know someone who is vegetarian but they eat fish.  One woman even said that vegetarians actually do eat meat so long as it is in tiny pieces mixed into something and not just a piece of meat like a steak or chicken breast.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Three times I went to my Dad's house and he presented me with cakes or gluten free bread saying 'there's no egg in this, or milk' with pride.  I didn't have the heart to tell him he keeps missing soya.  Twice I've gone home feeling poorly... the third time I made everyone else eat the macaroons and told his wife to lie!

AND, the people who keep saying to me 'but surely you can have a little bit', 'but you can't be intolerant to all these foods, couldn't it be in your head?!'  Grrh, I second the nervous breakdown!

Oh yes.  My dad kept buying things that said gluten-free but they had eggs or soy or dairy, all of which daughter couldn't eat. 

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Now THIS is funny! Last I heard, jello is made from animal parts. DEFINITELY not vegan.

Yep!  Like I said...  Lots of people don't know what vegan really is.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

This cracks me up.  I have gotten that, too.  "It is white bread not wheat, there is no wheat in this!"  

 

People have no idea what goes into their food, haha.

 

And Adalaide, I met a Vegan, sometimes gluten-free hippie at the store that same day.  Saw her with her kids grabbing pamelas bread mix so I say, "Are you guys celiacs, too?" because I am always eager to meet local gluten-free people.  She goes on to tell me they are vegan (as I look at the really non-vegan stuff in her cart but perhaps it was for someone else) and she feeds her kids gluten-free when they are sick because it makes them feel better.  I tell her as nice and politely as I can, "Ya know if you think gluten makes them ill, you may want to get that checked out at the doctor." She goes,"Oh no they don't get sick from the gluten but I just feed them a pure diet while they are sick because gluten is bad for you and gluten-free helps you keep the weight down..... blahblahblah" I just politely smiled and told her have a good one!   :)  lol  Some people are not worth the effort to talk to.

Yikes!  But I do know that a lot of vegans turn to rice or corn pasta because it is usually egg free.  Not always though.  I have seen gluten-free pasta with eggs.  That was one reason I ate it.  Gluten isn't my issue but I can't have eggs.  I knew if I ordered pasta in a restaurant that it might be cooked in the same water with egg containing pasta.  But the gluten-free kind was cooked separately.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My latest is......    " her :Hey how are ya? Me : I'm good how are you? Her: I am doing ok.. I lost 8 lbs. I am on a low gluten diet. You know the Atkins diet. I don't eat anything white. Me: Ohh wonderful for you!! 8 lbs thats alot!! Bla bla bla 

 

 

 

Not sure why Gluten even came into the conversation 

That white thing makes no sense to me either.  We have white aspargus, cauliflower, white radishes, jicama, turnips, rutabaga...I'm probably missing a few things.  All low carb.  All would fit into that diet.

w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

I like the "what is Gluten anyway?" : Me "It is Wheat , Barley and rye". Them "Ohhh I didn't put anything like that in there. Here try it " Me ummm no thank you! I am having a bad day cannot eat much today! Thanks anyway!! :) 

w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

That white thing makes no sense to me either.  We have white aspargus, cauliflower, white radishes, jicama, turnips, rutabaga...I'm probably missing a few things.  All low carb.  All would fit into that diet.

I know it is an Atkins thing..No noodles rice or potatoes... She is a nut!! The thing is she has sugar issues she should stay away from that high glycemic stuff ... Not the low glycemic <--- is that the right word?  I hope she does lose more weight! It would greatly improve her health!! 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,327
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    dnamutant
    Newest Member
    dnamutant
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.