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

Imprisonment - Choosing Starvation Over Bread?

esgal

Recommended Posts

esgal Newbie
esgal
Posted

Hello friends,

 

Someone I know is in the future going to be living in a Communist country and there is a possibility that she will be persecuted for her faith if it is discovered that she is a Christian. Since she has diagnosed Celiacs, if she is imprisoned, should she really choose starvation over eating bread(quite likely containing gluten)? Won't she live longer eating the bread even though it will mess up her gut? I assume the diet is mainly bread and water.

 

I know this is a hard question but thanks for any help.

-esgal

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


notme Experienced
notme
Posted

tell her not to go!  don't they just kill you, anyway?  she probably won't live long enough to worry about her diet.  :(  why would you do that?  :(

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

tell her not to go!  don't they just kill you, anyway?  she probably won't live long enough to worry about her diet.   :(  why would you do that?   :(

 

 

It does seem like an odd question.  If she is going to this country to get arrested for her faith, she doesn't care about her life and health.

esgal Newbie
esgal
Posted
  • Author

She is going as a missionary to share her faith. No, it's not at all certain that she would be imprisoned, but just wondered what she should do in that scenario. I'm just concerned, not saying that it will actually happen... Anyway, even if it would happen I'm sure it wouldn't happen right away, but does seem like a possibility in the next 30 - 50 yrs. Hopefully not though. Sorry, I know it's a weird question... From what I've read you die more slowly from Celiacs then starvation so I would say she should eat it and hope to get out ASAP then not to eat it but maybe I'm not thinking straight. Possibly they have soups as well that they serve that would have less gluten in them... 

 

Thanks for your response.

-esgal

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Not sure what faith you are talking about, but anyone can ask for a different place for their mission.

 

No organized religion I know would put anyone at risk that way.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

I am sure the original posters friend is a person who believes strongly enough in their faith to not be wavered in their attempt to do a missionary trip over this, as they already plan to go.  They may not serve bread in the prisons depending on where they are, they may serve rice or some other local food that is cheap.  Perhaps your friend can contact the US State Department and get more information on the treatment of their prisoners and what to do if the worst care scenario happens.

 

State Dept. Destination Info:

Open Original Shared Link

 

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program:

Open Original Shared Link

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted
Today, there are only five communist countries in the world.
China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and North Korea

 

They do not want Christian missionaries and she would hardly be allowed in.

 

Again, I do not think any Christian group would put someone in harm's way like that--especially if she has a medical condition.

 

 

ESgal, not sure if you are  looking to start a discussion that has no resolution-- but it seems pointless to me.

 

but does seem like a possibility in the next 30 - 50 yrs

 

 

 

 

that's major speculation based on a 'possibility"...IMHO

 

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I'm inclined to agree with IH. There are only a few communist regimes left. Why anyone would put their life at risk to go to one of them as a missionary escapes me. But my own faith is personal. I subscribe to the teachings of my church, but would never seek to impose them on others, or to try to tell others that their faith is wrong and mine is right. FWIW, I am an Anglican (Episcopalian in the US). That is my personal observation as a member here, and is not a comment from a moderator.  ^_^

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Today, there are only five communist countries in the world.

China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and North Korea

They do not want Christian missionaries and she would hardly be allowed in.

Again, I do not think any Christian group would put someone in harm's way like that--especially if she has a medical condition.

ESgal, not sure if you are looking to start a discussion that has no resolution-- but it seems pointless to me.

but does seem like a possibility in the next 30 - 50 yrs

that's major speculation based on a 'possibility"...IMHO

1 has very closed borders. I guess if you sneak across you will be out in prison or shot. . And a couple of them have a lot of Catholics! Lol

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

And a couple of them have a lot of Catholics! Lol

 

that's true. lol 

 

but they are not really "open for visitors". 

 

Open Original Shared Link

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Eek. I wouldn't want to go either.

 

That being said, I ate gluten for close to 40 years with undiagnosed celiac disease and it didn't kill me... but it was close. Starvation is pretty certain within a few weeks to months of no food though.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

Eek. I wouldn't want to go either.

 

That being said, I ate gluten for close to 40 years with undiagnosed celiac disease and it didn't kill me... but it was close. Starvation is pretty certain within a few weeks to months of no food though.

 

 

Just for kicks and giggles, if something like a natural disaster/zombie apocalypse hit, and the only food available had gluten in it, I would eat it.  Someone with a severe diarrhea reaction to glutening may die faster than starvation, though.  But heck, I am slow and would get eaten by the zombies before I could worry too much about survival!   :rolleyes:

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Just for kicks and giggles, if something like a natural disaster/zombie apocalypse hit, and the only food available had gluten in it, I would eat it.  Someone with a severe diarrhea reaction to glutening may die faster than starvation, though.  But heck, I am slow and would get eaten by the zombies before I could worry too much about survival!   :rolleyes:

LOL :lol:  Well thought out.  And I like the zombie approach. LOL ;)

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

A few bites days of having to eat gluten and I would be a zombie

esgal Newbie
esgal
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your responses and help. I am new to this forum and really appreciate your input. She feels that the countries that are the most closed are the ones most in need not just spiritually but also for humanitarian aid, but I know she is weighing the decision carefully and will keep thinking about it for a year or two before deciding for sure what to do. Even if she goes to a different country in Asia not currently under persecution, it could be that in 30-50 yrs as mentioned before it could become a country with restricted religious freedoms even if it isn't now, and she obviously wouldn't just want to up and leave later after investing many years there and starting a ministry.

 

Where I live in Central America, the change over in government from right-wing to a communist leader as President happened in less than 10 years, but it's not at the point yet where there isn't religious freedom.

Thanks again for your kindness and time.

  • 1 month later...
DownWithGluten Explorer
DownWithGluten
Posted

Interesting topic! All these people telling her not to go ...clearly don't get it.

 

Anyway...it's interesting because I've actually wondered this before. What if I were to get stuck somewhere where bread was the only option...prison, kidnapped...etc. I guess I'd have to eat it, but I've realized how much more miserable it would make the situation than someone without gluten intolerance.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

Interesting topic! All these people telling her not to go ...clearly don't get it.

 

Anyway...it's interesting because I've actually wondered this before. What if I were to get stuck somewhere where bread was the only option...prison, kidnapped...etc. I guess I'd have to eat it, but I've realized how much more miserable it would make the situation than someone without gluten intolerance.

how about don't go because if it is a difficult situation and even if you aren't imprisoned, if you eat the wrong thing or nothing safe is available, you become in instant burden.  so, the people you are going to supposedly help have a sick person to care for?   i am a Christian and would not consider dragging down a mission group.  truth.

 

if imprisoned, the other prisoners would probably kill me for using up all the t.p. lololz (yeah, i know, no t.p. in prison.........)  kidding ;)

  • 4 months later...
Patt Explorer
Patt
Posted

Omg! Really!

 

1) by deciding to move there of her own free will (witch God gave her) she "IS" prepared to die

2) do you really think they care what she eats? never mind the living conditions. They'll just throw her in a hole and feed her moldy food

  • 2 weeks later...
Lock Newbie
Lock
Posted

She needs to find some other thing to obsess over. Saving people in communist countries is hardly the ONLY charitable thing available. Surely there are people in her home country that could use humanitarian aid and Christian saving.

 

It sounds like she has got hold of this idea in her head and won't consider alternatives. It might work out for her but if she is a positively diagnosed Celiac and knowingly goes into a country where she will have little control over the quality of her food (in or out of prison) then her ambition to do this thing is bordering on pathological because she is discarding her own health in favor of the idea.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,945
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Miyasato
    Newest Member
    Miyasato
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jacki Espo
      Covid caused reoccurrence of DH without eating gluten

      By Jacki Espo · Posted

      This happened to me as well. What’s weirder is that within a couple hours of taking paxlovid it subsided. I thought maybe I got glutened but after reading your post not so sure. 
    • Mari
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Tiffany. Thank you for writing your dituation and  circumstancesin such detail and so well writte, too. I particularly noticed what you wrote about brain for and feeling like your brain is swelling and I know from my own experiences that's how it feel and your brain really does swell and you get migraines.    Way back when I was in my 20s I read a book by 2 MD allergist and they described their patient who came in complaining that her brain, inside her cranium, was swelling  and it happened when she smelled a certain chemical she used in her home. She kept coming back and insisting her brain actually swelled in her head. The Drs couldn't explain this problem so they, with her permission, performed an operation where they made a small opening through her cranium, exposed her to the chemical then watched as she brain did swell into the opening. The DRs were amazed but then were able to advise her to avoid chemicals that made her brain swell. I remember that because I occasionally had brain fog then but it was not a serious problem. I also realized that I was becoming more sensitive to chemicals I used in my work in medical laboratories. By my mid forties the brain fog and chemicals forced me to leave my  profession and move to a rural area with little pollution. I did not have migraines. I was told a little later that I had a more porous blood brain barrier than other people. Chemicals in the air would go up into my sinused and leak through the blood brain barrier into my brain. We have 2 arteries  in our neck that carry blood with the nutrients and oxygen into the brain. To remove the fluids and used blood from the brain there are only capillaries and no large veins to carry it away so all those fluids ooze out much more slowly than they came in and since the small capillaries can't take care of extra fluid it results in swelling in the face, especially around the eyes. My blood flow into my brain is different from most other people as I have an arterial ischema, adefectiveartery on one side.   I have to go forward about 20 or more years when I learned that I had glaucoma, an eye problem that causes blindness and more years until I learned I had celiac disease.  The eye Dr described my glaucoma as a very slow loss of vision that I wouldn't  notice until had noticeable loss of sight.  I could have my eye pressure checked regularly or it would be best to have the cataracts removed from both eyes. I kept putting off the surgery then just overnight lost most of the vision in my left eye. I thought at the I had been exposed to some chemical and found out a little later the person who livedbehind me was using some chemicals to build kayaks in a shed behind my house. I did not realize the signifance  of this until I started having appointments with a Dr. in a new building. New buildings give me brain fog, loss of balance and other problems I know about this time I experienced visual disturbances very similar to those experienced by people with migraines. I looked further online and read that people with glaucoma can suffer rapid loss of sight if they have silent migraines (no headache). The remedy for migraines is to identify and avoid the triggers. I already know most of my triggers - aromatic chemicals, some cleaning materials, gasoline and exhaust and mold toxins. I am very careful about using cleaning agents using mostly borax and baking powder. Anything that has any fragrance or smell I avoid. There is one brand of dishwashing detergent that I can use and several brands of  scouring powder. I hope you find some of this helpful and useful. I have not seen any evidence that Celiac Disease is involved with migraines or glaucoma. Please come back if you have questions or if what I wrote doesn't make senseto you. We sometimes haveto learn by experience and finding out why we have some problems. Take care.       The report did not mention migraines. 
    • Mari
      My only proof

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Jmartes71 That is so much like my story! You probably know where Laytonville is and that's where I was living just before my 60th birthday when the new Dr. suggested I could have Celiacs. I didn't go on a gluten challange diet before having the Celiac panel blood test drawn. The results came back as equivical as one antibody level was very high but another, tissue transaminasewas normal. Itdid show I was  allergic to cows milk and I think hot peppers. I immediately went gluten free but did not go in for an endoscopy. I found an online lab online that would do the test to show if I had a main celiac gene (enterolab.com). The report came back that I had inherited a main celiac gene, DQ8, from one parent and a D!6 from the other parent. That combination is knows to sym[tons of celiac worse than just inheriting one main celiac gene. With my version of celiac disease I was mostly constipated but after going gluten-free I would have diarrhea the few times I was glutened either by cross contamination or eating some food containing gluten. I have stayed gluten-free for almost 20 years now and knew within a few days that it was right for me although my recovery has been slow.   When I go to see a  medical provide and tell them I have celiacs they don't believe me. The same when I tell them that I carry a main celiac gene, the DQ8. It is only when I tell them that I get diarrhea after eating gluten that they realize that I might have celiac disease. Then they will order th Vitamin B12 and D3 that I need to monitor as my B12 levels can go down very fast if I'm not taking enough of it. Medical providers haven't been much help in my recovery. They are not well trained in this problem. I really hope this helps ypu. Take care.      
    • knitty kitty
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Fascinating.
    • DebJ14
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By DebJ14 · Posted

×
×
  • 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.