Food Jealousy...

[princessfuzzball]

I have been gluten free for almost a year... I'm doing a LOT better than before I was diagnosed, and I'm very happy about that.

However-

If people around me are eating, I do indeed still miss that food.

I have tried to tell myself time and time again that I'm better off without it, but that isn't helping.

I have tried to tell myself that I don't want what I'm craving, that dosen't work very well either.

What do you do when you are surronded by all this?

I can't run away, and I'm sick of lying to myself, I can't seem to get over gluten.

Apparently my wishing for easy convience foods annoy people around me, and my inner struggle is annoying me.

[Rusla]

I remind my self of the pain and suffering I suffered with wheat and gluten and I don't miss it anymore. If it is pizza I am missing I make myself a gluten-free one the way I like, with pesto sauce.

[ianm]

I was just too sick and don't ever want to be that way again. I have too many good things happening in my life to blow it by eating a donut.

[tarnalberry]

What do you do when you are surronded by all this?

I can't run away, and I'm sick of lying to myself, I can't seem to get over gluten.

Apparently my wishing for easy convience foods annoy people around me, and my inner struggle is annoying me.

I just remind myself that I want it, but I can't have it. Doesn't mean I want it any less, just means I don't have it. That's really about it. To borrow an analogy (a bit racy though it may be), it's kinda like sex. You can have the drive/desire/urge to have sex with your significant other, but if they're not in the mood, you don't do it. You may find some other alternative (like you do with your gluten-free food), but you don't get what you want. It doesn't mean you don't want it, just that you can't have it.

[hez]

I have similar issues. I have started to demonize the gluten. Not just in my head but out loud. My friends think I am nuts (this is nothing new, they thought that before my dx). I also know how sick it will make me. I really do think this is the hardest part, the emotional.

Hez

[Nancym]

I really think it is very like a drug. You're out of the initial detox phase, but it still calls to you. All I can say is I think it will call less and less as time goes by. I had given up all carby refined foods about 3-4 years ago, but I started back on them again (occassionally) before I figured out the gluten intolerance thing. Most of these 3-4 years I've been free of it all (I don't even eat gluten free substitutes) and I really don't miss it. As long as I have food I find tasty and wonderful smelling I'm fine eating anything.

I am doing ok. Going dairy free hurt for a few weeks, but I quickly adjusted to that new reality too. My only complaint is I'd like to have something that could replace yogurt for me (I don't eat soy either).

I think in the end we're actually the lucky ones. We've been identified and we're not further damaging our health. 97% of the celiacs out there haven't been diagnosed. And who knows how many gluten sensitives are out there suffering with IBS or whatever and possibly doomed to shorter, sicker lives because they'll never be diagnosed, or they can't give up their poison.

I guess I like to focus on the positives. I know I'm eating the healthiest diet I've ever eaten in my entire life. It took a lot of years of suffering to get to this point, but here I am.

[fisharefriendsnotfood]

I think I'm just so used to it that it doesn't bother me. I know, I haven't tried gluten since I was two, but let's take fries as an example. I know what fries taste like but I can't have the ones at my cafeteria. When my friends buy them it doesn't bother me. Don't know why. I'm lucky. Yay!

-Jackie

[gabby]

Have a pity party. Seriously. When you are feeling left out and angry and depressed about this (which will happen from time to time) throw yourself a pity party. The key is to give it a time limit. I give myself 2 solid hours. I make sure I can have those two hours to myself and I'm allowed to be as dismal and miserable as I want. Play those old sad songs. Put on a pot of coffee. Look at pictures of yourself before the diagnosis. Punch a pillow. Write angry hurtful letters in a diary...but don't send them. Cry. Wallow. Yell out..why me?

And then, when the two hours is up, pack up your kleenex. Put away the old photos. Put on a really upbeat song (like Funkytown, or Ace of Base...I know they're corny but they're fun). Dance around in your livingroom and then outloud, list 10 things in your life that you are happy about and are grateful for and you wouldn't change for the world.

Note: the wallowing can go for 2 hours...but I find it never lasts longer than 20 minutes personally.

let us know how this works out for you!