Gotta Motivate My Family...

[elye]

Hey, Guys,

This thread is somewhat related to jodikris's last one...I've been "officially" celiac for about six months, and finally getting on to the challenging diet. I am getting my kids tested this month. Here's where I need your help: I've been after my brother and sister to be tested, but they keep brushing me off, not realizing how serious this thing is...and believe me, I've harped on and on about the potential dangers of this kind of long-term intestinal damage. The problem is, they haven't seen or experienced the horrid complications, and they aren't doing any research on the subject like I do. I'm going to pick up Dangerous Grains and insist they read it. I thought I'd also ask you all to offer up some hard evidence, through personal experiences, of what this untreated disease can do. I know people have relatives who have battled with osteoperosis and cancers, and if I can get some poignant cautionary tales, I'm printing them off post haste.

Thanks a lot!

Emily

[zip2play]

It is my experience, as with anything that pertains to food, decisions are very personal. If I were you, I would offer up information to your siblings and then let it be. Your stongly suggesting they read that book may very well backfire. They wouldn't be the only Celiac people to go undiagnosed. It is a personal decision and if people fear the resutls, they will run and RUN FAST! Just keep offering up the information if they are interested, beyond that, let it be!

Good luck! Let us know what you find out about your children!

Monica

[Guest nini]

Dangerous grains is a good place to start, but it is really hard to convince family. I've been after my sister and mom to get tested for over 2 years now, my sisters kids are even showing symptoms, as well as my mom and my sister, and they won't listen to me.

I think you have to focus on YOU, get YOU healthy first, then work on motivating the rest of your family.

It may be easier for you after your kids are tested (even if their results are negative) to take your entire family gluten free at least at home you won't have to worry about cross contamination issues if you make your entire kitchen gluten free. That is if you can convince your family to go along with it.

My daughter and I are both celiac and on the diet. We both react pretty immediately if we are exposed to gluten, but not always in the same way. My husband is not, though he tried it for awhile. Despite the fact that he was A LOT healthier while he was gluten free, he decided the diet was TOO HARD and he's not committed to sticking with it. He even read Dangerous Grains and understands that you don't have to be celiac for gluten to affect you. Since he has gone off the gluten-free diet, he has gained too much weight, has terrible acid reflux that wakes him up in the middle of the night, snores like a bear (this actually went away when he was gluten-free) and his arthritis pain has flared up so bad that he doesn't even want to get out of bed. But do you think he will consider going back on the gluten-free diet? NOPE. I can't convince him. I wish I knew how.

[Random Guy]

my mother has celiac

i have 3 siblings

one is going to be tested soon when he was going in for a checkup anyway

one hasn't given it much thought - too budy to deal with anything that's not an immediate crisis or really fun

one isn't going to be tested ever

what can i do?

the only thing I can do is let them know that having celiac and knowing it, and staying gluten free isn't so bad. if i make a huge issue out of what a pain in the neck it is, that won't motivate them. but if i emphasize the many things i eat that i love so much, they may see that it's no big deal

(this may be difficult to do being that i'm going skiing with my sister for a few days, and brining all my food to be safe)

but i don't think i can make anyone do anything they don't want to do. i'm just not that overtly persuasive.

[Nancym]

There's that old saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink". This is particularly true when it comes to trying to convince your family they have a hereditary health issue that affects their diet.

My best advice is, give it up. Don't harp on it or them it'll just create friction and probably won't change their minds.

[penguin]

If they live close to you, I would say to invite them over for dinner. A LOT. Cook them beautiful gluten-free meals and rave about how great you're doing now that you're gluten-free. Create a utopia!

Otherwise, the other posters are right, not a whole lot you can do without drugging them and dragging them to the dr

[tarnalberry]

I agree - you can't make them get tested, or try the diet. You can invite them over and only have gluten-free items at your own house, of course, and can let them know that you're handling it well and it's been very helpful - and that may help them understand the true nature of the diet better, but other than that, there's not a lot you can do.

[num1habsfan]

I wish I could give you advice. I know its like no use trying to convince my family to get tested or and after 3 years, they still dont even fully support the gluten-free life i try to live.

Hope you can convince them somehow!

~lisa~