Getting glutened from being hugged!

Sherma · April 17, 2023

Every time I go to family gatherings and get hugged by family I get diarrhea! I am a 77 year old great grandma; I want to be hugged! I want to go to the gatherings! I am thankful to say that I do not have a lot of the intestinal problems/severity. But what damage is it doing anyway and does it matter at my age? I do not eat gluten, I don't go if they are baking from scratch with flour in the air. Mentally this is tearing me up!!! I am so depressed! My 51 year old son sat beside me, I asked if he had been eating gluten, he answered "Probably." and gave me a big wonderful hug!!! after that I just shut up and let them all hug me!!!

Maria Deal · April 17, 2023

I understand. I am an Airborne Celiac and avoid handshakes/touching as well. So the aroma from food steaming gets me as well, actually figured this out from cooked food being brought into a meeting in styrofoam… and I touched no one!

Do you wear a face mask? I do. I think it helps. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I make sure I wash my hands after touching things others touch, like doorknobs as well. As we hug: I try to exhale when our faces are close, turn my head away, over their shoulder, then inhale. Hope that helps.😘

trents · April 17, 2023

I don't see how skin to skin contact with a person eating gluten could cause a gluten reaction in another who has gluten intolerance/sensitivity. When gluten is ingested, it is broken down into simpler proteins in the digestion process and is no longer gluten. Certainly, it would not reconstruct itself and show up as gluten on the outside of the skin. I would suspect there are gluten issues with the food served at family gatherings rather than the hugs.

Sherma · April 17, 2023

On 4/17/2023 at 2:46 PM, Maria Deal said:

I understand. I am an Airborne Celiac and avoid handshakes/touching as well. So the aroma from food steaming gets me as well, actually figured this out from cooked food being brought into a meeting in styrofoam… and I touched no one!

Do you wear a face mask? I do. I think it helps. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I make sure I wash my hands after touching things others touch, like doorknobs as well. As we hug: I try to exhale when our faces are close, turn my head away, over their shoulder, then inhale. Hope that .😘

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Thank you so much. No I don't wear a mask. Stubborn I guess. I just want to live the rest of my life in some normalcy! OK I'll get my act together. But for instance, at that gathering; I had 3 seizures with family coming to my rescue then walking me to my nearby home & bed! Often I have 2 helping me get home. I have a small home at my daughters home. How can I get their help & not get glutened?