Dilemma With Family

[Yenni]

I feel I am in a dilemma with my husband and my family. At first when I started with a Gluten free diet I thought it was just not eating it, plain and simple…but then when I started reading books and coming here the whole thing about cross contamination presented itself.

Now I feel it isn’t just about not eating gluten it is about making sure the stuff you eat doesn’t get in contact with gluten.

I have gotten new pots and pans, new cutting board, new beauty products, gluten free dog food for my dog.. You name it.

Am I going too far? I feel like my family do not believe in the cross contaminationg thing. That one just can’t be that sensetive that I can’t share a cutting board or a Teflon pan (if it is cleaned).

They keep on telling me that it all depends on how sensetive you are to it. That some handle it better than others. My sister in law says she knows people with gluten intolerans that can get it in them and not feel a thing and that is alright.

Am I being too carefull?

I try telling them that even if you don’t feel anything when getting it in you it is supposed to damage you anyways. Nobody seems to buy that.

My husband is very supportive but I feel he thinks I am taking it a little too far maybe. That not letting the dog eat gluten treats is too far. How big is the risk of getting glutened by your dog?

I am not sure what do do or feel about this all. I don’t want to be too carful and too paranoid.

Anyone else ever find themselves in this dilemma?

Not sure what to do.

I feel I have to defend myself with them. It makes me tired and sad. I feel they do not believe me. Sorta. Hard to explain.

[Mtndog]

You might not be that sensitive, but many people are. Plus, CC is very real in that even if you don't "feel" sick, you could still be doing damage.

Obviously, it's impossible to avoid CC all the time, but I think you're right on!

[frenchiemama]

Personally, I believe in better safe than sorry. For what it's worth, I absolutely don't think that you are being too careful. I do the same for myself, and it keeps me from getting sick.

I hate when people say "I know someone who...." and try to use that to disprove the evidence that CC is an issue. I think that most of us can name someone who smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish, but lived into their 90's or beyond. Does that mean that it's ok for everyone to do that? I hardly think so.

IMO, tell them to stuff it and just keep doing what you are doing. If they don't believe you, have them read some posts on this site or read some of the information that has convinced you that CC is a danger. Heck, once I made myself sick because I made gluten-free brownies in a pan that I had used for regular baking. It can happen.

[Guest ~jules~]

I think your doing just what you need to do to prevent further damage to your body. Alot of the things we have to do seem to this day very rediculous to me, and my family definetly doesn't "get it". If you think about it though we have to eliminate gluten, its all around us. When you throw CC into the mix, yep it does tend to get silly to some, but we need to do what we need to do to stay healthy and prevent further damage. My family is already getting used to it, and I hope yours will too. Hang in there, your not being silly, your being smart...

[LKelly8]

I agree with the smart people above me . I know if I had a dog and didn't switch to gluten-free food and treats, I'd be washing my hands 50 times a day!

Is there a Celiac support group in your area? Your husband could go with you, hear first hand - and not second hand from "those crazy people on the internet".

Hee

[ÆON]

I don't think that you can be too paranoid when it comes to avoiding gluten. I say this after having been sick several times because I thought that the "avoid a crumb" and "beware pots and pans" advice was just going overboard.

I can see how it might be harder to be so careful when you don't have intense reactions but unfortunately damage is still being done internally.

Celiac is a weird thing - by that I mean that not alot of people have heard of it - I know I didn't up until a couple of months ago and at first it sounded to me like something a quack had made up - afterall, how could anyone get sick off of bread! My mom always fed me toast when I was ill.

I think it's a very strange concept to most people - my own mother doesn't believe me (she thinks it's my gallbladder).

Hang in there - keep being careful and at least you'll feel better.

[2kids4me]

You can print this for him.

A testimonial for cc and the effects.

daughter has severe symptoms just inhaling wheat dust - from an empty/cleaned grain bin on a farm. Up until that episode, I too thought it was just about eating it.

daughter shows outward symptoms so it is easy to tell if she was glutened...son did not show a lot of physical symptoms but inside, his intestine was badly damaged.

a crumb in the butter can make a batch of mashed potatoes "glutened"

making gravy from the drippings of a chicken or turkey with wheat stuffing - is really cross contaminated.

I had to edcuate family about the above 2 examples.

We have 2 children with celiac - the house is gluten-free. If hubby wants gluten he can order out and eat it on the deck or at work. He is allowed toast - in a separate toaster. I had family literally laughing at me casue I had 2 toasters, I looked the laughing one in the eye and said - it prevents a lot of missed school and intestinal damage.

It doesnt matter what they think - do what you feel is necessary to stay healthy, if they comment just tell them - this way I am sure I will stay healthy and happy for my family. Maybe it will humble them to remind them that this is about your health and wellbeing.

[Yenni]

I want to join the support group up here. I will bring my husband there.

It isn't mainly my husband that is the "trouble maker" for me. I know that with some time his analytical brain will accept things.

Thank you all for your replies. Means a lot to me.

I have a question about this atricle:

Open Original Shared Link

It claimes a crum will not make you sick, but that it takeas about 1/8th of a wheat thin cracker to do damage.

(See the text in the blue field.)

That sounds like a lot to me.

I have gotten the impression there are two types of people with Gluten Intolerance. The first is very laid back and shares everything in the kitchen (utensiles). Eat out and stuff. Doesn't seem to have shanged their ways as much because of the disease. Seems to take risks. I read on a nother board about people BBQing and the Gluten intolerant person grilled their meat on the BBQ with the non/gluten people. There were no talk about checking the Briquets for wheat or anything and he just put his meat on a piece of foil on the BBQ.

The other is careful like me (and I have gotten the impression most are careful like this on this board, but I am new here).

My mind is wondering what type is right..

I am just trying to make sence of all of this. I am sorry if I am being difficult.

[gfp]

Personally, I believe in better safe than sorry. For what it's worth, I absolutely don't think that you are being too careful. I do the same for myself, and it keeps me from getting sick.

I hate when people say "I know someone who...." and try to use that to disprove the evidence that CC is an issue. I think that most of us can name someone who smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish, but lived into their 90's or beyond. Does that mean that it's ok for everyone to do that? I hardly think so.

IMO, tell them to stuff it and just keep doing what you are doing. If they don't believe you, have them read some posts on this site or read some of the information that has convinced you that CC is a danger. Heck, once I made myself sick because I made gluten-free brownies in a pan that I had used for regular baking. It can happen.

IMHO great advice from everyone so far... but I love that comparison...

Dog food is .. well eaten by dogs, not the most sophisticated eaters! There is literally no way you can explain to the dog it hurts you... and dogs have a habit of trying to hide bits of food, especailly hard biscuits etc. or crunching them up and getting crumbs everywhere.

It claimes a crum will not make you sick, but that it takeas about 1/8th of a wheat thin cracker to do damage.

Actually it doesn't if you read it carefully.... it says a single molecule is "unlikely" to survive but that an 1/8.... is enough...it doesn't actually say a crumb will not. Actually I really like that article, Ive posted it myself a few times but I think this particualr part is misleading.

My mind is wondering what type is right..

I am just trying to make sence of all of this. I am sorry if I am being difficult.

Not at all.... an I understand why its so confusing, heck most of us feel the same...

However I have personally been glutened from much less than a crumb...there isn't much protein in beer (about 2% depending on the beer) but I have been glutened by accidentally tasting it...and spitting it out.

The same goes for wheat starch which should have almost no residual protein ...I am 100% sure about this because I "blind tested" .. that is before the new labelling laws were implemented I had lists of items from sliced ham to medicines I knew made me sick. When the new EU labelling laws came in then my list of over 200 items was 100% containing traces of gluten... (In Europe dextrines and maltodextrines are often from wheat) ... however the amount of gluten in these is a "trace" ... certainly much less than a crumb!

Which type is correct?

I think its as much a matter of how strict people are.... and your story is so typical.

I certainly started off with the idea I was not going to be ultra sensitive and Im stubborn. I got much better going gluten free lite.... and just had niggling problems.

However when I finally went gluten-free... the whole way I found I had symptoms I had never identified... this is when lots of funny things went away.

Now when I get glutened by the tiniest amount I react more violently... like a smoker who has quit for 20 years smoking a full pack of cigs...

IMHO that is because the body tries to process out the gluten as a toxin... like smoking its something you can get used to and even develop a dependancy on. In other words if you constantly trickle gluten in your body gets accustomed to coping with it.

Who is correct?

Well does that mean that its doing damage.... and I think honestly noone can say.

The first thing to consider is that in the last 5 years far more aspects of celiac disease have been linked from neuropathy to adrenal and thyroid related....

So even if its not damaging the villi that doesn't mean other damage is not being done

However I don't think its possible to say if it is damaging the villi or not...because villi self repair and die naturally anyway. However the rate at which they are forced to do this is important...

In an extreme example imagine a animal with great regenerative powers like a crab or starfish.. of you cut off a limb it grows back.... however if you cut a limb off every day it will die ..it can't regenerate fast enough....

This is what I beleive happens with the villi in pre-symptomatic celiac.... we just grow back faster than they are destroyed BUT this leads to other problems like cancer because the cells are not designed to replicate so quickly...equally the immune system is constantly being stressed...

In the end I have to agree exactly with the "but aunt Eidee smoked 60 a day and drank like a fish up to her 110th birthday ... " comment.

There are drinkers and smokers who point to some distant relative to justify their habits as "not unhealthy or aunt eidee would have died earlier" ... in the same way many celiacs want to believe that a bit of gluten is OK... others claim to be "cured".... because...

"Man will willingly believe what he wants"

[celiacgirls]

I think it is hard for family to understand. I wouldn't believe it either, if it hadn't happened to me. But since I have been glutened from cc, I would rather be overly careful at times, than take a chance on wasting a day or more not feeling well.

[mouse]

When I went gluten free, I thought the same as your husband. that some of this was just overdoing it. I did not get a separate toaster. I did not make myself toast much and just did not think that was what was helping to make me sick every so often. It took me a year and a half to buy myself a toaster. And even then I was still getting some cross contamination. By that time, my husband was so totally on board, that it was his suggestion that he use a separate part of the kitchen counter (right in front of HIS toaster) for making his sandwiches. He also has his own kitchen towel. We had already labeled things in the frig to prevent double dipping. You can explain to him that if you get sick, you will be unable to prepare meals, etc. Sometimes that gives them a heads up.

[Yenni]

Thank you all!! These replies are just what I needed to read. I am gonna have my husband take a look at this too. He is very supportive as is but I think he is trying to make sence out of things too. The problem is his parents and his siblings with families. Especially his sister. She has read this book ("You are what you eat") and now she is a very stubborn expert. Like she told me a couple of weeks ago that food intolerances are just the body getting too much of that type of food and if you just stopp for a while it will go away and you can eat it again. I was trying to tell her that was wrong when it comes to gluten, but she got mad instead. (sigh)

(And my dog loves the new dog food better than the old. She has even gained some weight from it. So the problem is that my father in law gives her gluten containing snacks every day. I have been looking for a gluten free snack for him to give her instead but had no luck in town so far.)

gfp, thanks for clarifying about that 1/8 wheat thin cracker thing for me. It was actually you who linked that article for me in another thread. I read it again last night and my mind got stuck with/at that 1/8 thing.

I seem to be pretty sensetive when it comes to cross contamination. I do not vomit but I feel like I have gotten the flu and it takes a long time for me to get back on track after.

I am pretty sure I have been CC from both using the Teflon pan, using the toaster and when BBQ-ing. Among other things.

[frenchiemama]

(And my dog loves the new dog food better than the old. She has even gained some weight from it. So the problem is that my father in law gives her gluten containing snacks every day. I have been looking for a gluten free snack for him to give her instead but had no luck in town so far.)

If you can't find store-bought gluten-free dog treats, I'm sure that your dog would be perfectly happy to get little bits of apple (with or without peanut butter), baby carrots, banana, virtually any fruit or veggie. (NO grapes, onions or macadamia nuts). That's what my dogs get. Or if she's really good, little bits of hotdog.

[Tori's Dad]

I guess I have a question first...did you buy a set of dedicated gluten-free pots and pans?

A cutting board I can see being more like a toaster in that it needs to be completely separated, but I think if you throoughly wash your pots and pans you should be fine. My wife and daughter are both celiacs. My daughter is EXTREMELY sensitive and had an Iga well over 100 while my wife had an Iga of 9 with no symptoms whatsoever so I see both ends of the spectrum. We have a dedicated toaster, sifter and colander but we use the same pots, pans (no cast iron though) and utensils and have not had a problem. I don't mean we use them for both gluten-free and regular food at the same time, just that one day we boil regular spaghetti in a pot, then after we wash it we use it for gluten-free pasta the next day.

While you can't be too carefull with cross contamination, you probably don't need to keep completely separate cookware if it's a problem, just be sure to wash them thoroughly. If you have plenty of space to store 2 sets of pots and pans then by all means do it, we just don't have the space. JMHO

You may not have even meant that is what you are doing though....

[prinsessa]

If you can't find store-bought gluten-free dog treats, I'm sure that your dog would be perfectly happy to get little bits of apple (with or without peanut butter), baby carrots, banana, virtually any fruit or veggie. (NO grapes, onions or macadamia nuts). That's what my dogs get. Or if she's really good, little bits of hotdog.

Why can't dogs have grapes? I give my dog grapes once in a while because she loves them. She also loves to chase them around the house (like an edible ball). I don't want to keep giving them to her if they are bad for her. She also loves apples and carrots. btw, trader joes sells dehydrated chicken breasts for dogs that I think is gluten free.

[frenchiemama]

This is a list of foods that are toxic to dogs, grape info is included:

Open Original Shared Link

[Yenni]

I guess I have a question first...did you buy a set of dedicated gluten-free pots and pans?

A cutting board I can see being more like a toaster in that it needs to be completely separated, but I think if you throoughly wash your pots and pans you should be fine. My wife and daughter are both celiacs. My daughter is EXTREMELY sensitive and had an Iga well over 100 while my wife had an Iga of 9 with no symptoms whatsoever so I see both ends of the spectrum. We have a dedicated toaster, sifter and colander but we use the same pots, pans (no cast iron though) and utensils and have not had a problem. I don't mean we use them for both gluten-free and regular food at the same time, just that one day we boil regular spaghetti in a pot, then after we wash it we use it for gluten-free pasta the next day.

While you can't be too carefull with cross contamination, you probably don't need to keep completely separate cookware if it's a problem, just be sure to wash them thoroughly. If you have plenty of space to store 2 sets of pots and pans then by all means do it, we just don't have the space. JMHO

You may not have even meant that is what you are doing though....

I was just going to get a new Teflon pan and a new cutting board but ended up with new everything (not a new toaster, I just don't use any at all for now).

For now we live with with my husband's family (we have moved back and forth between Sweden and Alaska and are trying to get enough money to build a little house here) and that is what making things much harder for me. There is always crums in the kitchen, the microwave always have a sticky handle, the fridge is dirty... Just a lot of gluten around. On top of things my husbands little nephews live here during the weeks and other grandchildren are here too (getting "daycared") so the table is often sticky with stuff... Just a nightmare for me. So I ended up getting my own stuff. I keep them upstairs where we live. My food is up there too, we have our own fridge.

Well, so I agree that I could have shared, but considering everything else (and the fact that the dishes doesn't always seem totally clean) I ended up feeling safer this way.

Once we move out of here, hopefully this spring, things will be different. It will be much easier.

If you can't find store-bought gluten-free dog treats, I'm sure that your dog would be perfectly happy to get little bits of apple (with or without peanut butter), baby carrots, banana, virtually any fruit or veggie. (NO grapes, onions or macadamia nuts). That's what my dogs get. Or if she's really good, little bits of hotdog.

Thanks for the suggestions. Funny but my dog absolutely HATES Bananas. It is almost funny. I eat alot of them and I have offered her some and she almost gags when I offer.

The problem isn't my dog, its my father in law. Hard to teach an old dog to sit.

I need to get something that he can give her instead of the treats he always brings home from the coffee place. Just telling him he can't will not help. I have to actually set him up with stuff. Daisy (my dog) doesn't seem super fond of carrots either, otherwise a bag of those would have been good.

I'll have to keep on figuring this out.

Prinsessa, We have no Trader Joe's up here either so the Chicken treats are out too..Thanks though.

I seem to have more problems with my family than I have with being a Celiac... Yesterday people came over for dinner and they all had apple/nut pie with ice creme. It was nice to watch them all eat. ;o) (Luckely I wasn't in the mood for pie.)

[2kids4me]

I am glad more people are aware of the grape issue with dogs. They can develop kidney failure because of grapes. Onions affect their red blood cells, and chocolate acts like poison - vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Good snack options would be bits of cheese, meatballs - you can make tiny meatballs and store them in the freezer or cook up the ground beef and keep it "chunky" - rinse with boiling water to get more grease off and store it in the freezer in a baggie. If someone wants to give food as treats - in addition to the veggies already mentioned - then its an option. Some dogs like potato chunks as well (cooked).

A family eating dilemma arose today - Thanksgiving - I'm Canadian, eh

I cooked the turkey, gluten-free stuffing and gravy and brought to SIL house who made sure to have mashed potatoes made with butter from a new container (she is awesome at knowing about cc). Steamed veges - it was looking good. Grandma arrived with wheat buns and another SIL brings in all the ingredients for a wild rice salad - it looked yummy, I checked everything she showed me - the dressing, the wild rice packet. I thought - this is great cause she doesnt know that much...and its gluten-free...so we serve dinner - I move the buns away from kids then someone asks SIL about salad - she rhymes off list of ingreds then say - I mix soy sauce in the dressing. I stop dd who is about to have some - and ask - Why didnt you mention the soy sauce?.... most of them have wheat. She looks at me - but its SOY sauce! I got the bottle out and showed her the second ingred. - wheat - She now appreciates why I need to know EVERYTHING that goes into a dish.

Rest of dinner went well.....

[Yenni]

I am glad more people are aware of the grape issue with dogs. They can develop kidney failure because of grapes. Onions affect their red blood cells, and chocolate acts like poison - vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Good snack options would be bits of cheese, meatballs - you can make tiny meatballs and store them in the freezer or cook up the ground beef and keep it "chunky" - rinse with boiling water to get more grease off and store it in the freezer in a baggie. If someone wants to give food as treats - in addition to the veggies already mentioned - then its an option. Some dogs like potato chunks as well (cooked).

A family eating dilemma arose today - Thanksgiving - I'm Canadian, eh

I cooked the turkey, gluten-free stuffing and gravy and brought to SIL house who made sure to have mashed potatoes made with butter from a new container (she is awesome at knowing about cc). Steamed veges - it was looking good. Grandma arrived with wheat buns and another SIL brings in all the ingredients for a wild rice salad - it looked yummy, I checked everything she showed me - the dressing, the wild rice packet. I thought - this is great cause she doesnt know that much...and its gluten-free...so we serve dinner - I move the buns away from kids then someone asks SIL about salad - she rhymes off list of ingreds then say - I mix soy sauce in the dressing. I stop dd who is about to have some - and ask - Why didnt you mention the soy sauce?.... most of them have wheat. She looks at me - but its SOY sauce! I got the bottle out and showed her the second ingred. - wheat - She now appreciates why I need to know EVERYTHING that goes into a dish.

Rest of dinner went well.....

Some good dog treats tips there. Thanks.

I am glad your family is at least interested in trying to work with you. Mine has no interest what so ever. They keep on with what they always did and let me make my own food. So I never eat what they eat. I am sure this will always be the case for the rest of my life. I'll always have to bring my own dinner.

My husband is different. He is planning on eating what I eat once we get our own place. And yesterday he said he'll tell what ever family that brings gluten to our home " leave the bred outside the door, you can pick it up when you leave".

[Nantzie]

I was sick every day for over a week after we got back from vacation a couple weeks ago. My in-laws stayed with our kids who are also gluten-free. They came over a couple days before to make sure they understood everything. Knew all about cross-contamination. Asked intelligent questions. No eye-rolling or sarcasm. Absolutely wonderful and willing to do whatever I said was necessary.

But I forgot to tell my MIL about contamination from personal care products like hand lotion. So once I figured out what I was getting glutened from, it was basically everything she would have had to touch like grabbing some gluten-free chicken nuggets out of a bag, cookies, crackers, etc. The last thing I figured out I was getting glutened from was the silverware (for crying out loud...). Once I re-cleaned the silverware and the drawer, I haven't been sick since.

It wasn't too bad the first day, but I could tell something wasn't right, then it got worse every day until I just wanted to cry. I'm still not feeling quite right (tired, unmotivated, emotional), but in my experience I should be past that in a few more days, or a week at most.

So cross-contamination will get me every time. And I don't even technically have celiac. I "just" have gluten intolerance.

I was sure when I started that I would just have to "avoid" gluten, but not be constantly worried about it like some of those poor super-sensitive people on the message board. Little did I know...

Nancy

[Yenni]

I was sick every day for over a week after we got back from vacation a couple weeks ago. My in-laws stayed with our kids who are also gluten-free. They came over a couple days before to make sure they understood everything. Knew all about cross-contamination. Asked intelligent questions. No eye-rolling or sarcasm. Absolutely wonderful and willing to do whatever I said was necessary.

But I forgot to tell my MIL about contamination from personal care products like hand lotion. So once I figured out what I was getting glutened from, it was basically everything she would have had to touch like grabbing some gluten-free chicken nuggets out of a bag, cookies, crackers, etc. The last thing I figured out I was getting glutened from was the silverware (for crying out loud...). Once I re-cleaned the silverware and the drawer, I haven't been sick since.

It wasn't too bad the first day, but I could tell something wasn't right, then it got worse every day until I just wanted to cry. I'm still not feeling quite right (tired, unmotivated, emotional), but in my experience I should be past that in a few more days, or a week at most.

So cross-contamination will get me every time. And I don't even technically have celiac. I "just" have gluten intolerance.

I was sure when I started that I would just have to "avoid" gluten, but not be constantly worried about it like some of those poor super-sensitive people on the message board. Little did I know...

Nancy

Reading you signature my story is pretty similar to yours. I feel personality changed almost. The only thing I never seemed to have a problem with is sleeping. Even had mononucleosis when I was 20.

I have thought of the silverware drawer. There are crums in it. I usually check the silverware I use but do not always wash them off.

Today I have bad heart burn. Do not know it I got CCed or if it is just one of those days. I am super tired. Like I am most of the time.

I have been eating Roitussine Cough Drops. Doesn't look like it has any soy, casein or gluten in them..but I wonder.

Sigh, so tired of being sick.

[Nooner]

I am glad your family is at least interested in trying to work with you. Mine has no interest what so ever. They keep on with what they always did and let me make my own food. So I never eat what they eat. I am sure this will always be the case for the rest of my life. I'll always have to bring my own dinner.

My husband is different. He is planning on eating what I eat once we get our own place. And yesterday he said he'll tell what ever family that brings gluten to our home " leave the bred outside the door, you can pick it up when you leave".

Your husband is a keeper! I'm sure you already knew that. My relatives have no clue. They mean well, and try hard, but they say things like "Why can't you eat bread? There's flour in bread? Really?" Not everyone is enlightened.

Just one more personal anecdote to say you can not be too careful about CC. I got sick when my husband touched a flour tortilla, then reached into a package of shredded cheese that I was using to make dinner. Up until then my husband was supportive but a little cynical about one crumb (or a couple of specks of flour) being enough to cause a reaction. Now he's a believer! And he doesn't eat flour tortillas at home anymore.

So I think you have the right attitude. Keep it up!

~Li

[Yenni]

Something else I just realized.. I share tooth past with my husband who eats gluten. Maybe I should get my own.

This never ends.. So many things to think of.

[daffadilly]

Jenny, get your sister in law the book "Dangerous Grains" it is a paperback about $11.00 on amazon .com. I have learned that all you need to do it hand them the book - if they read it, you are home free...

If she is willing to read then maybe her closed mind is not totally lost

I am so darn sensitive you could just call me the gluten canary, I can go out to eat & be the taste tester. If I do not have a problem with something, no one will

re pots & pans, one set of something like stainless steel is mostly okay. definitely not teflon, I just do not like that stuff anyway, never had any non stick pans in the house. BUT, for baking pans, ie cookie sheets, cake pans, etc, that have had wheat cooked in them, I would toss them. The exception would be glass pie pans that can be washed clean and any stainless steel pans that are spotless. But if some of your cake pans and cookie sheets looked like mine - they were hopeless & got tossed.

I have a gluten-free house & if I were young enough to date they would have to be gluten-free, In years past it was no smoking, now that is standard !!!!

Just a note for people in a house not completely gluten-free, please do not use flour in your house, the stuff poofs up & gets on everything, plus you can breathe it in & it will really make you sick.

[Yenni]

Jenny, get your sister in law the book "Dangerous Grains" it is a paperback about $11.00 on amazon .com. I have learned that all you need to do it hand them the book - if they read it, you are home free...

If she is willing to read then maybe her closed mind is not totally lost

I am so darn sensitive you could just call me the gluten canary, I can go out to eat & be the taste tester. If I do not have a problem with something, no one will

re pots & pans, one set of something like stainless steel is mostly okay. definitely not teflon, I just do not like that stuff anyway, never had any non stick pans in the house. BUT, for baking pans, ie cookie sheets, cake pans, etc, that have had wheat cooked in them, I would toss them. The exception would be glass pie pans that can be washed clean and any stainless steel pans that are spotless. But if some of your cake pans and cookie sheets looked like mine - they were hopeless & got tossed.

I have a gluten-free house & if I were young enough to date they would have to be gluten-free, In years past it was no smoking, now that is standard !!!!

Just a note for people in a house not completely gluten-free, please do not use flour in your house, the stuff poofs up & gets on everything, plus you can breathe it in & it will really make you sick.

I have that book. Haven't read it all yet. I need to do that. Maybe that book will be my sister in laws christmas gift. She would get mad I think.

I am starting to think I am very sensetive. I had the nastiest heart burn today, my stomach hurts and is all swell up. My husband ate donuts by the computer yesterday. I used it after him and then I am pretty sure I bit a nail..

I dunno. I am very confused by all of this. Grr..

Thanks all for your input. This place is a life saver.