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

Do You Want A Cigarette...

Compassion

By Compassion
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Compassion Newbie
Compassion
Posted

I had an interesting conversation with my boss today about Thanksgiving at my in-laws and how I wasn't looking forward to having to explain my "odd" eating habits, since this is only the second month I am gluten-free and I am still "technically" not diagnosed, although I am getting it through my skull that a positive dietary reaction is enough B) . My husband's family all have issues with food, as in they use it as a substitute for love, for attention, for stuffing anger, you get the picture... so a carb helps anything right? And since they equate food with love, me turning down food is akin to not accepting their love. Understandable and immature though it may be, it is my current reality there.

My boss brought up the analogy about how to keep my willpower during the event and since I am personally opposed to smoking (my lungs only, do with your lungs as you will), she asked me what I would do if they offered me a cigarette? Well of course I would turn it down I said... and she said, consider it like that... gluten is harmful to your body, it doesn't matter what they do with it, but you shouldn't eat it.

For some reason that clicked with me and helped elminate the last of my guilt. I thought I would share in hopes that it may help someone else over that hump...

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


gabby Enthusiast
gabby
Posted

That is the most fantastic thing I've ever heard. It makes perfect sense, and your boss is right. I don't smoke, and if someone offered me a cigarette...even if it was a cigarette convention and everyone else was doing it, I would not smoke. And I'm not allergic to smoking, nor do I have a disease that prevents me from smoking. i just don't do it. As a personal choice. And I never feel the need to explain myself and my non-smoking choice to others.

Thanks for posting this!

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

It often amazes me why more people don't intrisically see it that way to start with, but, as you note, many people think of food through emotionally-colored lenses, only they don't realize they do so.

Angeleyes Newbie
Angeleyes
Posted

I think that is a wonderful analogy! Whatever works to make you realize that your choices are YOUR choices to make, without guilt! My dog suffers from Celiac disease we believe, though definitely SEVERE food allergies to all glutens. So if I have company I'm constantly eyeing everyone to be sure that they aren't feeding Maximus (my dog) anything he shouldn't, and God help them if they drop something!!! It's bad for my dog to get these foods, he will be sick for a week from eating ONE potato chip... IMO there is no room for a slip-up. Good for you for finally realizing that choosing your own health and realizing that anyone too blind to see your reasoning isn't worth getting yourself sick for!

Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted

Thanks for sharing that. I really like it. :)

Creative-Soul Newbie
Creative-Soul
Posted

Thank you for sharing that; it's an awesome perspective to have been given. You are fortunate to have such an understanding boss!

SchnauzerMom Rookie
SchnauzerMom
Posted

That's a great idea! I never thought of it that way. I'll keep that in mind if I come across someone who is pushy. So far most people have not tried to push anything on me. But, Thanksgiving is coming. I'm working on a plan for dealing with it. :)

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Compassion Newbie
Compassion
Posted
  • Author

I am glad that it made sense to others too :).

Yes, I do have an amazing boss, I am incredibly fortunate. I couldn't ask for anything better. She is so understanding and has lots of good insight. I have learned a lot from her.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,546
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    KimberlyAnne76
    Newest Member
    KimberlyAnne76
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
    • Jsingh
      Protein or fat?

      By Jsingh · Posted

      Hi,  I care for my seven year old daughter with Celiac. After watching her for months, I have figured out that she has problem with two kinds of fats- animal fat and cooking oils. It basically makes her intestine sore enough that she feels spasms when she is upset. It only happens on days when she has eaten more fat than her usual every day diet. (Her usual diet has chia seeds, flaxseeds, and avocado/ pumpkin seeds for fat and an occasional chicken breast.) I stopped using cooking oils last year, and when I reintroduced eggs and dairy, both of which I had held off for a few months thinking it was an issue of the protein like some Celiac patients habe mentioned to be the case, she has reacted in the same fashion as she does with excess fats. So now I wonder if her reaction to dairy and eggs is not really because of protein but fat.   I don't really have a question, just wondering if anyone finds this familiar and if it gets better with time.  Thank you. 
    • Chanda Richard
      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods

      By Chanda Richard · Posted

      Hello, My name is Chanda and you are not the only one that gose through the same things. I have found that what's easiest for me is finding a few meals each week that last. I have such severe reactions to gluten that it shuts my entire body down. I struggle everyday with i can't eat enough it feels like, when I eat more I lose more weight. Make sure that you look at medication, vitamins and shampoo and conditioner also. They have different things that are less expensive at Walmart. 
    • petitojou
      Frequent nausea after gluten-free diet

      By petitojou · Posted

      Thank you so much! I saw some tips around the forum to make a food diary and now that I know that the community also struggles with corn, egg and soy, the puzzle pieces came together! Just yesterday I tried eating eggs and yes, he’s guilty and charged. Those there are my 3 combo nausea troublemakers. I’m going to adjust my diet ☺️ Also thank you for the information about MCAS! I’m from South America and little it’s talked about it in here. It’s honestly such a game changer now for treatment and recovery. I know I’m free from SIBO and Candida since I’ve been tested for it, but I’m still going to make a endoscopy to test for H. Pylori and Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Thank you again!! Have a blessed weekend 🤍
    • knitty kitty
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I, too, have osteoporosis from years of malabsorption, too.  Thiamine and magnesium are what keep the calcium in place in the bones.  If one is low in magnesium, boron, selenium, zinc, copper, and other trace minerals, ones bone heath can suffer.  We need more than just calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones.  Riboflavin B 2, Folate B 9 and Pyridoxine B 6 also contribute to bone formation and strength.   Have you had your thyroid checked?  The thyroid is important to bone health as well.  The thyroid uses lots of thiamine, so a poorly functioning thyroid will affect bone heath.  
×
×
  • 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.