Holiday Blues

[Jennifer111]

Hi Everyone, Having some difficulty with the holidays fast approaching!! I have been finding recipes and such and making the ahead to do a taste testing some are good some arent soo good but I am struggling with this whole thing...lately it takes me forever to figure out what i want to eat unless its salad or fruit but ya can only eat so much of that...anyways wanted to know how it was for anyone else when they first got diagnosed....am i wrong to feel depressed over the food i no longer can eat? please share thanks

Jennifer

[lonewolf]

You're completely normal. I remember how hard it was the first Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's okay to grieve - you have had a loss. The only thing I can say is that it does get easier with time - but I know that doesn't help right NOW. Enjoy the foods that you can eat and enjoy family and friends and hang in there.

[GFBetsy]

Have you ever sat down and listed all the foods that you still can eat? Fruits, veggies, meats, etc. Also, list all of the meals that you can make with those things you can eat .. . soups, baked meats or fish, cobb salads, baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes, homemade tacos (YUM!), fajitas in corn tortillas, orange pork chops, etc. Making these lists helps because then you can turn to the list when you are hungry and say: Mmmm . . . I'm going to make this tonight and that one tomorrow!

Depression is almost certain to come . . . your life has permanently changed. But finding some continuity (things you've always liked that you can still eat, I mean) helps a lot. It gives you options and makes eating easier and less of an time-consuming ordeal.

Check out Nini's Newbie kit (she's a forum member here). I've heard it's got a lot of "getting started" information. And if you are looking for meal ideas, check out the cookbook "Saving Dinner" by Leanne Ely. Her recipes aren't all gluten free, but many of them are, and they are VERY good. Her Garlic Lime Chicken recipe is FABULOUS. And they are so easy to make that you will astonish yourself with your ability to cook food that tastes so good with so little effort.

[tarnalberry]

The diet change is a MAJOR change, and assuming you were eating anything near a standard american diet, a major LOSS. Grieving is totally normal, and something that you'll go through stages of for a very long time, though it will get easier after you have found the coping mechanisms and changes that work *for you*. The first time through all the major food things will always be tough, especially when you're newer to the diet. Give yourself room to grieve, and understand and acknowledge why you're grieving, what you're grieving, and that you need to grieve the changes. You'll come out the other side even better prepared to stick with the diet all the way.

[Guest cassidy]

You certainly aren't alone.

I never really liked Thanksgiving or Christmas food because I really don't like meat. I would much rather pasta or pizza. So, I have made gluten-free turkey and things to bring with me but I may just make some mac & cheese and eat that because I will probably like it better.

What was harder for me is when we were with another couple and everyone was hungry and they just called and ordered my favorite pizza. I couldn't sit there and watch them eat it - I went outside and cried by myself. I felt so left out and frustrated that I had to cook something I didn't want and they could just pick up the phone. My husband still eats gluten but the only thing I have asked of him is not to order pizza when I'm around. He can have all the frozen pizza he wants but I can't stand to watch anyone eat good pizza. I realize that is selfish; hopefully I will get over it one day.

So, if anyone liked Thanksgiving as much as I liked pizza, I feel for you. I wouldn't sit around a table and watch everyone eat pizza while I had my gluten-free substitute.