Gluten Free Help Device?

[Gobbie]

Hi everyone, hope your gluten free diet is going well today.

Mine has been on the rocks lately whether through fault of my own or some what unavoidable situations.

After some thorough research, I realised that it is rather common for FOOD INTOLERANT sufferers to crave for the offending foods despite knowing the consequences. Plus the denial issue seems to be quite a biggie. Whether it is the sufferer him/herself or the loved ones of whom are non sufferers.

So.. is there any device or 'something' that help GLUTEN FREE diet?

Do you happen to know any?

Or even have suggestions/ideas??

Cos I miss spontaneous presents but now aware of my intolerance, people around me are quite hesitant on it.

Whatever they get usually makes me physically sick or we end up arguing cos of their denial.

Plus despite having no-time-to-breathe busy bee days I have to do all the food shopping if I want to eat since no one in my family has a good knowledge on gluten or food intolerances.

I have been bad lately and consumed way too much gluten lately.. which has made me sick (buy enjoyable at the time of eating them lol) everyday for quite some time now so is there any device that helps us off gluten?

Something like COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY or something.

For instance, junk food/sweets tend to use RED a lot as psychollogically it is an aggressive colour and makes you 'go' for it. Just something to help G.I sufferers stay STRONG, don't give up sort of encouragement? Cos already twisted life is even harder to get through having food allergies and intolerances.

Any feedback or suggestions would be well appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

[flourgirl]

Hi Gobbie! I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time here. The only "devices" I know of are psychological ones. Information is a good tool. Hating to be sick is a good tool. I taught myself to consider gluten to be equivilent to rat poison....which for us it is. I've done the same for chemical soups that manufacturers pass off as food. It's not food...it's chemicals that we are not meant to eat. You can replace many of the things you like with safe foods....it's just not "convenient". For me, it's less convenient to be that sick! Once you get past the withdrawal it is much easier.

As for "gifts" of food...I politely thank the giver....their intentions are to please...not to hurt. When they are out of sight, I either give that food to someone who can eat it...or I toss it. There is no point whatsoever to argue with someone over your diet. It hurts their feelings to be rejected, so of course they get defensive!! YOUR diet is YOUR responsibility, no one else'. They won't get it, and it won't help you anyway. I don't mean to sound preachy here, but I don't know how else to put it.

I do hope for your own sake that you can stick to the gluten-free diet and feel better. Hope I helped at least a little. Good health!

[daphniela]

If you have the iphone there is an ap that helps to figure out if something has gluten or not. I have the tmobile g1 and there is not any aps for it. Clan Thompson also makes software for mobile phones. Theirs doesn't work on my phone either so I can't give a review.

[mysecretcurse]

Yes, there is a device we all come equipped with, it's called WILLPOWER.

Sorry to sound insensitive, but I don't understand glutening yourself on purpose. Perhaps your reactions are not as terrible as mine (like getting mildly ill not deathly ill) and in that case I could understand, because that is how I am with dairy products. Dairy isn't good for me, I don't digest it well and it gives me an overall icky feeling, but I do crave it and often times the reactions aren't bad enough to stop me from digging into some chicken alfredo.

But when it comes to gluten.. no way. If you had the reactions I had to gluten you would never eat it on purpose I can promise you that.

Something that might help as far as willpower goes, is spending a lot of time researching gluten and the damage it does, in graphic detail if neccessary. Truly understanding what is happening when we get gluten in our systems should turn you off to eating it. Also just educate yourself as much as possible about all food so that you don't accidentally eat it.

I went through some stages of denial in the beginning too, and was sort of devastated about things such as recieving gifts, like you mentioned. At the time I realized I was intolerant, I was working in an office and around X-mas time all of our clients brought in gifts of cookies and cakes and pies for us. It was SOOOOO sad and I ended up breaking down and just stuffing my face and good lord, did I pay for it. But honestly, that was over a year ago now and NOW, the idea of putting a cookie into my mouth is nauseating.

It takes awhile, but you really do get used to it and at least in my case, I began to feel LUCKY to be on such a healthy diet and to not have to put yucky gluten in my body. I learned to cook and I love all my food, and I don't envy what other people eat at all. Just keep at it, you will be okay! Good luck!

[GFinDC]

I saw something on the tube about a web site where people commit to losing weight, stopping smoking, or some other goal, and they pay so much money a into a fund each week. Then if they meet their goal they get the money back. Not sure what the name of the site is though. The idea was that if you don't stick to your goal then you lose the money you committed each week. Some of the people were choosing to have money lost go to a charity. Others chose to have it go to an anti-charity. The anti-charities were organizations that the people don't like. So the money you lost went to fund something you dislike. The people were setting their own goals, time periods and money amounts themselves.

Anyway, if you find the site and decide to do it, you could always set me up as your anti charity. I wouldn't mind at all helping to get you motivated!

[one more mile]

What helped me was thinking the bite through. I eat it and it tastes good, I may even get a buzz off of it. Then my stomach will cramp, my tummy will develop that oh so attractive pregnant look and I will be so unhappy that I will not enjoy the afternoons activities then I will need a nap and probably wake up with joint pain. If I think it though it is just not worth it for me to eat what makes me ill.

As hard as this is being sick was harder.