Cross Contamination

[Nancy Kotlowski]

My husband was diagnosed with Celiac and we are trying to keep him Gluten Free. There is a lot of confusing information about alot of stuff. For example, his symptoms are not that severe. For example he does not have any reaction to walking into a bakery like Panera Bread but I have learned that some people have a bad reaction to going into Panera bread. So my question is his body still suffering the same type of damage as the person who has an adverse reaction? All the spices I use have some form of gluten but if he does not have a reaction to them is the damage to the small intestine still happening? He and I argue about this all the time. He thinks that once he is healed (the intestine) he will be able to go back to gluten and I am telling him he should not even be eating food with most spices on them. HELP please

Nancyk325

[Sharon Marie]

My husband was diagnosed with Celiac and we are trying to keep him Gluten Free. There is a lot of confusing information about alot of stuff. For example, his symptoms are not that severe. For example he does not have any reaction to walking into a bakery like Panera Bread but I have learned that some people have a bad reaction to going into Panera bread. So my question is his body still suffering the same type of damage as the person who has an adverse reaction? All the spices I use have some form of gluten but if he does not have a reaction to them is the damage to the small intestine still happening? He and I argue about this all the time. He thinks that once he is healed (the intestine) he will be able to go back to gluten and I am telling him he should not even be eating food with most spices on them. HELP please

Nancyk325

It took me a year to realize all my kitchen spices were of course contaminated! I was never afraid to use the same measuring spoon or cup's to measure out multiple ingredients before I knew I was Celiac! So the odds were they were all contaminated! So out they went!

Kitchen mixers and toasters need to be replaced. All plastic containers or utensils that held glutened foods should be discarded. Pots and pans with scratches are not safe! I stay with all glass dishes and drinking vessels.

It is overwhelming at first but it does get easier.

I was told to clean my kitchen of all gluten. That means all cabinets and cupboards and drawers. The linings etc. It did take me a while to realize how flours and grains sift and land everywhere.

It is worthwhile and will make a difference in your life. From the physical and the mental and emotional aspects of your life.

You can do it!

Hang in there!

Sharon Marie

[The Fluffy Assassin]

He and I argue about this all the time. He thinks that once he is healed (the intestine) he will be able to go back to gluten and I am telling him he should not even be eating food with most spices on them. HELP please

We are just random yoyos on the Internet; there's no particular reason he should believe us. This is the freaking Mayo Clinic: Open Original Shared Link

Maybe he'll buy it from them. He can never eat gluten again. At all. Ever. Some of us are silent celiacs, having little gastroenterological effects from gluten. I never did until my 40s, though I did look like a famine victim throughout childhood and all my adult life after 25 or so. Maybe he's like me.

However, this doesn't mean that gluten isn't having an effect. I was also a total depressive from age 11 until giving up gluten, and spectacularly nervous. This is a result of vitamin B12 depletion. Once I quit gluten and B12 reserves built back up, I became more or less boundlessly cheerful. So perhaps he can have that to look forward to.

Going gluten free isn't really that hard, and finding gluten free spices is really easy. You just can't buy spice mixes. As I recall, McCormick says that all their unmixed (single ingredient) spices are gluten free. (See? Open Original Shared Link It sounds like you're willing to go gluten free with him and he's the one dragging his feet. If so, kudos to you, and hopefully he'll come around soon. If so too, the advice above is absolutely right; you have to clean out the kitchen of all things gluten and replace any pots, pans, or other kitchen implements that might be contaminated. (We really need a registry around here, don't we?)

Welcome to the board. If you need further advice on going gluten free, just ask. If he continues dragging his feet, there's also a forum here for Friends and Loved Ones of Celiacs where you might be able to find further advice. Good luck to him and to you.

[Gemini]

My husband was diagnosed with Celiac and we are trying to keep him Gluten Free. There is a lot of confusing information about alot of stuff. For example, his symptoms are not that severe. For example he does not have any reaction to walking into a bakery like Panera Bread but I have learned that some people have a bad reaction to going into Panera bread. So my question is his body still suffering the same type of damage as the person who has an adverse reaction? All the spices I use have some form of gluten but if he does not have a reaction to them is the damage to the small intestine still happening? He and I argue about this all the time. He thinks that once he is healed (the intestine) he will be able to go back to gluten and I am telling him he should not even be eating food with most spices on them. HELP please

Nancyk325

I would advise your husband to read the book: Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic by Dr. Peter Green. It is extremely informative regarding the disease process and how you can or cannot be glutened. You are correct....there is a lot of misleading information out there and it's hard to tell fact from fiction sometimes. This book is excellent and I recommend it to everyone with a gluten problem.

You cannot have a reaction by simply walking into a bakery or Panera Bread shop. If you worked in a bakery daily and breathed in flour dust on a regular basis, you would have a problem. Gluten has to get into the GI tract to cause an autoimmune reaction so if you are going into a Panera to have a cup of coffee with someone and eat nothing there, it shouldn't be a problem.

Spices by themselves or good blends generally have no gluten in them. Cheaper blends and mixtures of spices may have flour added or anti-caking agents you have to check on. I buy all my spices from Whole Foods market and have never come across a spice with gluten. It can happen, though, and this is why you have to become a label reader. Actually, your husband should be reading labels also but it sounds like he is in semi-denial. This is extremely common but at least he is following the diet in general....my family (parents and siblings) refuse to believe they have it also and will not follow the diet at all. Good luck to them!

I know it is hard but I wouldn't waste your time arguing with him. You cannot make people comply if they don't want to. Make sure whatever he gets on your end is gluten-free and if he doesn't follow the diet like he should, go to the nearest funeral home and get a brochure. Then ask your hubby to pick out his casket so you'll know what his choices will be before it's too late for him to make a choice. Not meaning to be a smart-a_s about it but sometimes you can convince people with humor! Good luck and buy him that book to read!

[Nancy Kotlowski]

It took me a year to realize all my kitchen spices were of course contaminated! I was never afraid to use the same measuring spoon or cup's to measure out multiple ingredients before I knew I was Celiac! So the odds were they were all contaminated! So out they went!

Kitchen mixers and toasters need to be replaced. All plastic containers or utensils that held glutened foods should be discarded. Pots and pans with scratches are not safe! I stay with all glass dishes and drinking vessels.

It is overwhelming at first but it does get easier.

I was told to clean my kitchen of all gluten. That means all cabinets and cupboards and drawers. The linings etc. It did take me a while to realize how flours and grains sift and land everywhere.

It is worthwhile and will make a difference in your life. From the physical and the mental and emotional aspects of your life.

You can do it!

Hang in there!

Sharon Marie

Thank you so much for the advice. I think I have it under control then you think of one more place that needs going through. I would never had thought to give the kitchen and all the acroutaments in it the once over. Bring it on!

[Nancy Kotlowski]

I would advise your husband to read the book: Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic by Dr. Peter Green. It is extremely informative regarding the disease process and how you can or cannot be glutened. You are correct....there is a lot of misleading information out there and it's hard to tell fact from fiction sometimes. This book is excellent and I recommend it to everyone with a gluten problem.

You cannot have a reaction by simply walking into a bakery or Panera Bread shop. If you worked in a bakery daily and breathed in flour dust on a regular basis, you would have a problem. Gluten has to get into the GI tract to cause an autoimmune reaction so if you are going into a Panera to have a cup of coffee with someone and eat nothing there, it shouldn't be a problem.

Spices by themselves or good blends generally have no gluten in them. Cheaper blends and mixtures of spices may have flour added or anti-caking agents you have to check on. I buy all my spices from Whole Foods market and have never come across a spice with gluten. It can happen, though, and this is why you have to become a label reader. Actually, your husband should be reading labels also but it sounds like he is in semi-denial. This is extremely common but at least he is following the diet in general....my family (parents and siblings) refuse to believe they have it also and will not follow the diet at all. Good luck to them!

I know it is hard but I wouldn't waste your time arguing with him. You cannot make people comply if they don't want to. Make sure whatever he gets on your end is gluten-free and if he doesn't follow the diet like he should, go to the nearest funeral home and get a brochure. Then ask your hubby to pick out his casket so you'll know what his choices will be before it's too late for him to make a choice. Not meaning to be a smart-a_s about it but sometimes you can convince people with humor! Good luck and buy him that book to read!

LOL that is funny about the casket. He is scared to death of getting cancer it is just new to us. I did read a good chunk of the book by Dr. Green. As a matter of fact my brother had Celiac Sprue when he was a child and his doctor told my mom that he out grew it. When I read in Dr. Green's book that you never out grow it I called him immediately and told him to call his doctor and get the testing under way. Thanks for the advice and chuckles.