Poll: gluten-free Diet - Easy Or Hard

[tarnalberry]

Fairly straightforward poll here about whether you find the gluten free diet hard or easy and how long you've been on it. I realize that this is a simplification of the situation - that's the whole point. This isn't a "I find the gluten free diet convenient or not" sort of question, but rather "in the sum total of your life (not just the holidays, work, family gatherings, or travel, but on average 365 days of the year), is it relatively hard or relatively easy". Pick whatever answer is closest to true for you, and then explain away in a comment!

I wanted to add: if it *is* relatively hard for you, please say so!! We all have different life situations and personalities that will play into whether or not we find this particular thing in our life hard. Let other people get a good honest feel for what real people dealing with this in their real lives think.

[GlutenFreeManna]

I'm coming up on 1 year gluten free. The food is pretty easy to figure out and do. Other people and life situations are the only somewhat hard thing, but I think I've learned how to be proactive enough that I don't have many problems come up anymore. I even went to my first holiday party recently where I couldn't eat a single thing. I kept a drink in my hands at all times and talked to lots of people and not one person asked me why I wasn't eating (it was an appetizer and dessert only party). In fact the issue of food didn't even come up until I went to leave and they tried to get me to take some cookies for the road. I just politely said no thanks, I can't eat those and left it at that (for all they know I'm tryign to lose weight, LOL). Had they pushed I *might* have felt the need to explain more or take them for my husband, but no one pushed and it was a wonderful evening.

[Jestgar]

Rearranging my entire lifestyle was no picnic, but once I figured that out, the diet is really straightforward.

[i-geek]

It will be one year for me at the end of this month. As long as I can control food purchases and prep or can rely on someone I trust (my husband, my parents)- about 95% of the time- it's easy. The other 5% is sometimes a challenge but it's worth it.

[kareng]

I have been dxed for a year but had to wait 2 more months for the endo. I find it easy at home. I don't even think about it except if I'm trying to make gluten pasta for the boys and gluten-free for me. I have to think to keep everything straight or enlist a glutenous helper. Or make gluten-free for all. Going out and people who want to go to restaurants are the hardest things to deal with. Also, parties where everyone stands around the food and munches.

[srall]

I'm gluten free less than one year and I voted relatively easy. I eat at home almost every meal now. It wasn't hard figuring out that there were lots of foods available to eat, and the wonder was those foods made me feel so good. Traveling has been a challenge. I really fought with my husband to stay home for TG and Xmas and on the surface I think I just thought it was about saving money and laying low. But honestly I think I just couldn't face the hassle and the near certainty that I'd get sick somewhere along the line.

My 7 year old is recently gluten/dairy/corn free. Hasn't been a challenge at home because I've done the legwork. She was on board with the diet because she was soooooo sick by the time we pinpointed what was making her sick. But for the life of me I cannot convince other people to NOT FEED MY KID. Everyone is well meaning, but every time somebody else has her they give her something she's not supposed to eat even though I have sent food along and instructions to only feed her what I've sent. She needs to get better at refusing food, but it's hard when an adult tells you something is safe (rice milk for example...not dairy, true, but not gluten free) So as long as everything is under my control it seems pretty easy. If I was traveling more or being forced to eat out I might have voted "hard."

[lynnelise]

I voted more than one year, less than three and relatively easy. I cook most dinners myself, I have a few trusted restaurants I go to, and I bring a lunch to work daily. I pack Larabars in my purse for emergencies. So 90% of the time I find the diet easy to follow.

[Kay DH]

Mine was a year in November. Cooking and eating at home is pretty easy, creative, and fun. I voted hard just because of how my diet has affected some work and social friendships, problems with eating out, and it is harder than other diets. My friends sometimes exclude me from gatherings because they "don't have any thing I can eat", even tho I bring my own food. The diet becomes easier and more automatic through time.

[plantime]

I have been glutenfree since Valentine's Day 2004. Once I got my husband to understand it, I found it to be a very easy diet to follow. Feeling so much better has helped!

[missy'smom]

gluten-free-Easy(after the initial learning curve)

Managing diabetes with diet alone and multiple food allergies along with being gluten-free-Hard- doable, effective, worth it but hard.

[mushroom]

Three years in, gluten free is a piece of gluten free cake. But oh, the other-things free Now that is hard.

[jenngolightly]

After 3 years, it's pretty easy to recognize gluten in foods. It's also easy to find regular foods by big-name companies in the grocery store that come gluten-free - like canned chili or jarred spaghetti sauce. But, for me, going soy, dairy, and corn free was much harder because most processed food has at least one of those ingredients.

[deborahbgkelly]

Gluten free is actually not all that difficult other than learning the various names for it. However, I am also soy and dairy free. Being soy-free is much harder! This is especially true because many gluten-free foods are not soy free. Some aren't even dairy free.

[deborahbgkelly]

I'm gluten free less than one year and I voted relatively easy. I eat at home almost every meal now. It wasn't hard figuring out that there were lots of foods available to eat, and the wonder was those foods made me feel so good. Traveling has been a challenge. I really fought with my husband to stay home for TG and Xmas and on the surface I think I just thought it was about saving money and laying low. But honestly I think I just couldn't face the hassle and the near certainty that I'd get sick somewhere along the line.

My 7 year old is recently gluten/dairy/corn free. Hasn't been a challenge at home because I've done the legwork. She was on board with the diet because she was soooooo sick by the time we pinpointed what was making her sick. But for the life of me I cannot convince other people to NOT FEED MY KID. Everyone is well meaning, but every time somebody else has her they give her something she's not supposed to eat even though I have sent food along and instructions to only feed her what I've sent. She needs to get better at refusing food, but it's hard when an adult tells you something is safe (rice milk for example...not dairy, true, but not gluten free) So as long as everything is under my control it seems pretty easy. If I was traveling more or being forced to eat out I might have voted "hard."

Is this all rice milk or a certain brand? My mom's partner drinks it and she has been gluten-free for years. If it is all rice milk that mignt explain some recent tummy upsets. Please fill me in. Thanks!

[ravenwoodglass]

I passed my 8th anniversary gluten free last month. At first it was incredibly difficult for me, in part because I was so very sick for so long and had no energy, could barely walk or think and was in constant pain. The thought that I would have to make everything from scratch was quite distressing as I barely had the strength to throw together even a simple meal. Melt downs while shopping were common for the first month or two. Within a couple months though as I healed and the constant pain went away and I got stronger it got easier. It also got so much easier once I found things like Gluten Free Pantry and Pamela's Bisquit mix etc. and realized I didn't have to be a chemist to make a loaf of bread. I will admit having a Wegmans closeby makes it easier.

[ravenwoodglass]

Is this all rice milk or a certain brand? My mom's partner drinks it and she has been gluten-free for years. If it is all rice milk that mignt explain some recent tummy upsets. Please fill me in. Thanks!

Some rice milks are processed using barley. Rice Dream is the one that comes first to my mind but I don't know if there might be others. I use Wegmans brand rice milk that is for sure gluten free. I think maybe Pacific brand is also but not positive.

[kwylee]

I had such severe neurological symptoms for so many years prior to my stumbling onto the gluten/casein/soy culprit, I honestly thought I was dying. Countless doctors disagreed, but I figured there had to be a yet undetected brain tumor or something of the sort that was making me feel weird and foggy and wobbly and tired all the time. I was right about the dying part, because I'm sure that gluten would have slowly but surely been my early demise. But because I went through such hell early on, I honestly have not had ONE solitary day where I wanted to cheat or feel sorry for myself, (which would be understandable).

Make no mistake, I'm not a Pollyanna. And I love to eat. I read the thoughts of others here and I keep seeing two situations coming up over and over, and I feel I have somehow been spared, and maybe this is making the difference for people who are struggling or unhappy (rightly so):

1. Family support - my husband is going to heaven, he's more careful than I am, and I'm fairly tight about it. My kids are grown and equally supportive. Sisters and brothers, no problem.

2. Ongoing symptoms - after withdrawal, mine cleared up beautifully and quickly. But I know that if that were not the case, if I were still feeling badly, my attitude would be VASTLY different.

So I read these posts and consider myself very lucky that all I have to do is avoid certain things, and the trade off is that I feel better than I have in 20 years. I wish it were the same for everyone. I know there are those who are struggling, and I do understand when they need to vent.

[wheeleezdryver]

for me, going gluten free hasn't been easy, but it's easy compared to the other things I have to deal with in my life! As my siggy basically says, I'm a spousal caregiver to my DH.... and I myself have multiple autoimmune issues (and I'm 'only 34) And, right now, I'm trying to figure out fructose intolerance (ever try to figure out how much gluten-free stuff has fructose in it?. Yes, there are hard days (like last Saturday where i was at a support group Christmas Party and didn't bother telling me they were putting Lasagna & meatballs on my plate I couldn't see through the metal food service bar)....grrr (and this party was for a group of visually impaired people (who also appreciate being told WHAt & WHERE things are being put on their plate), and two of whom also have food allergies!).... but, like someone else said, 90% of the time, it's not hard.

[burdee]

I was diagnosed with celiac and began to abstain from gluten in mid 2004. During 2006-7 I was also diagnosed with 6 other delayed reaction (IgG or IgA mediated) allergies. So I now have 7 total food restrictions (plus sorbitol, caffeine and alcohol sensitivies/intolerances). Compared to my current diet with 7 diagnosed restrictions, my original gluten free diet was a piece of (gluten free) cake! LOL

Nevertheless, I've discovered MANY safe and tasty substitutes for all my former favorite foods. I just feel blessed to have finally discovered what caused many of my painful gastro symptoms so that I can choose safe foods and enjoy eating again!

SUE

[GFinDC]

Voted The gluten-free diet is relatively easy and I have been gluten free for more than one year but less than three years. (6 votes [19.35%] - View)

The gluten-free part is pretty easy for me. I work at home most of the time but go to the office or work meetings sometimes and I can usually find some fruit to eat. Today I spent the day at our local office and had a banana and a small bag of Planters peanuts at the cafe for lunch. If I was at the office every day I'd be a packing my lunch for sure though, or just not eating during the day. Often when I go out for meetings I take a Lara bar with me for snacking in case I feel hungry. Finding all my other food intolerances was the thing that took me a while and made it hard while that was on-going. But I am right on the cuspy edge of 3 years now and it is what it is and that's ok. 'Snot a bad deal.

[sandsurfgirl]

In the beginning it's so hard it feels impossible. But after you heal, learn the ropes, find some products you like and figure out which ones taste like cardboard it gets pretty easy.

There is so much awareness now that I don't find eating out difficult. It's a pain to have to ask all those questions but I find restaurants very accomodating. I ask politely and thank them a bunch of times. I also tip well.

[BethJ]

I've been gluten-free about 2 1/2 years now. At first it was hard. I was constantly afraid to eat anything without checking here or the manufacturers' websites. When I realized there are far more gluten-free foods out there than I realized, it became easier. I do most of my own cooking and while restaurants are a big concern, eating at friends' homes is what terrifies me.

It must be second nature to me now. I was doing the grocery shopping this morning and as I passed display after display of Christmas cookies, pastries, pie and cakes, I realized just how thankful I am that I can't eat all this stuff now! I'd probably be as big as a barn so celiac has actually done me a huge favor.

[Loey]

Fairly straightforward poll here about whether you find the gluten free diet hard or easy and how long you've been on it. I realize that this is a simplification of the situation - that's the whole point. This isn't a "I find the gluten free diet convenient or not" sort of question, but rather "in the sum total of your life (not just the holidays, work, family gatherings, or travel, but on average 365 days of the year), is it relatively hard or relatively easy". Pick whatever answer is closest to true for you, and then explain away in a comment!

I wanted to add: if it *is* relatively hard for you, please say so!! We all have different life situations and personalities that will play into whether or not we find this particular thing in our life hard. Let other people get a good honest feel for what real people dealing with this in their real lives think.

I found that the gluten-free diet is relatively easy but have recently been diagnosed with an ulcer and IBS as well. That's a whole different combination of issues. I'm changing GI's and will hopefully be given guidance as my current one hasn't given me any. I was diagnosed the night before I moved o a new state (June 2010) and loved my old GI. My new one doesn't seem to know as much as the people on this forum do. God bless all of you!!!! And thanks for setting up the poll.

Loey

[Nor-TX]

I voted that it was relatively hard and less than three years. It has been about 1 1/2 years. I am almost 61 and it is very difficult to change your attitude about food. I worked in the food magazine industry for many years and developed a taste for lots of different kinds of foods which for the most part I can no longer eat.

I work in an elementary school where parents provide food everyday - treats and lunches. Most of these I can't participate in.

I don't bake bread or make involved recipes anymore - it is easier to eat simply. I am very lucky because my husband supports my food choices and he accepts that he and I usually don't have the same meals, or that mine is altered. When I make spaghetti for instance I end up using almost all my pots. One for his pasta, one for mine, one for his sauce, one for mine, one for my sauteed mushrooms, one for the ground meat...

I figure that with my health issues - Colitis, Arthritis and gluten and dairy free... I am pretty lucky to have what I have in my life.

[lisa25]

It has been almost three years for me. I voted that it was relatively easy to do, just not always the most fun emotionally when I see others eating whatever they want. I am very fortunate that my husband is also celiac and whether diagnosed or not with the other food sensitivities, we both feel better without gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and eggs. Now that we eat at home 99% of the time and make most of our food from scratch, it is quite easy to make something that is safe to eat even though I do still have moments where I get grumpy after a long day at work about having to cook "again" and "there doesn't seem to be anything easy/quick to make". I just try to keep a few quick treats around like coconut ice cream and gummy bears made without corn syrup I found at Whole Foods...esp for the pregnancy cravings when everything on t.v. looks good I also like to bake which helps. Having strong reactions to CC (neuro especially) for me helps me not want to cheat and to be thankful that I am finally getting things figured out.