Angry About Food In General!

[Kimbalou]

It's still holiday time, and time for work potlucks! I get so upset when people around me can eat whatever they want. Now I'm supposed to sign up for a work potluck. I feel like signing up for "gluten-free oatmeal"!! That would make some heads turn! I'm just having a pity party right now. I know it's healthier to stay away from all the gluten-filled goodies anyway...but I am upset about it at the same time. I lashed out at my husband when he was making spaghetti sauce yesterday because he loves spices and my stomach is so sensitive! Onions just tear up my intestines! It wasn't too bad, but I was sensitive to it afterward. Then, he made me a cosmoploitan with Rye Vodka, beacuse he thought it was ok...ugh. I drank some and felt crappy this morning. Do the grains in alcohol really remain that strong to cause issues with us??

Venting...again...thanks for listening!

[rustycat]

Please vent away. You're not the only one feeling left out with all the food around at work.

I'm still pretty new to this new lifestyle, too. It's been a huge adjustment for me. However, when I have a really good day and my back's not hurting and my anxiety and depression are gone, I feel like I'm singing inside. There's definitely a social price to pay for feeling good. It seems to be worth it.

Be gentle with yourself as you go through all the feelings associated with distancing yourself from gluten. People here say that it does get easier with time. I'm hoping that's true.

[mushroom]

Today it has been raining all day, and I just had this real big hankering for a big pan of ratatouille (and I always grated lots of parmesan on top), not to mention a big pot of garlic mashed potatoes Well, needless to say I didn't make them because I didn't have any of the ingredients in my house (except the garlic) because I can't eat either, but boy did that sound good to go with my lamb chops Oh well, that was another life. Already lived that one

Hub really got into mixed drinks over the summer and got real frustrated with me because I nixed anything with lemon or lime - how can I make a drink for you? I said, you don't have to - I will drink my bacardi and pineapple and scotch on the rocks and don't worry about me. but still he fretted.

[ravenwoodglass]

Then, he made me a cosmoploitan with Rye Vodka, beacuse he thought it was ok...ugh. I drank some and felt crappy this morning. Do the grains in alcohol really remain that strong to cause issues with us??

Venting...again...thanks for listening!

Sorry your having such a hard time right now. Yes for some of us distilled gluten will cause a reaction but not for all. I go with potato vodka or clear rum if I am going with hard liquor. You may want to skip the gluten grain beverages until you have healed fully. You may be able to tolerate distilled gluten after you heal. I hope your feeling better soon.

[Jestgar]

Oh well, that was another life. Already lived that one

I like that line. How many of us get to have more than one life? Most people get stuck in the same patterns and sleepwalk through most of their day. We've all been slapped upside the head and told to go out and try living again. Maybe not as easy as sleepwalking, but a lot more rewarding in the end.

[i-geek]

Try laying off of all alcohol until you've healed somewhat. It made my stomach burn for the first month or so after I went gluten-free. I don't have problems with it now (officially 1 year gluten-free today!). Ditto for onions and things like peppers and broccoli- notoriously hard-to-digest veggies. This is such a hard time of year to go gluten-free, but it will be so worth it once your gut heals. It does get easier and so much better, I promise.

Could you take a big fruit salad to your work potluck? If you bake, how about gluten-free cookies? I found in my holiday baking this year that a mix of 1 part each sorghum flour, millet flour, potato starch and arrowroot starch with 3/4 tsp xanthan gum per cup of flour mix worked beautifully as a substitute for gluten flour in my old favorite standard cookie recipes. In fact, the only cookies that crumbled were the ones that I made with a store-bought flour mix. I took big gluten-free cookie and candy trays to family parties and all the gluten-eaters were quite happy.

[Kit Kellison]

Venting...again...thanks for listening!

If you can't vent here...then where? Yes, yes, count our blessings, so lucky to live in a time we can be diagnosed, have so many good substitute products, etc. etc.

But damn! Asking one of us to contribute to a pot-luck where we aren't going to be able to take part does rankle! It's the rare observer who understands that we either attend a food-based gathering with our stomachs growling and be constantly exposed to lovely, tasty things we aren't allowed to touch while we listen to others rave or rant about this or that thing they've eaten or prepared, or we just don't attend and we miss out on important social or professional interaction. And we'd better not convey that to anyone! We're supposed to be cheerful and great examples of how healthy we are on our difficult diet, which can be tiring on another level. It can be one more veneer between ourselves and the rest of the world.

So, yes, my dear, vent on! We get it!

So, I've gone there, and let me go back to my cheerful self to say that my quality of life, in spite of everything, is much better off gluten than on it. It's wonderful to be able to enjoy the tasty food I have the time and luxury to make at home, and I've become one hell of a cook. I've also learned more about biology, medicine, and the business of medicine than I ever would have otherwise.

[cap6]

Pity parties can be good and I have had my share. The only bad part is that I am the only guest! No one ever comes.

On the positive side... Tonight my son told me that the only reason he was glad I have celiac is that it has taught us all to eat healthy.

[Skylark]

It's still holiday time, and time for work potlucks! I get so upset when people around me can eat whatever they want. Now I'm supposed to sign up for a work potluck. I feel like signing up for "gluten-free oatmeal"!! That would make some heads turn! I'm just having a pity party right now. I know it's healthier to stay away from all the gluten-filled goodies anyway...but I am upset about it at the same time. I lashed out at my husband when he was making spaghetti sauce yesterday because he loves spices and my stomach is so sensitive! Onions just tear up my intestines! It wasn't too bad, but I was sensitive to it afterward. Then, he made me a cosmoploitan with Rye Vodka, beacuse he thought it was ok...ugh. I drank some and felt crappy this morning. Do the grains in alcohol really remain that strong to cause issues with us??

Venting...again...thanks for listening!

Vent away! Just going to add some thoughts and constructive suggestions, as pity parties aren't much fun.

This diet will get easier with time. You get to the point that gluten food just looks nasty, not tempting. Generally, the people around work look at my home-cooked lunches and wish they had brought something as nice for themselves. My answer to work potlucks is to leave the office, and go treat myself to P.F. Chang's. It's exceedingly unusual to be required to participate in a pot luck.

Your intestines will get less sensitive as you heal. For now, ask your hubby to cook the onions in big slices so you can pull them out. Then you get to enjoy the flavor. Remind him that he can add a dab of pesto to his sauce and shake some Parmesan onto his bowl of spaghetti to add more flavor to his portion. A lot of seasonings can be added to individual servings if you need your food plain for now.

Reactions to grain alcohol are unusual because it's distilled away from the grain mash, but not unheard-of. Find some sugar cane rum, pure agave tequila, or potato vodka if you think it could be a problem for you. You can also have wine, hard cider, and gluten-free beer like Green's or Redbridge.

[T.H.]

Reactions to grain alcohol are unusual because it's distilled away from the grain mash, but not unheard-of.

Yeah, I'm one who can't have it, ick.

Although just as a curious aside, my sister-in-law is allergic to juniper berries, and any time she tries liquor that is distilled from juniper berries her mouth, and the rest of her, start itching like crazy. So it's not just gluten, eh?

Actually, a chemist friend of mine was recently telling me about having to redo distillations multiple times when the original product would aerosolize and some would still get into the distilled product and ruin it. I have no idea how common that problem is, but the minute she said it, it made me wonder, ya know?

[missy'smom]

I like that line. How many of us get to have more than one life? Most people get stuck in the same patterns and sleepwalk through most of their day. We've all been slapped upside the head and told to go out and try living again. Maybe not as easy as sleepwalking, but a lot more rewarding in the end.

So true!

If you can't vent here...then where? Yes, yes, count our blessings, so lucky to live in a time we can be diagnosed, have so many good substitute products, etc. etc.

But damn! Asking one of us to contribute to a pot-luck where we aren't going to be able to take part does rankle! It's the rare observer who understands that we either attend a food-based gathering with our stomachs growling and be constantly exposed to lovely, tasty things we aren't allowed to touch while we listen to others rave or rant about this or that thing they've eaten or prepared, or we just don't attend and we miss out on important social or professional interaction. And we'd better not convey that to anyone! We're supposed to be cheerful and great examples of how healthy we are on our difficult diet, which can be tiring on another level. It can be one more veneer between ourselves and the rest of the world.

So, yes, my dear, vent on! We get it!

So, I've gone there, and let me go back to my cheerful self to say that my quality of life, in spite of everything, is much better off gluten than on it. It's wonderful to be able to enjoy the tasty food I have the time and luxury to make at home, and I've become one hell of a cook. I've also learned more about biology, medicine, and the business of medicine than I ever would have otherwise.

True too!!!

I've had a hard time of it this year too. Holidays are hard, even 4 years gluten-free, for the reasons cited above. Plus I have MANY additional restrictions as well. For my kiddo's sake, I make gluten-free things to share for potlucks and bring supplemental food and used to do the same for myself before my many restrictions. There are many things that can be made gluten-free without sacrifice of flavor and texture and that people won't notice as gluten-free, and many very easily made-all those retro gelatin salads and desserts, etc. But I totally understand the feelings others have expressed about it. My DH and I are, of all things, in charge of refreshments/food related events at our church. We just happen to be the ones with the experience/skills to do it. God had a funny sense of humor or a heck of a lot of confidence in my ability to overcome! I can't wait 'till the holidays are over. I try to put my feelings aside and serve others but it's a challenge to do so with a good attitude.

[missy'smom]

As an aside, Our DH's try. God love 'em for trying. Mine brought home a lovely, delicious( or so I imagine;) sparkling wine for New Year's that I would have loved to try. That particular varietal would raise my blood sugar too much so I had to abstain