Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Can I Help My In-Laws Understand


Gibbit-43

Recommended Posts

Gibbit-43 Newbie

How can I explain to my mother-in-law what is considered gluten free? We spend at least three to five weeks of the year at my inlaw's house and at least 6 of the meals I get fed make me sick. My daughter has Celiac's as well but is still on baby food so I can protect her from it right now but not always. I've tried to bring my own food but I never seem to bring the stuff she cooks. So it's a huge inconvenience to her. Right now I just suffer in silence. But for my daughter's sake I've got to find a way to get through to her. I've had Celiac's my whole life so it's easy for me to read a label and decide if it's safe for me. But my mother in law is lost. This evening she made meatloaf... with bread crumbs. I try to believe it's not that she doesn't care but that she forgets. But she doesn't seem to undrstand at all. My husband and I have been married almost 2 years... how much longer should I wait for her to "figure it out" Does anyone know of a book I could give her as a guide something that will explain it simply?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



kareng Grand Master

Maybe you should be responsible for the food you and the little one eat. Buy it and fix it. Fix it for everyone or just you and child. Have her son talk to her about it. Gluten free for dummies is an easy book to read, but that assumes she would spend the time.

Another thought is that now that you and your hub are a family, maybe you could stay home more or invite them to visit.

lizard00 Enthusiast

gluten-free for dummies is a good book. I would make sure it came to her attention, though, as suffering in silence isn't doing you any good. Obviously, I don't know her and how accommodating she is, but my MIL took a while to understand, too. For a while she was insistent on me not cooking when I was there, but now she lets me do my thing. She made some soup on one visit, and then right at the end she put some flour in it. She was trying, but it was just a habit for her. She's pretty good about it now; she won't cook anything until I look at it. But we had to train her ;)

If she's unreasonable, then I say to heck with it. Bring your own food and do your thing! She'll get the hint, and she needs to know now before your daughter gets much bigger.

NorthernElf Enthusiast

Look after your own food. Don't suffer in silence - it won't help her get it. In fact, she'll think that either she is doing things right or the whole thing is in your head. It took awhile for me to get both sides of my family to get that I really can't eat gluten....and stay sane ! :P

FWIW, they have all finally (mostly) got it but I still am looking after my own food. This Christmas my mom even put a yorkshire pudding on my plate. :blink: I got a new plate and she does this whole "I forgot" thing. Hmmm....we're in my kitchen & I even have a "gluten free zone" sign over some counters. The gluten stuff is only allowed on the island, away from the other counters. *sigh*

cap6 Enthusiast

My SIL is the same way. When she visits us she brings me gluten-free goodies but will then ask if I can eat one of her cookies. About the only G food in our home is cereal for my son so she brings her own gluten foods to share (I am the only gluten-free one in the home) & sets them on the counters that I have said are gluten-free only. At first I really got upset and angry but now I realize that it's not that she doesn't care but she doesn't live this every day like we do. We have to learn and we have to live it. It all becomes automatic (more or les !!!!) for us but it's not for them.

lucky97 Explorer

This is the way I've begun to explain it to everyone:

1. No bread anything or wheat anything

2. No barley anything

3. No rye anything

Now, pass me a Strongbow!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,998
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Wendy Jo
    Newest Member
    Wendy Jo
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      If this applies geographically, in the U.K., physicians will often declare a diagnosis of celiac disease based on the TTG-IGA antibody blood test alone if the score is 10x normal or greater, which your score is. There is very little chance the endoscopy/biopsy will contradict the antibody blood test. 
    • JoJo0611
      TTG IgA reference range 0.0 to 14.9 KU/L
    • trents
      What was the reference range for that test? Each lab uses different reference ranges so a raw score like that makes it difficult to comment on. But it looks like a rather large number.
    • JoJo0611
      I have had the tTG-IgA blood test my result are >250.0  I am waiting for the appointment with the gastroenterologist for endoscopy and biopsies.    what are the chances it’s not coeliacs.  waiting and not knowing is so hard. Especially the eating of gluten knowing it may be causing you more harm and coping with the symptoms. 
    • knitty kitty
      @sleuth, Has your son been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  All of those symptoms can be caused by malnutrition.  I had severe malnutrition that went unrecognized by my doctors.  Intense fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety, and gastrointestinal distress are symptoms of deficiencies in the eight essential B vitamins, especially Thiamine B1, which becomes low first because the demand is higher when we're sick.     Celiac Disease causes inflammation and damage of the intestinal lining which inhibits absorption of essential nutrients.  Checking for nutritional deficiencies is part of proper follow up care for people with celiac disease.   Is your son taking any vitamin supplements?  Most supplements contain thiamine mononitrate which in not readily absorbed and utilized by the body.  Benfotiamine is a form of thiamine that is shown to promote intestinal healing.  Benfotiamine is available over the counter.  Benfotiamine is safe and nontoxic.   Is your son eating processed gluten-free foods?  Gluten-free processed foods are not required to be enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.   Is your son following a low histamine diet?  Histamine is released as part of the immune response to gluten and other foods high in histamine.  High levels of histamine in the brain can cause anxiety, insomnia, and depression.  The body needs the B vitamins to make the enzyme Diamine Oxidase (DAO) to break down and clear histamine.  DAO supplements are available over the counter.  Vitamin C helps clear histamine as well.  Some people find over the counter antihistamines helpful as well, but they're not for long term use.   Nicotine has antihistamine-like properties, but can also irritate the gut.  Tobacco, from which nicotine is derived, is a nightshade (like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant).  Nightshades contain alkaloids which affect gastrointestinal permeability, causing leaky gut syndrome.  Nicotine can cause gastrointestinal irritation and alter for the worse the microbiome. Safer alternatives to Nicotine that have antihistamine properties include Lemon Balm (Sweet Melissa),  Passion Flower, Chamomile, and Bilberry.  They can be taken as supplements, extracts, or tea.  These will help with the anxiety, insomnia and depression in a much safer way. Oolong tea is also helpful.  Oolong tea contains the amino acid L-Theanine which helps the digestive tract heal.  (L -Theanine supplements are available over the counter, if not a tea drinker.)  Tryptophan, a form of Niacin B3, also helps calm digestive symptoms.  Another amino acid, L-Lysine, can help with anxiety and depression.  I've used these for years without problems.   What ways to cope have you tried in the past?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.