How Do I De-Gluten My Kitchen

[shayre]

Hi. I decided to post this question seperately from my last post, so that I would get more feedback.

I am thinking that after being gluten-free for over a year, that I might be cross-contaminating myself. How do I keep myself from cc myself in my kitchen when I have 2 small children that I am fixing glutened food all day long for. Again, they are old enough to feed themselves too, so their glutened little hands are everywhere. I also stated in the other post that we are very affectionate, and I do not turn away kisses from my kids! I can imagine that they have residue on their faces, but they need to grow up knowing that I was not afraid to kiss them and show them love:) Also, kisses from my hubby...never gave it much thought?

[T.H.]

Okay...see what I can do. :-)

1. One easy thing is put all your gluten free stuff, and pots and pans, on the top shelves. This way, nothing can drip or crumble down on top of your food. Also, the little bitties can't get into your gluten free stuff this way. If you can have, say, a little cleaning station set up for when kids and you leave the kitchen, it might make it easy to help them remember to clean their hands before they leave the kitchen, you know?

2. If you deal with a lot of flour, you may need to wear a hygienist mask. If you inhale enough of gluten dust, it'll go down your throat and it will get you sick.

3. I hope that I phrase this next part right. Very much not trying to be rude or anything. I know that you are very affectionate with your little ones, and I've seen enough parents avoid kisses because they freak about simply rumpling their clothing that I really admire that, but I...I guess I see it very differently.

This is not, say, turning away kisses because of a little dirt or something that won't harm you. This is allowing your children to make you sick, and it harms them when you aren't your best, too. It is not safe. I know they are still small, and it will take them a while to understand. I know allowing them to do this may not cause them to feel stress. But letting them kiss you without washing after eating gluten will teach them another lesson: my mom's health is not that important. And that's not good, either.

If one of your kids suddenly developed a severe food allergy to eggs, you wouldn't let anyone give them kisses until they washed egg off their faces, would you? Or let them kiss you unless you washed so they would be safe? I guess the way I see this is: don't you want your kids to see that you care and respect about your own health, too? Just like you do theirs?

I don't think it's an easy position, by any means, because they ARE so small and it would be a change that's hard to understand. But I could easily see making it a ritual, just like brushing teeth or story before bed: washing before kissing mom.

Or...you could have gluten free snacks where kisses can be had by all, and gluten snacks which require washing before mom-kisses. It doesn't have to be a traumatic thing, I think is what I'm trying to say, if that makes sense?

And kisses from hubby - oh heck yeah, he needs to brush teeth. I have gotten SO sick from kissing hubby after he ate gluten. Also, well, ahem...if any part of your lips touch any part of his skin (face, chest, etc...)? He can't have used gluten lotion and such on those parts, either.

[ciavyn]

Get rid of everything and start over...

Seriously: new set of pans and pots -- Walmart, $30. I got the Paula Deen set, and they work great. And I cook ALL the time.

New cookie sheets, muffin pans, cake pans (unless you were using glass -- which is quite nice), etc.

New spatulas, wooden spoons, plastic spoons, utensils for cooking and baking.

All of these things you can pick up on the cheap at discount stores like Dollar General or even WalMart.

Wipe down all your counters, cupboards. Put down new cupboard paper. Have completely separate cupboards for anything that might contain gluten (though as I said in a previous post -- I wouldn't allow anything in -- not until you have control over your reactions and how sensitive you are). Clean out your microwave. Get a new toaster over and toaster. Set your oven to self-clean and really scrub that baby down afterwards. Wipe out your fridge really well.

You can't do all this at once, but take a day, enlist your family, put on some dance music or country music, whatever your preference, and make it fun. Repaint a few chairs, too, give the kitchen a makeover. Laugh. Make some yummy treats (gluten free of course) as a reward. Or go out to a great gluten free restaurant. But treat it like a new beginning, not an ending or a misery.

The woman locally who owned her own gluten-free store was actually in a wheelchair due to RA. Both her teenage children were wasting away, and her 14 year old daughter nearly died. When her daughter was in the hospital on a feeding tube, the doctor suggested that it might be celiac's disease, but he didn't know much about it. They immediately switched her daughter's diet, and the girl recovered. Did the same for the son, and he started putting on weight. The mother, though, didn't change her diet drastically, though it happened anyway because of her kids. The doctor suggested the house remain gluten free completely, and when the mom got off gluten, her RA lessened...to the point where she could use her hands again. When I met her, she was up and down ladders, packing, writing, and had full motion of all of her appendages. She was amazing. You can get healthier too -- it might not solve all your ills, but it will certainly help! And you'll be eating healthier and having more fun because you will plan time to cook from scratch (or cheat with gluten-free mix), and you'll know what you are making will make you feel good and spoiled, not sick and miserable.

There's lots of info on here about living gluten free, and cleaning out. Best of luck. And hang in there. It does get better.

[dilettantesteph]

I am very sensitive. We tried for a year to have a shared household. The non celiac members were my husband and my very mature 13 year old daughter. No matter how careful everyone was, I kept getting glutened. Things finally got better when we went to a gluten free household. I don't think that it can be done carefully enough if you are as sensitive as I am.

I have been glutened by kisses a lot. Now I make sure that no gluten has been eaten within 24 hours before kissing. It is terrible to turn away from kisses with children, but better than getting sick. My daughter is very careful not to kiss me after eating gluten, since we realized that it was a problem. She really doesn't want to gluten me. It is almost harder on her than on me. I'm not the nicest person when I'm glutened.

Edit: I just read you other post. In my answer I assumed that you were super sensitive since you were posting in this section. After reading your other post, I think that there are other measures that you can take before going as far as I have. You might not be as sensitive.

[shayre]

You guys are the best...keep the good advice coming. Ok...cried again. I did post on the sensitive forum, because I am beginning to think that I might be that sensitive...but only time will tell. I'll start with the kitchen and a family plan and see where that takes me. Thank you so much:)

[mushroom]

Yes, hold off on the super sensitive until you get rid of the gross stuff , then you can refine your sensitivity.

[cap6]

any chance that you can switch the house over to all gluten-free? If you stick to whole food rather than the special gluten-free foods it's not terribly more cost wise. My kids are grown so I admire those of you trying to do this with young kids.