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 Careful Do I Need To Be?


milkmommy

Recommended Posts

milkmommy Apprentice

I'm newly diagnOsed with celiac.

This might seem silly but I need to ask

Can I touch gluten products?? For example when I make someone a sandwich or other gluten containing foods??

What about holding my child after she eats with her hands? Or kissing her?

Sorry if it's silly but I want to know how strict I have to be. I want to live a long healthy live and have read gluten could cause cancer if I don't avoid it


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



GFreeMO Proficient

Not a silly question at all! You can touch gluten but you have to be very careful and wash your hands right after. If I have to touch it, I wear gloves. If I feed my dogs for instance, I use a glove and then I still wash my hands.

Holding hands and kissing sets you up to get glutened. I was glutened a few months ago from my toddler aged neice who was eating crackers and tried to get me to blow her a kiss. She touched my mouth with her cracker crumb covered hands and I got sick. Is there anyway to turn your household into a gluten free zone? If not, it is going to be very difficult to avoid getting glutened.

You have to be very strict and check everything for gluten ingredients. If you make someone a sandwich with gluten bread then the knife that you dipped into the mayo just glutened your mayo. Your cutting board and counter will have gluten all over it. If you wipe the counter with a dish rag and then make yourself something gluten free, you could get sick from the dish rag or the fridge handles. I treat gluten like it's rat poison. If I touch it, wash hands. I don't allow it in my home.

milkmommy Apprentice

Wow. This is going to be difficult ( but worth it)

My husband said he will be partially gluten free to support me and I will limit the gluten products in my home.

Are there any research studies or foundations that outline how careful I have to be. Everyone I talk to including my family don't take me seriously when I tell them.

cap6 Enthusiast

I use the "rat poison" phrase also. Touch if you must but always wash! I bought a new fresh supply of kitchen towels & wash rags as I prefer that to a sponge. I go through a lot as I use & toss in the laundry. Better to be safe than sick.

sb2178 Enthusiast

It takes practice to work with young kids and not accidentally contaminate yourself. I think older kids are easier to brainwash into washing hands and face after eating. The key really is to obsessively wash YOUR hands though. Don't lick spoons, taste pasta, etc.

You might want to have an entirely gluten-free house for at least a few weeks, if not a month or two, just so that you have a good sense of what healthy feels like and get well on the way towards healing. Then, when you introduce more habits, it's easier to tell when/how you erred.

milkmommy Apprentice

Thats really good advice!! I am going to try and make my house gluten free for a while, (as best I can). It wouldnt hurt to try my 2 yr old gluten free anyway based on her symptoms and hopefully my husband remains supportive.

jolie.fleur.peu Newbie

Cancer really? I've never heard that. Where did you here that from?

You have to be very careful where cross contamination is concerned. Teach your family that "double-dipping" in things like spreads is not allowed and be sure to wash your hands if you have to touch something with gluten. On a side note when you go out to eat at places make sure to tell the staff about your celiac's and make sure they understand how important it is to keep your food free of gluten. If in doubt, leave it out :)


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



sa1937 Community Regular

Cancer really? I've never heard that. Where did you here that from?

If you stick to a strict gluten-free diet, your risk is vastly diminished. I think a greater risk of cancer would especially apply to those to don't take the diet seriously.

milkmommy Apprentice

Here is a link to a reputable article. It outlines everything about celiac and includes information about causing cancer.

Open Original Shared Link

  • 2 weeks later...
NYCCeliacMom Apprentice

I see some time has gone by since you posted. I hope things are going well. It is fine to kiss a gluten-eating person a while after they have eaten. I have heard various time periods quoted, and I am not sure if this has been scientifically tested. If your spouse drinks a beer or eats a gluten sandwich, I would give it some time before kissing. Your 2 year old gets different kinds of kisses, I wouldn't worry too much. On this very forum someone said that huggies unscented baby wipes remove gluten. I always keep some in a plastic bag to wipe off gluten when out and about.

Regarding risk of various celiac-related ailments, I have heard that your risk goes down to that of the normal population after 4 years gluten free.

Here is a link to a reputable article. It outlines everything about celiac and includes information about causing cancer.

Open Original Shared Link

milkmommy Apprentice

Thank you for the information NYCceliacmom!!!!

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,540
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Barrie S
    Newest Member
    Barrie S
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I, too, have osteoporosis from years of malabsorption, too.  Thiamine and magnesium are what keep the calcium in place in the bones.  If one is low in magnesium, boron, selenium, zinc, copper, and other trace minerals, ones bone heath can suffer.  We need more than just calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones.  Riboflavin B 2, Folate B 9 and Pyridoxine B 6 also contribute to bone formation and strength.   Have you had your thyroid checked?  The thyroid is important to bone health as well.  The thyroid uses lots of thiamine, so a poorly functioning thyroid will affect bone heath.  
    • Celiac50
      That sounds so very likely in my case! I will absolutely ask my doctor on my next bone check coming up in March... Thanks a lot! 
    • trents
      Calcium levels as measured in the blood can be quite deceiving as the body will rob calcium from the bones to meet demands for it by other bodily functions. Also, supplementing with calcium can be counterproductive as it tends to raise gut pH and decrease absorption. More often than not, the problem is poor absorption to begin with rather than deficiency of intake amounts in the diet. Calcium needs an acidic environment to be absorbed. This is why so many people on PPIs develop osteoporosis. The PPIs raise gut pH. And some people have high gut PH for other reasons. Low pH equates to a more acidic environment whereas high pH equates to a more basic (less acidic) environment.
    • Celiac50
      Kind thanks for all this valuable information! Since my Folate was/is low and also my Calcium, there IS a chance I am low in B vitamins... My doctor only measured the first two, oh and Zinc as I has twisted her arm and guess what, that was mega low too. So who knows, until I get myself tested properly, what else I am deficient in... I did a hair mineral test recently and it said to avoid All sources of Calcium. But this is confusing for me as my Ca is so low and I have osteoporosis because of this. It is my Adjusted Ca that is on the higher side and shouldn't be. So am not sure why the mineral test showed high Ca (well, it was medium in the test but relative to my lowish Magnesium, also via hair sample, it was high I was told). But anyway, thanks again for the VitB download, I will look into this most certainly!
    • ElisaAllergiesgluten
      Hello good afternoon, I was wondering if anyone has ever brought their anti-allergy pills? I have been wanting to use their Cetirizine HCI 10mg. They are called HealthA2Z and distributed by Allegiant Health.I’m also Asthmatic and these allergies are terrible for me but I also want to be sure they don’t have any sort of gluten compound.    I have tried calling them but to no avail. Has anyone ever used them? If so, did you had any problems or no problems at all?    thank you
×
×
  • 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.