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

"glutened"? "contaminated"? What Do You Call It?


melikamaui

Recommended Posts

melikamaui Explorer

A friend recently told me that the word I use when my sons or I accidentally get gluten was really scary. We say that we have been "contaminated" and it never occurred to me that could be construed as frightening until she said it. She pointed out that it was very technical or medical, almost like poison or a nuclear leak, and it freaked her out. I had never thought of it like that. It just is what it is. We get contaminated with gluten. But now, seeing it through her eyes, it makes me wonder...is there a better word out there? Something less clinical and easier for people to handle?

I don't want to dumb down what happens when we accidentally ingest gluten. I'd just like to use a word that is less terrifying to our friends who try so hard to make things safe and wonderful for us.

So what word do you use? "Glutened" has never sounded right to me, but maybe I'll start using it. It does seem less threatening than "contaminated".

edited to fix a typo


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



lilu Rookie

Ar our house, we say that food got contaminated. When talking about our internal experience ingesting contaminated food, we say glutened.

Coinkey Apprentice

I use a wide variety of words depending on the audience and my mood at the time. Here's a nice little list for you:

I'm currently reacting really badly to something I ate

I ate something that I clearly shouldn't have

Glutened

Cross-Contaminated

CC'd

The gluten got me

Poisoned with gluten

Never again!

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

and my most recent "I must be allergic to children I'm getting rashes ALL the time"

Skylark Collaborator

Like Coinkey I have a bunch of phrases.

I ate some gluten and I don't feel good.

I've been gluten poisoned.

I'm having a gluten reaction.

My food was cross-contaminated with gluten.

Uh oh, I think there was wheat in that ____.

I must have eaten something that doesn't agree with me.

...and if I'm in a foul mood becasue someone lied to me about ingredients, an impressive string of swear words.

melikamaui Explorer

Thanks for the help! I am going to work in the more gentle language. :D

cassP Contributor

i say i got glutened... i heard it on here- and it stuck. my friends think it's pretty hilarious.. i like words that are kinda made up B)

Reba32 Rookie

why dumb it down for them? You are being contaminated, if that word frightens them, then perhaps it will encourage them to be careful when parparing food for you. To say you've "been glutened" is probably meaningless to anyone but another Celiac.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



melikamaui Explorer

why dumb it down for them? You are being contaminated, if that word frightens them, then perhaps it will encourage them to be careful when parparing food for you. To say you've "been glutened" is probably meaningless to anyone but another Celiac.

That's what I think too. The only reason I would want to dumb it down is because I really care about these friends and I don't want to freak them out. The friend that said this to me had very noticeably stopped inviting us over to her home. She admitted that she was terrified of poisoning us and that was due in large part to the language I choose. The word "contaminated" really scared her. I don't want people to feel like they're going to kill us by having us in their homes. That is the only reason I want to change the word.

love2travel Mentor

To my knowledge I have only been glutened glutenated or contaminated once in these past six months but I do not know (and I do not intend to deliberately find out). I do not think "contaminated" is too harsh - it may be the jolt some folks need! :) It is like poison to our bodies, after all. Probably a bit better than walking around wearing a poison or biohazard symbol t-shirt! :lol:

melikamaui Explorer

To my knowledge I have only been glutened glutenated or contaminated once in these past six months but I do not know (and I do not intend to deliberately find out). I do not think "contaminated" is too harsh - it may be the jolt some folks need! :) It is like poison to our bodies, after all. Probably a bit better than walking around wearing a poison or biohazard symbol t-shirt! :lol:

:D Funny!

My youngest is super sensitive so there has been a lot of trial and error with him. He has been contaminated quite a few times in the last year I am sad to say. Twice really horribly, and the rest were "light" contaminations but made him sick none the less. We have found that he cannot eat anything made on shared equipment with wheat and that took a long time to figure out. "But it says gluten free!" he would cry. Now that we know how sensitive he really is he gets contaminated a lot less. And sometimes I do feel like putting a T-shirt with a big poison symbol on him! :P

love2travel Mentor

:D Funny!

My youngest is super sensitive so there has been a lot of trial and error with him. He has been contaminated quite a few times in the last year I am sad to say. Twice really horribly, and the rest were "light" contaminations but made him sick none the less. We have found that he cannot eat anything made on shared equipment with wheat and that took a long time to figure out. "But it says gluten free!" he would cry. Now that we know how sensitive he really is he gets contaminated a lot less. And sometimes I do feel like putting a T-shirt with a big poison symbol on him! :P

Oh, poor guy. It is sad when the words "gluten free" sometimes can be so misleading. I recently saw a product state "Gluten Free" on the front but "wheat" was listed under the ingredients. I know it must be under 20 ppm but I don't care. If I can help it no wheat is going to cross these lips of mine.

Maybe we should make some bright orange poison shirts! We would all know each other on sight. :D

anabananakins Explorer

i say i got glutened... i heard it on here- and it stuck. my friends think it's pretty hilarious.. i like words that are kinda made up B)

Hee, me too Cass and my friends find it hilarious too.

I would say "I was glutened" but if I'm worried about a food I'd say "no, I won't have any because it's probably contaminated". I want people to realise that take even the chance of a dusting of "poison" seriously. They wouldn't eat something if there was the slightest chance it was contaminated with rat poison, so I think using the term contaminated helps get across how seriously I take gluten contamination.

Marz Enthusiast

I think of it as "gluten poisoning" because it's not unlike real food poisoning :/ I would also use the word "contamination", don't see anything wrong with that :)

"Glutening" is probably the kindest way to phrase it, if people are really that sensitive about the details. They wouldn't want to hear about the result of a glutening then I take it - also too scary? ;)

melikamaui Explorer

I think of it as "gluten poisoning" because it's not unlike real food poisoning :/ I would also use the word "contamination", don't see anything wrong with that :)

"Glutening" is probably the kindest way to phrase it, if people are really that sensitive about the details. They wouldn't want to hear about the result of a glutening then I take it - also too scary? ;)

I really like "gluten poisoning". That gets the point across with enough seriousness but still has a softer edge to it than "contaminated". Thanks!

cassP Contributor

u know- i actually use "glutened" when i talk about what might happen to me... but i DO use the word "contaminated" when i talk about the food itself... like when my mom accidentally put the leftover rice pasta in the same container with the spelt pasta- then i say- "ya, i cant eat it, cause the food could be contaminated"

domesticactivist Collaborator

It's good your friend is taking it seriously. If you think she's afraid to invite you over, why don't you talk with her about it? Reassure her that you appreciate her concern for your health, and that you are comfortable visiting as long as you take the steps you need to take to be safe. For us the basics are washing hands and eating only the food we bring (usually with our own dishes, too). Maybe she just needs to know that *you* are comfortable, and that you feel safe with her, especially given her awareness.

melikamaui Explorer

It's good your friend is taking it seriously. If you think she's afraid to invite you over, why don't you talk with her about it? Reassure her that you appreciate her concern for your health, and that you are comfortable visiting as long as you take the steps you need to take to be safe. For us the basics are washing hands and eating only the food we bring (usually with our own dishes, too). Maybe she just needs to know that *you* are comfortable, and that you feel safe with her, especially given her awareness.

I did talk to her about it and it went really well. I think she was scared to death because when my son was first diagnosed I was scared to death. I was freaked out (because he had been SO sick) and I was terrified that every little thing was going to make him sick again. Couple that with the use of a "scary" word and she got spooked. I totally understand why it happened and I'm incredibly grateful that she cares so much about us.

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Jay Heying replied to Jay Heying's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      6

      Celiac friendly probiotics

    2. - Florence Lillian replied to Jay Heying's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      6

      Celiac friendly probiotics

    3. - slkrav posted a topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      0

      Gluten free beer ?

    4. - cristiana replied to Colleen H's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      16

      Ibuprofen

    5. - Mari replied to KathyR37's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      5

      New here


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,882
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    ammocat
    Newest Member
    ammocat
    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

    • Jay Heying
      Thank you so much for the advice!! I will try to make a batch this weekend. Have a great weekend,
    • Florence Lillian
      In response to your questions regarding probiotics.  I have had Celiac for 40 years.  Stomach issues: digestion, IBS to chronic constipation, bloat after eating anything.  I was unable to eat a healthy variety of foods, tried probiotics supplements - some made me worse, others made no difference.  After reading about people with Crones, IBS, etc, who made their own probiotics I started making Milk Kefir: not water Kefir. There are 10 probiotics in milk KEFIR. After 3 weeks I was able to eat more, no gas, no IBS.  If you have a computer just ask for videos on making milk Kefir. I branched out and make my own Kombucha for even more probiotics. I do not make my yogurt because there are only about four probiotics in that. I started this when I was 82 and I still make my own Kefir and Kombucha. My stomach issues were fixed with the Milk Kefir alone. If you decide to try making it, make certain you order MILK GRAINS. The finished product tastes a bit like Buttermilk. I hope this helps in your journey to good health.
    • slkrav
      Help me out here. Lauren Dam gluten-free beer from Spain is listed as gluten free. Yet its made from Barley Malt. I thought barley and any form had gluten. Anybody have any more information about it?
    • cristiana
      Ferritin levels.  And see what your hemoglobin looks like too, that will tell you if you are anemic?  You can have 'low normal' levels that will not be flagged by blood tests.  I had 'low normal' levels, my lab reading was. c12, just over what was considered normal, but I had small benign lesion on my tongue, and sometimes a sore mouth, and a consultant maxillofacial ordered an iron infusion for me as he felt my levels were too low and if he  raised them to 40, it would help.   Because you are not feeling 100% it might be worth looking at your levels, then discussing with your doctor if they are low normal.  But I stress, don't supplement iron without your levels being monitored, too much is dangerous.
    • Mari
      Hi Katht -  I sympathize with your struggles in following a gluten-free diet and lifestyle. I found out that I had Celiac Disease a few months before I turned 70. I just turned 89 and it has taken me almost 20 years to attain a fairly normal intestinal  function. I also lost a lot of weight, down to 100 lb. down from about 140 lb. What Trents wrote you was very true for me. I am still elimination foods from my diet. One person suggested you keep a food diary and that is a good idea but it is probably best just to do an elimination diet. There are several ne and maybe one for celiacs. I used one for a while and started with plain rice and zucchini and then added back other foods to see if I reacted or not. That helped a great deal but what I did not realise that it would only very small amounts of some foods to cause inflammation in my intestine. Within the last few years I have stopped eating any trace amounts of hot peppers, corn and soy(mostly in supplements) and nuts, (the corn in Tylenol was giving me stomach aches and the nuts were causing foot pains). Starting an elimination diet with white rice is better than brown rice that has some natural toxins. In addition it is very important to drink sufficient plain water. You can find out how much to drink for your height and weight online. I do have difficulty drinking 48 ounces of water but just recently have found an electrolyte supplement that helps me stay well hydrated, Adding the water and electrolytes may reduce muscle cramps and gag spams you wrote about. . Also buy some anti-gluten enzyme capsules to take with meals. I use GliadinX advertised here. These are a lot of things to do at one time as they reflect my 20 years of experience. I hope you do what you can manage to do over time. Good luck and take care.
×
×
  • 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.