Banning Gluten Fromthe House!?

[newgirl11]

So I have known I have DH for about 10 months now. What a relief to know what is going on....however changing my life around while still taking care of my family has been a challenge. I have lots of great gluten free recipies that I use. For several months last fall I just said no gluten in the house at all because my rash was so severe and I felt so sick I needed to be sure I was not contaminated. All it takes is a grain for me to feel the effects. When gluten was out of the house I healed up and felt better. Since Chirstmas there has been regular bread and tortillas in the house. It seems that no matter how careful everyone is with clean up and trying to prevent cross contamination, my rash is back in full force and I feel miserable. So I relly need to ban the gluten once again but I feel bad that as everyone likes their white bread and tortillas etc. I feel like i should be able to find a way top make it work. Any one else ban gluten in their home because they were so sensitive that it was necessary for them to stay healthy.

Any insight or support is appreciated

[Blue-eyed bandit]

I'm really thinking about banning it as I'm still feeling so sick at times. But it may be just because I'm in the process of healing.

[missy'smom]

I haven't gone that far but if I think about what we would do if I did, I would switch all their tortillas to soft and hard shell corn and set up a sandwich making station in the garage. My DH only uses bread for sandwiches and only eats/takes them to work, not at home so since we have an extra fridge in the garage, I could set up a small table and keep cutting board, knife etc out there. The only thing would be that they would have to get washed somehow-maybe a plastic tub to carry them into the house with and take to the sink so the crumbs would be confined to tub and sink? Maybe burger and dog buns only on grill out/eat outside days?

Just some ideas that may/may not work for you.

Good luck working it out.

[pricklypear1971]

For the most part, yes. I do allow gluten beer and some Trader Joe's Oatios. The beer isn't the problem, it's the Oatios ...or rather my son and the dog and the Oatios.

In the beginning my son (9) was good about being neat with them, but now I find them everywhere. And this morning the dog ate a bowl of them. So no, I don't think it's working!

I banned gluten for all the reasons you mentioned. And the few times I've tried gluteny hot dog or hamburger buns it's a logistical Gluten Police nightmare with me screaming "NO DON'T TOUCH THAT, you touched the buns!". My husband told me not to bother because it's a PITA to deal with.

If they'd wait to eat at the table it would help but they won't get the heck out of the kitchen and let me deal with it and put it on the table. Grrr.

I can touch gluten without a problem (I was my hands immediately). The dog thing bothers me most...

[squirmingitch]

Not to mention that dog's are allergic to gluten. So the dog shouldn't have them.

[Takala]

My spouse volunteered to do this, after seeing me get knocked down one too many times by cross contamination. If he wants regular bread he eats it out at work lunches or on business travel, or rarely, at a fast food place. Bread at home is gluten free, either from a gluten free bakery, a store that sells gluten-free bread, or I make it. (I don't eat much grain bread that is purchased, regardless of source.) Tortillas are corn tortillas and we keep a lot of rice cakes around for snacks.

Our large, senior house dog is very allergic to wheat and will scratch himself a huge nasty hot spot in a heartbeat if he gets cross contaminated, plus he'll throw up and poo all over.... and my spouse's horse has massive allergies, including rye grass, soy, and barley, but as long as we keep it off the premises, for everyone and everything, everybody does much better. This means the cat foods also, because the cats can cross contaminate the dog and horse water. I don't dare feed a regular biscuit to anyone, because there is nothing worse than having a #130 lb animal and a #1000 lb animal scratching because it was cheaper. Last year, the 2nd summer on new cat food for outside cats, was probably the best ever I have seen that horse look, since he was about 5 years old. When he eats the wrong thing he becomes hypersensitive to many herbs and chemicals and cannot be fly sprayed- and he's also allergic to fly bite venom, but this way he can get flysprayed, and doesn't welt up from getting bitten.

It's a no-brainer that the animal care person-in-chief needs to be functional enough to take care of the rest of them. I get neurological problems (ataxia) when I get glutened, and it's not possible for us to keep the house cleaned up with our smallish kitchen if it were mixed.

[Korwyn]

The only gluten we allow in the house is in beer, and it must be opened and consumed outside the kitchen area. This created a problem with our (adult) kids for a while and our grandchildren. The finally understood that I was serious. The only problem I still have is occasionally they will come in with cookie crumbs on their clothes. But we make sure we have safe foods and snacks for them. And now all our kids and their SO ask about anything before they bring it in. They'll even call me sometimes to check on something if they are coming over and planning on bringing something with them.

We did have a couple of pretty heated arguments early on, and it was hard on both my wife and I but it did work out. The most difficult part actually is guests who feel obligated to bring foods if we are having company but I've finally worked that out (externally and internally). We have a spiel we give them, which while not entirely accurate serves to get the point across. I have offended a couple people who ignored and brought 'just a salad', and 'just a pie' and I wouldn't let them bring them in the house. But I decided that after being so sick for so long, and knowing the consequences of days and weeks of payment, it wasn't worth the risk to my health or our marriage. I'm not very pleasant when I'm glutened, and if I get soy it is even worse (I have a similar rule about soy).

[squirmingitch]

Korwyn, I would dearly love to read your spiel you give guests which gets the point across. We have not had any guests as yet since i went gluten free slightly over 2 months ago but I have been racking my brain for what exactly to tell people the first time it comes up. I keep trying to think what will really get the point across.

[Korwyn]

Korwyn, I would dearly love to read your spiel you give guests which gets the point across. We have not had any guests as yet since i went gluten free slightly over 2 months ago but I have been racking my brain for what exactly to tell people the first time it comes up. I keep trying to think what will really get the point across.

OK. It goes something like this: Don't bring food over or I'll kill you!

No, seriously, I have a couple variations depending on if they know something about my 'food thing' or if they are totally in the dark.

Hi, <blah blah having a party blah blah or whatever>. We'll have tons of foods/drinks/snacks/etc so we really won't need any extra food. Besides, I don't know if you're aware, but I have some food related issues that are genetic and cause serious health problems if I come in contact even with trace amounts. So please don't worry about bringing any food, and in fact if you have something specific you like I can usually find a safe version of it to have! Whats your favorite (food/drink/finger food/etc) ?

That is kinda of a nutshell version. I vary it obviously depending on what we're doing, is it a group, is it a sit down full meal, etc. I've been surprised at how many people have asked me 'is it gluten/wheat' or some variation thereof ("oh is it that gluten stuff?" was one of my favorites). It actually gives me opportunities to talk to people about celiac disease and gluten (along with processed foods, gmo, how soy effects hormones, etc). I would guess that in the last three years now I have probably a dozen or more families/individuals where one or more person is now gluten free as a result of this.

[squirmingitch]

Thank you very much & also for the quick reply. I think you thought it out quite well & it doesn't offend anyone.

I too like to make people aware of celiac disease & gluten & soy & so forth. I always think it might help them or a member of their family one day or even a friend of theirs. Because you just never know.

[dilettantesteph]

We tried for a year to try to get a shared household to work. We tried all sorts of separate areas etc. Celiacs didn't come near gluten stuff etc., but we just kept getting sick. Finally when we made the household gluten free, things worked out better. The gluten eaters were still able to eat gluten at work and school, and then they washed up immediately when they got home. Then the celiacs stopped getting sick so much. We are very sensitive. I know many who can even cook for gluten eating children. It just depends on how sensitive you are.