Let's Be Trendy!

[smpalesh]

This is going to be a rant so sorry in advance if I offend anyone.

I am tired of gluten free being talked about as if it is just a choice. So many tv shows, talk shows, books, diet plans, etc all talk about avoiding gluten as a choice for weight loss or just to treat some bazillion symptoms you may be suffering from. Yes, it has led to more products being available which is great but it really causes negative repercussions for someone like me who actually HAS to avoid even the smallest crumb of gluten and will get seriously ill if I don't. Because when I say I have to eat gluten free I inevitably always get someone saying, "Oh yeah I (or my husband, my friend, my dog) have to eat gluten free but sometimes I just have a regular pizza because the gluten free one tastes bad." Or if I go to a restaurant and spend 10 minutes ordering my meal to make sure they understand exactly how careful they need to be when preparing my food they look at me as if I am overreacting and that I'm just one of those "trendy" dieters. I understand people can do whatever they want and go gluten-free and maybe it helps their health and that's great but when the idea is out there that you can just take a day off or just eat some gluten once in awhile it is seriously dangerous to those of us who have celiac and who react to microscopic amounts of gluten. People just aren't going to take us as seriously, or take as much care in preparing our food as they should, when they know multiple people that say they are also gluten-free but they ate a piece of birthday cake at a party and they were totally fine.

Okay rant over.

[shadowicewolf]

In this case, its just better to let it in one ear and out the other. People who say things like this are not informed on how damaging gluten is those with an issue with it.

[Lisa]

Ya know...I'm not a trend. Nor do I expect a restaurant to cater to me, but so glad when they do, or can or informed! I am responsible for my life and what I put into my mouth....trend or not.

When I eat at a restaurant, it's my choice. I don't put the weight of my health on the server, kitchen or management. They don't know the level of my awareness, nor would I expect them to be. If I get ill, I accept the responsibility.

Eight years ago, when I began my gluten free journey...there was a vast nothingness of gluten free product, or awareness. To say "we've come a long way baby" is an understatement!!!!!

I'm rather pleased.

[GFinDC]

A lot of people are trying the gluten-free diet these days. They don't all have celiac and they don't all understand it the way celiacs do or have the same medical reactions and concerns celiacs do. Maybe they have diabetes or maybe they have Crohn's disease and think it will help them. Maybe they have NCGI. Maybe they don't know why they are feeling bad but just want to try something to hopefully feel better. They have every right to try and feel better. If the gluten-free diet is what they choose to try and improve their health that's great. If they don't understand it the way celiacs do that is not surprising to me. If we can help them I think that's what we should do. They are like a bunch of lost puppies in a gluten filled landmine world. And they think eating cookies and pizza is ok! Such silly-heads!

[Em314]

I generally think food trends/fad diets are ridiculous and kind of irritating, but I'll admit, with this, I'm kind of glad that going gluten-free is "trendy" now... it means there's more products out there that I can eat!

[nvsmom]

Yah, I'm glad I was diagnosed when gluten-free and low carbs is the trendy way to eat. I can't imagnie trying to eat gluten-free during the 80's and 90's when high carb, whole grains and low fat was the way to go... At least now I can find alternative flours or the occassional premade treat.

The trendiness will fade in a few years but hopefully the awareness and new products will stict around.

[GwenO]

I went gluten free in support of my daughter, who was diagnosed with celiac disease last summer. I tested negative, however, I feel a lot better - it's changed my life. I, of course, do understand the implications of ingesting small amounts of gluten for some people. I'm grateful for the trendiness, feeding an almost twelve year old is much easier because of it.

[JAS2]

I went gluten free about 3 and a half weeks ago. I did it because I have not felt well for a very long time and have undergone almost every test there is, but no findings. I did not do the test, because I did not know you could not do it after going gluten free. I may get brave one day and start eating gluten again to have the test done. I am however thinking about converting my entire family to an either gluten light or gluten free diet as after reading the book "Wheat Belly" I have learned a lot about the dangers of wheat in particular and what it can do to those who do not have celiac. Not trying to be trendy, just trying to be healthy. I am so sorry that you have to deal with all the of hassles and hope that as time goes on and awareness spreads, things may get easier.

[mushroom]

I went gluten free about 3 and a half weeks ago. I did it because I have not felt well for a very long time and have undergone almost every test there is, but no findings. I did not do the test, because I did not know you could not do it after going gluten free. I may get brave one day and start eating gluten again to have the test done. I am however thinking about converting my entire family to an either gluten light or gluten free diet as after reading the book "Wheat Belly" I have learned a lot about the dangers of wheat in particular and what it can do to those who do not have celiac. Not trying to be trendy, just trying to be healthy. I am so sorry that you have to deal with all the of hassles and hope that as time goes on and awareness spreads, things may get easier.

You can still do the test, and there is even a chance of it still being positive; there is just less of a chance of it being accurate than there would be if you were still eating gluten.

[islandmomma]

You can still do the test, and there is even a chance of it still being positive; there is just less of a chance of it being accurate than there would be if you were still eating gluten.

You know, I am finally regretting that I gave up tv altogether nearly two years ago and avoided talk shows for many years before. Perhaps if I had watched I would have become better informed about this issue... Who knew I could still become part of a 'trend'? LOL

[cap6]

When I order out I always say that I am celiac, that gluten free is not a fad for me and that I will get sick if I eat any gluten. Said with a smile and a few questions on how they deal with cross contamination and there usually isn't a problem. The fad is good and bad for us celiacs......

[Pegleg84]

It's definitely a double-sided issue. I also have problems with those who eat gluten free, but don't take it seriously. If they are doing it to help their health, then it should be all or nothing.

At the same time, the level of awareness is so much better than it was even couple years ago. I can usually say "gluten-free" and they have some idea what I'm talking about, though even then at restaurants I have to be very diligent to make sure they follow through with requests (I said no bread, not bread on the side, or stuck in my curry, thank you. And no, couscous is NOT gluten-free...)

However, Wheat Belly's popularity might be getting out of control. As much as not eating wheat or gluten might help all kinds of non-celiacs, throwing yourself into a limited diet, or changing so much without a good reason can also be dangerous. Your gut might go, hey, that bread was treating me just fine. What are you doing throwing all this new stuff at me all of a sudden.

Trying out the gluten-free diet is always worth a shot, but if people don't feel any difference in a couple weeks, then likely the best thing is to just keep eating healthy, whole foods and grains.

For us, this is not a fad. It's a life-long prescription.

[Em314]

Trying out the gluten-free diet is always worth a shot, but if people don't feel any difference in a couple weeks, then likely the best thing is to just keep eating healthy, whole foods and grains.

Erhm... kind of a short timeframe, no?

The ideal thing is for them to communicate with their doctors... if they have health insurance, access to doctors, and can afford to do so. if not... I do agree the fad diet aspect is obnoxious, but it's hard to blame people for wanting to feel better.

[~**caselynn**~]

Ya know...I'm not a trend. Nor do I expect a restaurant to cater to me, but so glad when they do, or can or informed! I am responsible for my life and what I put into my mouth....trend or not.

When I eat at a restaurant, it's my choice. I don't put the weight of my health on the server, kitchen or management. They don't know the level of my awareness, nor would I expect them to be. If I get ill, I accept the responsibility.

Eight years ago, when I began my gluten free journey...there was a vast nothingness of gluten free product, or awareness. To say "we've come a long way baby" is an understatement!!!!!

I'm rather pleased.

Agreed! I always speak up to the server and make sure we're on the same page but in the end it's on me. I made the conscious decision to eat out, so I live and learn. I have a favorite, dependable spot in my hometown, the chef is a friend and he knows his stuff! I wish everyone had a favorite like that, and although its trendy, more and more gluten-free spots are coming out! That is great for us! (Please do your homework before eating just anywhere )

The trend issue is a double edge sword to me, it's annoying but it has opened more resources for us Celiacs!! And that makes me wicked happy! We have come a long way!

[killernj13]

Yes, we can enjoy it being trendy but trends end. Our dietary restrictions do not.

I stopped watching The Today Show when they fired Ann Curry and replaced her with Savannah Guthrie. During a story on the gluten free trend she called celiac disease a trendy disease and roll her eyes. I've tweeted her for to make a public apology and wrote a complaint to NBC at the time of the interview.

[Pegleg84]

There is no such thing as a "trendy" disease. I know some people who are trying out the gluten-free diet to see if it makes a difference in their health, but they usually drop it after a few weeks if nothing significant happens. But if you're going to do the gluten-free diet, you'd better go all the way. I was sitting in a coffee shop one day and a girl ordered a latte with almond milk, got a gluten-free muffin, and I thought, oh, she's just like me... until she also took a sample of a gluteny treat out on the counter (which either means a cheater, someone doing it "cause it's healthy", or maybe cause that gluten-free muffin looked really good...). I was this close to ragging her out...

yeah, a few weeks is a short time frame for recovery from Celiac/Gluten Intolerance, but I was thinking more of people who do it just to see if it makes a difference for other things.

If someone suspects they could have Celiac, they should get tested. Really, anyone with a family history should be screened.

I think we need to educate restarants. chefs, servers, etc on what Celiac and gluten-free really means, how to accomodate it, and that it's a serious illness, not a personal preference.

[JNBunnie1]

I totally understand the frustration that comes from dealing with the 'fad diet' attitude, both

from those who are participating in it as a fad diet, and the effect it has on those who serve

in restaurants and the like. I have lost count of the people who've said something along the

lines of 'Well, so-and-so doesn't have to be that careful.'

I have definitely gone into a number of places and been told that while a food that's advertised

as gluten free has 'no gluten ingredients', they have done nothing further to ensure it's safety.

For example, a bakery that uses gluten free recipes, but uses the same mixers, bakes in the

same room as gluten, and so on. I think of those as the 'Dominos' places. While it is my job to

make sure I stay safe, it's still frustrating to be met with this attitude so frequently. I religiously

patronize those places that do get it, and I tell them why, and I bring friends, and I leave as

many positive reviews as possible wherever possible.

If anything, as frustrating as being dismissed as having a 'trendy disease' is, it is nice that

there are so many products on the market now, so I just try to be thankful for that.