In 2013, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune condition in which eating gluten leads to damage in the small intestines. Celiac Disease impacts the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
So, what is gluten anyway? Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains like wheat, barley and rye. The only way to manage Celiac Disease is to not eat foods containing gluten. Eating a source of gluten as small as a bread crumb can make someone with Celiac Disease extremely sick. For me, even the smallest bit of cross contamination with gluten can lead to 1-2 weeks of exhaustion, stabbing pains in my stomach, headaches and horrible GI issues.
To sum it up, living with Celiac Disease, sucks.
So, what’s life like living with Celiac Disease?
It’s hard…
–Feeling like a constant burden to family and friends.
–Skipping social events because it’s awkward being the only one not eating.
–Paying $9 for a loaf of bread.
–Feeling miserable for one-two weeks every time I accidentally eat gluten.
–Having to research every restaurant I eat at.
–Putting my health in the hands of the waiter and chefs at the restaurants I eat at.
–Thoroughly reading every label of every packaged food I buy.
–Always being the odd man out.
–Constantly apologizing for the inconvenience of my dietary restrictions.
Celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. An estimated 1 in 133 Americans, or about 1% of the population, has celiac disease.”
– Beyond Celiac
