Ups and Downs

I still have 'good' days and 'bad' days.

Sometimes I wish the whole thing would go away so I could just go on like I used to and enjoy all food.

I have to accept that I cannot now eat anything I want, and that is very upsetting to me, however knowing I can't change the diagnosis, I can either choose to accept it and move on or I can not accept it and be miserable for the rest of my life...........I know which one is the best option.

Having ups and downs is part of the acceptance process and I believe therefore that this is completely natural.  When I have a down day, I just say; Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!!  (tomorrow!) This is the only thing you can do.

Anyone who goes on a 'gluten free diet' by choice does not understand what 'gluten free' really means, especially when it takes off the menu: Fish and Chips, Chinese Takeaway, any Burger Chain and ready made Sandwiches, Cakes and biscuits.  This normally means that the person is only cutting out bread, Cakes and Pastries..........Given the choice I would not be on a Gluten Free Diet.  I have NO choice.

What many people fail to understand is: That this diet is not our choice, we have no choice (see the explanation of Coeliac Disease).  

I challenge anybody who thinks this is easy to try and eat out taking into account all the Cross Contamination issues, believe me it takes all the fun out of it, and the lack of understanding from the catering industry is astounding.

Many restaurants and staff have no idea what 'gluten' is and therefore have no idea what contains it.  Education is what is needed in the industry that provides us with our food and Restaurants, Chefs, Cafes, Coffee shops and any other retail outlet that deals with food need to understand how difficult living with Coeliac Disease can be, they've done it with nuts, but Coeliac Disease is never mentioned anywhere, we are quite often side lined as fussy, faddy eaters or on a fad diet, none of which is true and that is why we need to change the attitudes of staff.  Many people become very seriously ill if restaurants make mistakes, but many of them don't even understand that.