Being Young and Celiac

I worry that your anecdote of the pasta restaurant making you gluten-free pasta spreads a bit of misinformation, of which I've found the hardest to get people to understand. Gluten-free pasta is great, but what about the counter tops, pots and pans, strainers, handling, etc? This seems to be the hardest concept for my friends and family to understand. I think we can help our loved ones, and ultimately ourselves, by being consistent and educating them on the topic of cross-contamination.

I worry that your anecdote of the pasta restaurant making you gluten-free pasta spreads a bit of misinformation, of which I've found the hardest to get people to understand. Gluten-free pasta is great, but what about the counter tops, pots and pans, strainers, handling, etc? This seems to be the hardest concept for my friends and family to understand. I think we can help our loved ones, and ultimately ourselves, by being consistent and educating them on the topic of cross-contamination.

I agree with TysonHolly on the comment about cross-contamination. It is not easy to keep my own kitchen gluten-free with friends and family bringing food to "share" and to eat for themselves. From donuts to buns to cookies and cake, secret ingredients and special recipes galore, there is no end to what people think is safe to bring into my home. I have only managed to eat out just a few times without having a gluten issue. I do not trust ANY kitchen but my own! Once we stayed at a resort that insured me before hand that the chef was well trained in gluten-free cooking. Yes, he was, but his staff failed me and I became very ill, ending our vacation on a bad note with a very uncomfortable trip home. I have celiac disease with severe dermatitis herpetiformis.

I too worry of the cross-contamination in this restaurant. I do not know where she lives, but finding a place to eat out at is, I feel, very difficult. I do not live in or near big cities and this process is daunting. I also have to disagree about the food, other than your fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. A lot of what I have bought that states it is gluten-free tastes horrible, and when the dog won't eat it, you also have to wonder what is in it. I am only two years into knowing I have this disease and I am still learning.

I worry that your anecdote of the pasta restaurant making you gluten-free pasta spreads a bit of misinformation, of which I've found the hardest to get people to understand. Gluten-free pasta is great, but what about the counter tops, pots and pans, strainers, handling, etc? This seems to be the hardest concept for my friends and family to understand. I think we can help our loved ones, and ultimately ourselves, by being consistent and educating them on the topic of cross-contamination.

Thank you for the above comment, for I wholeheartedly agree with you and find this to be the most frustrating thing when reading gluten-free websites. Cross-contamination is so important to living gluten-free with celiac disease, and makes me question any author who does not acknowledge that fact.

I worry that your anecdote of the pasta restaurant making you gluten-free pasta spreads a bit of misinformation, of which I've found the hardest to get people to understand. Gluten-free pasta is great, but what about the counter tops, pots and pans, strainers, handling, etc? This seems to be the hardest concept for my friends and family to understand. I think we can help our loved ones, and ultimately ourselves, by being consistent and educating them on the topic of cross-contamination.

You are totally right. In fact, I got "gluten poisoning" two days ago from cross contamination. Just a tiny bit of gluten can really make you sick. I usually ask restaurants to clean their grill, etc. when I order. If they put up a stink about it, I don't feel safe about eating there and I will leave. For the most part, I find that restaurants in my area are very accommodating.

I agree with TysonHolly on the comment about cross-contamination. It is not easy to keep my own kitchen gluten-free with friends and family bringing food to "share" and to eat for themselves. From donuts to buns to cookies and cake, secret ingredients and special recipes galore, there is no end to what people think is safe to bring into my home. I have only managed to eat out just a few times without having a gluten issue. I do not trust ANY kitchen but my own! Once we stayed at a resort that insured me before hand that the chef was well trained in gluten-free cooking. Yes, he was, but his staff failed me and I became very ill, ending our vacation on a bad note with a very uncomfortable trip home. I have celiac disease with severe dermatitis herpetiformis.

What is severe dermatitis herpetiformis? What reactions are there when you have dermatitis herpetiformis?