POV: Life with Celiac
It’s more than an allergy
By: Antara Murdeshwar
Celiac is an invisible illness and most people don’t see or understand the struggles of living with it. Life can be exhausting trying to navigate with celiac and still live a ‘normal’ life. Here’s some insight on what different circumstances look like for those who have celiac and the thoughts and feelings that are a daily occurrence.
Eating out:
Normally most people don’t have to think twice about what they are eating at a restaurant. However, for people with celiac it can be such an anxiety inducing event that they may not even be able to enjoy themselves. There are so many things celiacs have to check and triple check when ordering food, from making sure separate fryers are used to seeing if veggies are cooked in the same water as pasta. Putting their trust in someone else and hoping they don’t get sick is a big thing.
Groceries:
There are many foods that are naturally gluten free like fruits, veggies and meats. However, most people want to be able to enjoy bread, baked goods and other grocery items that are hard to find gluten free. Buying anything gluten free is going to be more expensive than its regular gluten version, making gluten free not the most affordable.
Parties:
Events and parties are usually places where people can come together over food and drinks. Being celiac means most of the time you are waiting until you get home to eat or bring your own food. Even if people bring gluten free options, it runs the risk of coming into contamination with products that are gluten free. Cross contamination is often a huge risk and something most people aren’t educated on.
Baking:
To make gluten free baked goods actually taste good and not completely crumble just by looking at it, most recipes require a ton of different types of flours and starches. To top it all off a lot of those flours are very expensive for a small quantity. Making some good gluten free bread can become a big investment both in terms of time and money.
Loneliness:
Most people don’t know what someone who has celiac deals with on a daily basis. At times, this can lead to celiacs feeling like they are in it on their own. They may even feel like their friends stop inviting them out because they can’t join in on food or drinks.
Final thoughts:
Celiac changes someone’s life drastically. It can take a toll on people both physically and mentally. Despite it sounding like a nightmare to live, celiacs can still live a fulfilling and thriving life. They become very in tune with their bodies and can push themselves to grow and be more open to cooking and different foods.