I have a friend who thinks eating gluten free has cured her ADD, among other ailments. So there are these people who have all kinds of magical beliefs about food.
I don't know enough to know whether this is legitimate, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this claim. The link between food and ADD/ADHD (and, really, a wide variety of health ailments) has become more firmly established in recent years.
I'm really curious though why there is such a difference between people who choose to go gluten free and people who choose to go vegan or vegetarian. A good friend of mine went gluten free and says she feels so much better for it. Who am I to argue with that?
I don't think there is a difference. I think people are jumping on the fanatical bandwagon. It will die down, just like all trends do. Remember the Atkins fad? South Beach? Etc... It will run it's course. Very few people (if any) HAD to be on Atkins because it kept them from a horrible illness. Some people legitimately can't have gluten. It's eye-roll worthy when a non-Celiac swears off gluten because it seems to flip a switch in their brain that makes them proselytizing, scrutinizing anuses who make a big deal about a crouton on their salad, but think nothing of "cheating" with a piece of cake at a wedding.
This article is fucking insufferable. I wanted to like it, I really did. But this dude wrapped up the couple things I would agree with in such bullshit that I'd like to smack him.
I mean good on him for looking outside of shitty imitations for gluten free foods. But the quickness with which he presumes things about people annoys me. (Pots and kettles, I know lol) For all he knows, the woman was recently diagnosed and is still feeling her way around what is and what isn't permitted.
And what the hell is with the stuttering vs GI comparison?
And who the fuck cares what exactly you call it? Why is lactose intolerance an acceptable phrase but gluten intolerance is not? Also, does he realize there is a difference between allergy and intolerance? I am lactose intolerance. I am not allergic to milk.
I do, however, have an issue with the supposition that gluten is terrible for everyone. You can just go on and shut up with that one.
Wasn't there research recently that shows gluten intolerance isn't really a thing? Celiac is real and very serious obviously.
My husband suffers from chronic headaches and I also don't remember seeing wheat as a common trigger when we've looked into elimination diets.
Lactose intolerance is more solidly documented.
Until I had to give up gluten because of gi issues, I had headaches every day. I get headaches when I accidentally eat something with gluten along with some uncomfortable stomach issues. I wouldn't say I am eating any better other than no more gluten, but my daily headaches are gone, and I rarely get them now.
My doctor has told me I am gluten intolerant and to avoid it. I feel better than I have in a decade. I hate seeing articles about gluten intolerance not being real or that it is a "fad" diet. It is very real, and i believe we are seeing so many cases due to over exposure with gluten in nearly everything processed. For those that are celiac, it is even more important that they are taken seriously, and it is so much more than just an intolerance.
I have a friend who thinks eating gluten free has cured her ADD, among other ailments. So there are these people who have all kinds of magical beliefs about food.
I don't know enough to know whether this is legitimate, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this claim. The link between food and ADD/ADHD (and, really, a wide variety of health ailments) has become more firmly established in recent years.
Agreed. The thing I've decided rather recently is that there are a variety of things for which there is not yet a satisfactory cure or minimizer available via the medical community. If someone can adopt a small change that makes living with a certain condition more tolerable, then what am I to say? Should I really tell my friend that she's merely benefiting from a placebo effect?
Plus, science is always evolving, always advancing. Someday there might very well be evidence that these things are working somehow, some way. In the meantime, if you notice your child is less of an asshole on the days you skip their morning pancakes, I'll be the last one to give you shit for it.
I've also decided that it's a total asshole maneuver to tell someone who is happily and not at all dickishly skipping gluten that science says they are a fucking idiot.
To do so would make me just as bad as the anti gluten proselytizers.
I wanted to like the article too but couldn't quite get there.
I know Celiac is a real thing but, and here is where I guess I may be one of those people, the bulk of people I know that are "gluten free" don't have it. And the few who do are so well informed about what they can and can't eat, because of what happens when they have gluten, that they are actually easier to be around than the posers, since the posers don't seem to be as well informed. So yeah, when someone makes a big deal about how they can't have gluten but I see them chowing down on a big bear claw from the Friday doughnut box at work, which isn't from a gluten free bakery, yeah, I judge and roll my eyes a little.
I regularly have gluten free friends over for dinner and it isn't hard to make meals, since I am doing my research and double checking to make sure I got it right. I remember one night we had some people over and served a quinoa/rice side dish because one friend's GF is Celiac. Another friend's date asked if they could get a different plate without the quinoa/rice dish since he didn't eat gluten. I asked if he had Celiac, because I hadn't known. Nope, he had just gone gluten free. Yeah, dude was dumb as a box of rocks. But I got him another side dish free plate since I wasn't going to debate the point with him and rolled my eyes the whole time I was doing it.
I'm really curious though why there is such a difference between people who choose to go gluten free and people who choose to go vegan or vegetarian. A good friend of mine went gluten free and says she feels so much better for it. Who am I to argue with that?
That's actually a really good point. I only care when people are pretentious assholes about their food. Otherwise, KOKO.
Post by lasagnasshole on Jul 27, 2014 9:11:32 GMT -5
This diner claimed to be gluten free but was drinking beer and sent back risotto for having gluten?
I understand why the restaurant owner is frustrated, but let's be honest - someone this dumb was bound to find another way to be annoying as fuck, gluten or no gluten.
This diner claimed to be gluten free but was drinking beer and sent back risotto for having gluten?
I understand why the restaurant owner is frustrated, but let's be honest - someone this dumb was bound to find another way to be annoying as fuck, gluten or no gluten.
Right?
When I was a server, a customer sent back a dish that they had chosen because it had things in there they didn't like. Things that were clearly denoted by the name of the dish which I believe was chicken and broccoli alfredo. She wanted fried chicken, red sauce, and a layer of parmesan cheese. You know, CHICKEN PARMESAN PASTA! And if she'd merely acknowledged she ordered the wrong thing, that would be something but really, she was fucking irate that the chicken and broccoli alfredo had grilled chicken, alfredo, and broccoli on it.
I will say the gluten intolerant thing blows my mind. Many do act like its life ending. I'm lactose intolerant and yes it's annoying but I don't throw a fit in a restraunt and it certain is not comparable to DS having an actual dairy allergy.
We have Celiac in our family. It is very real and almost killed someone I love as it went undiagnosed for many years.
i go back and forth between being annoyed with and loving people going gluten free who "maybe" don't need to be.
i sure hope the abundance of current gluten free option isn't a fad. And we truly need as a society need to be rejecting fillers ie gluten in food that shouldn't naturally have gluten!
And if we are out at a restaurant then I don't need shit or questions from the waitstaff regarding why we aren't eating gluten. Luckily we haven't ran into many issues. The only question we usually get is if it is an actual allergy and the disclaimer of possible cross contamination or so, they can flag the food.
Regarding gluten free pasta I haven't tried it but family members who don't eat gluten love, love love it so I am a little annoyed with the writers attitude.
I will say the gluten intolerant thing blows my mind. Many do act like its life ending. I'm lactose intolerant and yes it's annoying but I don't throw a fit in a restraunt and it certain is not comparable to DS having an actual dairy allergy.
Right . I judge the ones who act like I said. I have many in my life who are intolerant of foods and are not jerks. I do not judge them
Sorry I can see how my first sentence was broader than I meant. I'm on my phone and tend to get lazy. I was responding to the lady in the OP. Not all GI people
I hate how the jerks ruin it for those with actual allergies and diseases.
Right . I judge the ones who act like I said. I have many in my life who are intolerant of foods and are not jerks. I do not judge them
Sorry I can see how my first sentence was broader than I meant. I'm on my phone and tend to get lazy. I was responding to the lady in the OP. Not all GI people
I hate how the jerks ruin it for those with actual allergies and diseases.
I don't mean to be a jerk, this is just a sensitive issue for me. I feel acutely aware of being judged when I ask for gf stuff, because it's not like you can tell by looking at me that I really, really need it.
I have never thrown a fit in a restaurant, but my H did once on my behalf. We were at a burger place that had gf buns available, which is super nice. We had been there a time or two without incident. On this particular time, I ordered my burger with a gf bun like usual and it looked like the waiter wrote it down.
Food came out and my burger had a regular bun on it (you could easily tell because one had sesame seeds and one didn't). Annoying, but mistakes happen. I sent it back after explaining that I needed a new burger, because I have celiac and could get really sick if they just swapped the bun. A few minutes later, the little douche brought out the same fucking burger with the same regular bun! And when I said something about it, he smirked and rolled his eyes.
And then my H went hulk on the manager and we never went there again. The end.
In general societal acceptable, yes, the jerks are making it hard for those with genuine issues. But in terms of access, the jerks have actually done celiacs and gluten sensitives a real service. There is no way there would be such a wealth of gluten free options on supermarket shelves, nor would assholes like the writer of this article be aware of the issue were it not for the jerks.
Apparently, I'm feeling generous this morning. Have I taken ill?
But I know several folks who are going gluten free because it's "healthier" and I admit to rolling my eyes at that one.
Someone that I really like and generally respect just posted to fb that she is proud of her "healthier" eating-- and went on to explain that her whole family is now going GF. No allergies, no reason except to be healthier. I am biting my tongue very hard, and only because I otherwise like her.
She is definitely not the only one I know doing this.
As the wife of someone with diabetes, I can completely understand why anyone would want to reduce his/her carbohydrate intake. It IS possible to wear out your pancreas. Eat a bunch of carbs all day everyday, and eventually you'll have diabetes, if you live long enough. I don't understand why anyone would completely cut out wheat just because he/she has been told that it's healthy to do so.
That said, I DO believe that gluten intolerance is a real thing.
I'm allergic to wheat. Allergist tested, not a fad or a google diagnosis, allergic to wheat. That said, my reactions are just hives, and I get them from lots of other things like heat and cold and bra straps that are much harder to avoid. So to some extent I'm going to have them no matter what I do.
So I take the approach that I eat naturally GF meals and don't make a big deal about it, so that folks like our bread maker don't unnecessarily have to worry about cross contamination. You won't see me eating out of the bread basket, but you also won't see me checking the kitchen or calling ahead. I'm not going to have an anaphylactic reaction or long term damage to my digestive system if I eat wheat. I will just be more itchy than I would be otherwise.
Sometimes I feel like my not taking it more seriously hurts people who actually do need it taken seriously. Other times I feel like I don't want a kitchen to have to accommodate more precautions than I actually need.
Mostly, I just wish we could stop caring so much about how other people manage their diets. I totally agree with the vegan/vegetarian analogy. Just respect people's dietary choices and move along.
I don't know enough to know whether this is legitimate, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this claim. The link between food and ADD/ADHD (and, really, a wide variety of health ailments) has become more firmly established in recent years.
A lot of what comes across my desk runs counter to this notion.
Some of the families I know who subscribe to this diet find the healthier replacement foods trigger even worse behavior. Salicylates and phenols are notorious for this in some individuals.
Mostly, I just wish we could stop caring so much about how other people manage their diets. I totally agree with the vegan/vegetarian analogy. Just respect people's dietary choices and move along.
This I agree with.
But I do think some people make it VERY hard to do this. Right now it seems to be the Gluten free people. Previously, the Atkins crowd. I have an acquaintance who swears she is gluten intolerant. Makes a major, major eyeroll-worthy production out if it at every single meal/party. Someone asked her "Do you have Celiac?" Her answer? "No, I just feel better when I don't eat gluten." Honey, you aren't GI. You're an insufferable moron. A work acquaintance is a giant dick about being a vegan and food options at conferences.
Just shut up and eat your damn food and don't be a tool*
Mostly, I just wish we could stop caring so much about how other people manage their diets. I totally agree with the vegan/vegetarian analogy. Just respect people's dietary choices and move along.
This I agree with.
But I do think some people make it VERY hard to do this. Right now it seems to be the Gluten free people. Previously, the Atkins crowd. I have an acquaintance who swears she is gluten intolerant. Makes a major, major eyeroll-worthy production out if it at every single meal/party. Someone asked her "Do you have Celiac?" Her answer? "No, I just feel better when I don't eat gluten." Honey, you aren't GI. You're an insufferable moron. A work acquaintance is a giant dick about being a vegan and food options at conferences.
Just shut up and eat your damn food and don't be a tool*
I mean, she probably is an insufferable moron, but I thought it was normal for people, when having Gastrointestinal issues, to eliminate different parts of their diet to determine the cause.
I mean, I don't get sick every time I consume dairy, but if I haven't had Lactaid milk to drink that day or haven't taken a pill, I'll get an upset stomach over half the time in response to dairy. This happened for years before I finally did something about it and made a change. I didn't see a doctor. I just stopped eating ice cream. VoilĂ ! (Since I have a a glass of Lactaid most mornings, I've gotten cocky on occasion and eaten cheese on days when I haven't had it and didn't take a pill...bad news bears, my friends.)
I have a couple of friends who have discovered their gluten sensitivities this way. One I knew before she made her dietary changes. I lived with her... I know her GI issues were legit. She basically took the nuclear approach (at the advice of a nutritionist, I believe), eliminated nearly everything and then started adding things back in.
The other I met after; she's ridiculously smart and does her research on things and doesn't strike me as someone who would just follow a fad. She explained that it was a similar situation for her--bad GI issues, tried eliminating different things to see what might be causing it, and after giving up gluten has had no problems.
In general societal acceptable, yes, the jerks are making it hard for those with genuine issues. But in terms of access, the jerks have actually done celiacs and gluten sensitives a real service. There is no way there would be such a wealth of gluten free options on supermarket shelves, nor would assholes like the writer of this article be aware of the issue were it not for the jerks.
Apparently, I'm feeling generous this morning. Have I taken ill?
Well, I'm agreeing with everything you are saying in this thread, so I'm going to put you in the "reasonable" column.
In general societal acceptable, yes, the jerks are making it hard for those with genuine issues. But in terms of access, the jerks have actually done celiacs and gluten sensitives a real service. There is no way there would be such a wealth of gluten free options on supermarket shelves, nor would assholes like the writer of this article be aware of the issue were it not for the jerks.
Apparently, I'm feeling generous this morning. Have I taken ill?
Well, I'm agreeing with everything you are saying in this thread, so I'm going to put you in the "reasonable" column.
I think I've "liked" everything both of you have posted in this thread.
Then again, I do that in nearly every thread. Nevermind.
Work food does get completely exhausting. I can be extremely flexible, but when people I've worked with and traveled with like 2+ years and who know I don't eat wheat still provide bagels and cream cheese for breakfast or order pizzas for dinner, I get frustrated too. And it happens all the time.
Post by penguingrrl on Jul 27, 2014 10:55:27 GMT -5
This diner sounds like an ass and an idiot, but I also think they would find a way to show their stupid without being GF. I never question people's food restrictions because who am I to say how someone else should eat.
Post by sparkythelawyer on Jul 27, 2014 11:20:21 GMT -5
Its always the assholes that make it so we can't have nice things :-)
I hate it when legitimate medical issues become a fad. Now it seems like half the planet is "Gluten Free" etc. It makes it more difficult for the people with legitimate issues to be taken seriously. Because for every yahoo who has self diagnosed themselves as celiac and are tying kitchens and work parties up in knots so that they can feel special and important, there is my friend who missed her own bachelorette party because she spent that weekend in the hospital dealing with her diagnosed-that-week celiac disease.
Gluten intolerance is a real thing. Unfortunately, so are insufferable assholes who need everything to be about them.
Where are all these folks supposedly driven to histrionics over their gluten intolerance? I see internet discussions but I don't actually encounter any of these people IRL.
I know these people and they are fucking annoying.
ETA: I mean people that don't have celiacs but avoid gluten because "it's bad for you." So they ask for gluten free pizza to go with their beer (which is full of gluten).
The article linked above (the anti GI article) is from the doctor who originally started the whole "Gluten free" fad which is what makes it so interesting. It talks about how most people are NOT gluten intolerant but rather, there is another protein often in foods with gluten that is likely the cause. It had a long name. So while it makes sense that going gluten free does help a lot of people, it's not BECAUSE of being gluten free, minus something like celiac disease - it's because of this other protein. I think a precious poster mentioned it.
H's cousin has Celiac's. She was diagnosed around age 4 or 5 so it's just been her life. The anti-Gluten movement has both helped her and hurt her, because so many people associate "gluten free" diets with Celiac - as in the legitimate medical issue gets confused with diet and loses credibility. Kind of like how someone who just doesn't like mushrooms claims to be allergic to make sure they don't appear on your plate. That does a disservice to those who ARE allergic. At the same time, she has a ton more options in restaurants than she did 10 years ago when she was diagnosed. Her friends now use GF pizza dough for her at parties so she doesn't have to bring a rice cake with sauce on it. So that's a major win.
Anyway, all that said, the reason this issue gets so much attention is bc so many of these people ARE assholes or AWs about it. I don't care if you are vegan, vegetarian, paleo, low carb whatever. Unless we are choosing a restaurant it doesn't really matter to me. You do you. Do what makes you feel better and healthier.
It's not the dietary choices that bother me. That has zero effect on my life. It's the attitude that often accompanies it in my experience. One of H's best friend's wives is GF. When we are with them it is all she talks about. ALL. It's awful. And I think that's what prompts articles like this.
Honestly even the "they don't have celiac so it's not a big deal" thing really pisses me off. Celiac is extremely difficult to diagnose. I got "lucky" in that it [intestinal damage] showed up in the endoscopy, as the blood test was negative (I had stopped eating gluten before I had testing done, not knowing that would impact it). The idea of having to start eating gluten again in order to get a positive test result when I felt like a "real person" finally was so horrific I couldn't imagine it.
I also feel for the woman in the story and the risotto. It's really hard when you're starting out to understand what has gluten and what doesn't. And some people with gluten issues can actually have beer with no problems (apparently due to the fermentation). Sadly that's out for me, thank god for cider .
I also have ADD and bipolar II, and I do have a theory that celiac is linked (I also have Hashimoto's - autoimmune thyroid disease). My personal theory is that all of these auto-immune issues are related, whether it's caused by the gluten or not. It has been shown that ketogenic diets work as epilepsy treatment (which in many cases is the same as bipolar treatment options), and low carb is starting to be utilized as an ADD management treatment as well.