The Smile

It's pizza night and I've been invited. I'm worried but they've said there will be gluten free pizza and I want to go so I trust them. I've eaten with them before and didn't get sick. I arrive and find that someone else is bringing the pizza. I wait, anxious. Will I be going home sick? Despite years of saying no and downing pop after pop, drink after drink to keep from having to eat there is only so much you can do when you've been invited for dinner. It's hard to pretend you're not hungry then. Maybe some people can tell others they don't feel comfortable eating the food but as soon as someone goes out of their way to prepare food that is gluten free specially for me I feel obligated to eat it. So I'm nervous. 

The family arrives and the gluten free pizza goes into the microwave to finish cooking. The mother and her four year old walk into the kitchen. We are introduced. 

"Honey, she's gluten free just like you," the Mom points to me as she tells her daughter who is hiding behind her. I nod and smile back at her. 

"I'm just like you!" I exclaim, hoping she won't mind sharing her pizza with me. 

A smile slowly blooms across her face. I smile back at her. 

The smile that says I am not alone, I am not the only one, I am not weird. Someone is like me. 

A powerful thing for a four year old to understand that she is not alone and a powerful thing for twenty two year old to be a part of. 

The "oops" Moment - 5 years in waiting

Have you had one yet? That complete "oops" moment where you realized you accidentally just poisoned yourself. Not because of anyone else messing up or not being careful. You didn't get glutened because you went to a restaurant, family members house, or took that fruit even though you knew it was probably not safe. No, not that. Because those are all a rational decision, a clear choice to trust someone else with your food all the while knowing that they will probably make you sick. You give them power because you love them, or you're tired, or you just really want to feel just once that you can be normal and eat something like everyone else at the party.

No. This moment is the one where you were careful, you baked your pizza on the top rack in a special pan. Your wonderful husband was so careful, washing his hands, doing everything right. And then you pull out the pizza and you can't tell whose is whose because yours has a thicker crust than his (warning light number 1) but you ask him to clarify and he says it's yours so you put it on your plate and dig in. You're thinking about how wonderful it would be if this thicker crust pizza tasted good because you've never really loved thin crust and it would just be amazing to have this option. You eat a slice. It's good. Too good. You remember that it's an Amy's pizza and Walmart likes to mix their stuff in with all the gluten free food just to confuse people like us. You walk into the kitchen to check the box. First ingredient? Wheat flour. OOPS

So, as a warning Walmart likes to trick us so always check the box.

New to Gluten Free - 1 Traits to Have

(Beautiful display of things you can't eat)

I've been gluten free for over 5 years and looking back I can tell you that going gluten is incredibly hard. I've watched many people try it, feel better, decide it's too hard and quit and then go back to complaining how bad they feel. They always tell me that they "didn't think gluten was the problem". And while that may be true it's sometimes hard to tell if they were also telling you the truth when they first told you they were feeling much better after going gluten free!

For me, I think that the real reason so many people try and fail to go gluten free is because it's really really really hard. You are so limited in what you can eat and other people will eat the warm doughnut or chocolate cake right in front of you with relish while you sit there desperately drinking wine (or whatever is available) trying not to think of tackling that person and shoving the whole thing in your mouth. And while I think diets are hard I think this is even harder, because it's not that you could have it later or on your cheat day. YOU CAN NEVER EAT THAT. Unless you make it yourself, buy it at ridiculous prices or go to a special restaurant. But even then it's not the same as getting dessert with all your friends at a restaurant or going out for half off apps when your friends go.

But for all that, trust me it's worth it. Please don't cheat and please take it seriously if you've been diagnosed (or self diagnosed). Depression, infertility, and migraines are all very real consequences along with hundreds of others symptoms.

So in order to avoid all that let me give you some traits you should have or develop in order to make this as seamless as possible!

1. Stubbornness

People say that being stubborn is a bad thing but you should develop this trait to a science! Be stubborn with yourself when you are tempted to cheat, be stubborn with whoever you are with who (trying to help) tries to feed you poison, aka gluten. Tell yourself you are going to do this and then stick with it stubbornly.

2. A healthy dose of fear

One of the things I most clearly remember about the first 3 weeks of going gluten free was how amazing I felt after just 3 days. I honestly felt like a whole new person. I had forgotten what it felt like to feel good and when that cloud lifted off me it was life changing. However my mom and I wanted to get me officially diagnosed (DO THIS BEFORE YOU GO GLUTEN FREE IF POSSIBLE) and the doctor told us that I would have to be eating gluten for several days/weeks for it to work. It was Mothers Day so we went out to eat at a Chinese restaurant. I was then violently sick for the rest of the night. This is what inspires my fear of eating gluten. I don't cheat because I remember how sick I was and so far nothing has been worth it. I also consistently get migraines when I eat gluten accidentally and it ruins the entirety of my next day. Develop that fear to a level where you are much less tempted to cheat. I'm at the point where if I think it has gluten in it, no matter how good it tastes the dish is ruined for me. Get to that point and saying no will be much easier.

3. Learn how to drink everywhere

 

Not just alcohol, because lets be honest that isn't available every where you will be dumped into social/eating situations and plus getting drunk doesn't help anything. But learn to find that drink whether it be punch, water, wine, pop, etc and keep that cup full. Anytime you feel awkward that everyone one else is eating you take a sip. Clutch that thing like a lifeline. When someone offers you food you can't eat hold that cup up and say "I'm fine" even if you're really not. Because chugging 6 glasses of whatever it is is better than having to explain over and over again that you can't eat or being pressured into taking a bite of something you know will make you sick. So take that cup and use it as your buffer, your excuse and anything else you need it to be.

4. Support system

While this isn't a trait make sure you have someone who will fight for you when you get tired. It can be demoralizing and exhausting to have to explain to every single person, to constantly have to say no, or to hear "well you can just eat the salad" sixty more times. Having someone who can explain to people or fight for you when you don't want to fight for yourself can be what makes your transition easy or difficult. When I first went gluten free my mom would explain to waiters what it meant when I lapsed into uncomfortable silence or helped me read tons of labels on every product out there to help find food I could eat. She made meals gluten free for me and read up on everything to do with having celiacs and going gluten free. My husband now will tell our friends and his family how to handle being gluten free before I have to. He fights to go to restaurants that I can eat more than a salad at and is perfectly willing to eat gluten free meals at home with me. Even our wedding cake was gluten free!

So before you give up just try developing these traits and things will go much smoother for you. If nothing else you have the support of gluten free community on your adventure!

The Planning Stage - Budapest and Vienna

My husband and I are planning a trip to Budapest and Vienna as our graduation present to ourselves. My first thought? Will I be able to eat? Such are the thoughts of a gluten free traveler. Or anyone with a serious food allergy or intolerance I suppose. I am not perfect about planning ahead and preparing for any trip (my past history can attest to that!) but for all the times I've gone hungry or frustrated I've been taught something and I hope to share a bit with you.

Perhaps the most important thing to learn before you travel abroad anywhere is how they say 'gluten free' in that language or any symbols they use to denote it. Practice saying it and reading it so that when you're over there you have a higher chance of spotting the sign on a restaurant or product in a grocery store! This can help you find many a wonderful place or food item. There are many food cards that describe exactly what having celiacs or a gluten intolerance means in the native language, however being able to speak it and read it yourself will be invaluable to your attempts. Especially if you are like me and always forget to have the card with you when it would be the most helpful.

Pinterest. You know where you want to go? Head to Pinterest! You may not have a lot of options for your search "Gluten free in Budapest" but finding an all gluten free bakery? Loads of comfort! Even if you can't find another restaurant you can plan on heading to these places you've found ahead of time. For example I found this list of gluten free restaurants and places to buy gluten free food for Budapest! How awesome is that? The only caution for this is that many of these articles were written a few years ago and places may have closed, changed locations, or changed menus! Even having a different waiter or waitress can cause the experience of whether they have gluten free food or not to be totally different!

Google can be another great resource for finding places in different cities to eat however I have had less success with this.  It may be because Pinterest is more focused on blogs and articles that can give you in-depth information and personal experiences while Google tends to give you big picture things first or it may just be that I'm using the wrong search words. Either way I definitely do a Google search to complement my other searches.My husband had better success with Google over Pinterest for Vienna though. It will really depend on how lucky you are with search words and the location you want to go. Key words that I use to search are;
      - Gluten free in "location"
      - Gluten free restaurants in "location"
      - Celiacs "location" or "country" (some countries have great resources for those who have celiacs)

How to Pick Out a Restaurant with Gluten Free Food In America!

Ever been wandering the streets of some new place desperately searching for somewhere you can eat? Even if it's just a salad? You know the people you're with are getting frustrated, they could have eaten at the first place you stopped at! And now you're on your tenth? Everyone is hungry and tired and you feel horrible because you're the one who is holding everyone up. Been there? I've been there too many times but through that I feel I've gotten pretty good at picking out restaurants that will have gluten free options. So here are my tips for finding a restaurant (somewhat) faster in America! It's somewhat different in other countries and the only other country I feel a little more confident talking about is Italy. I'll have another post on how to look for food in other countries.

 How it can feel looking for Gluten Free Food

1. Hippy, organic, or just plain health restaurants

Not a restaurant but delicious nonetheless 

While most of my friends turn up their noses at places like these I run to them! It's not about health for me, it's about those magic words "Gluten free". And for some reason most of those somewhat out there health conscious tiny restaurants have gluten free options and are knowledgable about it! If I see one of these places I always head there to check it out first. I'm not sure how to describe it more but soon you'll develop an instinct for which types of restaurants to go to.

2. Bright colors

This may go along with the above tip but for some reason I've found that many places with gluten free foods (excluding hole in the wall places) are painted in bright, fun colors. That place with a green, pink, and yellow store? Go, check it out! The worst that can happen is your wrong (which as previously discussed can happen A LOT when you're in a new place).

3. Big Cities

 For tips one and two, big cities are your best friend. I've found that the bigger, more health conscious the city the more options you'll have! I haven't been to California yet but I'm dying to get over there for the large variety of options I keep hearing about! I've found more options in NYC and Chicago so I'm assuming it will hold true in other big cities, especially the health conscious ones. If you're traveling to a small town or passing through on your way to somewhere else those will be your biggest challenges. When you can walk down a street and have tons of restaurants trying to pull you in it's easier to follow tips one and two however small towns? You have to drive everywhere! Hopefully the next few tips will help with that.

4. Italian

This is cheating a little since this was actually IN Italy… but the concepts the same

I honestly discovered this when I was in Italy and found when I came back that it still applies here! Italy is great about testing and dealing with celiacs. Celiacs get government help and every child is tested when they are little for celiacs. Living over there was a little like paradise which is surprising for such a gluten loving country! But I've found that many Italian restaurants back in America still have this kind of awareness. It may not be to the level of cross contamination and how careful they should be during preparation but most often they have gluten free pasta! You may have limited options and the wrong kind of pasta with the sauce, but hey! You've got pasta! Even Olive Garden has gluten free options though I'm not a huge fan of them for cross contamination, quality, and knowing how to cook gluten free pasta (too many crunchy noodles served to me) but it will always work in a pinch.

4. Word of Mouth

Some of the best places I've found have been from recommendations from people who know I'm gluten free but aren't gluten free themselves! I'm always up to check out the smallest rumor that a place may have gluten free food! I found a bakery up here in Houghton, Michigan called Roy's that makes the most delicious muffins, cupcakes, and cookies.  Letting people know about your food restrictions can often lead to helpful information. So don't be too embarrassed! Especially if it's a medical thing (rant about that later) I've found most people are willing to help! Plus you never know when you'll find someone else who is gluten free and make a friend! When you stop at a hotel try asking someone at the front desk, most of the time they will be clueless but on the off chance they aren't you may find a spectacular meal you weren't expecting!

5. Good old Google Search

I fall back to this one a lot even though I've found it doesn't work very well. I don't know if most restaurants just don't advertise gluten free in a way that is easily detected by Google or what. But I wouldn't count on this helping you out as much as you hope. Usually it comes up with chain restaurants and Wendy's. However, occasionally you will find a gem and be thankful you used Google! In Ann Arbor, Michigan my then fiancé and I found a great pizza place called the Original Cottage Inn which had great options close to the University of Michigan. And another place in Ypsilanti I've found was called Aubrey's which had burger options with a gluten free bun!

Aubrey's- both meals are Gluten Free

 And if all that fails, well wine is Gluten free!

Airplanes

Traveling Sunrise to Sunset

When I was little I used to love flying. I would look around the airport in awe trailing in my parents wake as they led us through the seeming incomprehensible maze to the right plane. I would fight with my brother to have the window seat and press my nose up against the glass to watch the ground shrink away. Lets be honest… I still do that last part. I'm a window seat girl through and through.

But now that I travel alone and with a gluten intolerance I'm falling a little out of love with the whole scenario. When I was flying to Italy I spent 12 hours on planes and was stoked to find out that they serve gluten free meals (so much less stress my naive self thought). However 2 hours after that meal plus nerves ended up with me experiencing the wonderful results of food poisoning in the tiny airplane bathroom. Fun. My travel since then was a little less dramatic until I again had to spend all day traveling to get to my honeymoon destination. Where, while there no gluten free food included I experience the hunger and frustration of trying to find food in an airport. While also sick. Ugh.

So, while those two experiences made my love of flying take a pretty rough hit my love of traveling won't let me avoid it. Hence these tips I've come up with to make flying more enjoyable and less nightmarish!

Airplane Gluten Free Food

1. Bring lots of your own food

While airports are super strict about liquids, it seems like they could care less about food! Which is great for those with dietary restrictions. Pack a lunch, snacks, and maybe even a dinner! While this tip only works for the way to some location for me it can be a life saver. Your full, the people your with are happier, you save tons of time and money trekking around looking for food. And lets be honest, you feel a ton better because you're eating food that isn't the candy bar or plain chips that every gluten free person has had to turn to at some point.

2. Plan ahead!

Perhaps the most critical lesson that every person who can't have gluten needs to learn is how to plan ahead. And not just ahead in the oh this is what I will eat today sense, but in the if I can't eat anything where I'm going for a week do I have enough food to feed myself with? I once went to a conference in NYC and the people I was with (and myself) couldn't afford to eat out much. Plus my credit card decided to stop working and I only had 20 dollars of cash. The result? I had packed enough 'snacks' that I ate better than the people who could go out and get $1 pizza and utilize the free breakfast each morning. Moral of the story? Bring enough snacks that you could eat decently for several days. This includes a suitcase full of snacks for wherever you are going (I adore KIND bars but fruit snacks, raisins, dried cranberries, etc are all great choices). I also like to pack a sandwich or two for the first travel leg. You can't bring peanut butter in jar but I was able to get a peanut butter sandwich in. Also if your a little risky (read are ok with not refrigerating your sandwich every minute) I have packed a meat and cheese sandwich which improved my mood considerably.

3. Don't trust people who claim your food is gluten free

This includes any people who work in the airport, reviews on the net, etc. Everyone has a different sensitivity level and many reviews who say something is gluten free don't know anything about cross contamination! I've watched so many people make a gluten free product and then use the same utensils on it as they did a gluten containing product and basically ruin it for anyone who is very sensitive. Once again this is a reason to bring your own food but if you can't or are on your way back from somewhere then research restaurants before hand so you know what you are getting into. On my way back from the Dominican Republic I ended up just getting FroYo with no toppings because it was the only food I could be fairly certain wasn't cross contaminated.


The overarching theme to all of these is to plan out how and what you will eat ahead of time. While I also half plan on getting lucky and stumbling into a restaurant that proudly announces they have gluten free food (another post on that for Italy!) I always make sure that I can at least survive if I can't find anything.

Please share any tips for traveling you've found!

The Start of An Adventure

I adore traveling. Every so often I get this itch that can only be scratched with the excitement of a new place, with the impermanence of a hotel room. I also love the spontaneity of hopping in the car and going somewhere new, of buying a train ticket to a new destination and having no idea what you will find there, what you will do, or who you will meet.

But that's hard to do when you're gluten free and have a tendency to get hangry… As my adoring husband has been first hand witness of ;)

No one ever thinks about food like a person who can't eat most foods. Let me tell you, I PLAN my food out. I always am carrying snacks (which I have a hard time sharing with others) and am a pro at spotting restaurants that might carry something gluten free. Those uppity hippy places? Lets look at the menu! They only have organic things? Lets look at the menu! And then you spot those magic words… gluten free options available… and your heart soars. Finally somewhere to eat!

Over the course of this blog I hope to help share with everyone, from beginners all the way to old pros, some tricks about traveling gluten free. For me travel can be as simple as a day trip an hour away or as complex as spending fourth months living abroad in Italy.

I hope you'll join me on this adventure and then go out and have your own adventure with some great tips to help you along!