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Celiac ABC's<9>
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by Suzyn Dobroski
I have a two year old. He is a happy little guy who has made his
mother somewhat crazy by his constant rendition of the "ABC" song. It
is because of this ever present melody (which lingers while drifting
to sleep...I count letters instead of sheep), that I believe the
following came to fruition.--Suzyn Dobroski
A is for abstinence. Why mess with the enemy? If in doubt, keep it
out of your mouth!
B is for Bette [Hagman]. Our great one, the GF cooking guru. She has
made our culinary challenges less frustrating and more delicious.
C is for companion. Make friends with another who has the disease. I
guarantee it will be a bonding experience. My "celiac maniac"
friend and I frequently bake for one another. The food not only
satisfies our stomach, but also nurtures our souls.
D is for denial. It is normal to challenge the final diagnosis with a
juicy donut or take out pizza. For this reason, the buddy system
is strongly recommended.
E is for education. Utilize every opportunity to be a teacher of the
gluten-free way.
F is for flatulence. Your aromatic "expressions" will no longer keep
family and friends at a distance.
G is for gratitude. Give thanks each day for a "disability" that does
not require drug intervention. Vigilance for what we place in our
mouth is the prescription.
H is for healing. Once diagnosed and the prescription for a healthy
life is understood, the intestine does repair [usually-ed.]. Life
expectancy is that of a person without the disease.
I is for inconvenient. Learn to plan ahead for travel away from home
or for those spur of the moment gatherings. Keep a survival bag in
your car...crackers, fruit, or instant GF soup.
J is for jolly. Try to keep a sense of humor. It's gluten-free,
calorie-free, and fat free!
K is for kissing. Beware of sealing your lips to one who is devouring
the enemy!
L is for lemons turned to lemonade. Don't throw out those baking
failures. Grind up sunken bread for bread crumbs. Save those
crumbly cookies for pie crust!
M is for malabsorption. That little slice of pizza, that one bottle
of beer, or a pill taken daily may not cause immediate,
catastrophic symptoms. However, be forewarned: There is a
cumulative effect. The absorption of vitamins WILL be inhibited
and cause damage, however minor, from the get go.
N is for nutrition. We can't deny the fact that this diet is a very
healthy one and the envy of others who don't have the "excuse" to
eat more "clean" foods.
O is for optimism. Become aware of all that you CAN eat. Diversify
your eating! Try out new ethnic cuisines like Thai, Vietnamese,
Japanese, or Indian.
P is for practice. Baking with our special flours is an art, much
like any other culinary skill. Be patient and persevere!
Q is for question. When confronted with a food item you are unsure
about, stand up and be heard. Q is also for quiet. Please make
your concerns heard in a mannerly fashion.
R is for reimbursement. Some companies are now including this
medically necessary diet as one of the eligible out-of-pocket
health care expenses from pre-tax dollars. Interested? Ask your
employer.
S is for support. The celiac community is thriving today because of
local, national, and international support groups. Get involved!
[Amen and Hallelujah!-ed.]
T is for transition. Be gentle with yourself as you make the
necessary dietary changes. Realize mistakes will be made.
U is for understanding. Give GF cookbooks to family members as gifts.
They may invite you to dinner more often!
V is for victim. Make every bad experience dealing with this
medically necessary diet an opportunity to be proactive. For
instance, get to know the manager at the grocery store you
frequent. When a favorite item is suddenly gone from the shelves,
let them know you miss it and want it back even if it means placing
an individual order.
W is for whimsical. Products and their ingredients change frequently.
Be aware of this when ingesting products from even the most recent
GF consumer product guides.
X is for xanthan gum. Don't run out. Your neighbor is not likely to
have it in their cupboard!
Y is for you. Weeks often go by and I realize I haven't taken time to
bake bread or cookies for myself. Make the way you must eat a
priority.
Z is for zany. Don't believe anyone who tells you, "You'll grow out
of it!"
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