Gluten Intolerance IS NOT A Choice!
Recently, I designed some shirts to raise awareness about gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Many people are still ignorant as to what these terms mean. As a result, people that suffer from them are often ridiculed and told they are making it up. One of my daughters has celiac disease and I can promise you…it is most definitely NOT made up.
Gluten Free “Diets”
A lot of people think that if you eat gluten free, you’re simply following the latest fad diet. For those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, the recent popularity of gluten free diets has been both a miracle and a curse. On one side, it’s brought a much broader variety of certified gluten free foods to the market, but on the other, it’s caused a lot of people to believe that a serious condition or intolerance is just a fad.
Assumptions Hurt
Assuming that someone on a gluten free diet is following a fad diet, or that they are making up their intolerance, is no different than assuming that someone is trustworthy just because they go to church. Words hurt. My daughter has had both adults and children question her diet. She’s had to defend herself multiple times. Luckily, I’m able to provide her with her own cupcakes and other foods to take to parties, so she rarely ever misses out.
Is It Really That Serious?
One of the most common questions I hear is if her condition is as serious as we make it sound. The answer is a very resounding “yes”. If she ingests anything that at any point could have come in contact with gluten, she is down with a stomach ache for 8 days. I’m not just talking any stomachache either. If you could imagine the worst stomach cramps you’ve ever had and multiply that by 100 you might get close to understanding her pain. She can’t stand. She spends days curled up in a ball crying silently to herself and there’s nothing I can do to help. On top of that, her body is so busy trying to fight itself that it forgets to fight off infections. So usually when she gets glutened, she also gets very sick. Visits to the hospital sick.
My newest shirts are created for people that live with gluten intolerance and celiac disease every day. They are for parents like me, friends, relatives or anyone else that tired of explaining themselves. To purchase yours, please click here.