Daily Digest

Author: admin

  • Doctor Horror Stories

    Doctor Horror Stories

    In 2007, after a year of constant stomach pain and losing 15 pounds on an already pretty slim fit, I finally listened to Mrs. Dude and went to see a GI. (The lesson as usual? Mrs. Dude is always right and me…not so much.)

    After speaking with me for only a few minutes and viewing my food diary, the doc asked me if I had ever heard of celiac disease. I had not.

    And so my journey began. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was extremely lucky to have been diagnosed so quickly.

    You know what the average time is for a celiac diagnosis? 10 years. 10 friggin’ years.

    And even after we finally get the diagnosis, we are simply told to not eat gluten and are shown the door. That’s it. No follow up care. No nothing. We are on our own to begin a new life that we know nothing about.

    Is it because there’s no drug to cure celiac and so there is no financial incentive for the medical industry? A cynic might think so. Thank god I’m not a cynic. 😉

    Over the years, the celiac community has shared doctor horror stories that have absolutely floored me. These stories need to be heard…and I’m just the guy to do it.

    Read the stories here.

    And feel free to add yours in the comment below.

  • Celiac and the link to other diseases

    Celiac and the link to other diseases

    I have celiac diseas3. This fact is pretty well-known by this time.

    But I haven’t shared my other health issues with you.

    The reason that I am baring my soul (so to speak) is that I’m curious if there is a connection between celiac disease and the many other health issues I’ve encountered.

    I figure if I share my story, perhaps I can entice you folks to do the same and we can do some kind of unscientific study. If I win a Nobel, I will be sure to share the glory.

    So here is a list of the health issues I’ve dealt with:

    • In my youth (ages 8-14), I had WARTS. Some on my knee. Some on my hands. Not disfiguring mind you. Just annoying. Eventually, they went away.
    • At age 10, I woke up one day not feeling well. We had a doctor who lived down the street come by and he suggested I get to the hospital right away. (To this day, I am wondering what he saw in me that made him suggest that. I felt like I just had a cold.) Anyway, I spent 7 long days in the hospital. Blood work out the kazoo. Diagnosis: unknown. I found out years later that they were testing me for RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. By the way, the highlight of the week was my dad visiting my every night after work and we’d watch Hogan’s Heroes together. It’s funny the things you remember.
    • Through my childhood, I had a variety of NERVOUS TICS (throat clearing, eye rolling, etc.)
    • In my teen years, I had the pleasure of dealing with ACNE. Worse than many; not as bad as some.
    • At this point, I know what you’re thinking. “Wow…warts, tics AND acne. You must have been quite the catch.” Yeah…good times indeed.
    • Fast forward to my late twenties and I developed LOWER BACK PAIN. Severe at times. It’s something I still deal with and actually am currently in physical therapy for it.
    • In Spring 2007, I began peeing blood. Diagnosis: BLADDER CANCER. And you males out there don’t want to know how they diagnose it. Uh…huh. It was low-grade and after one reoccurrence, I’ve been cancer free (phew!!).
    • In Spring 2008, after years of complaining of stomach aches and losing 15 pounds, I finally listened to Mrs. Dude and went to a GI. Diagnosis: CELIAC DISEASE.
    • In Fall 2008, working one night, starting feeling “not right”. Pain in my neck and shoulder…hurt to inhale. Mrs. Dude said we should go to hospital. Do you think I learned my lesson? Of course not. Lying in bed, had a strange sensation. Almost like back pain, but in my entire torso. Jumped out of bed. Feeling went away. Mrs. Dude spent the entire night poking me in the back to make sure I was alive. The next day, my doc said I should go to emergency room just to get it checked out. After five hours of tests, diagnosis: MULTIPLE BLOOD CLOTS IN BOTH OF MY LUNGS (medical term: pulmonary embolism). That strange sensation I had was the clots passing thru my heart into my lungs. This is the point in time where most people die from this. Seriously…WTF!?

    So that’s my story. Are they related? I have no idea. But I’m thinking there has got to be something going on that ties at least some of it together.

    But I would love to hear your stories. And thru your stories, maybe we can see if there is any kind of connection.

    What other health issues have you had to deal with? 

    ——

    August 2021: But wait…there’s more!!!

    • I got hit bad with COVID in April 2020. Came in two waves. Not fun.
    • DUPUYTREN’S CONTRACTURE. Kinda hard to explain, so here ya go.
    • KNEE PAIN. Sometimes bad…sometimes not. Sometimes in my right leg…sometimes in my left leg. Sometimes in the front of the knee…sometimes…well, you get the picture.
    • STAGE 2 MELANOMA. Surgery August 17, 2021 to remove cancer and to see if it’s spread into lymph nodes. It did not!

    October 2022: Yep…the hits keep coming.

    • Got slammed by COVID a second time in June 2022. Tested positive on my birthday. I’ve had better birthdays.
    • Remember that knee pain I mentioned above? Yeah…it got a lot worse. Got x-rayed: OSTEOARTHRITIS. Unfortunately, quite common with those with celiac disease.

    Are we having fun yet?!

    2023:

    • CRACKED TOOTH. Had to get the damn thing pulled. Luckily it was one of my back teeth.
    • COVID…yet again.

    2024:

    • COVID again…fourth time is the charm.

    Yay!!!

  • When Celiacs Sell Out

    When Celiacs Sell Out

    I’m writing this post with a swirl of emotions (swirl? really Dude??). I’m gonna try to make it quick. Not sure how it’s gonna play out. I know I’ll get some hate (I mean…more hate) but here goes.

    Oh…first let me say this is not about having advertising on your site or doing some affiliate marketing for products that are GOOD for the community. If you are HELPING the community and making some dinero on the side, more power to you.

    Anyway…here goes.

    I’m disheartened. I’m disappointed. I’m disillusioned.

    Why? Because too many of the big voices in our community are selling out to the harm of the celiac community.

    I was not going to say anything. I was going to just keep seething on the inside and doing my thing. But the more time went on, and the more examples of selling out I saw, and the more people that contacted me privately upset about it too, the more I decided I gotta let it out before I burst.

    How are people selling out to detriment of our community? So glad you asked. Here are some recent examples. And mind you, these are not bad people. This is not a personal attack. At all. I just think they’re making really poor (and sometimes dangerous) decisions to line their pockets.

    Case in point: The Celiac Disease Foundation, the self-described “nation’s public voice for celiac disease”, has their logo on every box of gluten-free Cheerios, even though people continue to get sick on them and General Mills’ testing methods are atrocious. GM is their biggest sponsor. The CDF was promoting them before the product even came out. Who does this help? Not the community.

    Case in point: Celiac.com. The site that I first went on when I was diagnosed and connected with my fellow celiacs; the site that is the starting point for many celiacs; the site that still has a large audience.…that site. How? 95% of their articles are AI generated crap that are written for clicks first and the audience second.

    Case in point: A popular celiac, with almost 90,000 social media followers, recently posted a picture of herself promoting Omission beer. Omission is not gluten-free and has been discussed on this site many, many times. Omission is not safe for the celiac community. When I commented that Omission was not safe, she deleted my comment. When I asked her privately and politely on Twitter to help me understand why she would promote a product that is not safe, she ignored me. When I asked her to just be honest and let her community know that all of her IG posts are sponsored, she accused me of stalking her. Nice.

    Case in point: Promotion of the Atly app by influencers. Yes…they are a competitor of mine…but that’s not the point. They say they have vetted over 300,000 restaurants. Impossible. They use filters like ‘celiac aware’ and ‘celiac friendly’. Either a restaurant is 100% GF or not. If not, there is some risk involved. The goal of my app is to minimize that risk for you. The goal of their app is revenue, regardless of the safety of the community. And shame on these influencers, several of whom I have always respected.

    I’ve got a lot more cases in points (case in points? cases of points??), but you get the gist. Plus…I

    So yeah…I’m beyond frustrated. There is already enough misinformation out there. There is already enough jokes at the expense of our community. There is already so little attention given to the DISEASE because we tend to only focus on the damn food.

    (“Did you know that having celiac disease increases your risk of cancer? Yeah…but did you hear they have gluten-free Cheese-Its now??)

    So what do I say to my fellow advocates? If you are doing something JUST for the money, you may not be helping the celiac community. If more than half of your posts are sponsored posts, you may not be helping the celiac community. If you are in bed with companies whose practices are suspect, you may not be helping the community.

    Every advocate’s position should be “community first”.

    But for too many, it’s not. And that saddens me. Celiac is a serious autoimmune disease. It’s not a career choice.

    Many thanks, as always, for listening.

  • GF Jules Recipe: Tiramisu

    GF Jules Recipe: Tiramisu

    I used to LOVE Tiramisu. Like if a restaurant had it, I’d eat my dinner quicker so I could get to the dessert.

    I have not had it since my celiac diagnosis. But that all changes today. This recipe from Jules is not only GF but also dairy free.

    Enjoy. Just save me the last bite.

    Tiramisu

    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 9-12

    INGREDIENTS

    Gluten-Free Ladyfingers

    • ½ cup cane sugar
    • 3 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1¼ (169) cup (grams) gfJules All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ cup powder sugar for dusting
    • ¼ cup cane sugar for dusting

    Gluten-Free Tiramisu

    • 5 large egg yolks
    • ½ cups cane sugar
    • 16 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature (like Miyoko’s Creamery)
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • ¾ cup dairy-free heavy cream (like Silk)
    • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, chilled
    • cocoa powder for dusting

    INSTRUCTIONS

    To make Gluten Free Ladyfingers:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare a piping bag with a round tip or cut one corner off of a plastic bag (about ¾” wide hole).
    2. Divide the three eggs by placing the three egg yolks in a mixing bowl and placing the three egg whites in another mixing bowl.
    3. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat them on high until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. You can use hand-held beaters or a stand mixer with the whisk. Place the whipped eggs whites in the fridge for a moment.
    4. Add the sugar and vanilla to the bowl of egg yolks. Beat until they are creamy and have about tripled in volume, about 1-2 minutes.
    5. Remove the egg whites from the fridge and scoop about a quarter of their volume into the yolk mixture. Use a spatula to fold everything together, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
    6. Add the gfJules Flour, salt, and baking powder. Gently fold everything together until a smooth batter forms.
    7. Scoop the batter into the piping bag or plastic bag. Pipe 3-4” long cookies onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2” of space between each cookie. You may need to use a knife to end each cookie as you pipe it onto the tray. You should get about 3 dozen cookies.
    8. Mix together the ¼ cup of powder sugar and ¼ cup of cane sugar. Sift the mixture over the cookies using a sifter or sieve.
    9. Bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 300°F and bake for 8-10 more minutes. The cookies should be just starting to brown and should be firm to the touch after this time.
    10. Remove to allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking trays before making the tiramisu (about 2 hours later). Once cooled, the cookies can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

    To make the Gluten Free Tiramisu:

    1. Fill a large saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and place another pan in the saucepan so that it sits just above the water line without touching the water (or if you have a double boiler, use it!). Heat the water over medium heat until it is steaming and just barely simmering. Do not allow the water to boil.
    2. Place the egg yolks and sugar into the bowl and start whisking. Whisk for 8-10 minutes. The sugar should dissolve and the mixture should be thick and creamy.
    3. Remove the top pan from over the saucepan and place it in another bowl filled with ice water. Whisk frequently to help the egg yolk mixture cool. Make sure the egg yolk mixture is completely cool before moving onto the next step. It will likely take about 15-20 minutes to cool completely with frequent whisking and a change of ice water. Refrigerate if necessary.
    4. Meanwhile, brew coffee and set out to cool.
    5. In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form (use hand-held beaters or a stand-mixer with the whisk attachment). Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the salt and vanilla and beat until mixed.
    6. Turn the mixer onto high speed and whip for about 2 more minutes or until thick and fluffy.
    7. Scoop half of the cooled egg mixture into cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the remaining egg yolk mixture and mix on low until smooth and combined. Do not over mix at this point.
    8. To assemble the tiramisu: Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture onto the bottom of a 9×9” pan.
    9. Dunk ladyfingers one at a time very quickly dunk into the cooled coffee (don’t let them get soggy) and arrange them in the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
    10. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of dunked ladyfingers on top. Spread the remaining cream cheese mixture over the ladyfingers.
    11. Smooth out the top layer of cream cheese as much as possible. Cover the pan and transfer it to the fridge. Allow the tiramisu to set overnight or for at least 4 hours.
    12. When you are ready to serve, uncover the tiramisu and dust with a layer of cocoa powder. Use a sharp knife to cut even slices or simply scoop the tiramisu out with a spoon! Serves 9-12, depending on the size of the pieces.

    Link to full recipe on Jules’ site.

  • Where did all the gluten-free beer go?

    Where did all the gluten-free beer go?

    I live at the Jersey Shore (Bruce!!!) and where I once found gluten-free beer quite easily, it’s getting impossible all the sudden. So I wrote a poem about my troubles. Because…why not.

    Gluten-free beer, oh where are thee?
    Where you once were, you no longer be.

    Glutenberg was once so easy to find.
    Now it’s like looking for a diamond in a coal mine.

    Ground Breaker, Ghostfish and even Evasion.
    Have all been taken over by the hard seltzer invasion.

    There’s High Noon and White Claw, and something called Truly.
    All replacing our beer, and done rather cruelly.

    My old app once had over 17,000 locations.
    To find GF beer, no matter your vocation.

    What about you? Are you having any luck?
    Or do you not imbibe beer, and you don’t give a f**k?

    But for those who do enjoy one (or two or three).
    Are you able to find them, and perhaps it’s just me?

    Please let me know, so I’m not overreacting.
    Perhaps it’s just my stores where beer is lacking.

    I miss my Friday nights, sipping tequila and a beer.
    Just thinking about it, I can’t help but shed a tear.

    For now I’ll hold the memories of those sweet GF brews.
    As I sip my tequila, or some other booze.

    In closing I’ll make a toast, so everyone raise your glass.
    I promise to do my best to not make it crass.

    How about we celebrate and give our thanks.
    To the awesome GF breweries who continue to fill their tanks.

    With rice, quinoa and millet, and other gluten-free grains.
    And to their entrepreneurial spirit that runs through their veins.

    Three cheers to you all, you are more than appreciated.
    For the stouts and the pilsners and all that you created.

    Perhaps one day soon, my shelves will once again my filled.
    With all the GF libations that are expertly distilled.

    Until that day comes, you don’t need to worry.
    No “OMG…is Dude ok??” or some other kind of query.

    And now it’s time to bring this toast to an end.
    Cheers to this wonderful community, and all my celiac friends.

    🍻🧡🍻🧡🍻🧡🍻🧡🍻🧡🍻🧡🍻🧡

  • Dude…my dad almost died from celiac, but won’t stop eating gluten

    Dude…my dad almost died from celiac, but won’t stop eating gluten

    Celiac disease is serious sh*t. I know that. You know that. You know who doesn’t know that? EVERYONE ELSE. And why?

    Because of Jimmy Kimmel, who made gluten-free people look idiotic.
    Because of Dr. Oz, who called gluten-free a scam.
    Because of the ridiculous Kardashians, who jumped on (and off) the bandwagon.
    Because of Jimmy Fallon, who consistently has made us the butt end of his lame jokes.
    Because of Party City, who called us gross.
    Because of the Today Show, who said celiac is the new “trendy disease.”
    Because of Elle Magazine, who said we live in a bubble.
    Because of Joy Behar, who called celiac disease a “bunch of baloney”.

    (Dude note: The above was a painful walk down memory lane. And I just touched the surface. Sigh.)

    And yes, because of the medical community, who continue to under-diagnose and misdiagnose our wonderful little autoimmune disease.

    Why do I bring all of this up? Because of an email I received recently from a son whose dad almost died of celiac disease, yet will not stop eating gluten. Here’s the email:

    Hello Gluten Dude,My father was diagnosed with celiac disease in June of 2019, at the age of 60. He was hospitalized in May for severe anemia, and required three blood transfusions to recover. They told us that if he had not had the strength to go to the hospital that day, he would have died. The doctors later found out that it was due to celiac disease. If he followed a gluten-free diet, he would be fine.

    However, my father has not been taking this diagnosis seriously. He is the type of person who likes to eat whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and scorns anything that is not traditional food. I have tried to bring him gluten-free snacks and food, take him to gluten-free bakeries, and show as many options as possible. I have talked to him about the potential health implications of ignoring the gluten-free diet, such as cancer or having the severe anemia come back. But he is flippant and says that if the anemia comes back he can just go back to the hospital and have more transfusions.

    I don’t know if he has symptoms or how severe they are, but he also has had diabetes and insomnia his whole life, so if he has any digestive issues or weakness he attributes it to those, so he doesn’t realize that celiac could be affecting his life. The other day, he wanted to go to IHOP for an omelette, but ended up ordering pancakes and french toast.

    While we were there, I had a serious discussion about him about the implications of not following a gluten-free diet with celiac disease, and he told me he would start taking it seriously. But the following morning, I found biscotti wrappers and an empty cake tin and an empty packet of roti. Last night, I ordered a gluten-free pizza, but he insisted he had to have beer with pizza and went out to get beer, despite my attempts to come with him and find a gluten-free beer. (There weren’t any at the local supermarket and he wouldn’t go anywhere else; I’m also 19 so I can’t buy it for him.)

    I believe not liking gluten-free food is a mental thing for him. I think he thinks any specialized diet is weird and that their food is disgusting: for years before this I’ve been vegan, and he always loves the baked goods I make until I tell him it’s vegan, and then his mind immediately flips. Similarly, he hears the word “gluten-free” and immediately assumes in his mind that it’s less than and that it is disgusting, like “oh this is okay, for being gluten-free.” Sometimes I understand it: I try the food he has and I can see that some of it is not the same. But the majority of it is completely a mental thing.

    I brought home gluten-free brownies from a bakery and I tried one and they tasted exactly like any other brownie I’ve had in my life, chocolaty and delicious and the texture was the same. However, to him it was awful. It’s just frustrating to me when he can still eat so much food that he loves: he can have steak and potatoes and rice and brownies and muffins, as long as the baked goods are gluten-free, and he can only see the negative aspect of life.

    The solution is so simple and his life can stay relatively the same: instead of going to Panera Bread to have coffee and a bear claw, he can go to Organic Bliss and have coffee and a gluten-free pastry. But he doesn’t see it that way.

    My question is, is there anything I can do to help convince him to take his disease seriously? Is there even anything else I can do at this point, or should I just leave him be? I don’t live near him, so I can’t monitor what he’s eating: as I’ve said before, even if I did, it wouldn’t help. He actually lives alone, so there’s nobody to check up on him except when I call. When he was hospitalized in May, it was the same day I was flying in to visit him, and if he had not made it to the hospital that day I would have come home and found him dead.

    That image has scared me ever since, and when he doesn’t pick up I am so scared that something happened, because I know he leads a lifestyle that could contribute to his death. He doesn’t take his doctors seriously either. I understand that he’s an adult and he can make his own decisions, but as someone who cares about him, it just makes life really hard.

    Do I need to just let it go, and when something more serious happens, he can decide whether eating gluten is worth it at that point? But if having a near brush with death doesn’t convince someone to go gluten-free, I don’t know what will. However hard I try, I can’t make the decision for him, and it just makes me sad when I sit across from someone who is eating something that may directly contribute to their death or major health problems in the future. I think over this trip, I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I’ve tried, and if when I leave he reverts back to eating the way he used to and dies as a result, it won’t be my fault.

    Thank you for reading my message. I’m sorry it is so long. Please let me know if you have any advice.

    First…you are an amazing son and your dad should thank his lucky stars he has someone who cares for him so much. Perhaps if I cared as much about my dad’s health when he was overindulging, he’d still be here.

    As to why he still insists on eating gluten, had he heard of the gluten-free diet before he was diagnosed? Did he think it was just a trend and not to be taken seriously, even if it affects your health? Perhaps he had some bias going into this. Or perhaps he’s just being stubborn and is set in his ways.

    Here are some more facts you can try to throw his way:

    • Fact: People with celiac disease (who do not eat gluten-free) have twice the death rate of those without the intestinal disorder.
    • Fact: People with untreated celiac disease have a moderately increased risk of suicide.
    • Fact: Patients with celiac disease are more likely to be afflicted with problems relating to malabsorption, osteoporosis, tooth enamel defects, central and peripheral nervous system disease, pancreatic disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders (gall bladder, liver, and spleen), and gynecological disorders.
    • Fact: Untreated celiac disease has been linked an increased risk of certain types of cancer, especially intestinal lymphoma.

    Will any of these facts change your dad’s eating habits? I don’t know but I get the sense they won’t.

    My suggestion? Show him this article. If nothing else, it will show him how far you are willing to go to help him. And if he still doesn’t listen? Leave him be. You’ve done what you can and the rest is on him. If god forbid something does happen to him, it is not your fault.

    I wish you both nothing but the best.

    GD

  • How’s your sex drive?

    How’s your sex drive?

    A girl phoned me the other day and said, “Come on over, there’s nobody home.” I went over. Nobody was home.

    I think sex is better than logic, but I can’t prove it.

    Impotence: Nature’s way of saying “No hard feelings”.

    You know “that look” women get when they want sex?…Me neither.

    Having sex is like playing bridge. If you don’t have a good partner, you’d better have a good hand.

    No…a low libido is nothing to joke about but a little levity always helps in discussing a touchy subject. Plus I’m very immature and sex jokes make me giggle.

    So…has celiac affected you at all…ummm…down there? Have you lost that lovin’ feeling? Is your libido in the tank?

    Here’s an email from a fellow celiac who is a bit frustrated. Read on.

    Gluten Dude,

    So, we talk about a lot of ways that being Celiac and gluten intolerant affect our lives but have we ever had the sex talk on the blog? Yeah, it’s very personal but it’s important and I’ve been debating about whether or not to bring it up but…

    I can deal with not eating out, cooking my own food, and the irritated and skeptical looks from people. But what I absolutely hate and is the one thing that I wish I could change (if I had to choose one) is the loss of spontaneity and the effect that my body being so out of whack has had on my sex drive – meaning that for a long time, I had NONE.

    I do find my spouse attractive and love him deeply, so it is extremely frustrating that this special part our our relationship has been impacted, and it makes me feel that I am not providing what he needs. He has never once complained about this but I know it frustrates him too. We will never get the years back while I was undiagnosed or on the mend and it just stinks!

    I’m sure many others have gone through or are currently dealing with this. So, to anyone who has normally been a frisky person and is now having sex drive issues, ask for blood tests to check hormone levels as well as an adrenal stress test to see if any of those hormone levels are out of whack.

    Thanks for listening!

    Thanks for listening? Thank YOU for sharing.

    Me personally? My sex drive could be better…I’ll admit. Not sure if it’s celiac-related, stress-related or the fact that I haven’t reached puberty just yet.

    What about you folks? If your libido is low, I’d love to hear about it.

    And if your libido is high, I’d love to hear even more about it 😉

  • An Ode to Gluten-Free ‘Influencers’

    An Ode to Gluten-Free ‘Influencers’

    Influencers, influencers
    Just the word makes me wretch
    To say that I abhor them
    Isn’t a stretch

    What is my problem?
    Why do they put me in a tizzy?
    They’re in it for themselves
    And have zero authenticity

    There’s no product they won’t push
    No idea they’ll shy away from
    Even if the product is shit
    And the idea is really dumb

    Let’s take a step back
    And see where it all began
    I’ll start with the Kardashians
    And their god-awful clan

    Their father was a lawyer
    Who set a murderer free
    No that’s not relevant
    But still bugs the hell out of me

    Kim was the first influencer
    To go gluten-free
    The press ate it up
    But I made my plea

    Then came Kylie and Kendall
    And the rest of the K’s
    Gluten-free became mainstream
    It was now officially a craze

    Miley Cyrus joined in
    As did Channing Tatum
    Don’t get me started on Gwyneth Paltrow
    (I just coughed up some phlegm)

    “So what?” you may be saying
    “Why does it give you such pause?”
    Well I’m a celiac advocate
    And it doesn’t help the cause

    When celebrities go gluten-free
    But mainly for clicks
    It makes it harder for the rest of us
    When one crumb gets us sick

    Then Kimmel and Fallon
    And late night hosts all tell jokes
    Making fun of gluten-free
    The only treatment for us celiac folks

    But here’s the sad thing
    It’s not just the famous
    It’s people in the GF community
    Who are a pain in my anus

    They promote unsafe products
    And restaurants too
    Why do they this?
    I’ll give you a clue

    The word starts with C
    And ends in “ash”
    They’ll do anything for a buck
    Even if the product is trash

    Every picture is perfect
    Not a hair out of place
    Not a wrinkle or a pimple
    On their blemish-free face

    The restaurants pay them
    And give them free food
    They post the perfect picture and scream
    “How many have viewed???”

    And not just free food
    But plate upon plate
    And yet somehow these GF influencers
    Never gain weight

    They promote unsafe “GF” pizza
    And promote unsafe “GF” beer
    How they do this and sleep at night
    To me is unclear

    Should I call them out by name
    Should I tell you who they are
    Perhaps I’ll give you hints
    So you put them on your radar

    One says “NoBread”
    And another says “FollowMe”
    If you follow them now
    I suggest you unfollow thee

    Yes there are more
    Too many to mention
    But I think I’ll stop there
    And not give them the attention

    Now I can hear what you’re saying
    “Dude…aren’t you an influencer?
    I mean you have a decent following
    Don’t you influence sir?”

    Here’s the big difference
    I’m community first
    To put profit over people
    Is seriously just the worst

    I’ve been blogging for 14 years
    (Holy sh*t how time flies)
    I don’t do paid reviews
    And I don’t advertise

    Let me be clear
    It’s ok making money
    We all gotta pay bills
    And put food in our tummy

    “Influencing” and being an “influencer”
    Are two different things
    One does it for the community
    And the other for what it brings

    So who should you follow
    So you don’t get fleeced?
    Well there’s the Gluten-free Globetrotter
    And Celiac and the Beast

    You’d like Michelle and her kitchen
    And Inspired RD
    The one and only GF Jules
    And Mike from Philly

    For those I’ve not mentioned
    For those that I’ve missed
    I appreciate what you do
    Please don’t be pissed

    So yeah…there are more
    But my point it’s been made
    There are influencers that actually help
    Compared to those who just wanna get paid

    So all you celiacs
    Watch who you follow
    Listen the wrong people
    And gluten you may swallow

    They don’t care about you
    They don’t care about me
    I’d like to write more
    But I really gotta pee

    And so in closing
    Please listen to my words
    Good people “influence”
    But “influencers” are turds

    Maybe some day
    The world will come to its senses
    And those who lie for money
    Will suffer the consequences

    But that’s not where we are
    Not yet anyway
    But a Gluten Dude may dream
    I wish you all a good day!

  • Celiac sues Olive Garden. This stinks all around.

    Celiac sues Olive Garden. This stinks all around.

    DID YOU SEE THIS?

    A guy with celiac disease goes to Olive Garden. Told the server he has celiac. Asks if they have gluten-free fettucine alfredo. Server says yes.

    * Note that their Alfredo sauce is NOT gluten-free.

    Server served the fettucine alfredo.

    Guy says he had “an allergic reaction” that left him with “significant and permanent injuries”.
    Guy sues Olive Garden.

    This stinks all around.

    First…let’s talk about the guy:
    – Has celiac disease and goes to Olive Garden and expects a safe meal. Strike one.
    – Does not order a meal from their ‘gluten sensitive’ menu but instead orders something different. Strike two.
    – Did not do any research ahead of time. Otherwise, he would have known that their alfredo sauce was not gluten-free. Strike three.

    As for Olive Garden, absolutely the server and the kitchen should have known it was not safe. They effed up and need to revamp their training program.

    But man…suing a company when you as a celiac did not do any due diligence? Just doesn’t sit right with me.

    Your thoughts?

  • No…I Can’t Just Cheat a Little

    No…I Can’t Just Cheat a Little

    If you are on social media at all, I’m sure you’ve seen this types of posts/comments:

    • I have celiac. Oh…is that a bagel? LOL!!
    • I drink regular beer and I feel fine.
    • My friend has celiac and he can cheat a little.
    • Celiac disease isn’t that bad. Stop being so dramatic.

    I feel bad for celiacs that cheat. They don’t have the desire or willpower to treat themselves right.

    I DON’T feel bad for celiacs that cheat and then boast about it, like it’s some badge of courage.

    And I have zero patience for celiacs that cheat and then wonder why others also don’t cheat.

    Add to that the general knowledge and lack of understanding/empathy for those with our wonderful disease and well…you’ve got a nice recipe from a rant from a fellow celiac.

    Rant away:

    I happened across your page and found your Celiac Rants, and oh my goodness, just loved them! I’ve read a few of them since my diagnosis, but up until fairly recently, haven’t felt the need to rant.Well, now I do.

    I am SO fed up with the comments about “going off your diet for just one meal”, or “oh, I know someone who has trouble with gluten and she does organic spelt flour” or “oh, it’s not THAT bad.”

    No, really, I can’t go off my “diet” for just one meal. You see, I’ve spent nights clutching my stomach in pain, while simultaneously wishing I could shove my head into a grinder in hopes of relieving the pounding migraine. Only to spend the next day never more than a step away from the bathroom. All because of accidental ingestion from cross contamination! So, no, thanks but no thanks, a slice of that delicious looking cheesecake, or a half of your delicious looking cheese danish is not worth the misery for who knows how long. And no, it’s not worth the damage I would be doing to my body.

    It’s great your friend can have spelt flour! I’m genuinely glad when I hear people are able to find acceptable substitutes that don’t mean an entire lifestyle change. But, alas, no such luck for me. There’s no such thing as “a little Celiac”. I just have it. And it means no more gluten, in any form, ever again. But please, keep in mind, this is an autoimmune disease, not a food sensitivity, not a fad. It will never go away. It will never change. I will spend the rest of my life gluten free, and HOPEFULLY being able to live a somewhat normal life in our gluten inundated society.

    Not that bad? Really? Who was it who had to deal with above mentioned head splitting migraine? And the stomach pain so bad I was almost convinced maybe it was labor and not stomach cramps? Or the explosive diarrhea the next day? Oh, that’s right. Me! Not you. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I can’t fault you entirely because you don’t get it. You don’t understand because you don’t have it or have a family member who does. But please, when I’m trying to educate you, don’t roll your eyes. Try and understand.