This last few weeks has made me realise that I think I’ve been a bit naïve. Eating gluten free for me seemed a rather easy transition as I didn’t really eat that much gluten anyway, how smug. However, since being GF for almost 7 months now, I must be becoming very sensitive to any traces of it.
I had a tough week trying to figure out why was feeling uncomfortable & bloated. The constant adjustment with the holes in my belt with the need to make it less tight around my protruding gut. The urge to get home & put on my comfy elasticated shorts the second I walk through the door. The internal debate in my head as to whether 5pm is too early for pajama o’clock. There’s a Facebook Page in NZ offering peer support to Coeliacs & when I posted my query about being bloated, a whole heap of advice came flooding in. Fruit, sugar, dairy, sitting down too long, eat less carbs, portion size to big, microwave ovens, onions, eggs, apples, sun dried tomatoes, caffeine, contaminated dish cloths, fluids, type of fluids, time you drink fluids, stress. What became very clear is that it’s not always obvious how the evil gluten has made it’s way into our body & that sometimes you just can’t quite pinpoint it at all. How frustrating!!
The following week was worse. It first started about an hour after I ate breakfast at home, nothing unusual I do this everyday. The pain came in waves, sometimes so strong that I could barely concentrate. This continued for a week, every time I ate. Ever snack, every meal, even a cup of tea (I’m English…. I NEED tea!). I had absolutely no idea how this happened. I still don’t. Fast forward to doctors visits, blood tests, pills to calm the stomache spasms, stool samples (gotta love those) & a conclusion that my antibodies have made a huge improvement (win!), but nothing else. The pains just simply stopped.
What are the signs that a Coeliac has ingested gluten?
Symptoms can vary depending on the individual & the circumstances. Classic symptoms include diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pains, & vommiting. It takes time to understand our individual symptoms. Will I come out in a rash, will I get stomach pains, will I get the shits, will I puke, will I get headaches, will I be unable to concentrate & feel lethargic, will by body ache? (Fellow Coeliacs please feel free to comment below about the symptoms you experience, I’m sure some of them will surprise us!). Sometimes the symptoms are within minutes, sometimes hours, or sometimes days. If you’re a silent coeliac you are asymptomatic & do not feel anything but you’re still experiencing damage to the intestine. How bloody complicated!! I thought I just had to stop drinking beer & eating bread.
My recent feelings of being unwell happened because something had occured in the comfort of my own home (or the office). I’ve been racking my brains & analyzing everything, every meal, every snack, cup of tea, etc. What I ate, where I ate, it how I prepared it. I was confident that the only time I’d possibly be exposed to gluten was if I was eating out, which doesn’t happen often. It’s starting to dawn on me that even though I’m EXTRA cautious I can still somehow be poisoned. That’s why most of us can never truly relax around food. When food that’s not been prepared by us (coeliacs) it makes us paranoid & we become nervous & anxious. This is why Coeliacs ask specific questions like “Can I just check the ingredients in this?” “Do you have a separate fryer/toaster?”. “Can you please check with the kitchen if the bacon is gluten free?” We’re not being awkward- we’re coeliac. Our reaction & discomfort may not be pretty & it probably won’t happen in the comfortable interiors of your cafe/restaurant. It happens when we’ve left, when we’re on our way home, in our car, or it may be in a very public space. When we get “that” feeling & its… oh no! Shit!
Recipe for today Sweetcorn Ribs – which have been a favourite this summer!
We found this little gem on Pintrest. Pre heat the oven to 190c
What you’ll need:
4 x tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 x tbsp of lemon zest (fine) mixed with 1/4 tsp of salt or 1 x tsp of lemon pepper.
1/2 x cup mayo
Juice of 1/2-1 lime
2 x tsp chipotle sauce
Finley chopped fresh corriander.
Preperation:
Remove the husks from the cobs & discard. Cut the cobs in half. Then slice down the middle length ways in, & in half & again, so you have 8 short pieces for each one. In a small bowl mix togther all of the spices with the olive oil. Place the corn on to a baking tray & brush each rib generously with the spice mix. Place into the oven for approximately 25 mins or until the have curled & charred a little. Meanwhile combine the mayo, chipotle sauce, & lime juice.
Once the corn is cooked, place on a dish, drizzle with mayo mix & dress with a sprinkle of the fresh corriander. Finger licking deliciousness. Kids & adults love them!
Enjoy!
I'm Not Awkward I'm a Coeliac 