Gluten, It's Not You, It's Me

I'm breaking up with you gluten. But don't feel bad. According to my most recent blood tests, it's not you, it's me. Don't hate my guts gluten, it's my guts that are the problem. I'm still waiting for a definitive diagnosis, which requires a biopsy of my small intestine, but my doctor says I should assume I have celiac disease and stop eating gluten...forever!

What is celiac disease? I could tell you about the bloating, gas, and diarrhea, but what would be the fun in that? The important bit is that for someone with celiac disease, gluten causes an autoimmune response that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents the normal absorption of nutrients. In my case, the gut-wrenching diagnosis came as my doctor was trying to figure out why I was anemic and not improving after taking high doses of iron. Along with being weak and tired, I had other strange symptoms which I was reluctant to share with my doctor because WebMD made me think I was probably crazy!

Given the other options for my persistent anemia, according to WebMD, were bleeding ulcers or cancer, I was delighted with the diagnosis of celiac disease, and a few weeks after breaking up with gluten, I am definitely feeling better! It will be a few more weeks before the first of many follow-up blood tests, but I already have more energy, am less moody, recover quicker after long hikes, am sleeping better, and I decided to start a blog!

Yes, I miss the bread, cookies, brownies, pies, cakes, and thick-crust pizza. (There are gluten-free options, and some are better than others.) Yes, I feel awkward telling the waitress I have a gluten allergy and asking what my menu options are. Yes, checking labels at the grocery store is exhausting, and expecting my wife to be a cross-contamination expert when making my gluten-free dinner is a big ask, but I FEEL BETTER. And since this is all about me, just be happy for me and be thankful Snickers candy bars are gluten-free! 

If you thought there are no theological implications to being celiac, think again. Besides church potlucks, which are a celiac's worst nightmare, receiving communion is now problematic. There are gluten-free communion wafers, but according to my brand of church, the bread that can be used for communion must contain gluten, which means that Jesus's body and my small intestine are no longer communing. I can still receive the wine and I do so gladly, but at my parish, the priest says your name along with the words of institution when he presses the bread into the palm of your hands and I miss that experience more than I would like to admit.

As for how being gluten-free has impacted my hiking diet, that will require its own blog post, so stay tuned. 

Loren