
When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2008, I thought my life was over. There were not many resources out there and products did not have to adhere to any labeling guidelines at all. And the worst part of it all was that doctors didn't even really understand the dietary needs. The dietitian I saw after being diagnosed flat out told me that I would be able to reintroduce gluten into my diet after a few months. Talk about scary.
Flash forward to today: there are so many awesome resources now on and off the internet, as well as a better understanding of what Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity/Intolerance actually is. I started A Lazy Girl's Guide to Living Gluten Free in order to become influential part of this increase in knowledge and understanding. This is not an allergy we suffer from, it is a medical condition, and it is our way of life.
So take the National Foundation of Celiac Awareness' (NFCA) Pledge with me. Vow that 2014 is going to be the year that you turn your back on sneaking gluten and instead help yourself become a healthier happier person. Pledge to become an educator to those who are not as familiar with Celiac/Gluten Intolerance, and help to get anyone who is suffering diagnosed so they can move on with their life and be healthy again too.
Dear Eaters of Everything,
I remember what it was like to be you.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, I sipped my Starbucks soy latte while nibbling on a blueberry muffin, waiting for my kids to finish their guitar lessons. On shopping excursions, I picked up a fast-food salad without worrying about the croutons or the shredded cheese or the dressing with soy oil. During football games, I ate deep-fried chicken wings not once considering what else had been fried in the fryer. At movies, I shared buttered popcorn with my husband. I even munched on prepackaged cookies–without reading the label!
Read more of my letter to Eaters of Everything at http://wp.me/p2fyoW-xQ.