As someone recovering from an eating disorder, I can say that there is nothing I hate more than diet fads. Quick fixes, lose 20 pounds in one month, detoxes, Keto — whatever it is, the false promises of fast results will always perpetuate diet culture. I remember sitting in my dietitian's office when I was 16 and telling her about my friends or family doing the new "gluten-free" diet, and her jaw almost hit the floor. Besides the effects on someone struggling with an ED, most of these fads can do more harm than good. So when I found out last year that I have celiac and now I'm the one that has to go gluten-free, I'm on a mission to make sure everyone knows that I'm not trying to lose belly fat, I'm trying to keep living a healthy, functional lifestyle.
It started with being lethargic. I didn't notice I could sleep for hours during the day, and then still get a full night's rest. And then I was noticing that my stomach seemed to stop digesting my food. I could feel last night's meal settling in my stomach, making me bloated and irritable. I gained weight quickly, and without any major changes in my fitness or diet. When my dad suggested I see his doctor so he could run tests, I was expecting some usual hormonal imbalance or a thyroid issue, but she came back a week later with my results to tell me to stop eating bread.
I'm used to some of the eye-rolls now and the family or friends that forget I can't eat most of the food they want to enjoy. Pesky flour and hidden ingredients from items on menus make going out to eat more nerve-wracking than enjoyable at times. Now, I always look at the menu online before even going out to eat just to make sure I can find something on the menu that is marked as gluten-free. I hate being the guest at a restaurant making specific requests or causing headaches for the waiters or waitresses. And it's not like I can just explain my whole condition to them. Like — no, I won't die or have a major reaction and go into anaphylactic shock, but I will likely fall asleep immediately after dinner and feel horrible and bloated for the next three days.
If it's not shown physically, people are less likely to take your diagnosis seriously. It's hard for me to even take it seriously sometimes, because what could one bit of a sandwich really do if I'm not having immediate issues? Unfortunately, with celiac or gluten intolerance, it's not something that can be diagnosable without proper tests, because the signs and symptoms are so hidden. It affects what goes on inside your body and impacts your stomach and organs until something else is what causes your health issues.
There are worse things to complain about, I know. But—I am not trying to follow a diet trend or lose weight. I don't think I'm holier than thou for refraining from pasta and bread (I'm actually so sad about my restriction of carbs). If your friends and family tell you they have dietary restrictions or intolerance, please don't invalidate them and call it a phase.
