I have been dating my boyfriend Ethan for a year and a half now. We are alike in so many ways — we are outgoing and good at making new friends, we love being outdoors biking or hiking and we can spend hours together doing absolutely nothing and not get sick of it. But there is one area where we differ extremely: our diets.
Ethan is a picky eater, probably the pickiest eater I have ever met. It drives me crazy when one of my favorite foods makes him turn his nose up, but of course, I love him anyway. But the biggest difference between our diets is that Ethan has a severe case of celiac disease and is on a strict gluten-free diet.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes a severe intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. People who have celiac disease suffer damage to their small intestine when they eat gluten. Some people with more severe cases, like Ethan, may even break out in rashes just by coming into contact with it.
This means that Ethan and I rarely eat out at restaurants — it’s just too big of a risk. We often eat at home, mostly his home. Since his entire house is gluten-free, it’s safe for him to eat there. On the contrary, my pantry is stuffed with breads and pastas that would make Ethan seriously sick, so it’s often tricky to cook him something he will be able to scarf down and feel good afterward.
I'm a huge foodie. I love trying new foods, going out to unique restaurants and cooking up funky meals for myself. This is something that I will only ever get to share with Ethan, in small, gluten-free doses. (Not that he would eat what I fix, *eye roll*.) But that’s something I have grown to accept.
One of our friends once asked me, “Can Ethan get sick if you eat gluten and then kiss him?” The answer is yes. My teeth have never been cleaner from the constant preventative brushing. Nowadays, I have gotten into the habit of eating gluten-free when we go out to restaurants together. Bye bye dinner rolls.
I often get sad when I can’t introduce him to some of my favorite foods. My favorite hometown pizza and Dunkin' Donuts are completely out of the question (so sad, I know) — let alone some of the best restaurants at Miami University, like Bagel & Deli or Fiesta Charra.
But, it’s all worth it to keep him healthy. No food is more important than him feeling great so that we can go on all our crazy adventures together. Without him, I know I’d have a lot less fun.
