It was a normal day during my sophomore year in high school. I went to school and ate my usual turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. I later had some form of pasta with my dinner like I frequently did. Later that night, I felt awful again. I had been living this way for a while at this point and I did not know what was wrong. I eventually learned about how people can have a sensitivity to gluten without having the serious condition known as celiac disease (this is when you cannot have any gluten because it seriously harms your body). After learning what gluten even was, it sounded possible that I could have a gluten sensitivity. This seemed crazy at first because I had been eating a lot of gluten throughout my entire life. Things that contained gluten (bread, pasta, and etc.) were some of the staples of my diet and were also some of my favorite foods. Since there is no proper test for a gluten sensitivity and I had already tested negative for celiac disease, it seemed probable that I could actually have a gluten sensitivity. I unknowingly tested out this idea when I got my wisdom teeth removed the Summer before junior year. I realized afterwards that I did not eat any gluten for about a week after the surgery and felt fine. Then, I had a good serving of pasta again and ended up feeling extremely awful afterwards. To me, this confirmed my suspicions and I now have to avoid foods with too much gluten (like pasta) at all costs.

The complicated thing about having a gluten sensitivity is that many people (even doctors) do not all take it seriously. Since I can have some gluten during the day, people assume that it is not a legitimate medical condition. Also, since gluten sensitivity is a fairly new concept to the medical world, many doctors do not know anything about it and were never taught about it in medical school. I have had an older doctor tell me to my face that this was all in my head. This was a frustrating thing because I know how awful I feel after having too much gluten and they do not. Fortunately, there are other doctors out there who understand that just because gluten sensitivity is a fairly new issue, does not mean that it is not a legitimate issue. Another doctor has told me that based on my symptoms and the fact that I did not test positive for celiac disease, that I probably have a gluten sensitivity. They could not tell me for sure since there is no test for it but the doctor and I are pretty certain. It is obvious to me that I have a gluten sensitivity because I know myself and I know how awful I feel when I have had too much gluten in one day.

Even though living with this can be difficult at times, I know how to manage it. Many people do not know that I have a gluten sensitivity because I have always feared that they would think that it is made up or that they will question me every time I consume gluten around them. However, this is an issue that millions of people in America are dealing with today and it needs to be talked about much more often. Every person who has a gluten sensitivity is different. Some can eat very little gluten and some can consume more but no one has the right to judge them based on something that they cannot control. Also, all doctors need to accept it because science has proven that this is a real problem. Not accepting gluten sensitivity as a legitimate issue is ignorant and disrespectful to researchers who are dedicating their lives to this ailment. Not only has science proved that this is a real condition, but also it is working to find out why people get this condition, how to test for it, how to possibly cure it, and etc.

If you know someone who has a gluten sensitivity, do not question their food choices or act like you know more about it then they do. All you have to do is support them and talk to them before you make any kind of meal for them. Living with a gluten sensitivity can be difficult and none of us need any additional scrutiny from friends and family. All we ask for is your support and understanding.