The word Gluten-Freedom signifies, for many of us a relief from pain, sickness, weakness and even the anxious feelings caused by that poison called gluten. But I've been relistening to the CD's from the 2009 CF Conference and Dr. Peter Green says that he surveys his patients with celiac disease and that American's with CD cheat 80% of the time. This is why there are no good long term projections for Americans with celiac disease. Why do we feel it our constitutional right to eat whatever we want? Statistics project that most celiac patients are going to die early and do it miserably.
Stop! How can we convince ourselves to stop poisoning ourselves and to stay on this diet? Perhaps we could reread my last rant on the subject, Dining with Diverticulli, posted in March where I was much more erudite.
I never cheat! NEVER! Perhaps it's easiest for me because I have watched people close to me die from this dread disease. I watched Grammy suffer spinal stenosis, neuropathy in both her feet and hands and her slow decline to death. I don't want to die that way. I think perhaps bungie jumping would be my preference today.
Dr. Peter Green says that when CD patients cheat, incurable diseases ensue. America has tremendously high rates of contributory disease due to malnutrition and our inability to control our GF diets. Diabetes, Cancer, Crohns, Arthritis and Osteoporosis to name a few.
The doctor's biggest complaint was cheating while social eating. He says that European countries don't social eat. (And I would add that it is because they social drink.)
Maybe we American's have been coddled and catered to for too long and we don't have the tenacity to stick to our guns... but I think we do. DON'T CHEAT!
7 comments:
Seriously! Thanks for your insights. I would really like more long term research, but I see how it has to be limited because people cheat.
I've a friend who was diagnosed this week who says he will avoid it when it's convenient. Yikes! I appreciate your remarks. Is it any easier where you are?
Well said! This really hits home. I admit, I finally cheated recently... I was in another country and just couldn't pass up an authentic version of one of my favorite dishes.
In the end, what do I care more about: 10min of good eating or a lifetime of good health? It is just plain stupid to cheat!
This article really inspired me(even at 2AM) to write a version of my own: http://switch2glutenfree.com/mikes-journey/to-cheat-or-not-to-cheat-chapter-3/
Serious stuff here! Thank you!
Switch, Can't wait to read it. I appreciate words that inspire me to stay on the path.
3 months into the diet, and being frustrated cheated on a piece of cake. Since then, it's that much harder to follow the diet.
Got my answers here I guess.
So don't cheat! and lets do this together!
Anon, I went to a company dinner last night--didn't cheat, but didn't ask all the pertinent questions either. When the fries came out all coated with the meat sitting atop, I just shut my mouth and ate around them. Big mistake this morning.
Oh, if only my courage extended to the far reaches of this disease. I'm with you! Lets Do It Together!
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