Re: Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

[Guest guest]

Right there with you. Thankfully, I have not have an experience as bad as yours lately.

I have to say that Celiac has really lowered my tolerance of vegetarians and other "picky eaters by choice". The last thing in the world that I would want to do is cause difficulties or make anyone go out of their way for me. But these other people seem to have no problem with it. the most frustrating thing for me is that I feel that people are already somewhat fed up by the "picky eaters by choice" and that by the time I come along, their tolerance for another food complication is thin. Which makes it much harder for them to see Celiac as a serious medical condition and not a choice and makes it hard for me to eat safely (cross contammincation, etc).

We all need to rant once in a while!

Best,

From: fiestacranberry <fiestacranberry@...> Sent: Sun, June 6, 2010 9:53:53 AMSubject: [ ] Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

>> I feel you, Peggy.Me too.> It's NOT like vegetarianism, which is a CHOICE. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for saying this! I have been saying this for years, and have gotten a lot of flak for it, even from family members. As if I don't _want_ to eat pizza or donuts or Challah bread!Lori

[Guest guest]

I am sorry that this topic has turned into a bashing vegetarians forum. To blame vegetarians for your friends' inability to deal with your food needs is just as bad as your friends' blaming you for making things more complicated for them when it comes to feeding you. There are people who will accommodate their friends no matter the reason (health, ethics, likes/dislikes) because it is the generous and kind -- and right -- thing to do; and there are people who won't, period. This latter group didn't get tired of accommodating vegetarians because they never accommodated them to begin with; and now you come along with your need of a gluten free diet, and they're not about to accommodate you, either. When you bash vegetarians and denigrate their diet as being "picky," you align yourself with the very same people who couldn't care less what your needs are.

In fact, the needs of vegetarians have in many ways helped pave the way for there to be more awareness and understanding of other food issues. Even steak restaurants have now gotten on the bandwagon of having at least one veggie-only plate; and now we have restaurants that serve primarily wheat-based products offering gf options (e.g., pizza). I think these things are connected.

The bigger problem when it comes to celiac disease and getting people and restaurants and food companies to understand the medical needs of a gluten free diet? Those people who choose gf foods as a fad or "just because I think it's healthier," or "it just makes me feel better" and don't care about possible cross contamination and will eat a "little" wheat, or spelt bread, or non gf soy sauce, etc.; so that when you go out to eat at a restaurant after one of these people has eaten, the manager or waiter might argue with you that "we just had a person in 'just like you,' who had no problem with the spelt bread/the soy sauce/the fact that our chips are fried in the same oil as the beer battered fish -- and so you shouldn't either."

And for the person who thinks that slipping in a little meat or chicken into a "vegetarian" dish won't be noticed by vegetarians -- I can assure you that for some vegetarians, that kind of mean-spirited trick can lead to the same kind of acute gastrointestinal distress those of us with celiac endure after eating "safe" gf foods that just happen to have "a little" wheat in them...

I would appreciate not hearing any more vegetarian bashing, thank you.

Tristan

-----Original Message-----

From: <kristin_boston@...>

Sent: Sun, Jun 6, 2010 11:54 am

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

Right there with you. Thankfully, I have not have an experience as bad as yours lately.

I have to say that Celiac has really lowered my tolerance of vegetarians and other "picky eaters by choice". The last thing in the world that I would want to do is cause difficulties or make anyone go out of their way for me. But these other people seem to have no problem with it. the most frustrating thing for me is that I feel that people are already somewhat fed up by the "picky eaters by choice" and that by the time I come along, their tolerance for another food complication is thin. Which makes it much harder for them to see Celiac as a serious medical condition and not a choice and makes it hard for me to eat safely (cross contammincation, etc).

We all need to rant once in a while!

Best,

From: fiestacranberry <fiestacranberry >

Sent: Sun, June 6, 2010 9:53:53 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

>

> I feel you, Peggy.

Me too.

> It's NOT like vegetarianism, which is a CHOICE.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for saying this! I have been saying this for years, and have gotten a lot of flak for it, even from family members. As if I don't _want_ to eat pizza or donuts or Challah bread!

Lori

[Guest guest]

Amen. Please excuse my brevity. Sent from mobile.On Jun 6, 2010, at 1:18 PM, TrVerb@... wrote:

I am sorry that this topic has turned into a bashing vegetarians forum. To blame vegetarians for your friends' inability to deal with your food needs is just as bad as your friends' blaming you for making things more complicated for them when it comes to feeding you. There are people who will accommodate their friends no matter the reason (health, ethics, likes/dislikes) because it is the generous and kind -- and right -- thing to do; and there are people who won't, period. This latter group didn't get tired of accommodating vegetarians because they never accommodated them to begin with; and now you come along with your need of a gluten free diet, and they're not about to accommodate you, either. When you bash vegetarians and denigrate their diet as being "picky," you align yourself with the very same people who couldn't care less what your needs are.

In fact, the needs of vegetarians have in many ways helped pave the way for there to be more awareness and understanding of other food issues. Even steak restaurants have now gotten on the bandwagon of having at least one veggie-only plate; and now we have restaurants that serve primarily wheat-based products offering gf options (e.g., pizza). I think these things are connected.

The bigger problem when it comes to celiac disease and getting people and restaurants and food companies to understand the medical needs of a gluten free diet? Those people who choose gf foods as a fad or "just because I think it's healthier," or "it just makes me feel better" and don't care about possible cross contamination and will eat a "little" wheat, or spelt bread, or non gf soy sauce, etc.; so that when you go out to eat at a restaurant after one of these people has eaten, the manager or waiter might argue with you that "we just had a person in 'just like you,' who had no problem with the spelt bread/the soy sauce/the fact that our chips are fried in the same oil as the beer battered fish -- and so you shouldn't either."

And for the person who thinks that slipping in a little meat or chicken into a "vegetarian" dish won't be noticed by vegetarians -- I can assure you that for some vegetarians, that kind of mean-spirited trick can lead to the same kind of acute gastrointestinal distress those of us with celiac endure after eating "safe" gf foods that just happen to have "a little" wheat in them...

I would appreciate not hearing any more vegetarian bashing, thank you.

Tristan

-----Original Message-----

From: <kristin_boston >

Sent: Sun, Jun 6, 2010 11:54 am

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

Right there with you. Thankfully, I have not have an experience as bad as yours lately.

I have to say that Celiac has really lowered my tolerance of vegetarians and other "picky eaters by choice". The last thing in the world that I would want to do is cause difficulties or make anyone go out of their way for me. But these other people seem to have no problem with it. the most frustrating thing for me is that I feel that people are already somewhat fed up by the "picky eaters by choice" and that by the time I come along, their tolerance for another food complication is thin. Which makes it much harder for them to see Celiac as a serious medical condition and not a choice and makes it hard for me to eat safely (cross contammincation, etc).

We all need to rant once in a while!

Best,

From: fiestacranberry <fiestacranberry >

Sent: Sun, June 6, 2010 9:53:53 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Fed up with being treated like I have am a picky eater!

>

> I feel you, Peggy.

Me too.

> It's NOT like vegetarianism, which is a CHOICE.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for saying this! I have been saying this for years, and have gotten a lot of flak for it, even from family members. As if I don't _want_ to eat pizza or donuts or Challah bread!

Lori