Feb 3, 2009

Gluten-Free Kisses

With Valentine’s Day coming up there’s bound to be a bit of smooching going on. If you’re avoiding gluten but still feeling queasy, the ‘Evil Gluten Monster’ may be making sneaky attacks.

As you may know, Tummy Boy has Celiac Disease and I, his girlfriend, do not. He is a very sensitive Celiac and if he gets even a crumb he’s sick for days. Back in the beginning of our Celiac adventure we read about getting ‘glutened’ from kisses in a book about Celiac Disease. If I eat a sandwich and then give Tummy Boy a kiss; he gets just a bit of gluten. It’s not enough to have an attack but it’s enough to make him feel queasy.

When gluten is in the air, what are love birds to do?

- If you just ate, kiss on the cheek.

- Brush your teeth after every meal. Dentists recommend this anyways, don’t they?

- Be careful with other cross-contamination issues. Don’t share straws, drinks, forks, Chapstick, etc.

- If it is a special occasion or a romantic meal consider having the entire menu Gluten-Free so that you don’t have to worry about kisses.

Following these tips will help ensure that Valentine’s Day is full of love, not tummy aches.



This is not intended to be medical advice.

Feb 2, 2009

Celiac Dating Ideas

One of the biggest challenges I’ve found with dating a very sensitive Celiac is that one of the most popular date ideas- visiting a fun or romantic restaurant- is out of the question. Finding fun dating ideas can be a challenge for anyone, but trying to accommodate severe dietary restrictions means that you need to be extra creative.

The Celiac Picnic- Find a romantic grassy spot to lay out a blanket. We have yet to find a Gluten-Free bread we crave, so we choose to make our own ‘Lunchable’. Pack fresh fruit like grapes or watermelon for a juicy snack, and Fuze vitamin drink for a beverage. Some of Yo-Plait yogurts are Gluten-Free, and can help fill the tummy. Nut Thins are our Gluten-Free cracker of choice, so pair those with cheddar cheese slices (Cracker Barrel makes a Gluten-Free kind that is pre-cut into the perfect cracker size) and some Gluten-Free Sara-Lee ham or turkey. (Remember: As always, this is just a guide and you should always check with the manufacturer if a product contains your allergen or sensitivity.) Tummy Boy is a big fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, so he and I would pack some of those for dessert to sweeten up the kisses. Pack the perfect picnic in a cooler with an ice pack to keep everything chilled. Bring along sunglasses/sunscreen, and magazines, a beach ball, or an MP3 player for entertainment. Or just relax and watch the clouds with your sweetie!
http://www.bluediamond.com/shop/natural/nutThins.cfm

Paint-Your-Own Pottery- Around where we live there are several really fun paint-your-own pottery studios. We find this a great way to relax and talk and bond together. Tummy Boy even made a wicked cool Celiac plate that he painted bright orange like a caution sign and in the center he put a skull with wheat cross bones. It is certainly a conversation piece in his parent’s dining room among the expensive German Hummel collector’s plates. After you paint it, you come back in a week to pick up your masterpieces. Do I hear a great excuse for another date?

Movie Night- A classic date that never goes out of style. Pick out a DVD together (if you’re low on funds, see if you can rent one from your local library or borrow one from a friend) and gather up pillows and blankets to pile on the couch with you as you snuggle. May I suggest the delicious and sweet (and not that bad for you!) GF Lesser Evil popcorn?
http://www.lesserevil.com/category/snackonpopcorns

Board Games & Dessert- Grab a bag of Namaste GF Brownie Mix at the grocery store and mix it up together. While you’re waiting for the fudgy squares, sprawl out on the living room floor with a puzzle or your favorite board games. When the brownies are done, enjoy them together of course!
https://www.namastefoods.com/shopping/storefront/cgi-bin/item_list.cgi?Category_Id_Search=5&Product_Id_Search=3&Return_Cgi=category_list.cgi