This week I got an email from a well known gluten-free food company. They were announcing a new addition to their staff and included that he “suffers from gluten intolerance.”
Surprise, surprise, I’m going to take a softer approach to that. I refuse to say, think or otherwise suggest that I am suffering with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Yep, there was lots of suffering before I was diagnosed (being so anemic that a blood transfusion was recommended wasn’t a place bereft of suffering) but today? I don’t feel like I’m suffering.
While I know it isn’t always unicorns and rainbows (see my recent post on having a bad day), I am not going to live the rest of my life telling those around me that I am suffering. No, I can’t eat gluten. Yes, that’s sometimes challenging and some days I don’t feel optimal, but I’m sure not suffering. Instead of choosing to look at this in a negative light, I’m looking for softer words to replace “suffer” with, perhaps “thrive,” “live with,” “conquer.”
Tell me, sweet readers, do you feel like you suffer with a dietary restriction, intolerance or allergy? Or do you feel like you thrive now that you know and can address it? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Oh, the terms “celiac sufferer” or “sufferer of gluten intolerance” have long been pet peeves of mine. Why would anyone want to depict us this way? I don’t even see that term used for folks with other conditions that most are much familiar with and consider more serious, untreatable conditions (although I’m not minimizing our concerns in any way). I just think it’s strange and I also think using that term has to make folks feel more negative about their need to live gluten free. I hope folks will listen and it will be a thing of the past like the use of the banana diet and its “cure” for those with celiac.
Shirley
You are such a wealth of knowledge, Shirley! I had never heard of this banana diet myth.
I just don’t see what the benefit is of being negative about the need to live gluten free. I’d rather be positive…plus there’s so much tasty food to be enjoyed without gluten. 🙂