Opinion by MayaZier

Can I please get a cheese pizza with a gluten free crust?”

“Sure, that will be $2 extra, is that okay?”

“Yes.”

This is a common occurrence for me. I have celiac disease, meaning I cannot eat gluten. Most restaurants are good about having gluten-free options but that usually comes with an up- charge. Of course I’m grateful for the options they provide, but making me pay more money so that I can safely eat is a little disheartening.

I got diagnosed with celiac disease when I was in eigth grade. When I found out, I
was knees deep in a glutenous pasta dinner. It was definitely an adjustment, because if you know me, you know I love bread. Sometimes I would forget that I was gluten-free and make myself a sandwich. Other times, I would run to the kitchen to sneak mini powdered donuts because I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat them ever again. Did I sneak a few gluten-filled treats once in a while? Yes. Do I regret it? No. Don’t worry, I stopped sneaking treats years ago!

My older sister was diagnosed with celiac disease before I was. Because celiac is genetic, my entire family was tested for it, but I was the only one who came up as a celiac. What can I say… I’m just unique!

You might be wondering, “How can two daughters have this genetic disease but the parents don’t?” Well, celiac is an autoimmune dis- ease, meaning it can develop over time, and it has no cure. So I’m stuck with it forever.

Do I miss bread? Every day. But I know if I were to eat the most delicious, mouthwatering piece of gluten, there would be major consequences. Celiac disease damages your small intestine, so if I were to continue eat- ing gluten, my small intestine would slowly lose lining which would make it difficult for me to get nutrients from food.

What I miss most in the world would definitely be the one and only Bagel Bin. Bagel Bin was a staple in my childhood. Every weekend, my family and I would head to the famous Bagel Bin on 119th and Pacific. I would get a chocolate cake donut with rainbow sprinkles and a loaf of challah bread.

Some people don’t understand what gluten-free means, and that’s okay. One time in eighth grade, my friend asked if I could eat a banana. I was taken aback by this question but knew that she meant well. Gluten can be found mainly in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. This means I can’t eat anything with flour in it, including pasta, cake, bread and many other carb-related foods.

Common questions I get about being gluten-free are: what will happen if I eat it? Can I be in the same room with gluten? And can I eat this? If I eat gluten, there are many possibilities as to what could happen. I could get a rash or start throwing up the glutenous food. My body won’t be able to properly digest it so my stomach would be in a lot of pain while it’s trying to digest.

I am able to be in the same room as gluten, but some people have it worse than me. Some celiacs are so severe that if they smell gluten they throw up, or if they touch a table that bread once touched, they could start having symptoms as if they ate it. At least six girls at Marian have celiac disease, so be sure to be aware if you’re bringing snacks to share because the one thing that warms my heart like noth- ing else, is if someone brings gluten-free food for me because they know I can’t eat gluten.

The Marian lunch program does a great job accommodating celiacs. You can request gluten-free lunches by telling the lunch staff, and every day they have salads and fruit that are gluten free.

Yes, I can eat rice, potatoes and popcorn. Those are the most common questions relating to food that I get. When I was making the transition to gluten-free, I was shocked by some foods that actually contained gluten, such as Haribo gummy bears and licorice.

From the high seas of the Mediterranean to the valley in Nevada, people all over the world suffer from celiac disease. We are a community of celiac sisters.