How to Support Someone Living with a Gluten Intolerance

For a growing number of Americans, ingesting gluten can cause big problems, which is why it is essential to know how to support someone living with a gluten intolerance. It can be uncomfortable to be the only person not able to eat gluten in a group setting, but you can put them at ease by learning ways to make them feel included and safe.

The first step in this journey is to understand what gluten intolerance is, what it isn’t, and then learning how you can help support someone living with it.

What It Means to Be Gluten Intolerant

If a person is considered gluten intolerant, it means their body does not tolerate gluten. This means that ingesting these foods could cause inflammation and adverse reactions in the body, usually in the form of digestion issues and potentially in other areas of the body as well.

There are a number of symptoms associated with being gluten intolerant that are also markers for other health conditions, but if you regularly have one or more of the following after consuming gluten, it may be wise to follow up with your physician:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Abdominal Pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Brain fog

Two people can both be diagnosed with gluten intolerance and yet handle it in very different ways. It may be possible for one person to have only one of the above symptoms and another person to have four or more.

In most cases, people are tested for gluten intolerance by first ruling out allergies and celiac disease, as well as documenting their symptoms. Currently, the gold standard for treatment of gluten intolerance is adhering to a strict gluten-free diet.

People who are diagnosed with gluten intolerance generally have to avoid gluten-filled:

• Beer
• Bread
• Cake
• Cookies
• Crackers
• Flour
• Malt
• Pies

Gluten can be found in the most unlikely of places, so it is critical to carefully read ingredient labels and ensure that you have clean and sanitized surfaces in your kitchen for food preparation and serving.

Are Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease the Same Thing?

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are not the same. Gluten intolerance and celiac disease both typically require that the diagnosed person stay away from all forms of gluten to prevent further gut and health issues. However, there are some important aspects that make the two completely different medical conditions:

1. Autoimmune Factor. Gluten intolerance is not considered an autoimmune disease, but celiac disease is. An autoimmune disease is one that may cause the body to be overly reactive and attack itself. Usually antibodies help prevent this, but with an autoimmune disease, a person’s body can’t always tell the difference between good and bad vessels in the body. Individuals who have one autoimmune disease may be susceptible to developing more.
2. Intestinal Damage Factor. People who are gluten intolerant may experience pain, sickness, or malaise when ingesting gluten, but it typically does not do damage to the small intestine. Celiac disease on the other hand can do damage to the small intestine.
3. Genetics Factor. Gluten intolerant individuals often have no specific biological markers for the condition, whereas celiac disease is largely considered to be genetic.

How to Support Someone Living with a Gluten Intolerance

The most important thing to remember about supporting someone living with gluten intolerance is not to exclude them. They likely do not view their gluten intolerance as defining them, so you shouldn’t either.

Still invite everyone over for the big game but encourage your friend to either bring their favorite gluten-free dish or offer to purchase or make one yourself. Just be sure to keep the gluten free dish isolated from the gluten-filled foods so there is no cross contamination.

If you are going out to dinner for a girl’s night, work together to find a venue that offers gluten-free menu options and then ask the individual if they feel comfortable with that choice. Give them a voice to ensure they can feel relaxed enough to enjoy their time out and the friends they are with.

Remember that sometimes buying verified gluten-free products can be helpful. Not all products that say gluten-free on them are verified or certified as being so. If you are choosing to buy a gluten-free product, choose one that is certified gluten free. This simple distinction can make a big difference to a person who must avoid gluten for their health and safety.

How We Can Help with Gluten-Free Food

We know that if you are not used to living a gluten free lifestyle, it can be daunting at first. This is one of the main reasons we offer the following certified gluten free goodies both online and in the aisles of participating grocery stores. Some of our most popular products include:

• Hot Dog Buns
• Pumpkin Bread
• English Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Snickerdoodle Cookies

Even better, many of our items freeze well. This makes it easy to keep delicious chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies on hand in the freezer and then simply take a few out to thaw when your gluten intolerant friend or loved one will be visiting. Just remember to wash your hands before plating the cookies.

Gluten intolerance can be challenging, but you can help better support individuals living with this dietary restriction by working closely with them, paying attention to labels and being aware of cross contamination risks.