Slides of Gluten Free Life

A gluten-free diet is more of a lifestyle than diet for individuals with celiac disease. As in every individual’s life, people with celiac disease have difficulties in their lives. These difficulties can sometimes be much more than the difficulties experienced by other individuals.

The situation is harder for children

Children with celiac disease are the group most affected by the challenges of celiac disease. Studies have shown that the social development of children with celiac disease at school is negatively affected. The main reasons for this are that school administrators and teachers do not have enough information about celiac, the consumption of gluten-containing foods seen around friends, the lack of gluten-free products or substitutes for gluten products in school canteens, and the failure to meet the needs of children with celiac disease in social activities are among the biggest problems experienced by children with celiac disease. This situation negatively affects the social development of children and it is thought that it may push the child to a feeling of loneliness over time. Families attribute the main reason for this situation to the low level of knowledge, awareness and awareness of celiac disease in the society. When we look at the general population, it is seen that awareness and awareness of celiac disease is limited to the families of individuals with celiac disease.

Considering the communication of celiac children with their friends, it was seen that having celiac disease did not affect communication negatively. It has been observed that in some cases, children are hesitant to explain that they eat gluten-free and have celiac disease. The main reason for this is that celiac disease is not well known and people question it a lot when they hear about it. When children cannot explain this situation or feel insufficient, they may be left alone with the fear of being excluded.

Slides of Gluten Free Life

I would like to talk a little bit about my own difficulties on this subject. I’m also a college student with celiac disease. I was diagnosed with celiac disease when I was in the second year of university and now I am in my senior year and I will graduate.

I have spent the rest of my college life gluten-free from the first time I got my diagnosis. Although it was difficult to get used to the diet at first, I got used to it quickly. It was almost very difficult to find gluten-free food at our university, so I started taking my lunch with me. Although I was strange at first by my friends, they grasped this situation in time and they started to bring their lunch with them by accompanying me. They found or made gluten-free cake or meal options for me in situations such as birthdays, gatherings, that is, when eating was socially important. Over time, this consciousness progressed by spreading to my friends and other circles.

One of the biggest problems that I and many other celiac people have is the eating problem outside of the home. While this problem is hardly felt in big cities such as Istanbul, it is very difficult or almost impossible to find a gluten-free option in any place other than home for individuals with celiac disease living in small cities such as Edirne. Although there are naturally gluten-free foods in many places, these foods become unconsumable by celiac patients due to gluten cross-contamination during their preparation or service. For this reason, the owners of the places and the individuals working in the spaces must have knowledge about celiacs.

Aa Are You A Celiac Patient?

Another difficulty I faced when I was diagnosed with celiac disease was to explain to everyone about celiac disease, which is one of the big problems that children with celiac disease suffer as I mentioned above. Something was generally served when entering a social environment. I was generally refusing because most of these treats contain gluten. In cases where I refused, I was subject to frequent insistence. In this case, I stated that I had celiac disease and was on a gluten-free diet. When I said I had celiac disease, I was first met with a pitying look, and then a thousand and one questions. The constant repetition of this situation inevitably disturbs the person, and the constant effort to explain himself / herself is tiring.

As a result, although the studies aimed at raising public awareness and public awareness on celiac disease have increased in recent years, they are still insufficient. It is of great importance for the Ministry of Health to carry out more comprehensive studies on this disease and to train food and beverage businesses and employees in terms of raising awareness of the society.

          Dietician Can Kocakurt