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Why Coeliac Isn’t a Trend: A Personal Perspective

A stylised claymation-style figure of an angry man with a beard, mouth open mid-shout, set against a blue background with bold text above him that reads, “Coeliac Disease is Not a Trend.”

Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t understand?

That being coeliac is not a trend, a fad, or some phase I’ll grow out of. It’s not a quirky lifestyle choice, a diet I picked up because a celebrity swore off gluten and now feels “so much lighter.” No, my body just straight-up malfunctions when I eat gluten. My immune system doesn’t just get mildly annoyed—it launches a full-scale attack on my intestines like they personally offended it.

And yet, I still get people saying, “Oh, are you still doing that gluten-free thing?” as if one day, I might just decide, “You know what? I miss chronic fatigue and nutrient deficiencies. Let’s bring those back!” Or worse, “Have you tried reintroducing gluten to see if you’re really that sensitive?” Oh yes, brilliant idea. Let me just poison myself for science.

A stylised claymation-style figure of an angry man with a beard, mouth open mid-shout, set against a blue background with bold text above him that reads, “Coeliac Disease is Not a Trend.”
When people treat your autoimmune condition like a fad diet—yeah, this is the face you make.

Then there are the people who say, “I tried going gluten-free once, but the food was awful.” Well, Karen, if I only ate the first sad, dry loaf of gluten-free bread I found, I’d think the same thing. But when you have to eat this way, you actually put effort into finding decent food. It’s not 2005 anymore—gluten-free food has come a long way! But it still requires research—something you clearly didn’t do in your seven-day wellness experiment.

So no, this isn’t a phase. It’s not a choice. And while I totally get that gluten-free life is confusing for those who don’t live it, a little awareness goes a long way. Because believe me, if I could eat gluten, I’d be first in line for a proper croissant, probably weeping with joy as I inhaled it. But instead, I’m writing this rant because someone said something once again that utterly irritated the hell out of me, which I’ve had to hear for the hundredth time.

Anyway, rant over. I feel much better now—until the next time someone asks if I’m just doing this for “health reasons.” 😂


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5 responses to “Why Coeliac Isn’t a Trend: A Personal Perspective”

  1.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    To anyone who thinks I only eat GF because it is trendy

    then I wish them a months eating only the GF toast at Premier Inn!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ben Haggerty Avatar

      Never thought of it that way. You do need a lack of taste buds to enjoy their toast don’t you. 😂

      Like

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    what bothers me the most is having starve most of the day when out shopping and nowhere has a single GF option! Headed to Bluewater yesterday and besides having a meal in Nando’s there was not a single GF option in any of the other food chains. Frustrated, I ended up with cucumber and houmous from Pret!

    Liked by 1 person

  3.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    People generally can only understand what they have experienced themselves.

    So awareness on coeliac would be welcome.

    I got ptsd and chronic pain that even doctors do not take seriously. That’s a different subject. And it puts me in danger.

    Liked by 1 person

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    When people say ‘a little bit won’t hurt… Yes it will!

    Like

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