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    Home » Lifestyle

    5 ways my Celiac Diagnosis was like the Covid-19 Pandemic

    Published: Aug 21, 2020 · Modified: Feb 18, 2023 by Jamie · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    I know I’m not the only one who found similarities between living with COVID-19 and avoiding gluten. These similarities can help us explain our needs to friends and family. Plus, taking the time to notice silver linings of the pandemic can help us cope with these difficult times.

    Keep reading for similarities and tips for communicating your needs to others!

    Stay at Home sign

    My Celiac Diagnosis and Pandemic Checklist:

    1. Get a puppy

    When diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2011, I realized I was going to spend a lot more time at home. I had no idea how to eat safely gluten-free at restaurants and I generally did not feel well. Home needed to be a place I looked forward to spending a lot of time… so I got a puppy! 

    Related: How to Eat Gluten-Free at Restaurants

    Me and my dog enjoying a snack on the beach

    Did you notice a ton of new puppies in your social feed after the pandemic ‘stay at home’ orders? I didn’t get Ms. Kaia a new friend (yet), but it certainly crossed my mind a few times.

    2. Make your own food

    Nearly 10 years after my diagnosis, I still make most of my own food from scratch. Partly because I learned to love the self-care process of making gluten-free food, but also because there are only a few restaurants I feel safe visiting.

    With restaurants closed and the risk of take out, it seems the world has jumped on our bandwagon during the pandemic.

    Rice paper wraps with tangy peanut sauce

    3. Wash your hands A LOT

    When I arrive home from anywhere, the first thing I do is wash my hands. I established this habit to avoid bringing gluten into my home. Years later, it turns out this is the best way to keep the virus out of your home, too.

    Hand washing

    4. Avoid airborne flour/virus

    I stopped visiting bakeries when I began my strict gluten-free diet, but if I did visit one, I’d want a mask! Although I’d read that airborne flour could cause problems for Celiacs, I didn’t believe it until I had a few reactions myself early on.

    Flour has a sneaky way of lingering in the air, just like the coronavirus, so being mindful of the air around me is not an entirely new practice.

    Chef using flour

    5. Clean surfaces frequently

    If you share your kitchen with gluten-eaters, there’s a good chance you already clean surfaces daily. Even in my 100% gluten-free kitchen, I wipe down the table and kitchen counter after I unpack new groceries.

    Now with the pandemic, wiping down door handles and common surfaces is a part of the ‘new normal’.

    Cleaning the sink

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    How to use the Pandemic to explain your Gluten Free diet

    Share this post with family and friends.

    For some reason, seeing information on the internet seems to have a greater impact than just me saying it… even if I wrote it myself!

    Point out similarities that are specific to you.

    Do you avoid touching public surfaces with gluten exposure? While I enjoy going to bars with friends, I avoid touching the beer-sticky tables as much as possible! Use your shared pandemic experiences to explain to friends how you avoid gluten.

    >> Do you feel that avoiding gluten primed you for pandemic safety measures? What would you add?

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    5 ways my Celiac Diagnosis was like the COVID-19 pandemic

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