Recently I experienced a really nasty Gluten attack. It could happen to you too, even if you ate in a restaurant that specialises in gluten free, or are traveling on public transport, planes, trains etc, that cater for GI people, and why? Simply because we have no legislation in the health food industry to protect us. All I did was eat a supposed GF free biscuit.

I’ve run a health food business and know how busy you can be, and how easy it would be for a supposed gluten free product to slip through the GI radar. But that’s no excuse for being slack when a serious health allergy is involved.

This slip-up happened because the warning was written in small print on the packet, and said that the contents may contain seeds. After falling very ill, I can assure others that they were right about the seeds. And that in all probability the offending seeds must have been millet. Not long ago while surfing the celiac forums on the net, I read where some say they are able to tolerate millet and even oats. Really strange as oats and millet both read as low gluten substances. Yet these people say they can tolerate them, and again why? Because clearly there is a definite rating in each person’s immune system. Some high others low. A theory backed up by many health specialists /medicos. All very well and good but where does that leave us, if we’re left at the mercy of gluten free food retailers and food outlets that include these border line foods in supposed GF foods they are selling? What if their customer has a high allergic rating, rather than a low one?

In two words. very sick! What has to happen to squash this from being an on going heath pitfall for GI sufferers is some sort of legislation within the food industry. If any supposed GF food is rated as low then its taboo. If you’re allergic then thats it, end of line. It is my belief we should be treated the same as those with peanut allergies. Truth here is sometimes there are slow deaths, and quick deaths, due to allergic reactions. And we must protect ourselves as best we can so we don’t fall into that equation.

After falling sick last Friday; I’ve been able in hindsight to list the Gluten allergy as it happens over hours. Unlike nut allergy people who know straight away they have eaten peanuts and begin going into an anaphylactic attack. But when we are under allergic gluten attack, we are unaware initially of our allergy, as our digestive system is slower in responding.

Thought this might be of help to other GI sufferers if I list how I experienced this last attack.

My first symptom of feeling a bit off colour, along with a feeling of heat beginning to spread through my body was about three hours after ingesting a supposed GF free corn biscuit. And about one hour later was followed by a second symptom of an over whelming need to run to the loo. Third symptom within minutes, happened while making a rush to the loo. It was when I stood up I realised I was finding it increasingly hard to walk in a straight line.

I actually lost my balance. Fourth symptom is shooting stomach pains, quickly followed by fifth symptom. This one for me is the worst, and is experienced as dizziness, once it moves in it stays until you’re forced to lie down. But still the dizzy feeling continues, really upsetting. All you can do is fall into bed pull the covers over your head, and pray to get better. But not before you’ve made sure a bowl is close at hand. Even though I’m fortunate in having a homeopath husband who kept squirting remedies into my mouth to ease the attack. I still secretly wished the grim reaper would decide it was my time. Truly you feel that bad. On waking next day I knew I was on the mend, but still felt bit wonky and slightly nauseous. Loose bowels followed, until next day constipation set in and became problem for next week. Seems once gluten his infiltrated our allergic bodies it simply doesn’t want to leave.

Well hope that helps others, the really terrible part is there is no accredited medicine you can take to ease the awful symptoms. Recall I mentioned that there are twenty-two yards of intestine for our food to wander through. Oh happy days Gluten free sufferers, Bye for now.