Saturday, May 23, 2015

Muddy water

Check out the list of allergens at the end of the ingredients--and then note the
GLUTEN FREE message on the bottom left of the label. Sheesh!

If navigating the waters of celiac disease weren’t difficult enough already, along comes a salad dressing bottle with a label that makes me question the meaning of life. (Okay, perhaps it wasn’t all that significant. But the label, which was glued to a bottle of Key Foods Creamy Caesar Dressing, did make me throw up my hands in frustration while my naked salad waited shamefully for a decision.)

There are times when, even though I think I’m doing everything right regarding my gluten-free diet, I still become sick. And sometimes I stay sick for days, analyzing every bite I’ve taken, experimenting to find the right combination of foods that will heal and nourish me (and allow me to carry on with my busy life with adequate energy--and without the constant need to rubberneck for the nearest restroom).


The confusing label on that bottle of dressing is a fitting symbol for the struggle that people with celiac disease live with every day. Too often the water is completely muddy when it comes to the next bite of food that we should or should not put in our mouths, making mealtime a frustrating experience.