The Eye Roll Effect?: Does anyone else feel like... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,799 members161,618 posts

The Eye Roll Effect?

Cooper27 profile image
20 Replies

Does anyone else feel like their dietary choices must make the world roll their eyes at them?

Someone kindly came to my desk to offer me some gluten free cheesecake, because they know I avoid gluten, which I had to turn down due to lactose intolerance. I'm wondering what everyone around me must think when I come out with stuff like that... Do you ever feel like that?

Written by
Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
20 Replies

I keep getting offered gluten-free bread and cakes which I refuse because they are highly processed. I would have refused the cheesecake on the grounds that it is processed junk food, so yes, I feel your pain.

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27 in reply to Angel_of_the_North

The cheesecake was homemade, so not overly processed at least :)

I found out people are scared to cook for me now, thanks to my dietary needs :D I've eased up a bit on food rules when other people are involved, just no gluten and no dairy when they're involved.

BadHare profile image
BadHare in reply to Cooper27

I’ve eaten some horrible things out of politeness though usually say thanks but no thanks to things I know will make me ill. My friends know I’m cranky, & anyone else can think what they like. 🤗

Miffie profile image
Miffie

I am sorry you feel this way, I myself have no dietary intolerances, nor do I have any autoimmune issues. I do have friends who are gluten free and cannot have lactose, some are vegetarian others vegan. I never have any problem making to suit people no matter what they need to do. I would happily make and enjoy with you gluten and dairy free treats which are not necessarily over processed. I hope your friends soon come to accept you are still a person, just need to be careful. Take care.

PS had to edit spelling.

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27 in reply to Miffie

That's very kind of you to go out of your way like that :)

Miffie profile image
Miffie in reply to Cooper27

I don’t think it is out of the way, friends do stuff together. x

greygoose profile image
greygoose

I am not gluten-intolerant, and have no problem with dairy, but I went completely vegetarian once, in Paris, in the late 1990s - for humanitarian reasons, not health reasons, and because I just stopped liking meat. It worried people so much! In restaurants I found the waiters got really concerned when I asked them not to put the lardons in my salad, and things like that. And people were always asking me what I did eat for goodness sakes then? Not believing that I wouldn't drop dead on the spot from lack of nourishment. I once went to a kebab stand and asked for a chip and salad sandwich, and ended up discussing my food choices with the guy making the sandwiches for over half an hour, while my sandwich got cold - he was really very worried about me. Friends said they would love to invite me to dinner but what could possibly they give me to eat??? Life got really difficult, so I ended up making concessions here and there, for the sake of others, rather than myself. It wasn't so much intolerance of my food choices, it was more like complete bafflement, they just didn't understand.

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot in reply to greygoose

Ha ha love it. It made me smile. I lived in France for years and know what reactions you would have had!

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase

I wouldn’t worry about it. I had a neighbour who used to roll her eyes and be pretty passive aggressive about providing gluten free stuff for me. She did it but in a way that made it clear that I a real nuisance, a hypochondriac and a weirdo into the bargain. She was seriously mean about it believe me. Her problem I think was mainly because I’m not coeliac but I did it to try and reduce my thyroid antibodies (it worked).

Even before I was GF myself I used to cater for a big event -300+ people to get an afternoon tea - I also did sit down two course lunches for 30+ people but I everything for the lunches was totally GF.

For the afternoon teas I contacted the organisers of all the groups who would be attending and asked for any allergies or special diets and catered for them all individually - I never thought it was a problem.

You could always tell your friends when you get invited somewhere what you can and can’t eat and either make suggestions or offer to bring your own if need be. Once they’ve done it once they will realise it isn’t really difficult and your food can taste so good that people are unlikely to realise it’s different in any way.

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27 in reply to Fruitandnutcase

My partner is coeliac, and I've generally just taken to saying I avoid gluten for his sake (so I don't get him sick). It's easier than explaining why I avoid it for myself.

The new guy next to me must think I'm a Goop subscriber :D

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator

All the time!

I’m a pescatarian by choice, plus am GF and DF to try and reduce caused inflammation by Hashimotos. It’s not easy with Christmas parties coming up. I often find it easier to invite guests to dinner at my home or just say I’m happy with a salad or vegan option.

I would like a recipe for a good GF plus DF cake if anyone has a favourite to post- I’ve tried a couple but they’ve been a bit dry!

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27 in reply to Buddy195

I've only just realised I'm lactose intolerant, so I'll be trying dairy free things over Christmas. Butter is low lactose though, so I'll probably use some of that.

Check out there free from section on Doves farm's website - they have lots of recipes, and I've never had a problem baking their cakes.

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator in reply to Cooper27

Will definitely give that a try, thanks 👍

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to Buddy195

I’ve just made my first Christmas cake in over thirty years. I’m using the Doves Farm recipe for that and I use their Victoria sandwich recipe too. Got a feeling I’ve maybe not used as much mixed spice as it asked for in the Christmas cake but I noticed someone wished they had used more so it could be that.

I like the NOSH series of recipe books too and use their baking. But generally I tend to make sponges or things like lemon drizzle cakes just by substituting GF flour for regular flour in normal recipes.

I’ve use recipes from the Coeliac U.K. site too.

I’ve also got a little Good Housekeeping book called Gluten Free and Easy that cost £4.99 and it’s good too. Often though I just look online and if a recipe gets lots of good comments I’ll give it a try.

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator in reply to Fruitandnutcase

Thank you so much for the links. I’m just looking up the Christmas cake recipe now! 👍😊

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to Buddy195

Hope it tastes ok. I washed and dried the cherries completely before I started the cake and I also cut them into quarters and I can see that they didn’t sink.

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Thirty three years being wholefood vegetarian, & still having to explain fish are not vegetables, &/or I don’t eat things with a face or anus. Then there’s the set to’s with vegans because I’m not committed enough as I eat dairy & didn’t actually die on a plant based diet, (& heaven forbid mentioning I take NDT), plus the constant diatribe about not eating enough protein &/or lacking micronutrients. Sigh...

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to BadHare

Thought of you in Waitrose this afternoon. There is a little branch near where my other half works and they do a really good GF breaded cod that I like every now and again for a lazy Saturday night tea.

Unfortunately for the last two weeks they have been sold out. I asked a boy who was shelf stacking and he couldn’t see any either but suggested I try the vegan cabinet! He seemed quite surprised when I told him vegans didn’t eat fish. 😉

Cooper27 profile image
Cooper27 in reply to BadHare

I always found it funny that some religions say no meat on Friday's, therefore everyone eats fish :D

Oh goodness yes! All my life! Im a very fussy vegetarian, i have issues with foods of a certain taste and texture as well as intolerances, so i all my life i have had to deal with the eye rolls, comments, the embarresment of going for a meal or to a party and not being able to eat anything off the menu or spread that has been put on. What makes it worse is that im overweight, so i get comments like "i thought vegetarians were meant to be skinny" or " what DO YOU eat?" I totally get where you are coming from. I hope other shared experiences on here, give you some comfort and support.

Regards

You may also like...

How many people are effectively treated with levothyroxine alone?

it, going a month or so gluten and dairy free before relapsing, usually due to stress. (I'm still...

Roll on bed time

Thinking of going Private for eyes

This is like a living hell and need some quality care asap. 3 months of meds and I feel like I am...

Twitching running eye...

definitely feel it. Yesterday it was watering and running all morning. Think it might be dry eye....

Problems with one eye only?

anyone with Hypo have problems with one eye only? My right eye gets blurry during the day off and...