For teenagers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, coping with social issues surrounding the gluten-free diet can be tougher than dealing with teenage celiac school issues.
Most teen social events involve food — think fast food after school or snacks at a game or gathering — so opportunities to cheat or accidentally slip up on the diet abound.
Even if that doesn't occur, the possibility of cross contamination that can lead to symptoms is ever-present. And of course, many teens date, which poses its own set of issues when you're gluten-free.
Negotiating these various situations can give celiac/gluten intolerant teens good practice for college and adulthood. Here are some tips you can use to cope.
1. Eating Out
Teenagers go out to eat ... and some go out a lot. This obviously can pose problems for teens with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, but there are ways to cope.
Your best bet is to encourage your friends to choose gluten-free-friendly restaurants. Gluten-free menu options at chain restaurants have improved significantly in recent years, and you'll even find a few possible choices at some fast-food restaurants.
Of course, coffee bars offer some options as well, since many coffee-based drinks are gluten-free. And, you often can enjoy ice cream or frozen yogurt out, since many flavors are safe.
2. Teen Parties
Teen parties — whether they're a sleepover for close friends or a huge school gathering — often feature copious amounts of gluten-based foods, including pizza, fast food, gluten-y cookies and other goodies.
Since you obviously can't indulge without risking a major reaction, this is a case where you'll simply need plenty of willpower ... that, plus a stash of gluten-free snacks you enjoy. A package of chips in your bag can save you from hunger pangs when everyone else is noshing on gluten foods.
If you're attending a slumber party, you'll obviously need more food than just chips — consider bringing your favorite gluten-free frozen pizza to cook in your host's oven. Then, if everyone else orders pizza, you won't feel left out. You also can get your own carry-out pizza if you're lucky enough to have a local gluten-free pizza restaurant.
Fortunately, most sodas are gluten-free, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding something you can drink at any party.
3. Dating
When you start to date, you'll need to consider multiple new questions involving your celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Should you tell your date? If so, when? And what happens if he or she wants to kiss you or become intimate?
You shouldn't worry about telling your date — the gluten-free diet is becoming mainstream, and most people know someone who eats gluten-free already. In many cases, your date will be someone you know from school or your various activities, so he or she likely already will realize you're gluten-free.
As far as kissing goes: Yes, you can get glutened from kissing if the person's been eating gluten, drinking something gluten-y or even wearing gluten-based makeup. That does kill the spontaneity, unfortunately, but there's really no way around it. Many partners of gluten-free people (even teenagers) eat gluten-free themselves during dates (and skip the lipstick) for just that reason.
4. Risks of Cutting Corners
If you don't get horrible symptoms from gluten ingestion, it's tempting to start cheating on the diet in high school. You're out from under your parents' thumb, your friends all are enjoying gluten foods ... and you can get away with it.
Here's where you need willpower. Cheating on the gluten-free diet can wreck your health — if not now, in the future.
People with celiac disease who cheat risk perpetual low-grade health issues, even if they don't notice every instance of gluten ingestion. They also risk developing additional autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, along with osteoporosis, infertility and even cancer in rare instances.
You may feel fine now, even though you're continuing to consume gluten foods. But that may not continue forever. Your health can go downhill fast if you continue cheating.
