When we found out Betsy had coeliac disease we all had to re-educate ourselves about food. You see coeliac disease is not just about the food you eat – it’s how it’s prepared, cooked, served and stored.
We quickly learnt that it’s not just about being #glutenfree – it’s also not a life choice if you want to keep yourself healthy and well. We also became accustomed to the word ‘contamination’ which perhaps sounds a little intense to those people who don’t understand the disease but it’s the difference between Betsy being healthy or very unwell.
Our kitchen soon became re-ordered, allowing for space in cupboards for trays, toasters, pasta, cereal and bread plus in the fridge/freezer a shelf for butter, jam, gluten free chips and chicken nuggets – just for Betsy to have and use and also so that we all know this food hasn’t been contaminated with gluten! You see the slightest bit of gluten in Betsy’s diet could make her feel rotten. We can’t use the same butter we’d use for ourselves or use the same knife we’d butter our bread with plus any food we cook for her has to be placed on a separate tray at the top of the oven – just to make sure that no gluten comes into contact with her own food.
This wasn’t just an education for us but for all our family and friends, Betsy’s school and any other club/activity that Betsy wanted to join or attend. Luckily for support, and a bible of foods she can have and recipes we can use, we have Coeliac UK which has been an absolute life saver! We signed up as members to the charity the moment Betsy got diagnosed and they’ve been so helpful. We have a fantastic app which we can use to scan food and check whether it has rye, wheat or barley in it. The app even gives a smiley or not so smiley face which Betsy herself can use to scan food to find out whether she can have it or not.
Believe it or not it’s not just food that contains gluten – who would have thought playdough even contains it? All this was quite hard for Betsy to take in at 4 years old, especially as she was diagnosed with coeliac disease in her first term at school. Being invited to parties was a real struggle for her at first. She didn’t like being different and having her own box of food and she definitely didn’t like missing out on those ‘party ring’ biscuits!
Simple food treats and restaurant chains in this country are out of the question for people like Betsy who have coeliac disease. We can’t do a Mc Donald’s, KFC or Burger King or any food at Starbucks, Costa or Nero (Betsy loves a babyccino!). Betsy has found this hard at her age to take in and accept. However, that said things are getting better and we’ve already noticed a difference in the last two years of more places offering a gluten free meal and asking you before you even sit down if anyone has any allergies.
Europe however is much better and when we do go on holiday to Madeira we regularly have to visit Mc Donald’s for those gluten free happy meals! Here’s hoping that over time both our supermarkets and restaurants start to catch up with our European friends.
Although Betsy has struggled with being diagnosed as coeliac from a very early age we are also very grateful. The treatment for coeliac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten free diet and an early diagnosis helps to minimise the risk of long term complications.
It can take between six months and up to five years (and in some cases longer) for the gut damage caused by eating gluten to fully heal. Life for Betsy being coeliac has had some highs and lows so far but we’re all proud of how Betsy has come to terms with it all.
It’s been a tough journey but she’s been amazing and determined throughout and as I always say – #ThisGirlCan!
Find out more about coeliac disease and why it’s more than just being gluten free by reading my blog posts here: Betsy becomes a coeliac and Living Gluten Free – #ThisGirlCan📣
This is it – time to #RunForBoo
Last year I ran 70 miles in July, 80 miles in August, 90 miles in September and 100 miles in October – finishing off by running the Great South Run virtually around Farnham due to it being cancelled because of bad weather. I ran 340 miles in total!
I rolled my entree over to this year – so, on Sunday 19 October, I will be running my favourite run, around my favourite place ‘Pompey’ at the #GreatSouthRun2025.
As well as running, I’m giving up the alcohol this October to continue raising awareness of Coeliac UK and how it’s not just about being gluten free!!
I haven’t been boring you with daily updates as this year training has been hard! Life has been busy but on top of this the perimenopause has kicked in and my muscles and bones have just found running even harder! But I’m A very determined girl and as I like to say – #ThisGirlCan!
Feel free to follow me on Strava and give me some Kudos plus if you would like to sponsor me again this year and support Coeliac UK you can do so here: AJBell Great South Run Fundraising page: Claris Lamport. Thank you!! 💙💙💙😘
#KeepOnRunning #MummyClaris #BetsyBoo #CoeliacUK
#MyWorld 