I am one of those people that is on a gluten free diet, but I'm not doing it to be a part of a new health craze. When I eat something that has gluten in it, even if it's a minuscule amount, I feel pain and sickness that most people cannot imagine. I didn't figure it out until I was 18 years old and a freshman in college, and in hindsight it made complete sense. A major downside of finding out when I was 18 is that I already had established eating habits. Imagine being away from home for the first time (for an extended period I mean) and finding out that you have to completely re-work your diet.

Anyway, here are some of the struggles I go through being gluten intolerant. Feel the pain!

1. It feels like Gluten is in EVERYTHING.

Now I am exaggerating just a tad. But I feel as though this generation is particularly bad at looking at the ingredients on nutrition labels. Like, you know the teeny tiny font that they put on there that they don't want you to read, but put on anyway so that no one can sue them? Well the more research I did, I figured out that there is something that the nutrition label does not tell you. Thinking about it, it is pretty obvious. Each ingredient they list is usually made up of other things. Very often, gluten is one of those other things. So even if it doesn't say gluten is an ingredient, you need to avoid it if it doesn't actually say 'Gluten Free' in big, bold letters.

2. Eating out is nearly impossible.

Now I will admit that this has gotten better in the almost five years that I have been dealing with this. The number of restaurants that have become conscious of allergens in their food options has greatly increased. But in the past when I would ask the host or waiter (in my polite voice as my parents raised me to) if there were gluten free options, I would get a blank stare. Most people don't actually know what the word 'gluten' means. So I would have to explain the whole thing, and more often than not I would be told I could get a dry salad with no croutons. Now I don't mind eating salad, but...you know. Sometimes you just want a nice greasy pizza.

3. You can only eat so much pasta made out of corn or rice.

Whenever someone complains about gluten free food it's usually about the texture. When it comes to corn based or rice based pasta I sort of agree. It filled the void and gave me something to eat on Friday's during Lent, but the texture just is not the same. Sometimes, it does not reheat well at all. I am so glad that they now make pasta made from potato and rice, because it actually has the same (well similar) texture and consistency of regular pasta.

4. Most people don't think it's a real medical condition.

This is one of the most aggravating things to me. To me it is ridiculous for someone to say 'oh, your food allergy/intolerance is not real. It's all in your head.' If that is your opinion, of course you are entitled to it. But why do people need to stick their nose where it does not belong? Do I judge you on the amount of wings you eat on Superbowl Sunday? No, so shut your mouth.

5. Dessert. Just Dessert.

When I want dessert, or some delicious pastry regardless of the time of day, I cannot just walk into a bakery and pick whatever I want. Well, there's one bakery near where I live that does that for gluten free cupcakes. Everything else has to ordered a week in advance or I have to bake it myself. I don't mind baking, it's actually one of my favorite things to do. But when all I want is one, maybe two, cupcakes I have to bake at least a dozen. When the rest of my family is going through the drive-through at Dunkin' Donuts I sit there and eat my previously frozen donuts.

6. You feel like you complicate every social gathering.

I have gone out to dinner, or gone to parties, and whoever organized the event will look at me with an utter look of shock. Why? Because when they invited me they forgot to account for my gluten free diet. Next thing I know they are all apologies because they did not remember, and I feel embarrassed that they are so worked up. I have gotten to the point that I make sure I bring my own food with me whenever I go to a party because I have no idea what to expect. I do not want to feel like a burden but I do need to eat when I go places. It's just very awkward.

7. There's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

It's a huge inconvenience, but there's nothing you can do to change it. Eventually you get used to how things are, and eventually the food industry will have to adapt. I complained a lot in the beginning, but there are so many more important things in the world. Why worry when I can make the necessary changes and then move on?