“Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day.” – Exodus 16:4

World Communion Sunday is always the first Sunday of October. James, our grandson, led the scripture reading about God making manna rain on the Israelites for forty years at our service last Sunday.

Wheat and barley might have made for great bread in Biblical times, according to Ezekiel 4:9, but my doctor says that I can’t eat it.

Today’s wheat is yet another of the many genetically modified food products in our diets and while many enjoy wheat, for me, it’s poison.

But it wasn’t always that way. I was fine in 2003. Everyone was happy and well, even my business, by then over 20 years old, had turned the corner. I’d added a few pounds, but nothing a good tailor couldn’t disguise. Besides, successful white men are supposed to have “fuller features,” it’s their reward for hard work. I was healthy and active, carrying my own clubs on the golf course, even wearing sunscreen most days.

In fact, it seemed the more golf I played, the more weight I lost. Retirement would be a dream. I’d play more golf and live to be 100.

But my weight kept dropping! Now the tailor had a different job as I started to look more like the “before” picture for a weight gain supplement ad than a business tycoon.

“Go to the doc!” my worried wife said. He shared her concern and began sending me to specialists for every test under the sun. It’s nice to have caring professionals … and medical insurance.

“Good news,” he said. “It’s none of the bad stuff. What you’ve got is called Celiac Disease. You won’t die from it – as long as you do what I say.”

I was told to eat anything I wanted – so long as it didn’t have: wheat, oats, rye, or barley on the label.

That didn’t sound too bad, after all, I was in the food business with access to millions of different food products the average shopper doesn’t even know about. But until my diagnosis, all I cared about was taste, not labels. Then I began to look at the labels. I found gluten in many of the things I enjoyed. Not just bread, cake, and pizza. For example, soy sauce lists wheat as the first ingredient.

Going out to eat was harder. I’d ask the server about gluten (remember, it’s 2003). They’d say, “I’ll ask the cook. Want some bread while you wait?”

Today it’s different. Stores are full of GF products. Our church even offers GF communion.

Restaurants now have special menus, or little symbols to identify various allergens.

So what’s going on?

Either people had Celiac all along (doubtful, they would have died), or we’re getting smarter, or our food is getting worse, with ever more processing in factories.

So for me, I’ll stick with unprocessed proteins, fruits and vegetables, and skip the manna.

To be sure, there are those who just choose to be gluten free. That’s their choice, but as I say, if you’re Celiac, it’s not a choice, It’s a way to stay alive (and make it to 100).

Who do you know with Celiac Decease? We’re 1 in 100, so I’d bet you know someone. Or maybe you know people who have chosen a GF lifestyle, why did they do that?.

What about other food allergies? There are 170 foods reported to cause allergic reactions. Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and crustacean shellfish are the most common. Do you know friends with any of those?

So there you have it. For me, Celiac is a vicissitude. It builds character and mades me special (deep inside my gut).

As always the conversation starts here.

“In the ordinary choices of every day we begin to change the direction of our lives.” – Eknath Easwaran
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Epilogue

Here’s a “must watch” video if you need help understanding this confusing disease.