1: Listening to the wrong person for advice
Gluten is a hot topic in the world of food and health and everyone wants in. As wonderful as that height in awareness is, they are not doing their homework properly. Medical doctors and common bloggers alike, they read an article or two on the internet and then begin to re-tweet, re-post, re-spread the bad information they read.
Social media makes this "misinformation wildfire syndrome" all too easy. Within seconds of someone tweeting something it can be spread to millions of people in tens of modalities. The most dangerous part of this is that when someone seeking information keeps seeing the same information over and over (including by medical doctors posting) then they naturally assume the information is accurate. Most of the time it is not.
2: Thinking that Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity are the same
People who have Celiac Disease are intolerant to gluten but you don't necessarily have to have Celiac Disease to be gluten sensitive. The medical community now even has a separate term for it: NCGS (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). Both lead to severe health issues and higher rates of mortality.
3: Comparing Celiac Disease/Gluten Sensitivity to common allergies
Celiac Disease is not like dairy or shellfish intolerance. Gluten reaction doesn't mean your lips will swell for a few hours after ingesting gluten or getting a stomach cramp for an hour; it causes a serious degeneration of your life while on earth and that time will be shorter than it naturally would be if gluten wasn't involved.
4: Thinking that it is a disease that appears overnight
Celiac Disease remains in silent stage for years (that's where you want to keep it forever!) You don't "get" Celiac Disease or NCGS the way you get poisoned with salmonella. Gluten is there, lingering, festering, fermenting, and killing you slowly. AND can be stopped!
5: Accepting that "gluten free" on labels actually means gluten free
"Certified gluten free" doesn't necessarily mean the food is gluten free. The same way "fat free" doesn't actually mean fat free most of the time. Clever lawyers, massive legal loopholes, and mega food manufacturers tied in with government is what makes this possible. And it is the reason Celiacs often say "but I am eating gluten free, why don't I feel well, why am I not getting better?"
6: Comparing symptoms to other Celiacs or online lists and ruling it out
Your reaction will be as unique as your fingerprint. For some it hits their glandular system and they have thyroid issues and are dealing with obesity - cramps & bloating nowhere in sight. It's different for everyone. Don't make that common mistake of going online and ruling out Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity just because the symptoms you are suffering are different from what you find online. You don't want to wait until your food issue graduates to cancer or MS or a myriad of other diseases that are far worse.
7: Trusting test results that didn't involve DNA
If you have tested negative via blood test, know that it's not accurate the way genetic testing is. The average Celiac goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for 11 years. You want genetic testing for Celiac Disease and specific anti-body testing (with a doctor who understands gluten well) for Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity.
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