traveling

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:04 pm

My husband and I leave tomorrow for a 4-day trip to southern California to visit my 94-year-old mother. She's in assisted living in the retirement community that she and Dad moved to in 2001.

I'm kind of nervous about this. Although I have traveled some since getting MC, this is my first trip since discovering food intolerances and having a limited diet. I've been GF since October, and DF and mostly SF since January 1. (I still take my vitamin D, which are in soy oil.) We will be eating some meals with Mom in the main dining room of the retirement center, so I won't have much opportunity to ask for special things. Fortunately, they have a salad bar, and I can tolerate salad, so that is an option.

Please pray that this trip would go well, both MC-wise, and visiting-Mom-wise. I have a good relationship with her, so that's not a problem, but she tires easily, doesn't talk much, and is in a lot of pain from arthritis and osteoporosis.

On a positive note, I found some GF, DF, SF chocolate chips!!! And my granddaughter's birthday party was yesterday, and her other grandma made a GF cake so I could eat it. She has also gone GF. She has thyroid problems, and when I told her all that I have learned about gluten and its insidious effects on all sorts of things, including thyroid, she decided to go GF. She says she can tell a difference when she eats some gluten.

Thanks, all of you, for your unflagging kindness and support.

Post by **tex** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:17 pm

Martha,

I hope your trip goes well, and you'll be able to find some safe foods to eat. Remember that if worse comes to worse, and you have to make a choice among the lessor of several evils, dairy and soy may cause worse short term symptoms, (battery acid D, etc.), but they aren't as likely to cause long-term intestinal damage, the way that gluten can, because their antibodies have a much shorter half-life than anti-gliadin antibodies.

At least the weather should be decent here, by departure time tomorrow.

Tex

TooManyHats · Post by **TooManyHats** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 3:32 pm

I hope your trip goes well and that you will update us.

Good to know Tex! Thank you!!

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:51 pm

Martha,

I haven't been to CA since on this diet, but I have travelled a bit recently without difficulty. The key is to do your homework and google restaurants and stores that offer products you can use. I know southern CA has lots of GF options (lots of kids on GF/CF diets in CA). I met the chair of the San Diego Celiac Society a while back and she said there are many options. Take some supplies with you just in case. Are you driving or flying?

Mary Beth

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:13 pm

We're flying.
I know there's a Trader Joe's not too far away, so I'll go over there and see if I can pick up some supplies. I'm packing safe stuff to eat on the plane.

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:28 pm

Good luck.

My Mom's assisted living place did make me plain chicken and a baked potato when I ate there. It doesn't hurt to ask.

hoosier1 · Post by **hoosier1** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:53 pm

Hi Martha,

I am going to San Fran mid week. My 2011 travel schedule has had several flights already (some commercial, some charter). My advice... Olive Garden, Outback, and Bonefish Grill. They are very GF focused and cooperative to those who are dietary restricted. Also, I tend to go eat breakfast for lunch or dinner if I am in a hurry. I find a restaurant that can make me eggs, bacon, potato, and some fruit. Works pretty well, usually, for me.

Happy vibes for your trip!

Rich

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 7:08 pm

Hi Martha,

Keeping my fingers crossed that you'll have a safe and stress free trip to CA, and that you'll have a nice time visiting with your mom. Can't really add to the advise you've already received about how to manage with the MC.

I enjoyed the story about the gluten free cake - how nice of her to do that!!!

Love,
Kari

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 7:40 am

Enjoy your trip Martha and just see if you can get staples at Trader Joe's and be insistent when you eat out regarding cross contamination.

Love, Maggie

ant · Post by **ant** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:32 am

Dear Martha

Best of luck with your visit. I am sure they will let you bring in a pack of your own safe foods to heat up if they do not have flexibility 'in house'.

Best wishes, ant

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:32 am

Good luck, Martha! P.F. Chang's also has a GF menu and it's pretty tasty.

I always bring a carry-on suitcase full of my safe foods when I travel. In addition, I carry on a meal to eat on the plane. I spend several days preparing the foods for the trip.

Gloria

hoosier1 · Post by **hoosier1** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:56 am

Careful with the soy at PF Changs....

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:45 pm

Yes, the only GF item that doesn't contain soy or eggs at P.F. Changs is Philip's Lemon Chicken. There may be some fish items, but I don't eat fish so I didn't pay attention to them.

Gloria

TooManyHats · Post by **TooManyHats** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:02 pm

I emailed P F Chang's and they responded telling me that the only soy free dish was the Lemon Chicken mentioned above.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:29 am

I'm also GF/DF and "mostly soy free." I have found 2 brands of vitamin D made without soy - Trader Joe's 1000 IU softgels are made with olive oil. Carlson's 2000 IU softgels are made with safflower or sunflower oil. I often have meals that include GF soy sauce without any problem, including dishes at PF Changs. I attribute it to the fermentation and aging process modifying the soy proteins. Dr. Mercola is anti-soy for a number of reasons, but says fermented soy is perfectly safe and good for you. Must be something about the fermentation...but that's just MHO.