Gluten-Free Travel: September 2019

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Cruising Celiac Safe

Cruising Gluten-Free

When you live a Gluten-Free lifestyle traveling or eating out can be a bit tricky. Food becomes a real challenge. I’m the sort of person who accepts responsibility for me. I’m the only person responsible for my disease; I can’t blame that on anyone else. When others are preparing my food I’m cautious, I’m careful, but I don’t expect them to fully understand, or care, about my needs and I certainly don’t expect them to take responsibility for me. They may prepare my food but no-one forces me to bend my elbow and open my mouth. I accept those risks and forge bravely ahead in search of my next great vacation!

Cruising can one of the simplest, most cost effective ways to travel. And if you follow a Gluten-Free lifestyle it can also be the safest way to go. I’ve been cruising for 30 years now and I’ve been on most of the cruise lines at least once. They all do things a bit differently, but over the years they’ve certainly learned how to do Gluten-Free with class. And price-wise you can’t beat a cruise – a warm comfy bed, food nearly 24-hours a day, extraordinary entertainment, swimming pools, hot-tubs, dancing, library, movies, games, activities – all generally included in the price of your ticket. There are tons of ways you can spend your money once on board, but you don’t have to. If you only take advantage of all the complimentary options available you can still have an incredible vacation. PLUS…if you’re Gluten-Free you’ll be assigned an incredible Food Hero (my words, not theirs) to take care of you.

As soon as you book your cruise contact them online or by phone and speak to their Special Needs Customer Service. Let them know right away about your dietary restrictions. They may have a form they’ll want you to fill out…or they may just take your information over the phone. But let them know you’ve booked your cruise and that you’ll need to eat Gluten-Free. Every ship that I’ve ever been on has a dedicated, Dietary Restriction, kitchen with dedicated chefs and staff. If you eat in the Main Dining Room your food will always come from that kitchen. If you eat anywhere else on-board your food may come from that kitchen, or a secondary restricted area kitchen.

On the very first day of your trip, once you’ve gotten through all that boarding hoopla, all your bags will be taken away from you and you’ll be welcomed onto the ship. But you won’t be allowed into your room right away. So everyone heads up to the Lido Deck for some food and entertainment while waiting. This will probably be the riskiest 60-90 minutes of your entire cruise experience. But don’t panic yet! Even the Lido Deck Buffet can be navigated with a bit of caution. Iced Tea, Water, Lemonade, Hot Tea and Coffee are all complimentary and generally pretty safe. Everything on the Buffet is also complimentary…so take your time. I’ll normally hold the table while everyone else fills their plates first. They’re always much faster than me…so I wait…and watch to see what’s available. There’s almost always fresh fruit, cheese, deli meat, hard boiled eggs, lots of simple, basic options. I usually take mine from an undisturbed area or the back of the platter. That first day I don’t even bother with the hot food options. Everyone is just crazy busy so I like to wait until I can talk to someone who’s not overwhelmed with people. Once that first day rush is over don’t be afraid to ask to speak to a manager or chef. They’ll be better able to guide you to safe options you can enjoy.

Once you’ve been allowed into your rooms at some point they’ll deliver your bags. You’re allowed to pack things non-perishable if you want. I did that the very first time I cruised. I ended up taking it all back home with me when the cruise was done. So I’ve never bothered since. Now it’s just one box of protein bars so that I can carry one with me when we leave the ship. That’s it…I’ve never needed more. So unpack your bags, settle into your room and go explore the ship! It’s no secret that food is a major part of any cruise. And you’ll find tons of places to try…from tiny little coffee or sushi spots, casual BBQ or grill areas, mile long buffets, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, bakeries, all the way to formal dining and dating rooms. Most of it is complimentary, but be certain to ask before ordering. And not all of it is off-limits to Celiac’s or Gluten Intolerant. On many ships you’ll be able to find dedicated fryers, GF buns, pizza, cookies, breads; you name it, nearly all of it complementary. I’ve even purchased some tasty GF cupcakes straight from the bakery. They were a bit expensive, but so worth it. And don’t think you’re alone in your Gluten-Freeness. If the ship has 2,000 passengers then there are at least 20 others in the same boat with you; s0 don’t be shy, ask!

That first night you’ll want to eat in the Main Dining Room just so you can meet your own, personal, Food Hero. Nearly everything is complementary except for soda and alcohol. I prefer the Dining Room for dinner and breakfast anyway because I find the food is fresher and much better prepared. PLUS…I have my Hero available to me. Generally the dress code for the Main Dining Room is business casual or better. That means no flip-flops, bathing suits, shorts or t-shirts for dinner. In the morning they tend to be much more casual but they still discourage flip-flops and bathing suits. When you arrive at the Dining Room let them know who you are and that you’ll be eating Gluten-Free. They’ll be expecting you, but it’s nice to put a face to your name. Chances are you’ll all be escorted to your table and introduced to your Wait Staff. Every table has assigned Wait Staff, anywhere from 2-4 people depending on the size of the table. It’s one of the reasons I prefer to sit at the same table each night. Because when they know who you are they’ll be able to take better care of you. I can’t guarantee it will happen on every cruise line…it has on every one that I’ve ever been on…but this is where you’ll be introduced to your Food Hero for the cruise.

Food Heroes (often a Head Waiter or Maitre D') are specially trained in many types of dietary restrictions and they’re very familiar with all the menu items and many of the ingredients. That first night you’ll receive the menu along with everyone else. Lately, many ships are now clearly marking GF and DF choices right on the menu. Your Hero will guide you to choices that are available and already safely prepared just for you. Often times it’s as much as 50% of the menu choices. Every night they have standard ‘comfort’ choices available for the less adventurous. Then they have Starters – usually soups or hors d'oeuvres. They often have Didja’s for the more adventurous – such as frog legs, shark, alligator, snails and such. Main course choices cover everything from vegetarian to beef. And all of that is followed by some of the most decadent deserts you’ll ever find. And the menu changes every night.

When everyone has finished their meal, and you’re all enjoying dessert and coffee, your Hero will bring out the menu for the next evening. It varies from ship to ship – some have a selection of choices, others will make anything safe on the entire menu. They always ask me not to share the menu with anyone at the table; they love to keep the element of surprise for what’s next. You’ll also be asked if you’ll be eating breakfast at the Dining Room. Don’t worry if your plans change last minute…they simply want to be prepared for you should you show up for a meal. There are so many other food options available that you can try…I’m simply spoiled by the quality of the food in the Dining Room.

Unfortunately, when you leave the ship to explore one of the port stops you won’t be able to take your Hero with you. Grab one of those protein bars that you packed and enjoy your day. Many ports frown on you bringing fruit off the ship. You’re allowed to return to the ship and leave again as often as you want while in port so going back for a quick snack or lunch is super easy. If you’re going on an excursion you’ll probably want that protein bar and something to drink. I’ve often eaten at the port stops or on excursions but I’m also super careful. I have my Triumph Dining Cards in several languages so they always go with me. Several of the larger ships also have privately owned port stops and those are much easier to navigate food wise. Everything they need is brought to shore from the ship so that you’ll not only have plenty of food and drink available, but you’ll also have the ships staff available for questions. They do this a lot at privately owned beaches and small islands. Again, nearly everything is complementary except for soda and alcohol.

CarolAnne Le Blanc

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Saturday, September 7, 2019

Gluten-Free, Safe Travel Kit

Gluten-Free Travel, Safe Travel Kit

JET LAG: This trick makes your first day seem endless, but it’s so worth the effort. Where ever you’re going, no matter how long it takes to get there, no matter what time you arrive…DO NOT go to sleep until at least 9:pm the evening of whatever time zone you end up in. We use our first day to settle in, find our rentals, locate the house, unpack our luggage, do a bit of grocery shopping, and talk about our plans for our visit. First time we did this was traveling to Ireland. We arrived at 8:am! By 9:pm that night we were all sitting outside staring blindly at the countryside, not talking or moving. Some of us gave up and went to bed, some stayed awake another hour. In the morning we were all fine and ready to investigate Ireland! WhooHoo!

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL: is very effective adsorbent and helps with diarrhea resulting from getting glutened, food poisoning, bacterial infection, or virus. When you take activated charcoal, drugs and toxins can bind to it. This helps rid the body of unwanted substances. If you’re taking any medications please be certain to take them at least 2 hours apart from the charcoal. Also, make sure you hydrate well to prevent constipation after taking activated charcoal. In addition, be careful to avoid activated charcoal that’s been combined with sorbitol. Sorbitol can act as a laxative! On vacation anything laxative may be the last thing you want to take.

ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES: I’m not a big fan of antibacterial anything…I feel many of us fear germs far more than necessary. It may sound contradictory, but exposure to germs is necessary to strengthen our immune systems. HOWEVER, when it comes to using strange toilets I’ve discovered the value of Antibacterial Wipes. Buy those travel packets, make certain they’re the antibacterial type, then keep some in your purse or backpack, more in the rental car, and the rest in your luggage for future use.

ELECTROLYTE MIX: Sea Salt, Baking Soda, Raw Sugar added to a glass of Lemonade is great for replacing any electrolytes lost during a ‘bad’ day on vacation. And if you can find those dried lemon crystals even better! Mix equal portions (salt/soda/sugar/crystals) in a small container and toss them into your travel bag. Then simply add 1 tsp (1/2 tsp for children) of the mix in your bottled water and sip throughout the day. This was my serious rescue after a visit to the buffet on top of Machu Picchu in Peru. I thought I was being extra careful...didn't take long to realize I had not! I spent the day in bed while my travel-mates visited Mandor Pampa without me.

GINGER: Any way you like it, capsules or candy, it’s great for nausea and sea-sickness. You can also order ginger ale to drink as often as you like. Ginger has a long history of being used to treat nausea, stomachaches, and diarrhea. I learned my love of Ginger from my Grandmother. She always had some of those sweet/spicy candies handy for a tummy ache...or simply for being good :-) I've also learned to cook with it and both the powdered spice and the sweetened candies have always been a staple in my cabinet.

GRAPEFUIT SEED EXTRACT: Works wonders for bacterial, viral, and fungal infections including yeast infections as well as those nasty little stomach bugs you occasionally find when drinking strange water. When I picked up that bug in Peru, this was a vacation saver for me. I have the liquid concentrate in my bath kit. All it takes is a few drops in some bottled water. And apparently now you can even purchase it as a capsule…which is exactly what I plan to do next trip.

IMODIUM: Yes, it’s a permanent item in my bath kit. No, I don’t take it any more often than is absolutely necessary. If your system is trying to expel something it doesn’t want inside it’s foolish to try and stop that process. However, it does come in handy on occasion if a long travel trip is planned and you’re feeling a bit iffy. Or after you’ve already spent the day getting rid of whatever was bothering you and you want to venture out the next day. Please don't go crazy with this stuff...be selective when you're going to use it.

LATEX-FREE BAND AIDES: Before I got my Dermatitis Herpetiformis under control I went through hundreds of these. Not so much any longer, but they’re still in my bag every trip. My fingers used to crack and bleed something awful. I used these little babies to 'stitch' things up many times. They saved me from a lot of pain and discomfort. If the bandage is too wide for the area...simply cut one in half lengthwise...then wrap as usual. This little trick worked great if I had to apply one around a toe or between two knuckles. Thankfully, I don't need these as much anymore. Now I travel with my Grand-kids and there's nothing better for a tearful cut than a Nanna Band-Aide.

PEPPERMINT: I love Peppermint, tea or candy they both work great for many tummy issues. Thanks to its calming and numbing effect, peppermint relaxes your stomach muscles so that bile can break down fats and food can move through the stomach quickly. However, if you have GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), you should not use peppermint.

TOILET PAPER: Yes, Toilet Paper. Just because you love your comforts of home, doesn’t mean you’ll find them everywhere you travel. Get a roll of your favorite Toilet Tissue, unroll it, and break it down into 3 or 4 packets and put them into Ziploc baggies. Keep one in your purse or backpack, another in the rental car, and the rest in your luggage for future use. These days you can also find those little travel-sized packages of toilet paper. They cost a bit more but are easier to tuck into a purse or backpack and still come in very handy when out and about.

VITAMIN C: Great for burns…even sunburns. Make certain you pack the capsule form…not the chewable ones. Dissolve a capsule or two in cool water and apply generously to any burn. Try to use distilled or filtered water only…remember you’ll be applying it to damaged skin so you honestly don’t want to be introducing more germs than necessary. I keep Vitamin C capsules in my spice cabinet at home. Yes, I do get careless on occasion while cooking...and these little jewels have saved my hands or arms from scars more times than I care to count. When my Granddaughter burned her ear on the curling iron some Vitamin C dissolved in water and generously applied was the only reason she did not end up with a scar.