The Call Behind The Major

My parents have raised me to respect anyone that I come in contact with, more importantly, someone above me. But, they have also told me that it is okay to stick up for myself when it came to my doctors. It has been recorded that "up to 83% of Americans with celiac are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions" (BeyondCeliac). I was apart of that percentage, which is one of the reasons I became a dietetic major. Before my diagnosis, I was put on an all wheat diet which could have killed me. Celiac disease is misconstrued by not only restaurant workers and friends, but doctors. Gluten allergies / preferences / intolerances are completely different than celiac disease. 

In my nutrition class, we had to write a short writing prompt (in the form of an outline) on why we decided to study nutrition. I wanted to share this with you so you could get a better understanding of myself and the future I want; 

1. Why did I decide to study nutrition?
   
   1. I want to help people who suffer from GI tract issues and autoimmune diseases. Along with people who suffer from eating disorders. 
      
2. Reason 1:
   
   1. I was diagnosed with celiac disease at two years-old
      
3. Reason 2:
   
   1. Celiac was a new disease when I was diagnosed so doctors weren’t sure what was wrong with me. I was put on an all wheat diet before being diagnosed at Boston Childrens. 
      
      1. I want to make sure that nobody else has to go through a misdiagnosis like I did. 
         
      2. I saw many nutritionists and dieticians after being diagnosed who helped my parents and I plan a diet for me. 
         
4. Reason 4: 
   
   1. Having celiac resulted in me having a bad relationship with food.
      
      1. No matter how safe I was being, I would get sick from the food and end up having a reaction. 
         
      2. I ended up suffering from an eating disorder which began my sophomore year of high-school and ended during my second semester of sophomore year in college. 
         
5. Conclusion:
   
   1. I want to work in the GI department of Boston Children's hospital specializing in celiac disease and autoimmune disorders. 
      
      1. I want to learn how and why autoimmune diseases occur. 
         
      2. I want patients to learn that celiac is a difficult disease, but it can be treated and you CAN live a normal life. 
         
      3. Eating disorders are very common but dragging yourself out of them is the toughest part. Learning how to treat your body and care for your gut is the most important rule for patients with celiac disease.