The final helping

neil Donnelly

This issue, as a result of an almost spectacular increase in recent years in the demand for gluten-free products from consumers worried about gluten and bona fide individuals with a diagnosis of coeliac disease, I was going to focus on how much this availability has changed. Before I could really focus my thoughts, my mother-in-law rang to invite us to spend Sunday night in York on the final day of her holiday. NHD would have to wait!

We were staying close to York Minster and, having toured the Minster, we decided to attend Choral Evensong at 4.00pm. While waiting in the Quire, I read the notice sheet that we were handed. Highlighted boldly in a box was information on Receiving Holy Communion. It read:

‘Gluten-free communion wafers are available at the communion station nearest the pulpit at the front left of the Nave. If you require a gluten-free communion wafer, please inform a Steward and make your way to the front of the Nave. When the time comes to receive communion, please ask the priest for a gluten-free wafer. If you need to receive communion in your seat, please tell a Steward and this will be arranged.’

How very appropriate I thought. I’ll include that. Bread they say is the Staff of Life, to this you can now add glutenfree communion wafers.

The following morning, while having a leisurely cup of tea in our room with the TV on, interspersed with all the election politics and promises on Lorraine Kelly, was, you guessed it, a cookery demonstration using gluten-free flour. Obviously a way to make dough! D’oh!

Finally, by the time you read this, we should know the result, sort of, of the Election on May 7th. So much political battling has been made over the NHS, all promising to keep it safe, but not one single mention of obesity and what individuals can do to help. We shouldn’t be surprised, as approximately one third of voters are obese. Obesity will of course bankrupt the NHS. The latest government-backed guidance advocates the following: ‘Teachers must not talk about getting fat or compliment colleagues on losing weight in front of pupils.’ It has been developed by the PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) Association funded by the Government Equalities Office whose work is targeted at school children. Good job! That’s the future sorted.

On a lighter note, back in York, we then headed off to Bettys to enjoy a legendary Fat Rascal scone with jam and cream which was not on their extensive gluten-free menu. Delicious.

As I said, reflections and recollections, nothing more.

Neil is a Fellow of the BDa and retired Dietetic Services Manager. His main areas of interest are weight management and eating disorders