I have to admit Halloween has never been a favorite holiday of mine, but I was prompted to write this jingle for a local poetry group I’ve been trying to attend.
Trickster or Treat
It is a devilish trickster
In everything you know
From white flour in cupcakes
To wheat flour pizza dough
It plays with your health
In insidious ways
It can lead to cancer
And shorten your days
Neuro issues quite linked
To celiac disease
Detect if you have it
Get some expertise
Part of its schtick
Is autoimmune disease
It devastates your body
With seemingly great ease
Type 1 diabetes
Is associated you know
All should be tested
Before diseases overthrow
Over 80 autoimmune
Oh, you didn’t know
From thyroid, blood, and liver
To MS and cardio
A few symptoms
You might recognize
Reflux, fatigue, and headaches
Can be a great disguise
From intestinal issues
To weight loss or gain
To organ and skin problems
Can be related to grain
If you experience
Most any chronic disease
Consider it could be
Gluten is your sleaze
You have an opportunity
To educate yourself
On the many faces of gluten
That can deteriorate one’s health
The treat is finding out
What is wrecking your health
Once you discover it’s gluten
You’ll realize your greatest wealth
Over 300 symptoms and maladies
Linked to gluten if you please
Substantiated by world research
This is a moment to seize
By deleting this nasty protein
Your body can quickly heal
Feeling energetic, never sick
Has tremendous appeal
If you’ve been down and out
Not feeling very well
Get tested for gluten issues
Your health can excel
If your doctor says,
“There’s nothing I can do”
Don’t believe it for a minute
With gluten-free you can renew
A decade into “Toxic Staple”
Recommended for doctors too
With life-transforming info
For the sickly to pursue
So take this poem seriously
Your health may be at stake
Let the gluten-free diet
Your health vigorously remake
© Oct. 1915 Anne Sarkisian
For excellent testing information that goes beyond what is generally offered (if it is even offered), if you have chronic health issues, please check out and share with your doctor Chapters 16 and 17 in my book. Little is being extended in the way of conferences for health care professionals in all facets of medicine, and certainly not enough testing info is offered unless you have full-blown celiac disease and do test positive. Too many folks test negative and told they don’t have a problem with gluten when in reality they are gluten intolerant.
Catch this nasty monster before it overtakes your health.