If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you’re on some variation of an elimination diet to help your skin. No matter how knowledgable you are, nothing will test your resolve like the holidays. The reason is that some people can easily become offended when you refuse to eat their food (no matter your health situation). In an effort to help you have a more enjoyable holiday (and ultimately burn fewer bridges), I want to share with you how to address diet restrictions after getting an invitation.  It does take some practice, but after 10+ years of living gluten-free, I can tell you that this approach works the majority of the time. There’s certainly no guarantee that someone will understand. But if you follow my lead, you’re less likely to create bad blood and hurt feelings. AND you might even end up with allies on your side. In this episode: How to handle invitations for the holidays when you’re eating a restrictive diet Why hosts can become offended by your diet choices (even though it has nothing to do with them) Why avoid last-minute announcements about your diet (and how to share what’s going on instead) How to deal with larger events like weddings or parties at restaurants Script for talking to the host (that minimizes hurt feelings & builds goodwill) Quotes: Though you and I might totally understand that you’re doing this for the sake of your skin or gut or thyroid or whatever… other people will not. Refusing food for the sake of YOUR health can cause hurt feelings. By approaching an invitation in this way, it helps your host know what to expect, not feel blindsided, and ultimately avoid embarrassment in front of other guests when you refuse to eat their food.