I was very sick for a long time, and each doctor I saw told me that it was either in my head, I was just lazy that's why I gained weight, or there was something wrong but they didn't know what. I was sent through years of blood tests, and many imaging tests all coming back fine. One doctor told me he was almost absolutely positive I had colon cancer, even though all he did was listen to a few of my symptoms. I was 32 at the time, and was terrified for over a week. A little over five years ago, a friend referred me to a naturalpath in Coeur d'Alene. I was so ill by the time I saw her, I think I would have done almost anything to feel better. Fortunately, she was the best thing to happen to my health. She actually sat and talked, listened, and asked questions for over an hour. She wrote many notes as we talked, and at the end of our hour, she told me she thought I had a wheat intolerance, possibly celiac disease. I had never heard of celiac at that point, so she explained it to me, gave me some literature to read when I got home. She advised I pull wheat out of my diet for a couple weeks and see how I felt. I am one who does a lot of research on subjects, so when I got home, I immediately went to the internet and started reading on celiac. As I read, tears flowed down my face, because it certainly sounded like what I was dealing with for so many years. I pulled wheat out for the first two weeks, lost ten pounds in that time. I slowly started to feel a little better, lost more weight, and avoided all gluten products. I also became very educated in hidden gluten, and the names manufacturers use that means wheat. It was a long learning process. Today, I have lived completely gluten free for five years. I know when some gets slipped to me because my body aches, my tummy hurts, and I feel like I have the flu, when I don't. I still have a lot of health issues, probably because I lived with this disease for so long. I can look back in childhood and remember times when I wouldn't feel good, and now know it was celiac disease. Although I live with residual affects of eating wrong for so long, I am better than I was, and I am thankful for that.
Each day is a journey, and I don't live as a person with celiac, but as a person who is striving for better health. I read a lot, I research a lot, and I make wise choices of what I put in my mouth. I have learned to not be afraid to ask questions of what is in food when eating out at someone's home or at a restaurant, since food makes me sick. Occasionally, I still get slipped some gluten, and I pay for it for the next week, but overall, speaking up helps others to know what I can and cannot have. I also stopped being embarrassed to bring my own food along, if need be, when out with others. It's my health, therefore, I need to protect it. I also eat organic as much as possible because I have learned that chemicals, pesticides, genetically modified foods are not only harmful to eat, but also just make me sick when I eat them.
If you have questions about celiac, please feel free to contact me. I am including some links below with both information on celiac disease, and good products. Believe me, I have tried many of the gluten free products, and some are terrible, but others are very, very good.
Celiac Disease Info on celiac disease
Celiac.com Info on celiac
Simply Sugar and Gluten Free Great recipes, articles, blog
Gluten Free Mama Products, recipes...her pancake mix is delicious!
Namaste Products, info, fairly allergen free
The Cravings Place Products, recipes, allergen free
Glutenfreeda Products, info, recipes
Gluten Freely Recipes, products, articles
Glutino Products, info, recipes
There are many more sites, and products. One of my favorites for breakfast is Food for Life's english muffins with seeds. There are a lot of products out there now, like I said, some good, some not, but there are options. I like to choose options that are more whole food, less ingredients. The main thing, is be informed as to what you put in your body, whether you have celiac or not. What we put in our mouths either nourishes us, or harms us. Be informed, and eat well.
1 comment:
Gluten-free Girl and the Chef are also a good resource: http://glutenfreegirl.com/
One great thing about Namaste products is the company is local to North Idaho. I love their products.
Been gluten free myself for almost a year now and it is still a pain, but getting easier, more places are starting to carry products, albeit they are still pricey. It also helps to have friends who are gluten intolerant and have already gone thru the difficult stuff and can help.
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