1 Month Gluten Free!

Well it's been 1 months since I've gone gluten free. I'm starting to really feel like myself again, but I'm starting to think I still have vitamin deficiencies and maybe other food intolerance's. BOO ON THAT!

Making meals that are gluten free has become second nature for me, so that's great! I've also even had some luck with dining out.

I've lost 10 pounds and have a lot less joint pain. My colour has improved, and I no longer look sick every day.

Without getting too graphic, my bathroom visits have been greatly reduced.

I've only been glutened a handful of times, and usually not because of my own error, but due to my husband. (The poor man is only home 8 days a month, and when he is home, he REALLY tries to help out, but he just doesn't have the education on gluten that I do)

I'm hoping by the 2 month mark that my energy levels are back to my 'normal', that I have my husband well educated so the amount of gluten that enters my body is ZERO, and that I have some of my vitamin deficiencies under control. I'm still looking for a great gluten free multi-vitamin, so with the addition of that to my diet, I think I'll be well on my way to feeling like me again!

Celiac Disease Symptoms

Other than people asking what I eat, the next most popular question I get is:

"What were your symptoms?"

When I convinced my doctor to test me for Celiac Disease, I was most concerned with my bowel issues, my exhaustion, my anemia, and my migraines. After doing some research, I had SO MANY  symptoms:

• tooth enamel erosion 
• breast tenderness
• frequent miscarriages
• painful/heavy periods
• acid reflux
• bloating
• diarrhea
• bad gas
• stomach pain
• vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• ataxia
• joint pain/swelling
• leg cramps
• muscle cramps
• swelling in the hands and feet
• brain fog
• depression
• irritability
• loss of interest in activities/hobbies
• mood swings
• short temper
• acne
• brittle nails
• bruising
• dark circles under eyes
• pale skin
• dermatitis
• blurred vision
• sinus pressure
• migraines
• sleeping issues

I have a a vast improvement in all my symptoms since I've started eating gluten free. So, instead of being upset about having an auto-immune disease that when undetected for so long,  I am thankful that a diet change is all it is taking to make me feel so much better!

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What do you eat?

I've been getting a lot of questions from friends and family about how my journey is going, but the most frequent question is:

"What do you eat?".

I try to explain it to people, but for some reason, they just don't understand what I'm saying. As if I'm speaking a foreign language, they look at me with bewilderment on their faces. So, I've started taking some pictures of my particularly yummy meals to show people. A picture seems to work better than and explanation (even though I don't think I'm eating anything that is that odd). I thought I'd share some of my pictures. Maybe soon I'll start sharing some of my recipes as well!

 This was a super yummy supper: a baked sweet potato, a spinach salad, a bowl of chili  a bottle of water, and a glass of 'Berry Splash" V8 juice.

 A very filling breakfast: two rice cakes topped with natural peanut butter, honeydew, key lime Greek yogurt, a bottle of water, and a glass of 'summer berry' SunRype juice.

 A quick meal: extra lean ground beef, cubed baby potatoes, mixed sweet peppers. This is comfort food! I served this with a spinach salad, a bottle of water, and 'raspberry-orange' SunRype juice.

My favorite food - INDIAN!!: Yellow dhal with sweet peppers and carrots, masala chickpea beef, coconut brown rice and 'Strawberry Lemon-babe' Crystal Lite. SO YUMMY!

12 Days In!

YAY! I'm so getting the hang of this Gluten Free thing! Making meals is so simple now that the fridge and cupboards are filled with my new celiac staples.

I even got brave and attempted some Gluten Free baking!

Each day it gets easier and I feel better. It's a journey, but it's so worth it.

5 Days Gluten Free

Well today I've been 5 days gluten free, and I'm starting to feel so much better. To be honest, I noticed a difference the first day! I don't have to wake up through the night to use the bathroom anymore and I'm not using the bathroom multiple times a day. There have been a few times where I've eaten gluten unintentionally,  and now I know why I can't eat it. It hasn't been as hard to go gluten free as I thought, but it has been expensive. I've spent $100 since Friday on groceries just for me, when I usually spend $150 for myself and the two kids. But in the long run, my health is worth the expense!