lucia

Secondly, telling anyone they cannot eat gluten while you are on the premises or having them shower and change clothes before getting close is about as close to full blown anxiety as I have ever heard. Celiacs, no matter how sensitive, do not need to live in a bubble, unless they want to but it gets very lonely in the bubble. Saying you got glutened by a bag of your brothers clothes when he was absent is just ludicrous and not something the newly diagnosed need to worry about...ever, unless you are in the habit of eating clothes.  

Also, I believe that yolo self-identifies as someone with a high sensitivity to gluten. She is relating her experience, and if the original poster is someone who also suffers from high sensitivity to gluten, this may be useful. Certainly, it's common on this board to suggest avoiding hair and skin products with gluten in them, which I thought was really out there when I first heard it. I also don't think it's outrageous to think that anybody with a gluten sensitivity could be glutened from laundering the clothes of someone who eats gluten. I've seen my husband covered in crumbs after eating a sandwich. So, yeah, if she is handling clothes and shaking crumbs out of them and especially if she has a high sensitivity to gluten than, yes, it's entirely possible.

I imagine as someone who self-identifies with high sensitivity to gluten, a reply like this on a message board devoted to gluten intolerance would make her feel very lonely, which is really sad and arguably unnecessary. I'm personally grateful that I'm not as sensitive as yolo.

I made banana muffins out of coconut flour a few days ago using a recipe that Skylark posted in the "What's for breakfast?" thread:

http://www.freecocon...anana_Bread.htm

This was the easiest gluten-free recipe for baked goods I've ever made! It really was that easy. The coconut flour soaks up the moisture from the eggs and everything adheres easily. The texture was really nice. I'd serve them to people who usually eat baked goods made out of wheat flour and I'm sure I'd have no complaints. (I don't say that about every recipe!)

I felt like a heroin addict in withdrawal after I stopped eating gluten (my first week was good, then the withdrawal hit me the second week). It was awful. I felt alternatively feverish and chilled, I sweated tremendously, I had debilitating headaches, I was emotionally distressed, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't function in a basic way. I wrapped myself up in a mountaineer sleeping bag and barely left the house. Of course, it was worth it to finally have gluten out of my system.  

I'd like to suggest this detoxifying Ayurvedic bath to you. Perhaps it will help.

Fill the tub with water as hot as you can stand. Add 2 cups epsom salts & 1 cup baking soda. Sit in the bath for thirty minutes. Upon getting out, dry off, then rub your skin and especially your feet with body oil. Put on socks and clothes. You will continue to sweat after your bath (for up to a couple of hours). You may want to lie down or go to sleep.  

I feel for you, although I haven't been through it myself. There is a silver lining here though, since so many women with celiac/gluten intolerance have issues with getting pregnant.

That said, going gluten-free is challenging. Try to get as much support as you can within your healthcare system. You may be able to see a nutritionist, for example. Especially when you're pregnant, you'll need to work extra hard to make sure you get enough nutrition in your diet. Luckily, a gluten-free diet can and should include fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, which are the best things we can eat for ourselves as humans anyway. If possible, you may even want to see a therapist in the short term if you feel very overwhelmed. Having two young kids and being pregnant is already pretty intense, and now you're dealing with significant health issues too.

Please join us in the cooking/baking section, if you're inclined. I've learned a lot from other folks on the board about putting together a gluten-free diet, so that at this point it actually feels easy and natural. And I do think we eat better than most Americans. So our kids will all grow up healthy and with healthier eating habits. I read recently that there's evidence now that babies actually pick up taste sensitivities while in the womb and breast feeding. If you're eating lots of good whole foods, your baby will end up liking good, nutritious foods. That's definitely a good thing.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

One of the unfortunate things about this thread is that "celiac disease" is being conflated with "gluten intolerance". What Heidi G. says is true: "theres a difference between celiacs disease and gluten intolerence." That's well-established. The best explanation of this that I've seen comes from Dr. Shelia Crowe here:

http://consults.blog...ods-like-pasta/

A second unfortunate thing about this thread is how disrespectful it's become. I'm not used to that on the celiac board, and it's very off putting. Discussion of the issue(s) has veered off into attacks on a 21-year-old's use of grammar. C'mon, really? All 21 year olds talk like this online; it's quickly written and effective enough.

Heidi G. got her point across pretty clearly actually. And what she says lines up with the points of Dr. Shelia Crowe I refer to above (on gluten intolerance) and with those of a working research biologist who took the time to post links to current research in reputable journals (on celiac), so I have no issue respecting what she says.

I just wanted to thank Skylark for providing us with links to the latest medical research on this topic. I really appreciate having a scientist on our board!

-roasted kabocha squash & apple soup with toasted pumpkin seeds (or "pepitas" - shout out to love2travel) & scallions,
served over rice
-baked cauliflower with lime & chili

Please send your opinion to CBS if you think this is wrong. It takes two minutes with the online form.

http://www.cbs.com/i....php    (thanks to jetsgar)

I believe a complaint will make a difference. I formerly worked in corporate America, and companies take complaints (unwarranted or not, and this one is warranted) very seriously. It should be the same for a mainstream network.

And, yes, it's offensive. Celiac/gluten intolerance is a serious medical condition, and the script makes it sound frivolous.

I'm the same as you. I've never been medically diagnosed with a gluten issue, but I respond to a gluten-free diet. (And I get really, really sick if I eat even a small amount of gluten.) As you describe, if I wanted to be tested I would have to eat gluten, and I have balked at that. Luckily, my primary doctor accepts my own word that I respond to the gluten-free diet.

After I realized I responded to the gluten-free diet, I actually went to the Celiac Center at Columbia, supposed to be the best in the world for our condition. I have very good insurance, so it felt like the safest thing to do. I didn't feel like it helped at all, but I had already started treating myself based on advice I got on this board. At the Celiac Center, I had a battery of tests that were negative, I saw a dietician whose advice I found useless, and I was released without any additional protocol besides to avoid gluten.

That said, you should be careful to treat any vitamin deficiencies you may have, look out for additional food intolerances, and make sure you DO see a doctor if you aren't getting better since we often have additional autoimmune diseases.

Otherwise though, I'd advise spending some time here on the board. The people here are wonderfully supportive and filled to the brim with knowledge about this condition.

I'm shortlisting your symptoms here:

-severe abdo pain with vomiting
-constipation
-diareah
-left sided cramps
-bloating
-fatigue
-aching joints/bones
-balance problems
-foggy head

I've heard people on this board relate every one of your symptoms to gluten except "left-sided" cramps and vomiting. That is remarkable considering how long (& seemingly incongruent) your list is.

The best way to tell if you are reacting to gluten is to stop eating it and see what happens. As soon as I stopped eating gluten, within just five days, I knew I should be off it. Eliminating gluten from your diet won't hurt you, but it may have extraordinary effects on your health. I highly recommend you do this, whatever your official diagnosis.

I've never canned or preserved. I never had the space or the time before. But I think I could find some space now for jars of pesto or chutney. :  )  Do you have any ideas on how to begin?

This is a very funny post  

Sauteed summer squash with vegetable-style tempe & dulce (seaweed) with a tamari/sun-dried tomato sauce over quinoa
and marinated cucumber dill salad

Most meals in my house are vegetarian as well as gluten-free. I'm wondering if there would be enough interest to start a 'what's for dinner' thread for vegetarians? Or is that subgroup just too small, and I should look out for veg meals here? I do love this thread!

One thought that came to mind reading your saga was: wow, that sucks! It really does.

But at the same time, I'm jealous that you are associated with such a sprawling family that likes getting together so much. I don't have any family of my own and my husband's family never gets together like that, and it sounds rather wonderful. Just to spend a weekend with three kids would be great. (Are there any dogs?) And my mother-in-law died three years ago in a traffic accident.

As annoying as they can be, are they any fun at all? (BTW, I can accept if the answer is 'no' without judgement. Despite my fantasies about happy families, I know many - most? - are imperfect at best or dysfunctional.)

Kiwi strawberry spring rolls with a vanilla honey dipping sauce:

http://www.howsweete...comment-page-1/

So easy & summery!