Hello! New From Wa State

[NancyKay]

Oh, I'm loving this thread! So many notes posted since I was here yesterday.... how do I catch up?!

I'll ramble....

Fairhaven sounds much like Evergreen college. My oldest son (turning 32!) got his Master's in Teaching there a year ago. My younger son and daughter also graduated from Evergreen. Great school - love that they don't do much testing, and grade you on understanding, papers, participation, projects, seminars instead. How does he like it, Leah?

I don't know what restaurants to suggest here. I'm new to this too, as of about three months ago, and each day I learn something new. I've specifically learned that trace amounts of gluten bother me (I have the rash/itch more than the stomach problems) so I'm really concerned about eating out. I did eat at Outback Steak and ordered from their gluten-free menu and didn't have any trouble.

Cross contamination is a problem. I thought I'd be fine with the wonderful granola they make at the Blue Heron bakery near Evergreen. The label showed no gluten foods in this one kind, but it's made in a bakery next to flour, and I suppose that was my problem. I'm really learning the hard way. I drank Rice Dream rice milk, got itchy and bloated and foggy and achey, then read on the side panel that it has gluten! Pacific makes one that is gluten-free but you have to look carefully because they also make one that is not.

The fog - I never realized just how foggy I had become until I went off gluten. Now I feel like I'm part of the world again. I had gotten so uncomfortable in an indescribable way that I think I had slowly become an observer rather than a participant in life. Now I'm back to my old self. I think I slowly started getting sick about 25 years ago! (although, my guess is that I have had this since birth) Let's talk about that fog more!

It's really helpful to read notes from everyone here, and particularly fun to connect with other Washingtonians! How exciting that some of you live close enough to get together up north. Let us know if you meet.

Nancy

Olympia

[queenofhearts]

Oh, I'm loving this thread! So many notes posted since I was here yesterday.... how do I catch up?!

I'll ramble....

Fairhaven sounds much like Evergreen college. My oldest son (turning 32!) got his Master's in Teaching there a year ago. My younger son and daughter also graduated from Evergreen. Great school - love that they don't do much testing, and grade you on understanding, papers, participation, projects, seminars instead. How does he like it, Leah?

Nancy

Olympia

He wasn't crazy about it at first, but in Spring quarter he took a photojournalism course that he really loved. I've never seen him so excited about school. He's an incredibly smart kid but has always had a sort of contempt for school, largely, I suspect, because he hates to be told what to do! Evergreen seems a good choice for him since it is so self-directed. It does worry me a little that he will eventually have to face the real world-- I hope he can find a career that plays to his strengths.

What are your kids' interests (aside from teaching, that is)?

Leah

p.s. Fog is a problem for me too, still with me I'm afraid, though not as constantly. It's weird, I'm pretty sure I've had this all my life too, but it suddenly became much worse when I was 42. I knew something was going very wrong, but nobody else seemed to believe me because I was still more or less functional. I'm a freelance illustrator so as long as I could paint & make my deadlines nobody knew the difference. If I got floored by a migraine or something I just worked more the next day to make up for it. And thank God the bathroom was always handy on those D days!

I think my husband thought I was just getting lazy when I would need a rest during the day or had to crash at 9 pm, but I knew there was something physical going on. I often had chills, ached all over, had the fog, & so on. My kids used to make fun of me because I was constantly trying new vitamins, &c. I just KNEW something was amiss! When I was finally diagnosed, I was so grateful! Everything finally made sense!

[sweetp]

Hello! i'm from Tacoma, (just south of you) i heard about a support group near puyallup...if you are interested i can definitley get more information on it for you!

[NancyKay]

Leah, Your son sounds like all the other Evergreen students. How wonderful that your son has found a niche in photo journalism. Is he still interested in that? My oldest two are teachers and my youngest is working as a child advocate in an agency for abused women and families. Their interests are broad, but they love the outdoors, reading, healing arts. I've found that the pacific northwest awakens something natural in all of us - I love it.

You really had trouble with the fog, Leah. Wow! Chills too? I bet you couldn't believe the difference when the fog lifted. It's hard when we have a bad day and get a glimpse of what we lived with! I don't have migraines, thank goodness. My daughter does and I'm trying to get her to try the gluten-free diet. She has so many symptoms and was finally told she might have chronic fatigue, for a lack of anything else to diagnose her with. It comes and goes. Right now she doesn't have the fatigue or muscle pain, but she lives with sinus problems, headaches and general malaise. Sound familiar?

Karen, Let us know how the gluten-free baking class went. If it was good, and if there is going to be another, would you post the schedule? I am pretty far from Bellingham, but if it was a good class, I might make the drive! Have fun!

Nancy

P.S. I just posted a note here: Open Original Shared Link and would love feedback about vitamin E if any of you are affected by it. Thanks!

[KarenCM]

The Class that I am going to is tommorrow night at the Community Food Coop. To see the other classes and events that they have go here Open Original Shared Link

I'll post how it goes when I get back.

Karen

[BRUMI1968]

The guy teaching that class, Tom Malterre, is the nutritionist I saw for my Celiac. My doc wanted to refer me to St. Joseph's, but I didn't get the impression anyone there was a particular expert. Tom is gluten intolerant, though not Celiac, and seems to know what he's talking about. Not only that, he respects ways I've decided to take my diet even though they were not his suggestions (going grain free, for example, and bean free). I like him. Should be a fun class. Enjoy!

p.s. shopping at Terra Organica is good, too. They have bulk nuts (if you eat nuts), that are not too dangerous for Celiacs. They keep them all in separate jars in a refer. I get my walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and figs there, and feel pretty safe about it. They also sell Skagit River Ranch grass-fed angus beef. It's good. A wee bit more expensive, but much more nutritious and delicious.

Anyway, talk to you later.

-Sherri

[queenofhearts]

Leah, Your son sounds like all the other Evergreen students. How wonderful that your son has found a niche in photo journalism. Is he still interested in that? My oldest two are teachers and my youngest is working as a child advocate in an agency for abused women and families. Their interests are broad, but they love the outdoors, reading, healing arts. I've found that the pacific northwest awakens something natural in all of us - I love it.

You really had trouble with the fog, Leah. Wow! Chills too? I bet you couldn't believe the difference when the fog lifted. It's hard when we have a bad day and get a glimpse of what we lived with! I don't have migraines, thank goodness. My daughter does and I'm trying to get her to try the gluten-free diet. She has so many symptoms and was finally told she might have chronic fatigue, for a lack of anything else to diagnose her with. It comes and goes. Right now she doesn't have the fatigue or muscle pain, but she lives with sinus problems, headaches and general malaise. Sound familiar?

Funny, I'm trying to get my other son to be tested for Celiac, since he has some suspicious symptoms. He's very resistant. Won't try the diet either. I admit it would be tough for a college student.

James, my Evergreen son, is definitely still hoping to be a photojournalist. And wow, you are exactly right about the influence of the Northwest. J. scarcely ventured into the outside world before going to Evergreen-- his twin brother was & is a lover of nature, but J. was content to stay inside doing amazing things with his computer. It absolutely floored me when his Christmas request was for a pair of hiking boots! He's taken some stunning photos of the Northwestern forests. It's an amazing & very powerful landscape.

Leah

[gheidie]

so Karen, please share... how was the class?

[KarenCM]

I will let you know when I get back it isn't for a few hours yet. I am so excited! Hopefully there isn't a long wait at the border.

Karen

[KarenCM]

The class that I went to last night Delicious Desserts presented by Tom Malterre and Ali Segersten of Whole Life Nutrition was wonderful. I was lucky that we left home around 3:30 as there was about an hour wait at the border. I had enough time to pick up some gluten free foods at the coop before the class started. I can't wait to try some of them since I can't get a lot of things here in Canada. I picked up a bunch of Lundberg products, Fantastic Food soup cups, and DeBoles rice pasta and cheese.

There were about 20 people at the class and thankfully there was enough delicious dessert for everyone as they made double batches for some recipes. The recipes that we received and sampled were Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies, Brown Rice Crispy Treats, Coconut Cashew Cookies, Lemon Blueberry Pudding and Blueberry Fruit Pie with Raw Nut Crust. There was also fresh lemonade, Tom's own chocolate pudding and fresh fruit with cashew sauce over top. My fav 2 were the Rice Crispy Treats and the fruit with cashew sauce over top. Included with the recipes we got was info on using different natural sweeteners in baked goods as well.

Some members of the Bellingham GIG were there and I got the chance to talk to them after the class which was great. Hopefully I will be able to attend their event in November. They also let me know of a couple places around town to eat. I just wish I had written down the directions on how to get to them later.

Karen

[NancyKay]

Karen, it sounds like you had a fabulous time, and you got more acquainted with gluten-free recpies. What fun! I wish I could have gone. I'm sure it would have been quite a drive for me though. Ok, stopped and did a mapquest and it says 165 miles, and about 3 hours (that would be without traffic.) I'd have to consider staying the night nearby, I think, since it's a nighttime thing. Probably worth it though. You must have had about the same time on the road since you had such a wait at the border.

It must be a very nice co-op. Tell us about it! Do they have a nice kitchen area for classes? Are you going to make some of the recipes now? I'll watch for more gluten-free classes and think about making the drive. Love their website. Thanks for sharing!

Nancy

[KarenCM]

The classes are held in a separate building just outside the co-op in the same parking lot. There is a stove top and counter and above is a mirror so you can see all the stuff that is going on. If I tried to make some of the recipes I don't know how they would turn out. I think I will try the rice cripsy treat one as that one seems fairly simple.

Karen

[sweetp]

Olympia Gluten Intolerance Support Group

Eve Brown, Coordinator

phone: 360-493-7507

email: evelyn.brown@providence.org

[NancyKay]

Thanks so much! I wonder if that's the same group Sam wrote about... I'll email Eve now.

Nancy

[rick-spiff]

Hi fellow washingtonians.

I'm from the tri-cities. Both of my son's have gluten allergies (didn't test for celiac) and we are waiting for my results.

Still very new! but already seeing positive changes

[Jestgar]

Hi Rick

Welcome to a great place for support and information.

[sickchick]

Hi Nancy lovely to meet you