Day 45

Today, December 1, 2008, is my 45th day of living gluten free. Crazy! I am still in the infancy of this new lifestyle...learning more every day....but things are, for the most part, going pretty well! Sure, I have cravings for foods that are part of my "old life" (like I expressed in my prior post!)...but for the most part I am happier living the way I am. I know it's healthier, and I know it's better for my body. That doesn't mean it's easy....or fun all of the time. However, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun sometimes...making new recipes, reading new information; it's all kind of a big puzzling adventure! I do enjoy a challenge...and this is definitely a challenge!

This weekend I had TWO new messages on Facebook from girls I knew in college: one has Celiac disease and the other is gluten free by choice (since it is healthier). Random encounters such as those help me see that I am not alone in this craziness ;). I really am finding out that quite a few of my acquaintances either have Celiac, live gluten-free by choice, or know someone who has Celiac disease. It's kind of crazy! I mean, in my reading I learned that an estimated 1 in 133 people has Celiac in the United States....

I guess, technically right now, I fall into that category of someone who has not been officially diagnosed; someone who is just living gluten-free by choice. I mean, we all obviously have choices every day of how we are going to live our lives...my choice just happens to be somewhat strange and/or unique...I am going to attempt to live as gluten-free as possible. My doctor has strong reasons to believe I have Celiac disease...however he suggested a gluten-free diet prior to getting the biopsy of my small intestine. Based on some of my reading, this was a poor call on his part...since the only way to REALLY know for certain if it IS Celiac is a biopsy...and you need to be eating a "normal" diet for the biopsy to be truly conclusive. SO, in order to have a reliable biopsy, I would need to go back to eating normally for a while. Honestly, I am not sure that it is worth it to me to go back to eating normally, feeling terrible and not knowing when exactly I will need to visit a bathroom! I am fine with having a "possible diagnosis" of Celiac or just generic gluten intolerance. I know how much better I feel...and that it really is probably what has been ailing me for years and years. However, before we decide to have children I plan on having genetic testing. Regardless of the result, I believe I will raise my children gluten free, at least until they are 2. Based on my reading, this is suggested by some people, even for kids who are not gluten intolerant. Human bodies are not made to digest gluten...and no one digests it fully. It's just that some people can tolerate it and some (like me and so many others I am learning about!) can't!

SO, there you have it.

Oh, this weekend I found out that Red Robin has an extensive gluten-free menu! We had lunch there on Saturday before leaving the Quad Cities to come back home. We met up with some of my aunts and cousins...it was a great time! I felt especially wonderful because I had TONS of choices! We will definitely be going back there :). The manager and our waitress were both wonderful...very accommodating and cautious. I totally appreciated it!

Have a wonderful day...it's snowy and nasty here! I have to drive around town to some off-site visits today, here's hoping my car handles the nastiness well!