Research and Ramblings

Does all the "research" out there ever make you crazy. I've spent most of my day today reading web page after web page full of contradictions and unclear results. All you med students out there (that I'm sure are not even reading this because who has time to read a blog in med school?) seriously consider doing some hard core, legit celiac research. We need you. We need answers.

Anyways, great news! Yesterday was a good day! I felt as good as I have in probably two weeks yesterday. Praise God for that relief. I was able to get some good things done around the house, plus a little relaxation at the pool. I'm finding that throwing myself into little projects is a welcome distraction. I realized the other day that since we moved the rest of the house is decorated and looking nice but our bedroom was still pretty blah in the decorations department. So, I weighed my options. I could either spend 60-80 bucks buying art for the walls or I could go to Hobby Lobby and create my own for about 20 bucks. I'm all for Design on a Dime so I went with it. I think it turned out pretty cool. It's not on the walls yet because by the time I got home from coffee with good friends it was too late to be banging on the walls. (We have little kids who live in the apartment above us) It looks great sitting on my living room floor though! HA!
Yesterday I also made some more homemade potato chips to have on hand. They are safe from foods that I know are bad for me (and hopefully foods I don't know are bad for me) and they are super tasty. I also decided to get a little adventurous and make some homemade ketchup. Hubby said it's the best ketchup he's ever had. I'm ok with that. :)
Today I got Elizabeth Hasselbeck's book "The G Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide" from the library. I'll let you know my thoughts as I read.

That's all for now.

Sam

PS Pics are of the bedroom decs as they are now. On the living room floor but laid out as they will go on the walls.

New Experiment

So, I realize more and more everyday how much of a blessing it is that God has me at home right now. For the past few days it has been because I've been sick. Today, it is because I need to research and learn more and more about this disease. Apparently, it isn't enough to just go gluten free. I'm beginning to feel more and more that I have other food intolerances secondary to gluten. Anyone else out there? So, I was doing some research last night and I learned about a test called an ALCAT test? Anyone have any info on that? Let me know. I want to do some serious research on this one. Also, if you have any awesome websites you use to get good info let me know! I've got two books set to arrive in the mail today or tomorrow (fingers crossed) but I need some good reading until then.

Anyways, I'm feeling a bit better today. Bananas and Pedialyte are a blessing I tell ya! I'm making hubs lunch today. So far all I've got is homemade potato chips. Going without corn too has ruined the menu I had initially planned. (Corn is something that has been giving me issues) I better go figure it out. He'll be home soon! :)

Welcome!

Ok, here goes. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in April of 09. Since then I have gone completely gluten free. It all started off great. I immediately felt better. I had energy I hadn't had in months. I had my "bubble" back, as I was told. But a month or so later I started feeling bad again. And now, 4 months later I am back to feeling the way I was feeling pre-diagnosis. Why? I'm still completely gluten free. I have called company after company trying to find the one thing my husband and I aren't catching, but nothing is coming up to still contain gluten. So, today marks day one of my new challenge. I will not eat one bite of food outside of my house for one month to see what happens. I will not eat at friends houses. I will not eat at restaurants. I will not even eat food that I take places to consume. I will eat every single meal in my own home. Now, if I get a job this will be difficult and the plan may need to be altered. But for now. That is the plan. I will cook. I will be a clean freak. I will not have one bit of gluten in my home. I may even go so far as to make people wipe their hands off with a Wet One at the door. Is that overboard? I just can't take the pain, mind fog, exhaustion and other issues anymore. Also, I have started a food journal. I'm writing down everything I eat and my reactions after eating in hopes of catching the culprit. Does anyone out there have any other suggestions? What do you do when you are having troubles without any clue of the source? What do you do when you have a reaction? What makes you feel better?
Sam :)