My World With Celiac Disease

I try to focus my blog on my life trying to eat healthy and gluten free. I share my newest recipes and my tips to live better. I have also shared my struggles of living a healthy life. But today I have decided to share a bit about my life with celiac disease and the struggles I have been having with it lately.

This is me

Having celiac disease is not always easy. Many people think "Cut out gluten, and you will begin to feel better!" That is not always the case. For me cutting out gluten is not enough. I also have to avoid dairy. I have to make sure I get an adequate amount of sleep so I do not put to much stress on my immune system, I have vitamin deficiencies and need to have my iron and thyroid levels monitored constantly. There are times when my stomach gets bad and I get very depressed or just want to stay in bed. Since coming in contact with gluten a few weeks ago I find myself still recovering. I do not know yet if this is because of the gluten, or if it is from the stress of school. But I do know that something in my body is not right. As soon as I eat my stomach begins to act up, and I could nap three times a day and still need ten hours of sleep at night. I feel like this has been a set back, but my body is telling me to take it easy, and that is exactly what I am going to do for the next few days. I sit and think about how I want to get back to prepping all my meals and working out everyday, but right now that is not a reality for me. I miss it, but I do not know how I am going to feel the next day or what I will be able to eat. Right now I am flying by the seat of my pants and trying to live as healthy as I can while struggling to get through a day.

The hardest part about not being able to eat gluten is that it is everywhere. I avoid wheat, barley, and rye. But it hides in so many other things. Sometimes you can be so careful but you still come in contact with it. It feels like gluten is everywhere, just waiting for an ambush like an army of party crashers. I find that now I just want to cook my own food so I know exactly what is in it. This takes away so much convenience. But it makes eating healthy easier and ensures that there will be no gluten hangovers.

 There is so much information available about celiac disease now compared to when I was first diagnosed. This makes things seem easier, but it can also be very overwhelming. A lot of the information is contradicting. At first I thought the new "gluten-free diet" fad would be great for people that HAVE to eat gluten free. But it has an awful stigma attached to it, and gluten free items that have hidden gluten are popping up everywhere. Monitoring has become much harder. Being gluten free is not a diet that I would wish on anyone. When you say you need to eat gluten free because you have celiac disease people give you a very confused look. Many people do not know what celiac disease is or its something that they have heard of because their neighbours sisters dog walker has it. Sometimes you get labelled as a picky eater, or someone following the newest health fad. This is not the case at all, and it infuriates me. I do not judge people who avoid peanuts, mushrooms, or any other allergen, so why do people on a strict gluten free diet get judged? This may not be the reality for everyone, but it is something I have seen.

I am going to give you a quick run down of how I explain celiac disease to someone that is unsure. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the intestine. The body cannot break down gluten and the small villi in the intestinal tract begin to die. Your body quits absorbing the nutrients that it needs to survive. If left undiagnosed, the lack of nutrients can begin to effect other areas of the body such as causing brittle hair and nails, yellowish skin, severe weightloss or gain, thyroid problems, or effect on anxiety and depression. Once someone is diagnosed with celiac disease they must cut out all gluten from their diet. They should get regular blood work done to ensure that they have the necessary vitamins and nutrients to live a healthy life. Even after going gluten free there still might be days or weeks where you are bloated, in pain, and feel exhausted. You also need to remember that I am not a doctor. I am simply sharing what I know about the disease and my experiences with it.

I have been very frustrated with being a celiac this week, and thought I should share a bit of the struggle. Everyone experiences it differently, but it can be reassuring to know that someone else is battling similar problems. Having a community to share stories, ask questions, and invite conversation is something I wish I had when I was diagnosed. Oh and I forgot to mention that most wines are naturally gluten free, so drink some vino and relax!

I will be back to healthy living and healthy eating this week (I hope) as school starts wednesday! I am so excited to share the delicious recipes that have been created over the last few weeks to ensure gluten free and healthy eating on the go!
Hope your enjoying this labor day long weekend.
k.