Tag Archives: Stories

Every morning my freshman year in high school, I felt sick. I would miss a lot of first period class & summer swim workouts as a consequence. My mother and I could not figure out what was wrong.

Bob’s Red Mill chocolate chip cookie mix using soy free Earth Balance

Every day shortly after breakfast, I would get nauseous and have to lie down. One morning, I told my swim coach, who was frustrated with me missing so many workouts, I had “morning sickness.” At the time I was 14 and clueless to the usual context in which that phrase in used. Mom was mortified. I had to clarify to coach that I was not actually with child, and then it was off to the doctor, who confirmed I was likely lactose intolerant, so I stayed off dairy.

Down the road in college, I started getting sick after many meals, and after a few years of searching, I finally got a diagnosis of gluten sensitivity. First milk, now Read More »

Photo: Sheknows.com

I have always had a funky stomach. As a very young child I recall laying on my stomach on the living room floor trying to alleviate the horrible cramps and pains I used to get on a regular basis. Coming from a family full of tummy trouble, I thought it was normal and never complained. As a teenager the pains became worse and my Mom and I took a trip to the pediatrician to find out what was wrong. He said I had a spastic colon and that I needed to eat healthier and Read More »

 

Here's me at 1 year gluten-free

 This Holiday Season I am especially thankful for the health I now enjoy… it’s been a long journey these past 10 years or so…but I am so thankful for the knowledge I’ve gained about living a Gluten-Free lifestyle…the benefits that have come from it, and that after 10 years, I can finally say that I feel like “me” again. :) 
 
I’ve never really shared my entire experience, and normally don’t write posts that are too personal… but perhaps this can help someone out there who is wondering if they might have Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease… or someone who has been diagnosed  and wonders if it is really a “big deal” if they HAVE to go gluten-free or not. I can tell you from personal experience that it WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!! It changed mine… and here’s how: 

It all started back in junior high and high school. I just felt “tired” all the time. I can’t even tell you how many times a day someone would come up to me and say, “What’s wrong? You look tired.” I even remember someone saying to me once, “You look dead.” (ouch!) It seemed like maybe I was just depressed or Read More »

In the summer of 2008 when the term “gluten” first entered my realm of awareness, I was enjoying a lifetime of excellent health except for the occasional cold or flu.  In the summer of 2009 I was devastated to be diagnosed with a chronic and progressive kidney disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (or simply, FSGS) w/nephrotic syndrome.  Like celiac disease, FSGS is an inflammatory disease, enflaming and scarring the glomeruli, or filtering system, of the kidneys.  It was also that summer that I discovered that eliminating gluten from my diet put my disease into spontaneous, full remission, an extremely rare occurrence.  I am on no medication, and have better health than ever before.  Because of my fortune of getting my life back in short order, I want to share my experience with others so that others can be aware that eating gluten free does not only benefit those with celiac disease. 

How did I get so lucky to go from health to serious illness back to health in a short period of time? Read More »