Celiac Awareness Month
For those who do not know (and periodically need to be reminded), Celiac Disease (CD) is a digestive disorder causing individuals to have an immune-system reaction to the protein gluten. The reaction can be mild to severe. Sadly, mine was severe.
Gluten has the ability to ravage the small intestine, preventing it from absorbing nutrients, which can lead to a multitude of problems (bone and liver damage, a compromised nervous system, as well as a host of other challenges, some being life threatening if not properly treated).
For a person with CD, a gluten-free diet is mandatory. I am learning there are those who are choosing a gluten-free lifestyle because they feel it is healthier (this I am uncertain about). I have friends who are affected by Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, GERD and IBS, and Fibromyalgia who have elected to follow a gluten-free diet and have noticed a significant change in their symptoms. Many report a reduction in flares, and symptoms that were once severe are now mild.
Lately, I have not written much about celiac disease, channeling most of my energy into other things. I am still living my best life one meal at a time.
I have been traveling the road of a celiac for 11 years. Prior to that, I spent two years in hell, bleeding internally, juggling doctors and playing guesswork to figure out what kept my body from functioning normally.
To get me where I needed to be, I kept a diary of my daily routines and habits – exercise, food intake, etc., to look at trends in an attempt to discover what might have caused my body not to thrive. It was then I learned gluten was the culprit. (There were signs for years, but they were mild and manageable, and never kept me from living my best life. Sadly, that changed. I bypassed moderate and moved right into severe.)
It has been one hell of a journey, full of challenge, change and surprise. I have come a long way. I am a survivor! My yesterdays are not my tomorrows.
I still have my moments when gluten accidentally enters my life. As careful as I am, it happens, and I know because my body tells me, but I never move beyond mild effects, taking steps to manage my symptoms so I can stay active and strong.
I have always been good to my body, treating it like the true temple it is. These days I take extra care because it’s even more special to me, and to my friends, too (thank you for always championing my cause).
I am here to tell all, take care of your body. No matter what we do, moderation must be our guide, and if you are someone like me with an extreme allergy, the answer in short is – "NO!" For me it is "no" to gluten.
I am 11 years in the life, and I very seldom look back, but I do on occasion because it helps me appreciate where I am today. I love saying, I am still living my best life one meal at a time, and I really am!
If you are someone suffering with a disease that requires dietary restrictions, make sure you follow the rules. When you cheat, you cheat yourself out of a lifetime of happiness. The old saying is "cheaters never prosper," and I am here to tell you they do not.
Most people know how to eat well. Regrettably, too many make the wrong choices, and I do believe much of that has to do with stress, sadness, and depression. Never make the latter your excuse for not getting help.
You are what you eat. As I always say, effort is everything. You only have the one body, so treat it well or suffer the consequences. It is never too late to make better choices. In some cases, you may not be able to turn back the hands of time, but you can certainly control disease through mindfulness (proper nutrition, simple exercise – a daily walk is so beneficial, meditation, etc.). Large or small, thick, or thin, we are all beautiful. Take care of your body. Control it before it controls you.
Healthy really does make it happen. Happy Celiac Awareness Month, Friends! – paerki
Gluten has the ability to ravage the small intestine, preventing it from absorbing nutrients, which can lead to a multitude of problems (bone and liver damage, a compromised nervous system, as well as a host of other challenges, some being life threatening if not properly treated).
For a person with CD, a gluten-free diet is mandatory. I am learning there are those who are choosing a gluten-free lifestyle because they feel it is healthier (this I am uncertain about). I have friends who are affected by Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, GERD and IBS, and Fibromyalgia who have elected to follow a gluten-free diet and have noticed a significant change in their symptoms. Many report a reduction in flares, and symptoms that were once severe are now mild.
Lately, I have not written much about celiac disease, channeling most of my energy into other things. I am still living my best life one meal at a time.
I have been traveling the road of a celiac for 11 years. Prior to that, I spent two years in hell, bleeding internally, juggling doctors and playing guesswork to figure out what kept my body from functioning normally.
To get me where I needed to be, I kept a diary of my daily routines and habits – exercise, food intake, etc., to look at trends in an attempt to discover what might have caused my body not to thrive. It was then I learned gluten was the culprit. (There were signs for years, but they were mild and manageable, and never kept me from living my best life. Sadly, that changed. I bypassed moderate and moved right into severe.)
It has been one hell of a journey, full of challenge, change and surprise. I have come a long way. I am a survivor! My yesterdays are not my tomorrows.
I still have my moments when gluten accidentally enters my life. As careful as I am, it happens, and I know because my body tells me, but I never move beyond mild effects, taking steps to manage my symptoms so I can stay active and strong.
I have always been good to my body, treating it like the true temple it is. These days I take extra care because it’s even more special to me, and to my friends, too (thank you for always championing my cause).
I am here to tell all, take care of your body. No matter what we do, moderation must be our guide, and if you are someone like me with an extreme allergy, the answer in short is – "NO!" For me it is "no" to gluten.
I am 11 years in the life, and I very seldom look back, but I do on occasion because it helps me appreciate where I am today. I love saying, I am still living my best life one meal at a time, and I really am!
If you are someone suffering with a disease that requires dietary restrictions, make sure you follow the rules. When you cheat, you cheat yourself out of a lifetime of happiness. The old saying is "cheaters never prosper," and I am here to tell you they do not.
Most people know how to eat well. Regrettably, too many make the wrong choices, and I do believe much of that has to do with stress, sadness, and depression. Never make the latter your excuse for not getting help.
You are what you eat. As I always say, effort is everything. You only have the one body, so treat it well or suffer the consequences. It is never too late to make better choices. In some cases, you may not be able to turn back the hands of time, but you can certainly control disease through mindfulness (proper nutrition, simple exercise – a daily walk is so beneficial, meditation, etc.). Large or small, thick, or thin, we are all beautiful. Take care of your body. Control it before it controls you.
Healthy really does make it happen. Happy Celiac Awareness Month, Friends! – paerki
