Yep, I have Celiac Disease! After reading my previous post, you may be asking, how did I not know I had severe gut issues? Every person with gluten issues has different experiences. Some people vomit or have to run to the bathroom, and there is a long list of general symptoms, but my primary response is fatigue. I became accustomed to a daily nap after lunch. My days were shorter than most people's because I required more sleep. It's been a blessing that I can choose my work hours!
My journey to having more energy, having more awake hours in a day, and restoring my health will take months of gut repair work. As I share the details of my personal life, I want to be an encouragement to others who are feeling bad but can't put their finger on why.
I've learned a couple of things on my Celiac diagnosis journey and one lab result is pending as I write. First, I mentioned going to a functional doctor versus a traditional doctor. Let me define the difference because this is very important.
Traditional (conventional) medicine aims to eliminate illness, but functional (holistic) treatment seeks to restore health by looking at the body on the cellular level. When we give the body what it needs, it removes the disease and underlying diseases that may not show symptoms, preventing future illness.
We know our US medicine is cutting edge and has made significant progress in preventing, diagnosing, and treating a host of diseases and illnesses, even map your genes and targeting treatments.
We know people are living longer but feeling worse. Chronic conditions are rising, and there is a country-wide obesity epidemic. More children suffer from allergies, asthma, and autism, and more patients have digestive disorders and a host of chronic illnesses, including Celiac and other bowel diseases, chronic fatigue, and cancer. So, traditional medicine has its shortcomings. Some agree that the US medical system doesn't work because doctor's visits are limited to minutes. How can a physician find the root cause of illness in less than a couple of hours? So, the focus is different between these two schools of medicine, one on health and one on condition.
That is the difference, and to be honest, I see both types of doctors depending on their specialty. My functional doctor asked me to get a colonoscopy because my genetics showed I should. So, I consulted with a traditional specialist and got a colonoscopy last week.
I also got the traditional gold star diagnosis of Celiac via endoscopy and bloodwork. Little did I know my functional doctor's genetic test with the lab work did diagnose my Celiac disease. They each diagnose this horrible disease that affects 1% of the world's population and is diagnoses on average at age 50 by different methods and do not agree each method are accurate. Who do I believe?
I'll get back to my gastro's endoscopy lab results and diagnosis when I get them and talk to the doctor. My colonoscopy results are promising.
So, what has been my lifestyle changes since being diagnosed with the Celiac disease per my functional doctor? A lot!
I am working to change my diet, adust my mindset, increase my supplement regime, meditate and continue my spiritual development, protect my sleep and add low joint-impacting exercise.
Honestly, my regular diet included convenience foods, eaten in stress mode, trying to feel good, which made me feel more tired and depleted. I love fast food, eating out, and treating myself with processed, sugar, and salty foods and drinks.
My new eating plan includes paleo with restrictions. In case you don't know: the paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds, lean meats, especially grass-fed animals or wild game, fish, especially those rich in omega-4fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna, and oils from fruits and nuts, such as olive or walnut oil. It restricts gluten, dairy, grains, and beans.
Plus, my food sensitivity labs eliminated even paleo foods like eggs, sweet potatoes, almonds, coconut, or blueberries. And, my doctor wants me to avoid fruits and natural sweeteners while my gut heals over the next year. What's left, you ask? Grass-fed meat, fish, certain protein powders, vegetables, most nuts, and seeds.
Truthfully, I'm taking time getting off fruits and sweeteners because it's too drastic of a change for me to make all at once. I know myself, and I'll quit if it's too hard. I'm thankful I have a lot of grace for myself and my situation. Being practically immobile with two bad knees these last couple of years and having experienced infertility have built up my self-grace muscle.
I love all kinds of foods, simple, gourmet, ethnic, clean cuisines. I am not crazy about restrictions and limitations. But, I found out I can do it if there is a good enough reason. Celiac disease is a good reason because it is gluten sensitive and harms my gut if I ingest or if gluten gets into my bloodstream through my skin.
Did you know "a huge proportion of your immune system is actually in your GI tract," says Dan Peterson, assistant professor of pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine? If there has been a time to have an excellent immune system, now is it!
It's important to note; I'm currently practicing which ingredients to avoid eating and learning what topical ingredients to avoid. Many skincare products contain gluten & grains. Not only do the foods I eat need to be certified Gluten Free, but the lotions and shampoo I use must be gluten-free also.
Continue reading my blog as I share what I am eating and learning to cook. I love having you on this education journey with me. If you have any questions or comments, I will enjoy engaging with you. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for everyday foods, products, and lessons I'm learning.
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