My journey with living gluten free actually started a few years ago after reading a Slice of Life . I started reading about "One Little Word". I chose health for my one little word for 2013. A positive word.
What followed was much different than I imagined. I was starting with a new doctor and new tests. He was concerned with my liver level enzymes. More tests - I was not hearing back from the good doctor so decided to try my own research.
I started with Mayo clinic website. As I looked at possibilities many I was able to eliminate out of hand. Towards the bottom was "gluten sensitivity" could be the culprit. My mind thought ah this will be an easy check. I have a new test in two weeks I will eliminate gluten and see if it makes a difference. (For those who understand, yes I was NAIVE with capital letters.)
I went gluten free, I was clueless. About two weeks in we met friends for dinner. I ordered the broasted chicken and peeled off the skin thinking problem solved. Before we left my stomach was queazy. We got home - I spent the next three hours in the bathroom, vomiting and coping with problems on the other end.
I realized that peeling the skin off did not solve my problem. The meat was pressure cooked forcing the gluten into the meat. I also realized that I did have a sensitivity.
The next round of tests took me to a new doctor. I asked about testing for gluten sensitivity. She said that in order to get a good reading I would need to be eating gluten when they tested me. Once the results were back the only thing they would tell me was not to eat it. I decided to skip the tests, I already knew that answer.
Sadly it was not the answer to the liver problem. They decided they had no answer and would continue to monitor. I have now been living gluten free since January 2013.
Fortunately I have many more choices than people had even five years ago. Then there is the internet, lots of support. I have friends and family who look for new foods to share. And I have a husband who reads labels. I am truly blessed.
What followed was much different than I imagined. I was starting with a new doctor and new tests. He was concerned with my liver level enzymes. More tests - I was not hearing back from the good doctor so decided to try my own research.
I started with Mayo clinic website. As I looked at possibilities many I was able to eliminate out of hand. Towards the bottom was "gluten sensitivity" could be the culprit. My mind thought ah this will be an easy check. I have a new test in two weeks I will eliminate gluten and see if it makes a difference. (For those who understand, yes I was NAIVE with capital letters.)
I went gluten free, I was clueless. About two weeks in we met friends for dinner. I ordered the broasted chicken and peeled off the skin thinking problem solved. Before we left my stomach was queazy. We got home - I spent the next three hours in the bathroom, vomiting and coping with problems on the other end.
I realized that peeling the skin off did not solve my problem. The meat was pressure cooked forcing the gluten into the meat. I also realized that I did have a sensitivity.
The next round of tests took me to a new doctor. I asked about testing for gluten sensitivity. She said that in order to get a good reading I would need to be eating gluten when they tested me. Once the results were back the only thing they would tell me was not to eat it. I decided to skip the tests, I already knew that answer.
Sadly it was not the answer to the liver problem. They decided they had no answer and would continue to monitor. I have now been living gluten free since January 2013.
Fortunately I have many more choices than people had even five years ago. Then there is the internet, lots of support. I have friends and family who look for new foods to share. And I have a husband who reads labels. I am truly blessed.
