I want to take a minute and thank all of you who keep coming back to my blog.  I also want to thank the people who use my links to make your purchases. As you all know, I only link to companies that I believe in and use myself.  So I wanted to thank you all, as it is the only source of income from this blog that I have…until my book is released!!! Yes…that’s right…I finally wrote a book!  It will be hitting the shelves in just a few months!  I can’t wait…I have been hearing for such a long time that I should write a book…well I finally did!  It is at the end of the editing process right now and the publisher will be releasing it to bookstores in a couple of months!  So stay tuned!!

I really appreciate everyone’s feedback on my articles and the fact that you all keep coming back to read my next ones!  My hope is that I can help someone out there with celiac, so they don’t have to go through the same things that I went through and am still going through.  So if I help even one person…I am a happy person!!

I wish you all a happy and healthy day!!!

Elizabeth

Hello everyone!  Sorry I have been out of touch lately…let me start by going back a few months…

So about 5 months ago I ended up in the hospital with severe dehydration and a bacterial infection (which they never figured out where it came from or where it was).  This happens to me about once a year, sometimes more.  Usually during the summer, so I am figuring that the heat has something to do with this.  But anyway, I haven’t felt 100% since I was in the hospital, I went through a few months where I thought I was dying, couldn’t get out of bed most of the time and I had absolutely no energy.  They checked my thyroid and did all kinds of tests…everything came back normal.

So I ended up losing 10 pounds, which I really didn’t need to lose and even today, I am still losing weight…can’t gain.  But…I put myself on a plain diet, got rid of all my sugar and caffeine…and I mean ALL sugar!  I also upped my probiotics and I am now finally starting to feel better and I can go out and do things.  I am not 100% there…but really close!

So, they other day….I had a small bowl of ice cream…gluten free…for the last 3 days my stomach has been in knots and I am not feeling quite as well as I was…I am also starting to scratch again.  I have noticed when I have sugar, my stomach, chest and back itch…I just want to rip my skin off.  SO…I am now assuming that my problems over the past 5 months were all associated with sugar.  As long as I’m 100% sugar free…that includes fruits…I seem to be ok…I add a small amount of sugar and I am down and out for a few days.

Anyone else have these issues?  Is it related to celiac?  These are the questions that I am determined to get the answers to!!!

Ok…so I have noticed that when it gets closer to the holidays….gluten intolerant people start to freak out a little.  Everyone needs to just calm down.  It’s just another day…it just happens to be centered around food…food that usually has a lot of flour and wheat and gluten in it.  But it doesn’t have to.  And the best part is….no one needs to know that everything on your table is gluten free.  I have been doing a gluten free Thanksgiving for years…no one knows that it’s all gluten free…but they do always tell me that they don’t understand why they feel so much better after eating the food I’ve cooked!  I always love when they say that!!

SO!  Here we go….most turkey’s now will say that they are gluten free.  I know that Walmart carries brands that specifically say “gluten free” on the turkey, Butterball…I have not seen one that says “gluten free” on the packaging, but they say that their turekys are gluten free…as always…check the ingredients list if you really want a Butterball turkey.

Gravy!  Yes..you can have gravy…make it just like you normally would…the only thing you are going to change is the flour…go to Better Batter Gluten Free Flour and exchange “cup for cup”, their flour with the flour you would normally use.  I promise you…it’s comes out just as good…if nor better.  They have some really great recipes on their site too…so check them out.

Stuffing…I have a cornbread recipe and stuffing recipe on the site….check them out and again…use the Better Batter Gluten Free Flour!

Desserts…I have cheesecake and pumpkin pie recipes on the site…they are awesome…and flourless…no one know’s the difference.

Now…are you going over to someone’s house for Thanksgiving…that’s ok too.  Just double check with them that they don’t put anything on the turkey when they cook it…sauces or anything like that.  Offer to make something and bring it.  If you really want stuffing…offer to make the stuffing…you make it gluten free…don’t have to tell anyone…and then you good!  You can also bring a dessert.  The hostess will love that they don’t have to worry about making those items…and you know that you can eat them!  It’s a win…win!

If you have questions or problems with your Thanksgiving…let me know…and if you have a great one…send me pics and tell me all about it!

I wish you all the best Thanksgiving…may it be happy, healthy and gluten free!

Well…I’m back.  I know I haven’t been around all summer…sorry…I decided to take the summer off and spend time with my kids and get some stuff done!!  But…now I have tons of things that I want to talk about…first being potassium.

I know I have written about making sure that you are receiving the correct vitamins and minerals and to make sure that you keep up on annually.  I don’t think that I have touched on potassium though.  I don’t know why…I have had potassium issues for a couple of years now…guess I never thought about writing about it…until now.

I was hospitalized about a week ago…one of the things that was causing my symptoms…low potassium!  Hence…the reason for this article.  So, let’s start with the symptoms of low potassium…

• cramping – arm, legs or any muscles (can cause inability to move muscles, if severe enough)
• nausea or vomiting
• heart palpitations
• constipation
• thirsty all the time
• low blood pressure
• depression

There are more symptoms, but these are the main ones.  Now, the muscles need potassium to contract and the heart needs potassium to regulate blood pressure and beat properly.  So, if your potassium is low, it can throw all of your muscles off…quickly!  And with all of your organs being “muscles”…that can cause big issues.

I know I have discussed before that with having celiac disease, you can have problems absorbing the vitamins and minerals from your foods.  And if you are newly diagnosed, then you will be malnourished and depleted of all vitamins and minerals.  So…again…make sure you get your vitamins and minerals checked regularly!

Now…what can you eat that will give you potassium?

• Dried herbs
• avocados
• paprika and red chili powder
• dark chocolate
• dried apricots and prunes
• pistachios
• salmon and halibut
• dates
• raisins and figs
• bananas, nectarines and peaches
• spinach
• sweet potatoes (with skin)

So…if you have any of these symptoms or your not feeling great and can’t figure it out..get your potassium checked!  One more thing…if you have digested gluten and have a lot of diarrhea…eat high potassium foods…because diarrhea causes you to lose potassium…quickly!

Good luck and stay happy and healthy!!!

Hey everyone!

OK…it’s time for everyone to put their typing where their mouth is!  I have started an alert to get congress to write a bill to get the FDA to pass new regulations for the drug companies. FDA passed regulations to change the labeling on foods to include allergen information…now I want that to include medications!

I am so tired of having to call the manufacturer every time I get a new medication.  I sit on hold for sometimes hours…to speak to someone who doesn’t speak English…or at least, not very well.  Then it all comes down to them telling me that they can’t “guarantee” that it doesn’t have gluten in the ingredients!

There are over 3 million American’s will celiac disease…these people all have to adhere to a very strict diet of gluten free foods…that includes medications!  So…if the FDA can pass a law that states they have to label all gluten items…then why can’t they do the same thing for medications!!

So…copy and paste the letter below into the form so that you can tell your congress person that you want this bill!

Copy the words below:

“The FDA passed a law to implement regulations for allergens to be listed on all food items. Now we need those same regulations to include medications.

Celiac patients have to take medications, and some medications include gluten in their ingredients. These medications are not labeled with those gluten ingredients, and therefor consumers have no idea whether they are contaminating their body with gluten.

There are an estimated 3 million American’s with celiac disease and these consumers must adhere to a strict gluten free diet, which includes medications.

We are asking you to please bring forth a bill that will require drug companies to change their labeling to include listing any and all gluten ingredients.”

Then click here and paste them into the form and send….that’s it!

Tell everyone!!!