Shannon's Crazy Life

Are you living outside the US? Then I need you!

The son of a friend is doing a class project. He’s in grade school & they are trying to get postcards from all over the world. Do you think you might be interested in helping? Leave a comment or contact me on twitter. I’m nature_balls on there. Thanks!!!

I hate gluten.

Fair warning…this is long!  I have calmed down a bit because yesterday I hated all food.  I have had a tumultuous journey with food.  Since adulthood, I have tried to find the healthiest lifestyle to allow me to be healthy and FEEL healthy.  I have been vegan, vegetarian, a raw foodie, a junk foodie (NOT healthy), a gluten-free, dairy-free foodie, etc.  For almost 2 years I had a sick and nauseous stomach every time I ate. I had acne as an adult, when I didn’t have it as a teenager!  I just happened to read a newsletter from a well known naturopath and I had a lightbulb moment!  Adult acne can be a sign of a gluten intolerance.  It seems SO radical to cut gluten out but I was tired of being sick.  It was recommended that you cut dairy out too, at first, to heal your intestines and then add it back after 3 months.  I was never able to add it back.  I was okay with being gluten & dairy free.  I began to feel better.  No more sick stomach and voila! my acne went away.  The only time I would break out was when I had accidently injested gluten or dairy.  I have been gluten & dairy free since the summer of 2008.  Recently I have begun to feel badly again.  I continue to search for answers.  I love the online blogger community.  Without them, I would be lost.  There are so many lovely people out there willing to share their similar journeys with the rest of us.  I have found so much support & many resources.  I came across the paleo diet.  I think I finally have a winner.  I have had several false starts with the paleo diet.  It was decided last week that the kids & I would partake in a gluten challenge, where we eat gluten for a certain length of time.  After this time is up we are going to be tested for celiac disease.  I have suspected that I could have this but since I took myself off of gluten before - the tests are worthless.  You have to eat it to react to it.  I decided, mainly for my kids, to check that particular problem off the list.  If we aren’t celiac, then we are definitely gluten intolerant.  Anywho…the alloted time for this was supposed to be 2 weeks.  It has been 5 days and I feel terrible.  I am only going to do this for a week.  I figure I have reacted enough to it for the celiac antibodies to show up, if I in fact have it.  The kids are doing it for 2 weeks.  This Thursday I will begin a paleo diet.  I want to feel great.  I want to feel like I am a vibrant, healthy 32 year old.  Not like a crotchety old 60 year old.  I want to have a healthy digestive system.  Not one that reminds me how much it hates me.  I want to teach my kids how to take care of their bodies by giving it the proper nourishment.  And that one size does not fit all when it comes to food & diet.  

Thanks for listening! (((hugs)))