The first one is the hardest, right?
Well I made it! Well sort of. I just finished my first holiday celebration since being diagnosied with celiac disease. It was a challenge to say the least. You know how crave something you can't have. Well that's how I felt the whole time. I craved everything-from the gravy, pies, candies, cakes and especially the dressing! All of which are big no-no's when you have celiacs disease. I did good at first. We had a Thanksgiving meal and service at our church Wednesday night. There were several things that I could eat so I just loaded up on them and tried not to look or think about the rest. Well that worked until my hubby came to the table with Key Lime Pie. Well that's when my defense fell. Looking at the pie and hearing everyone at the table talk about the pie was just overwheleming. I reasoned that it would be alright if I didn't eat the crust. Yeah right! I was in the bathroom later that evening atoning for my sin!
Today we had our family Thanksgiving dinner. Well our "adopted family" Thanksgiving dinner. Matt and I had dinner this year with a couple from our church who has taken us under their wings. We are so blessed to know them. THey are wonderful, down to Earth people. I will do better today I vowed and not eat the things that I know or suspect might have gluten. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," I kept telling myself. Then they mentioned pecan pie and cranberry cheesecake. The battle was over before it had even begun. I kept telling myself it can't hurt me really bad, can it? Yes, It can. When a person who is allergic to gluten eats gluten it the immune system to attack the villi in the intestines and destroy them. Without villi your body is unable to absorb food no matter how much one eats. This point was brought home to earlier this evening. We was reading an update on a friend of ours who has cancer. She had to stop chemo treatment because she was having allergic reactions to the chemo. Her body was telling her to stop because it could kill her. That's when it dawned on me-CAROL THAT IS WHAT YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU WHEN YOU EAT GLUTEN-TO STOP! IT CAN KILL YOU!
I am determined now more than ever to stop eating any gluten no matter how hard it will would be. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as this will be especially difficult around the holidays. Pray that I will not falter especially when my loved ones are eating things that I know I can't eat.
Thanks everyone!
(((((HUGS))))
Carol
PS Here's a link that will give you more information about celiac diesease : http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/
Labels: celiac disease and holidays
posted by Unknown @ Friday, November 27, 2009
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Carol--It's brave to share your new struggles with everyone. As you've discovered when you are celiac/gluten intolerant, a little bit of gluten is like a little bit of rat poison ... no amount is safe. The first holidays are the toughest. You focus on all you can't eat and not what you can. It will get easier, but believe you can do this. Focus on your favorite foods and find easy substitutes for favorites like pecan pie. I just made crustless pecan pie for Thanksgiving and itw as fabulous. There was no deprivation at all. Another gluten-free friend makes wonderful key lime pie using gluten-free gingersnaps for the crust. And, guess what when you make those, they are so good, everyone will want you to make them and bring them so they can eat them. BTW, on my site, I just found the perfect super easy gluten-free stuffing ... it's made of tortilla chips and people love it. (Read the comments if you check out the recipe.) Shoot me an email if there's more specific help you are looking for ... seriously. I would be happy to help.
Hugs,
Shirley
Thanks for reminding me that every time I eat gluten I am eating rat poison. That will stick with me. Thanks for your wonderful recipes too. They are going to come in handy when I get ready to start my holiday cooking and baking!
Honestly, Carol, Gluten doesn't sound like anything ANY of us need to be eating. How do you know if it has gluten in it to begin with? What is gluten? And what does it do in your body? I might be swearing off gluten too just because the name itself sounds hideous! Love you girl and you hang in there!!
Casey
Thanks for the love! Here's what gluten is. Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten. What does it do to my body? well it causes my immune system to attack itself which results in the he lining of my intestines to be destroyed. Which cause to malnutrition and eventually death if you don't stop eating gluten.And other equally yucky side effects. The only cure is to go and stay gluten free and let your body heal. I hope that answers your questions. Feel free ask if you have any more questions.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home