Mid December Musing

As the year rolls to a close, I'm enjoying time with grandkids ('grammie, we always have sleep overs at your house - you need to stay here tonight!'), the square dance calling, de-thugging more of my clutter, Holiday Harp gigs ...

Tomorrow my Bodacious Babes Red Hat group travels to one of our favorite local tea rooms, & I'll again make GF scones, this time for myself & one of my gal friends, who's been GF about 2 months now! I intend to use the recipe I used for macaroons for a dessert buffet, reducing the sugar a bit more. I adapted a 'normal' (non-GF) recipe:
1/2 C basic GF mix, 1/4 C sorghum flour, 1/4 C coconut flour
1/2 C Spectrum OG Palm oil shortening (for butter)
1/2 C coconut sugar (only used 1/2 C sugar, prob cut to 1/3 C for the scones)
1 T ground flax/chia seed mixed w/ @ Tbsp coconut milk (for egg)
My daughter just got a box of Montina, so I'll add a couple of Tbps of that as well GF RN suggests using a small amount to boost the nutrition in recipes.

& I've been reflecting on the changes I've seen in myself & my family over the last 18 months of being gluten free. In the summer of 2009, my daughter sent DNA samples off to TX for the genetic testing, & both she & her girls had two genes for sensitivity (her husband had one sensitivity, one celiac gene) Since they lived next door, & I felt it would be easier on my grandkids if grammy was also GF, I stopped eating wheat, rye, barley & any products I knew or suspected contained them at the same time.

Having been interested in health all of my adult life, this is one of the best things I've ever done for myself! Cousins remember that I wouldn't let my kids eat 'refined sugar' at family outings, & my pie crust was always whole wheat pastry flour ... oops!!

Gluten Free RN comments "Celiac disease is associated with over 300 signs and symptoms. The reason the problems are so diverse, is that complications are a manifestation of four causes. This is what makes celiac disease and gluten intolerance extremely tricky to recognize."

1) the body recognizes gluten as a pathogen & responds with inflammation
2) chronic inflammation causes T cell dysfunction
3) chronic inflammation causes an auto-immune reaction
4) celiac or gluten sensitivity can cause malabsorption or malnutrition symptoms

So what have I noticed personally over the last 18 months of being Gluten Free?

* lost 20# & my post menopause 'tummy'/ feel more like my 30-something self than 60!

* my scalp no longer itches! My mom used think it was lice, as I ALWAYS scratched my head. (I'm careful to use GF skin products, vitamins, etc)

* very little gas

* rarely need a nap (though I still enjoy one occasionally)
I'd usually eat bread at Breitenbush when I lived there, often a second slice with a bit of honey & butter; & remember struggling to stay awake doing that first massage after lunch - warm room, sleepy sleepy ....
when filling-in these days, I always choose the 'special diet' (gluten, dairy & egg free) & same warm room, but no problem staying awake!

* slight numbness in my hands some morning - that was becoming common, is reversing. My X's older sisters who've been ID as having celiac had Raynaud's (extremely cold hands & feet) years ago - which is now seen to be a sign of gluten sensitivity or celiac.

* mental clarity

* looking for the right word - ambition is almost right - I'm more enthused to clear clutter & keep a neater house!

* my main seed is quinoa - love that!! (it's in the beet family, so a seed rather than grain) Cooks in ~ 20 minutes, I usually add 1 T teff & 1 T amaranth to 1/2 C, cook with ~ 1 1/2 C water/stock or coconut milk - mmm.
I tend to cook it plain, then can add spices when I reheat - often have ~ 1/3 C mixed in with cooked veggies (or stuffed in pumpkin - yum!), take it in my tiffin, etc.
I used to eat a lot more rice, but tend to limit that now, so I don't overuse it. Rice cakes & crackers are a good option for when I'm out & about, & I use a basic mix that has rice flour. A major difference I notice is I'm less hungry eating less grain! We think of grains as 'fillers' - but I actually ate more of everything - perhaps that malabsorption bit GF RN mentions; the body craves more because it's actually starved for nutrients! Where I could easily eat a couple of pieces of bread, or a bit of every desert, it's now fairly simple to fill my plate (medium, not huge) or eat half of a restaurant meal; & only a piece of GF desert. It's not because it's not good - far from it! I've had some of the best deserts I can imagine that are GF! I'm just not as hungry!

* I take a multi-vitamin/mineral, Vitamin D-3 (5000iu in winter), magnesium (important for >300 biochemical functions in the body; I take 700 mg - some is from my multi) fish oil or chia seed, lithium ('think young into your 90s with this anti-aging secret for your brain'), sub-lingual or liquid Vitamin B-12 (absorbs in the gut rather than stomach, & is often low if you're Gluten sensitive), digestive bitters (1/2 tsp before meals), & coconut milk kefir (probiotics)

* My 10 year old granddaughter did go off her anti-seizure meds over the summer. She is doing well (though we still need to watch her); she also raised from level 12 to level 22 in her Spanish reading this fall! (the family Dyslexia is probably gluten related)
This week my niece commented she'd mentioned my granddaughter's progress at a party, & later one of the men took her aside & told her his 19 year old son recently had a seizure while driving - he & mom were OK, but the car was totaled when he seized while driving! They had no idea he'd been having seizures, & the dad said the boy could 'eat a loaf of bread or half a cake' at a sitting, so after hearing about my granddaughter, they planned to ask the Doctor to check for gluten issues! I warned her that the Doc might not know much about gluten sensitivity, & they may need to look into it on their own!

* My 5 year old granddaughter is much calmer, happier, & more alert. While she may get feisty, she rarely has the flares she did while eating gluten. Her little hands are smooth & soft as long as she avoids wheat flour play dough & soaps with a lot of chemicals/ gluten. & did I mention happier?? Her playschool teacher commented several times what a difference it made for her 'she just WOKE UP!'

* My daughter is seeing a new doctor who is working on healing her 'leaky gut' & helping her safely reduce/discontinue her anti-depressant. Her last blood work showed sensitivities to more foods (whey, so no yogurt/milk; hard cheeses are OK) egg whites (mildly sensitive) as well as yolks; & cane sugar (another grass, like wheat, rye & barley) among others.
She's been anxiety free since the first week GF, but has been taking the anti-depressant for a number of years. He's recommended a good digestive enzyme, & an amino acid supplement. She's pregnant, so he & her midwife want to avoid postpartum depression, so are being very careful! For protein, she's adding ground pumpkin seed into smoothies. I recently got some hemp seeds which are great on salads, & always roast the seeds of the pumpkins & squash I'm baking this season.
Her European doctor (primary care) is a proponent of limiting animal proteins, fish being the only meat he recommends. He also recommends NONE of his clients eat gluten containing products in America, tho when his family visits Europe, they eat bread & pastas. Dr Radzik's concerned about the GMOs & other American farming practices, feeling we'd ALL be better off avoiding wheat.

So if you've wondered if YOU might be gluten sensitive, now's the time to check it out for yourself - have the Genetic testing, or simply go gluten free for a few weeks & see how you feal! (it takes much longer for the body to heal, but you will probably notice some changes over the first weeks) & if you've been GF, & slipped, don't beat yourself up, just go GF again!

Here's to a wonderful GLUTEN FREE holiday!

Gluten Freedom

It's been close to a year now that our 'family' has been gluten free! Today my oldest granddaughter is in for her 'sleep deprived EEG' to see if she can go off her seizure meds!! Her 'mild seizure disorder' was one of the reasons we looked into the genetics, to see if we were prone to gluten sensitivity - yes; we had the genes!
One of our friends brought her 'gluten sensitive' family tree to the local GIG meeting Saturday, showing which members have which combo of genes, her husband's a geneticist, & predicted which combo some would have, from the others in their direct line.

It would be nice to do that for our family. I'm an only child, but have a number of cousins who display symptoms of gluten issues. My X husband (my son's dad) has a niece & nephew who've gone gluten free, two of his sisters have been diagnosed with celiac Disease. He, his third sister, a niece, nephew, & his two sons haven't gone gluten free or been tested (tho he finds he feels better eating fewer grains in general)

His younger son (15) has a genetic liver disorder, & received a transplant several years ago - was it the double whammy of TWO genetic disorders that made his liver condition so severe? Bread & cottage cheese were two favorite foods, & he often just doesn't feel good. He's MUCH better since the transplant, for which everyone is grateful!

Our 36 yr old son & his family have a number of health issues that seem to be gluten related. A few weeks ago, my youngest granddaughter stayed overnight with her Uncle & cousins, my daughter & I picked her up in the morning. Uncle Josh had given Kayleen a zip lock bag full of cereal for the trip home - which he had checked, & was wheat free - but each cereal was sweetened with Malt - barley malt - so not gluten free!!
Here's a list off gluten free & 'dangerous' grains it IS tricky to figure out!!

His 6 year old gets BAD 'poison oak' that their allergist was surprised at 'I've never heard of someone getting poison oak when they just visit a house where it is, but aren't out in it themselves . . . ' (duh!! I've known a number of folks who experience that!!) & doesn't sound like he has a clue there's a relationship between skin issues & gluten sensitivity . . .they've decided to try minimal gluten, esp with her, & see if it helps!! I sure hope it does . . . & so glad they're looking into it!

Anyone have chronic pain? This site has a wealth of info for pets & their humans!

A month ago, one of my co-workers challenged our new office manager to go gluten free for a week, & see if it made any difference in her energy levels, etc.
She took the challenge! & has been loosing weight (wasn't heavy, but wasn't her ideal weight), has fewer headaches, & is much clearer mentally after lunch.
She's had several 'oh ooh's - the blue cheese (not a gluten 'safe' one) dressing at our local natural foods deli; a 'green salad with no bread' that came compete with croutons! (she picked them off - as she was already back at the office before discovering them), a 'normal' brownie on the weekend.
Like us, each time she gets some gluten, she feels bloated, gets an instant headache, & says 'was that worth it?' . . . no! & is a gluten for information - she's doing great, looking great.
She had extremely low Vit D levels when she joined our office in Jan, & I recently read that's another symptom of gluten issues - fats aren't properly metabolized, so fat soluble vitamins aren't properly metabolized or absorbed . . . she's been on a high vit D supplement, so that's probably one of the reasons she's loosing weight! (this link was on my favorite FB group - Coeliac Disease - not just a food preference!')
This morning, CD. . . posted on correlations between Vitamin B-12 deficiency & celiac or gluten sensitivity. This is a great little form - you can fill in blanks on the questionnaire, & see if you are likely low in B-12.
~ 25 years ago, I had bursitis in one shoulder, triggered by overuse with a new massage stroke. In one of his books on nutritional therapy, Dr Jon Wright suggested both B-12 (usually shots!) & Vit C. Around that time, I discovered sublingual B-12 supplements & began taking them (the bursitis corrected in ~ 5 -6 months) .
Since B-12 is absorbed in the intestines rather than the stomach, levels don't increase with 'normal' supplements - hence 'under the tongue' (sublingual) or injections are most efficient ways to increase the levels . . . & since gluten issues involve the gut, & often signal poor nutrient absorption, it makes sense this is a vitamin we'd be low in.

Meanwhile, a group of my friends are planning our annual beach trip in a few weeks, & I've been torn . . . do I risk going along, & them trying, but not really understanding gluten free? One commented "we can live without that 'nasty gluten' for a weekend" - (& with their range of aches, pains, & health issues they might even feel better for it!)

But I think of the 'nice dinner' one of the 'most supportive' friends preped for her hubby & me last month. I'd played at a wedding in their area, & was invited to their house afterwards. She cut up veggies & put in a roast. Made a big green salad. Pulled out the tin of bake yourself (wheat) rolls, & realized the roast wasn't 'done' enough to take out of the oven before she needed to put them in. . . . she probably 'always' made rolls with roast, & thought her hubby wouldn't be happy if she didn't! Did she ASK him? (he wasn't home yet, but has a cell phone, & is well aware I'm avoiding gluten) . . .
No . . .
So she covered the roast with foil, & put the rolls in, serving them (on the other side of the table) with dinner.

Was I terribly sick? I think I took my digestive enzymes & experienced - the usual 'little bit of bloating & gas' . . . they ate the package of rolls between them. It was a lovely roast, but was making rolls necessary?? She carefully watches her own diet - is diabetic & has asthma - mmm, yes, both can be symptoms of gluten issues, & her hubby has digestive issues, they both are heavier than they want to be. . .

Meanwhile, Girls Night Out will do a 'tip' at a dance in Salem that Sat., so I have a great excuse NOT to go on the beach trip. I could go 'early' (Thur/Fri), as some of them are; & it sounds like they want to make an effort to accommodate my needs.

What would you do?

*** MAGIC ***

 I think my word for 2010 is  * MAGIC *

This year already feels full of possibilities & opportunities.
& I'm seriously working on reducing clutter, both at home & in the office
(& yes, need to get off-line & on task!!!)

I take part in an on-line 'conversation' group of women who respond to questions every few weeks. This morning, the gal who invited me to participate sent a personal e-mail quiring if the ~ 20# weight loss I experienced over ~ 8 months & mentioned recently had been 'mostly' from the switch to coconut oil.

While that's defiantly contributed, the switch to Gluten Free has played a big part as well! This is what I sent to the group:

yes, (much of the weight loss) seems to have resulted from the shift in oils (using coconut
& olive oil while avoiding others) in the spring, then going GLUTEN FREE in the summer!
I love having  a waist again :) The mainthing I notice if I get some stray gluten is bloating.
I use high quality digestive enzymes or vinegar in water with questionable meals.

My energy level is up, & I WANT to move/exercise more because of the extra
energy, I find myself craving 'bad' stuff (anything with gluten, high
fructose corn syrup, & unsaturated oils) tho I still love things like GOOD
chocolate, fresh fruits etc. Pomegranates - I will miss those when the
season's over!!

This link to Grain Damaged offers a good overview of gluten sensitivity.
(the gal who asked about my weight loss suffers from IBS, & this article focuses
on food sensitivities usually playing a huge role in IBS, with wheat/gluten being the main
cluprit!!)

Hmmm - I also got a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) membership this
year, with a local organic farm. I tend to buy local/Organic as much as
possible (I choose coconut as one of the 'from far' foods - still OG) but
having the CSA membership really cuts down on buying 'other' (non-organic)
food. & prompts me to eat more veggies, which we 'should' anyway!

So that's another slight shift. Since 'my farmers' use  water from their own well, the
veggies are grown fluoride free - & fluoride interferes with the body's
ability to absorb necessary iodine, while the chemical fertilizers used by
NON OG farmers cut the amt of Magnesium available.
One of my 'additions' this year is a good water filter - that removes the
fluoride! Sigh. Why do *they* have to mess with our lovely NW water??

& 'of course' cutting soy as much as possible from my diet has helped (my
dau still uses some in cooking, & it's also 'hidden' in lots of things)
since soy depresses the thyroid, & coconut balances it, the inclusion of
coconut combined with the exclusion of most soy tends to boost the
metabolism (unless one had an overactive thyroid, then coconut would help
calm it down!) & much commercial soy sauce contains gluten, so Chinese
restaurants are pretty much 'out' unless they're conscious & REALLY offer
gluten free (soy sauce free) options.

Many women start eating more soy during menopause, for the phyto estrogens
- but with the thyroid depression, I suspect that's tied to weight gain!

Restaurant eating has gotten much more selective - I'm a Virgo, & have
been 'health conscious' for years; going gluten free gives me the 'excuse'
to say "Aw, I'm grain damaged - can you bring me .  . . ." (a salad w
olive oil & vinegar - or no dressing, a soup not thickened with flour, not
something breaded or fried . . . )  & lots of nice veggies . .  .& watch
my friends scarf down a huge plate of something greasy . . . (fried in
un-saturated un-healthy oils to boot!)

****** so that's my personal 'formula' for having dropped ~ 20 # in the last 18 months. & people
have begun noticing - one of the NDs that shares our office asked how much I'd lost the other
day! Her husband has dropped 30# since going Gluten Free last spring; she & their teen son still
eat some, but much less than in the past.
"LIVING WITHOUT" mag has a list of 10 'Must Dos for New Celiacs' (I so like the term 'Grain
Damaged!)
1: Understand your disease - research!
2: Build a Medical team
3: Join a Support group (my dau's best friend is part of ours, I haven't gone yet)
4: Check your Pantry (read lables & toss. Segragate gluten-containing food if one or more family
members still eat the stuff!)
5: Stock the Basics, including some good GF mixes! - Personally, I enjoy having a 'larder' of flours
as well, so I can add play with tweeking recipes (like the chestnut scones!) but I've always been
a 'creative' cook!
6: Dust off your apron (& make some new ones!)
7: Buy a bread machine (my dau got one for Christmas that has a low carb/gluten free cycle
I'm more an oven gal, myself! But do have access to it! & a dear client brot me several GF mixes
as a Christmas gift!)
8: Patronize Local Businesses - YES! & if they accomodate you, TIP WELL & let them know you'll
return!
9: Don't settle
  This could be our motto for life - don't settle!! Breathe it in!
10: Exhale - relax - it will be all right - & even better!

Exhaling reminds us to - INHALE!
A psychic friend told me in a reading that when I found myself craving bread, to remember to
take a moment to breathe! That my body was craving more *fuel* - & to think of Oxygen first!
so go outside, hug a tree, & take a DEEP BREATH!!

Oh, dear!! Here's a link to an article on how agave nectar (which I use sporadically) is made!!
Guess I'm retiring that bottle!!

Holi-Daze

Whew - seems like 'forever' since I've written!

GF Thanksgiving went very well - was at my son's & they'd gotten a GF baking mix, so Angie made a GF pie crust, & I mixed up the pumpkin filling, using coconut milk so my lactose intollerant former hubby could have some (& reminded them to save some mashed potatoes before adding the 'fixings') . . . my daughter made stove top stuffing, & just used veggies in the bird, & we had both wheat & GF rolls - delightful!
Over on 'Grain Damaged, there's a great post on gluten sensitivity,Several of my friends seem irritated that I'm avoiding gluten, tho I 'don't have celiac disease' - I tell them I'd rather not 'find out' by becoming seriously ill! This article really explains it well!

I've been divorced ~ 20 years, (& married ~ 18) & my 'X' & I were always friends, so it's pretty easy to spend family holidays together. His 93 yr old mom & ~ 15 year old son both came as well.

Since then it's been work n dance & reading & . . . Knitting!
It's kind of 'if you give a mouse a cookie.' (if you start knitting a project, you're going to want to visit the yarn shop, if you visit the yarn shop, . . .)

My mom, majorally 'crafty,' taught me to knit when I was a kid, & then again several times. Over the years, I've knit various things - socks (usually in the round), leg warmers, dolls (basically like a gloves), shells - but I can't recall ever knitting a 'grown up' sweater! My mom made her own sweaters, using pretty sport weight yarn - usually synthetic, as the crutches wore holes in wool pretty quickly. I've made doll sweaters, & sweaters for kids . . .

So a few weeks ago I was at the library, looking for a book in the Young Adult area & kind of browsing the shelves, when I came upon Elizabeth Lennard's 'Chicks with Sticks' - a series about teens in Chicago who take up knitting, & form friendships & a S & B group 'don't mind the Frogs' (ripping out 'mistakes')

A few weeks before that , I'd paid a visit to our local yarn shop & picked up a couple of skeins of varigated yarn for leg warmers (for me) & some pink to begin ones for the little ballerina granddaughters. I'd run out of one of the pinks (all gathered from the 'sale' boxes :) so ventured back, hoping to find one more ball of that pink 'superwash' wool. YES! Mmm mmmm mmm

One of the 30% off boxes held a pile of soft & cushy'Merino Frappe' & I got a handful of skeins in pink, then looked through the sale books. Like cookbooks, folks probably only knit (or crochet or . . .) a couple of patterns from any one book, so I often just get a few from the library. But this one had a cute ballet sweater, & I thought it would knit up nicely in the 'frape' . . .

So I also got 'Speed Knitting' (Kris Percival) & began the sweater with a delightful raspberry pink yarn. The ties turned out way long (I followed the instructions!) So I think I'll trim them back, & maybe felt the leftover ends! My mom had a sweater in almost the same raspberry, so it reminds me of her. Lois had a great 'eye' for matching colours, & would knit afgans in sport yarn, slippers, & for awhile, cotton bandage 'strips' for soldiers!

Today the project is some fingerless gloves - it's COLD outside (OK, so it is December!) I chatted on the phone to a crafty friend who lives in Portland & also knit as we talked - our own little crafty session!

I need to begin making my 'Mom's group' gifts for our Brunch next weekend! (I've knit cute little neckwarmers, this year I'm sewing something) . . . but also need to finish that glove . . .
What are you working on??