Celiac Disease has come to the forefront in a BIG way recently, however, people walked around with Celiac—or gluten intolerance—for yeeeears and didn’t know it. People would go to doctors with all sorts of symptoms (anemia, weight loss, malnourishment, exhaustion, joint pain, etc.) and tests would be done, but often the results were inconclusive. The mystery of illness remained.

Celiac wasn’t necessarily the first thing physicians would go to for a diagnosis since many unknowns remained in the medical community around this disease. Thankfully, this has dramatically changed in the last 10 years.

The situation usually goes something like this: You eat. You feel worse. What is this thing? Does everyone feel bad from food?

There are no outward symptoms. You have no fever or broken bones, so no one knows what the heck is going on. Sometimes there’s no answer from even the smartest people you know. You begin to experiment. “No coffee for me. No meat, just veggies. Only raw veggies. Only carbs. Just cereal and oatmeal.” We try all sorts of things to feel better… Green tea, vitamins, detox. Then anxiety kicks in from the lack of sustaining our own, young bodies. With no apparent diagnosis, there is no answer. You’re trying to figure this out—all while living your life as you normally would; school, career, kids, relationships. You develop coping mechanisms. You get tough, and push through. 

Soldiers stationed far away come to mind, eating processed, pre-packaged foods. They don’t know yet they have Celiac, but they know they feel bad—and food makes it worse. The big question to themselves is Why? Everyone else feels great after their meal… “what’s up with ME?!”

Giving up on an answer is not an option. Pursue more tests and consultations. There is now more information available about the proper lab tests and necessary endoscopies to help make the diagnosis than ever before.

Now that you’re finally diagnosed, doctors and nutritionists see that it’s actually FOOD that’s making you not well. And all you have to do is stop eating foods with gluten—those with wheat, rye, or barley? You almost cannot believe it. Wow!! That was it all along. You start feeling this huge sense of gratitude. And relief. Physically and emotionally.

This is my Something to handle. And I’m not saying it’s easy. Food plays a huge role in our lives and effects us immensely everyday. But now I understand—and can do Something about it.

I get to stop eating something, instead of having to take something to start feeling like something… Now that’s something!!!!

#grateful #longtimecoming #whoknew #glutenfreesavedme #individualresultsmayvary