Week 1: G-Free Recap

Well I'd like to say that I spent the entire last seven days completely g-free, but this has not been the case. Though I immediately went g-free after the tTG blood draw (for celiac disease) last Monday morning, it took several days before I actually felt my energy returning and the stomach aches begin to go away. I was experiencing many of the symptoms during the two months prior to diagnosing myself.

Just when I thought I was finally g-free again, Christmas Eve came and went. I knew I had a small amount of wheat for dinner on Christmas Eve, but thought it might not affect me so much and at worst might get a stomach ache for a day or so, but tolerable. Christmas Day came and went and I ate freely of the candies in my stocking, all of which I thought were gluten-free. As it turns out, either something was not g-free, or the effects of Christmas Eve were beginning to take its toll, because by Christmas night I was not feeling too well, and it lasted all weekend long.

I spent the weekend profoundly tired-- it was all I could do to get out of bed and move around. I didn't want to do anything else. I could have spent the entire weekend lying in bed watching TV-- I had no energy, and was experiencing CD-related heartburn, stomach aches, bloating, nausea, flushing sensations, tingling and numbness; you name it. I didn't know whether it was the candy, or if something I had prepared was not g-free, even though I prepared all the Christmas Day meals myself and was very careful about every ingredient. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it had to be something in the candy, specifically, the mini-peppermint patties (which I love!).

I swore off the candy and gave it all to my kids, and began to feel better within 24 hours. So it is my hope that Week 2 will be much more "normalized" in the world of g-free eating, and will diligently stay away from unknown gluten food sources to the best of my abilities. We are to go to a friend's house this coming weekend, and I hope to be as gracious as can be in declining any food treats, if necessary!

Whole Wheat and Gluten in Celiac Disease

The New York Times recently posted an article titled "Gluten-Free for the Holidays, and Beyond" (Dec. 22, 2009) in which submitted questions about celiac disease were answerd by Dr. Sheila Crowe, professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Virginia.

One question that caught my eye was with regard to whole wheat and whether it is gluten-free or not. A reader had submitted a question wondering if whole-wheat bread couldn't be used in place of gluten-free bread. Dr. Crowe's reply (in part) is as follows:

"Whole wheat is not gluten-free, so yes, eating whole-wheat bread is a mistake, one you should correct as soon as possible.

"If you want to eat breads, then the only ones to eat must be gluten-free. Breads are a major source of gluten in a Western diet, and they are the hardest product to make using gluten-free ingredients. This is because glutinens, a component of gluten, are what gives bread its unique characteristics, including texture and elasticity" (New York Times, 2009, italics added).

What does this response tell me? That I cannot and must not eat any wheat in any way, shape, or form, in order for me to heal, and healing is what I want to do most. And part of avoiding wheat (and gluten in general), will mean politely refusing bread products of any kind over the holidays-- and that will not be an easy feat. I must make a choice, and I choose to be healthy.