I Didn't Know I was Sick

Last week, I was tested for Celiac's Disease.

It was negative, the Dr. Said it's very hard to diagnose. 

After reading all the information and symptoms and really thinking about my body and my life, I think I may still have Celiac's... if not, I'm pretty sure I'm Gluten Intolerant. 

Here's the thing... I didn't realize I was sick!

14 years ago I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel syndrome. I was told to avoid dairy and sent on my way. The next Dr. I saw said, "There's really no such thing as IBS, it's just our diet: eat a balance diet of fiber, whole grains, etc. You'll be fine." 

That is the advice I have followed. I have been mostly dairy free ( I cheat once in a while) ever since, focused on whole grains, including whole wheat, vegetables, and reducing processed foods. As kids came and I was working full time, this habits started to wane. I have been working hard to get back into them the last two years, but have not eaten as well as I should. 

I have found great help in managing my symptoms with essential oils and natural supplements. My headaches went away, but then they came back. I never made a connection between all of my symptoms. 

Here is the list.. and my comments:

Constipation (and other digestive disorders)
Brain fog  (I've had a lot of this lately - again, I thought it was just not enough sleep)
Numbness in the limbs (mine is always after sleep... Thought I'd slept wrong and that was normal)
Anxiety and depression (I manage mine with the oils and supplements... Not so bad...)
Acne and skin issues (yup.. got that - again, thanks for the help from oils!)
Fatigue....(I'm a Mom that never gets enough sleep)

Joint and muscle pain (Doesn't everyone have that? Again, I didn't realize I may have more than the norm, or that I shouldn't have it at all... And this has gotten worse lately.)
Headaches:  (this is a big one for me. I thought it was just my hormones, maybe my IUD, but I have fought headaches all my life.)
Weight loss and other signs of malnutrition:  (yup, I've lost weight, I'm just under normal. I've been losing my hair more than normal, and wondering why.)

So... I've realized, my symptoms have gotten progressively worse over the last few months. I had just kept on going, not realizing what was happening.

Gluten Intolerance is becoming more prevalent.

Celiac disease is hereditary. Only 3% of those with Celiac disease are actually diagnosed.  

Hmmm... I started my Gluten Free journey last Saturday. After only 6 days, I am feeling some improvements. I also started a nutritional cleanse at the same time. I have had less tummy issues, less muscle and joint pain, and my  headaches have been mostly manageable with only essential oils. It's supposed to take 6-8 weeks to really see a difference in the headaches. With how much better my tummy feels, though, I'm curious to see the real results in a few weeks! Besides, this is forcing me to make the changes I have wanted to make for a long time: less processed food, less sugar and JUNK, and more whole foods, veggies and fruits! 

While this isn't a Health and Wellness Blog necessarily, I will have a post now and again about my health and that of my family. Health and Education go hand in hand - we need them both! And... they coincide so much! See our Health and Wellness page for more info and I hope you will follow us and come back often for updates!