Gluten Free

It has been a LONG week since I posted last. After the blood work came back we began researching more about Celiac Disease. Here is the basic summary of what Celiac Disease is:

Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present.

Gluten is the common name for the proteins in specific grains that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. These proteins are found in ALL forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and faro) and related grains rye, barley and triticale and MUST be eliminated. (http://www.celiac.org/)

There has been SO much for my mind to take in and absorb, think about and digest (sorry for the pun) that I haven't hardly been able to think about anything else. My brain hurts.

After much research and prayer, we have decided to change our family's diet to one that is Gluten Free.

There are several odd things with Celiac Disease. One, there is no standard list of symptoms. Two, small amounts of gluten can "cross-contaminate" and be enough to affect the one with the disease. If you cook gluten and gluten-free in the same kitchen, you are supposed to have separate cooking utensils used only on gluten-free products.

So, we have decided to make this adjustment as a family in hopes of helping Cameron's health.

Over the weekend, I cleaned out our pantry of products containing gluten. I wish I would have taken before and after pictures! I have FIVE bags of groceries that contain gluten. And I haven't tackled the fridge OR freezer yet!!!

Here are just a few of the things that had to go: Tomato soup, cream soups, some brands of peanuts AND peanut butter, crackers, bread crumbs, cereals, pasta, pudding, Nesquik and, one of Cam's staples, Ovaltine.

So, that's what we've been doing this week. And on top of that, I got some type of stomach bug Sunday and I'm just now getting better. I'm still not eating much but I'm getting there.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll begin finishing up the Love Dare and get some pictures of these stinkin' cute boys uploaded!