a new symptom & another opportunity to be humbled

a new symptom has developed in the past week plus. (a hard "lump" - I shall refrain from sharing the details). resulted in a trip to the doctor yesterday - and some mild mental angst on my part. at present, the doctor seems unconcerned, and has instructed me with regards to a couple remedies, followed by a double-check in a few weeks. if the situation has not improved by then, we proceed to a more invasive test or two.

needless to say, it would be oh-so-nice to learn that ALL my health issues were tied to just One Thing, and oh, this is it, and it can be fixed by this or that simple procedure, and ta-da we're all better. however, this does not seem to be the direction we're heading.

in the mean time, I find this is proving to be an exercise in learning when to speak and when not to speak.....to others who regularly ask "How are you?" and to even my doctor and my own family. I am trying to find a balance between conveying brutal honesty (which is often self-serving - seeking sympathy?) and a flippant disregard for the ongoing struggles (which...can also be very self-serving - seeking distraction?).

instead, how can I speak - even about my weaknesses? -

in such a way as to EDIFY others?

Going Gluten-Free: The New Diet Fad (?)

I received an email this morning with a link to the below article and thought it worth posting - especially as I have changed over to "gluten free" myself, and since doing so have (apparently) eliminated all of my asthma symptoms (with which I have been struggling for over 2 years).

Additionally, my fatigue levels have dramatically improved.

To be fair, gluten-laden foods are also typically those that are a) much higher in sugar and complex carbohydrates, and b) highly processed (like those lovely frozen Lean Cuisine meals that are oh-so-convenient). Nevertheless, I have been glad for something of which I can grasp hold that doesn't also involve obtaining 7-8 prescriptions. (For the record, I have not been diagnosed with celiac disease - and am still in the midst of trying to isolate precisely what my problems are.)

(Remind me, also, to follow this up with a post summarizing our study on "the Sluggard" from Proverbs last night in our girls' summer study. Perhaps some things aren't merely physical....)

* * * * *

Going Gluten-Free: The New Diet Fad

Many people without celiac disease are eating gluten-free. Find out how that affects people with celiac disease.

By Marie Suszynski
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

There’s a lot of talk lately about a gluten-free diet, and it’s not among people with celiac disease.

In 2006, Oprah followed a strict diet during a 21-day “cleanse” in which she gave up, among other foods, gluten. Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl and fashion maven, has reportedly been seen eating gluten-free toast.

Gluten-free is being called a new diet fad, but why would someone who doesn’t have celiac disease give up gluten-containing foods?

Gluten-Free Diet Fad: The Trend
“When people go on a diet, they think about what they can’t have,” says Linda Simon, RD, a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and a personal chef who writes about gluten-free cooking in Janesville, Wis. “People want to separate foods into good and bad.”

Ironically, people who are going gluten-free to lose weight may end up disappointed. Gluten-free products tend to be higher in fat and sugar than other foods. It’s not uncommon for someone with celiac disease to gain 20 or 30 pounds when they start a gluten-free diet, says Simon. The best way to avoid weight gain when you’re eating a gluten-free diet is to focus on unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables.

In addition to celebrities, some parents who have children with autism are eliminating gluten from their diet with the hope that they’ll see an improvement. There’s no conclusive research that shows a gluten-free diet helps children with autism, but it’s something that’s being studied now, says Simon. “Parents need a solution, and they’re willing to try anything that might work,” she says. “Some feel it helps and others haven’t seen an improvement.”

Gluten-Free Diet Fad: The Pros
With so much more attention being paid to gluten-free diets, are people with celiac disease better off?

It seems so. According to the market research group Packaged Facts, the gluten-free food and drink market is growing every year. The market has been growing by an estimated 28 percent a year since 2004, and the group expected the market to continue to grow in the coming years. In 2008, more than 225 marketers released gluten-free products to the U.S. market.

However, there’s always a chance that food labeled gluten-free may actually have gluten in it or has been contaminated during the manufacturing process, Simon says. People with celiac disease have to research the food they’re buying to be sure it won’t affect their health.

And people with celiac disease shouldn’t rely on gluten-free processed foods alone. Gluten-free breads, crackers, and other snacks aren’t enriched with nutrients, so people with celiac disease have to make sure they’re getting vitamins, minerals, and fiber from eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Even those healthy foods are missing B vitamins and iron, which have to be replaced in other areas of your diet, Simon says. Calcium is another concern, especially because people with celiac disease tend to be lactose intolerant.

Gluten-Free Diet Fad: Use Caution
If you think you might have celiac disease, don’t go gluten-free yet. Eliminating gluten from your diet before you’re tested by your doctor can skew the results.

Your doctor measures the level of some autoantibodies (immune system proteins that attack your own body) in your blood in order to diagnose celiac disease. But if you take gluten out of your diet before you’re tested, it will change your blood chemistry and the blood test may be negative for celiac disease, even if you actually have the disease.

If you have celiac disease, you know eating gluten-free isn’t a fad — it’s an essential lifestyle that helps you manage your disease and stay healthy.

Copyright © 2009 Waterfront Media, Inc. The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

"Everyday Health Network" - *terms of service*

Set Up for a Health Disaster, part 9 of 9

Summary - and where we go from here

This is not what I had originally intended to post as my 9th installment of this "introduction" to my situation. But I think it will serve the purpose, perhaps, better.

I wasn't planning to write this note, and it just came about as a way of trying to bring my sister-in-law up to speed on why I had to cancel plans with her and my brother last weekend.

So I'm gonna let you all in on that read:


Hiya!

I just posted on your wall. But actually, there is a possibility I may be cancelling on [my friends], tomorrow, also - I am not "well" altogether, and have to be very careful I don't "push" myself right now, or I could (re)damage my adrenal glands - I feel I have just started healing (especially since going gluten free), but I know I just am not drawing from a "genuine" store of energy, yet. I think I am just so accustomed to running on adrenalin, my body doesn't know how to function from the energy it has stored up in an abundance of fat cells.

Mostly, I am beginning to recognize some "sin" areas in my life that have ... mmm ... caused (though I use the word loosely) me to live in such a way as to kinda overachieve-by-way-of-adrenalin. In fact, I find this is NOT actually the life the Lord is requiring of me - and he has been working to teach me about my WEAKNESS and my need to REST, etc. That is, I am altogether too much of a control-freak, wanting to be a god unto myself, and have not in fact cultivated my dependence on the Lord - perhaps evidenced by my woefully insufficient prayer life. So, I am thankful he brought me to such a brick wall of health problems in the past couple of years so I could come to see how I was just throwing myself around in ways that felt (as far as I knew) NATURAL but were in fact rooted in idolatry and the desire to be impressive or win approval, or win ARGUMENTS and be the smartest or most talented, blah blah blah.

Suffice it to say, some of the "consequences" of past decisions (or LACK of intentionality) include now not only health concerns, but the need to "pull back" and sometimes let people down cuz I can't just "hang out" like normal (or at least what has been "normal" for me). I feel like I'm always "canceling" on people these days....And it's difficult, too, cuz I APPEAR healthier to others when I am pumping full of adrenalin - it's like a drug, really. (Adrenalin-junkie is a REAL thing....) And so I may look like I'm happy and appear to have (in those moments) great energy; but in fact, that's probably when I am causing the most damage to my body. So if I am on the "brink" of getting all hyped up or what not, I find I have to deliberately pull back and just lie down, or sit and BE STILL for a while, or actually sleep. My body kicks in the adrenalin (survival mode) when I am NOT getting enough rest - it's like that "second wind" you get at night when you're on the brink of falling asleep and you just can't keep your eyes open another minute, but then suddenly you go another 4 hours and if you TRY to fall asleep before that "burst" wears off, you can't....I have been living in that "suddenly you go another 4 hours" mode for...um....years. No wonder I'm sick all the time!!

Anyway....I thought perhaps you might benefit from knowing a little more of what's going on. I don't want you to think I'm avoiding y'all. :) I just can't be as "aggressive" as I once was about planning outings with folks, so I tend to wait more on others' initiative these days....I have a theory it helps me prioritize, though I don't really know, yet.....

Also, I just started the "Master Cleanse" today, in fact - I hope this will, as [our friend] suggests, help "reboot" my system. The science behind it makes sense to me - and the benefits are consistent with my set of health struggles....So I'll be "fasting" for a minimum of 7 days (+ 3 days ease back into normal diet) and reassess my stamina and will-power and finances at that point before deciding to continue....

So. There ya have it. :)

I DO want to get together with you and [Z], but I have to actually PLAN to be home and "still" some nights of the week, which makes my social outings much fewer and farther between....and when I boo boo - and schedule too much for my body to handle - I end up disappointing people.

:(

But let's maybe do PLAN for something the week after Father's Day??

Love you!
Leah