Checking In

Well, it's been a while since my last post and I thought I'd give an update on life as we are living it now.  Caleb has not been 100% gluten-free, but we have cut a lot of gluten out of his diet (most of the time).  In other words, mom has relaxed a bit! :)  He hasn't had a migraine since the last one I reported (hooray!).  His reaction to gluten comes in the form of tics (rapid, uncontrollable blinking or mouth movements are typical for him), so I can gauge how much gluten he has ingested by their frequency or the lack thereof.

I was looking back at my earlier posts and realized that there are 2 gluten-free products that we still haven't tried yet. One is the Red Bob Mills bread mix. While I did try the other mix, I used it for pizza dough because it said it could be used for either way.  Thankfully, I had some experience in making pizza dough and knew that I needed to add more flour, otherwise it was a terribly sticky mess that I would likely have thrown in the garbage if it weren't for my prior knowledge.  And thankfully, I had some gluten-free flour that I could add. It turned out okay in the end and it tasted okay.  I will have to experiment with some homemade recipes when I get a chance.  I also haven't used the Rice Flour yet.  I have good intentions of making things from scratch but I lack the time necessary to experiment.

On this quest to help Caleb be healthy, I have done a lot to try to reduce the use of chemicals in our house, and yet I haven't been able to get around it altogether.  I have tried making my own cleaners out of common household items but never had great results.  So, I have done my best to reduce the chemicals in our home by using what I hoped to be some less chemically-filled products or by using certain chemical cleaners less often...not great options.  However, thanks to a friend of mine, I have recently discovered Norwex Enviro Products.  With the use of their antibacterial microfiber cloth and water, you can eliminate 99.9% of germs on any washable surface!  I was impressed!  That alone is a wonderful product, but they have so many other great products, including cleaners that are enzyme-based & biodegradeable (read: safe to use and good for the environment!) & they work wonderfully!  I used the Descaler with the Bathroom Mitt on my bathtub, which I hate to clean because of the iron in our water which leaves rust in the tub.  I didn't have to use the whole bottle (like I have done with other cleaners)...in fact I didn't use much at all and the rust came out with minimal effort on my part.  And the best part--I didn't inhale fumes!!!  It has a light and pleasant scent.  I can't wait to try more of their products, and they have many to offer!

I am so pleased with my Norwex products that I have decided to join the Norwex team.  I want to share the benefits of these great products with everyone!  The Norwex Mission Statement is "to improve quality of life by reducing the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning".  What a wonderful mission statement.  That lines up perfectly with what I am trying to accomplish in my life.

Day 38!

Ok, so I am a lousy blogger :(  It's been almost 20 days since I blogged!  Unbelievable!  We went on vacation, and then my source of internet, my BlackBerry, broke (that was a sad day!)  Then my boys went back to school & I went back to teaching.  Life has been busy!

I entitled this Day 38 because we have decided to keep Caleb on a gluten-free diet.  Pro number 1: It has been 5 weeks since his last migraine!  Prior to the diet, he had his second migraine only 2&1/2 weeks after the first.  Pro number 2: When he doesn't eat gluten, he doesn't have tics.  As soon as he eats gluten, he has tics.  There is no doubt in my mind that there is a correlation.

Whether or not he has Celiac Disease, we may never know but I am certain he has a type of gluten intolerance.  The fact that he had a negative gluten intolerance test result several years ago makes me suspect CD.  And while he has rarely shown the "classic" symptoms of CD, I know that not everyone who has it displays the "classic" symptoms.  Regardless, he needs to be gluten-free.

I will never forget the day I discovered Celiac Disease & how it was a possibility thay my child had it.  I was so excited that this could be it.  This could be the answer that I had been looking for.  And then to discover that all we had to do to correct it was change his diet.  It was an amazing day!  It has been an amazing journey!

I have been very pleased with the results of our experiment.  So our journey continues, gluten-free for our son (which has also resulted in less gluten for our family as a whole).  And it really hasn't been difficult...just different.

Day 19

Time is just flying by!  Before I know it the day is over & I haven't updated.  I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've posted!

We went out to eat a couple nights ago at Texas Roadhouse.  I really thought we were going to make this meal out completely gluten-free for Caleb.  He was doing well ordering a steak & mashed potatoes.  While waiting for the food to arrive he ate some peanuts but no rolls (which was near torture to him but he survived!)  When the waitress brought our salads, he indicated he would like a salad also.  Since it wasn't included in the kid's meal, I ordered a salad for him with cheese & croutons only.  Oops...croutons are made from bread!  It didn't even dawn on me until later.  Well, we almost got it right!

We are packing up for our trip and I believe the meal plans are in order.  On the gluten-free dinner menu: Chicken Parmesan (with spaghetti leftovers planned for the next days lunch), Tacos (leftovers again planned for lunch), Oven Fried Herb Chicken, and Grilled Burgers (they may end up being a lunch instead of a dinner).  We are planning 1 breakfast out (at Paul Bunyan's), and will likely have 1 lunch out also.  Eating out is definitely the hardest time to keep the gluten away.

I am planning to use a recipe in Gluten-Free: Quick & Easy (for Chicken Nuggets) for the breading on the Chicken Parmesan, which uses crushed corn flakes rather than flour & bread crumbs.  Hopefully, the end result will be satisfactory.  Time will tell.

I have noticed a HUGE improvement in Caleb's tics when he is consistent with the diet!  I rarely ever see them any more.  Before the diet, I rarely ever saw him without them.  That alone would be reason enough for him to continue the diet for the rest of his life, in my opinion.  I am expecting that he will not experience migraines much (if ever) in his future if he stays off gluten also.   Seems like a win, win situation to me.

Day 13

It's been a few days since I've posted.  We were moving right along without gluten (mostly Caleb but we have definitely minimized our own gluten intake), until this weekend hit.  Yesterday, an Amish family we met this summer at the Farmer's Market gave us some of their homemade cinnamon & pecan rolls...we didn't get a chance to tell them we were going gluten-free & who could say no to that? 

We also went out to eat tonight.  It was a family style buffet.  Caleb tried to keep the gluten to a minimum, but his favorite part of the meal was the walleye (which was breaded).

I noticed his tics a little bit yesterday, but today they were much more noticable...mostly blinking but also some neck jerking.

I know if he has any type of gluten intolerance, especially Celiac's, he shouldn't have gluten.  Period.  I am hoping the longer we do it, the easier it will get and we won't feel a need to "cheat".  I began perusing the cookbooks I bought again & it looks like there are some really great recipes in them.  I just need more time!  I was able to flag some pages in the Quick & Easy recipe book that I would like to try this week & next, so that is a start.

I have gotten Caleb more involved with helping to prepare dinner so he feels more ownership in what he eats.  He has gotten really good at peeling & cutting carrots, as well as quartering potatoes for our crockpot roast dinners.  He also helped make Ranch dressing a couple days ago.  I discovered that he really doesn't care for pasley & the recipe I have calls for a good amount of it.  I'm going to use half of what is called for next time.  I've even made it without parsley before & it was good.  One of the recipe books has a ranch mix recipe that calls for a number of ground spices that you mix with sour cream & milk, so I'm going to try that soon.

All in all, it's been a bit of a challenge lately, but we're going to start the week off on the right foot again & hope for the best!
 

Day 10

Wow!  10 days already.  Hard to believe we're 1/3 of the way through our experiment.

Caleb did well eating while he was away from home.  It definitely helped that I packed a few things, but he did well in eating a salad for lunch.  He was also treated to a cup of ice cream later, so don't feel too bad for him! :)

I am so glad I am reading Healthier Without Wheat.  It has really helped to define the difference between Celiac Disease, Wheat Allergy & Gluten Intolerence.  While they all can have ill effects on the body, they are very different & each has to be tested differently.  I also read that the testing for CD is not always accurate, even the biopsy.  The author even talks about how it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to have the testing done or to begin eliminating gluten from the diet.  After all, as a friend pointed out to me this week, that is the old fashioned way of discovering whether or not a person has an allergy.

Something else I found interesting, when talking about the foods people with Celiac CAN eat, he says this, "The healthiest gluten-free foods--"whole foods" such as vegetables, fruits, meat, nuts, and so on--are not special products and are still the same price that they were when you ate gluten.  Look for them on the perimeter of the grocery store".  I promise, I had never read that before!  It was only by my own observation that I discovered most of the food I buy on a regular basis was on the perimeter of the store!

The reality, he says, is that what is left to eat (after eliminating gluten-containing foods) is just about everything that is healthy for you.  So, you are eating the right foods & eliminating the "junk" (something we have been trying to do anyway).  I love that!

Click here for a great step-by-step guide to removing gluten from your diet. 

I also forgot to mention that over the weekend, we tried Monical's gluten-free pizza & it was very good.  I also searched http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/ to see if we have any restaurants that are recognized by the "Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program" in our area.  The only restaraunt that came up was Outback Steak House in Bloomington (about 45 mi. away).  I can't say that we will travel that far to eat there, but it's good to know in case we're in the area. 

Day 9: Moving right along

I finally began reading a book I borrowed from the library last week entitled Healthier Without Wheat: A New Understaning of Wheat Allergies, Celiac Disease & Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance by Stephen Wangen.  I can hardly put it down.  You definitely want to read this if you suspect you or someone you love has problems digesting gluten. 

My husband said that since I have been reading so much about Celiac Disease that I now think that everyone I know has it, which is simply preposterous! :)  While I don't believe everyone has CD, I do believe that there are more people who have problems digesting gluten than we realize.  There are nearly 200 signs or symptoms that can be related to gluten intolerance/allergy or Celiac!  These syptoms range from fatigue, weight loss, weight gain, abdominal pain, anemia, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, miscarriages, Fibromyalgia, to Schizophrenia!  While I also realize that everyone who experiences these symptoms does not have CD or gluten intolerance, I am left to wonder how many of them actually do have it and don't even know it.  It boggles my mind that there are doctors today who don't even consider the diet (the food we put into our bodies) to play a role in our well being. 

I am thankful that our family decided to take our health more seriously several years ago (well, my husband and I anyway, our boys didn't really have a choice!)  We decided to remove high fructose corn syrup & hydrogenated oils while adding more organic fruits/veggies and pure water to our diet.  When I grocery shop, I mostly shop the outside perimeter of the store...that's where the fruits, veggies, health food section, meat (which I rarely buy at a large chain store), and dairy sections are.  I steer clear of the middle aisles except for the occassional cans of organic beans, tea bags, or some other specific item I think we need.  By taking these steps in the past several years, it has certainly made taking this gluten-free step that much easier!

Caleb went to spend the night at a friends house tonight.  I packed a couple of gluten-free foods in his bag.  It seemed a little strange to pack him food, but also necessary.  I also talked with him more about what foods contain gluten and what foods do not.  He is going to have to take responsibility for what he eats.  So, we'll see how he does.

Day 8

I forgot to report earlier that Caleb liked the Rice noodles I bought from Kroger. I also thought they tasted like regular noodles. The box is smaller and they are more expensive than regular noodles. I read on a blog today that GF foods cost 2 to 3 times more than regular food. I think I could manage to do it cheaper and I like a challenge like that! The most obvious way to save money is to make things from scratch and the next is to buy in bulk. I haven't had the opportunity yet to buy in bulk but I'm looking forward to doing so very soon.

However, I found some good deals at Kroger yesterday on the GF cereal and cereal bars. They were on manager's special for $1.55 and $1.29 respectively. That's about a dollar off their regular price. Every little savings counts! I stocked up too!

I think the hardest thing for me right now is planning ahead. I would like to have a week's worth of menu plans written out already but I don't have. I have a couple of days worth but a week would be better. Also, we will be going on a mini vacation in a couple of weeks, so I need to plan for that. We have reserved a place to stay with a kitchen so we can still make most of our own meals.

Caleb hasn't complained about the diet so far. It is definitely easier than trying to cut out gluten, dairy, soy and eggs...all at the same time! That was near impossible! He remembers how difficult that was and realizes how much easier this is. Funny what a little perspective does for a person.

Day 6: Minor set-back; Day 7: Back on course

Yesterday was Day 6 on the diet & in the evening Caleb began having stomach cramps.  If ever I had doubted myself as a parent, this was the time.  Had I made the right choice in attempting the diet first?  Should I have taken him to the doctor for an official diagnosis?  What if I am wrong?  Nothing can send a person into worry mode like a sick child...specifically your own. 

The good news is that the cramps weren't as severe nor did they last as long as they had previously (this time only a few hours versus a few days prior to starting the diet).  So, we went through the list of things he ate.  I realized there could have been some cross-contamination at lunchtime.  Then I wondered about the yogurt he ate at dinner.  It says it has "natural vanilla flavoring" but what does that really mean?  I looked it up online and am still confused.  It seems I will have to write to the manufacturer to get an answer as to whether or not it contains gluten.

Day 7:  I discovered today that the mayo I used to make Ranch dressing has modified food starch in it, which means it has gluten.  So, one known source of gluten, one suspected source of gluten plus a possible cross-contamination...the pieces to the puzzle.  Lesson learned: Read every label. Every time.

And so marks the end of week 1. 

Day 4 & Day 5

Day 4. We survived.  That's all I'm going to say about that.  Sorry, I couldn't resist that line! 

Day 4 didn't start well.  Did I mention that Caleb, whom I suspect has Celiac Disease, is the picky eater of our family?  I have to say that he has come a very long way in his eating a variety of healthy foods which include salad, asparagus & even raw broccoli.  However, there are some things I believe he may never eat.  Beans are on that list.  After Day 4, I believe rice may be another.  I knew he wasn't fond of rice, but I decided to make Crock-Pot Brown Rice Pooridge (a recipe from Gluten-Free Cooking: Quick & Easy).  I will admit that I was a little speculative about eating rice for breakfast, but I decided to give it a try. I made ready & combined all the ingredients (with love, mind you) the night before.  In the morning, my husband and I tried the pooridge (before Caleb was awake).  It wasn't bad.  It had the same consitency as oatmeal.  I had to adjust the seasonings a bit (added more cinnamon & brown sugar) & it was good.  It did not taste like rice.

Enter Caleb.  He looked in the bowl & began to push it away to make room for his cereal.  I told him to try it.  He asked what was in it.  I didn't want to tell him so he wouldn't have any preconceived ideas.  Instead I encouraged him to try it.  My encouragement wasn't working.  I assured him it wasn't beans!  Still not working.  So, I told him that I would tell him but he still had to try it.  I told him, he tried it & his reply was, "It tastes like rice".  Ugh!  It does NOT taste like rice! 

I decided it wasn't worth fighting about since I can make that recipe with oats instead.  There has been some controversy regarding oats being gluten-free, but I read that they truly are gluten-free.  However, many factories that handle oats also handle grain, which causes cross-contamination.  I bought a package of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats & will try the recipe again substiting oats for rice.  Problem solved.

Day 4 ended on a good note.  We had a breakfast dinner & the Bob's Red Mill pancake mix was a success.  Everyone (except our oldest son, who is away at camp) liked the gluten-free pancakes.  Hooray!

It's Day 5 & there isn't much to report.  I did receive the book I ordered from Amazon, "1000 Gluten-Free Recipes"!  There is just something about a large, hard-bound book that makes me want to dive right in.  I only scanned through it a bit due to time restraints, but I am looking forward to "diving in" very soon!

We went to Monical's Pizza tonight & Caleb had the gluten-free cheese pizza.  It was very good.

Day 3: Improvements

Strange as it may seem, I have seen improvement in Caleb in several areas.  I mentioned in an earlier post that his diahhrea & stomach cramps had ceased.  Yesterday, he was more energetic than I have seen him in a while.  Today, I noticed he wasn't displaying any tics & that is a big change!  I watched him for a while to be sure that what I thought was true...and it was!  Whether these changes are due to the diet or are just some strange coincidence, only time will tell but I am hopeful that the diet is making the difference.

So, today I rejoice in positive changes & pray that they will continue.

GF: Day 2

I was able to get the book I wanted from Borders for 33% off!  I love a good deal!  It's "Gluten-Free Quick & Easy" by Carol Fenster, Ph.D.  It looks like it is going to be a wealth of information for a beginner like me, and I do love quick & easy.  I also saw the "1000 Gluten-Free Recipes" book at Border's.  Wow!  It is a nice, big, hard bound book.  I'm not sure why that surprised me.  What was I expecting with 1000 recipes?  Looking forward to receiving that in the mail later this week.

Day 2 was pretty uneventful.  Caleb inquired if the bacon I put on his cheeseburger tonight was gluten-free.  Of course, it was.  I bought it from the local butcher shop.  It was smoked rather than processed.  I  thought it was good that he wants to make sure he is eating the right things. 

Next on my list of things to make will be homemade Ranch dressing.  He enjoys salad as long as it has Ranch dressing on it!  Here is a great recipe with wonderful pics. of the process: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/homemade-ranch-dressing/  I will omit the Worchestershire sauce & Tabasco, but I believe the rest is gluten-free.

Unrelated to the GF Diet, I picked up another interesting book at Borders & skimmed through it called "The Coconut Oil Miracle".  I previously read about some of the many benefits of Coconut Oil here:
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/03/all-the-wonderful-uses-of-coconut-oil.html 
This book goes into even more detail.  While I began cooking with Coconut Oil a couple years ago, and have used it to make soap, I had no idea how great it is claimed to be for the skin & hair.  I am going to implement some of the uses, including using it on Caleb's head to get rid of dandruff.  We'll see how it works. 

I have to say that I am so blessed to be able to seek out such valuable information for free on the web!  Not to mention I get to share my finds & thoughts in hopes of helping others.

Gluten-Free Day 1

Yesterday was supposed to be our first day gluten-free, but we were invited out to lunch. We decided we would do our best to limit the gluten for the day, and officially start the diet today.  It's better to start a new diet on Monday anyway, right?!

When I began reading further about a gluten-free diet, I found a list of foods not to eat & foods that can be eaten at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gluten-free-diet/MY01140

So, I went on my first gluten-free shopping trip Saturday but before I left the house, I did some research to get an idea of what I should buy.  I knew that our local Kroger store carried some gluten-free foods because I frequent the health food section, but I wanted to get an idea of what my options were.  I also looked over a few recipes I found online & then I wrote a list of a few things that I might want to get.  To my surprise, I found that one of the organic cereals I was buying was gluten-free (Enviro-Kids).  Also our drink of choice is purified water & has been for several years, so that is one less thing we had to change!

A few of the things I bought.

My first gluten-free shopping trip came in at just under $100 (with only 2 non-food items included).  I bought a couple of Bob's Red Mill mixes, an all-purpose flour mix, some rice pasta, and more cereal.  Oh, and gluten-free bananas (we can never have enough bananas)!  This shopping trip didn't include much of the usual fresh meats, veggies & fruit that are naturally gluten-free, as I bought most of those items earlier in the week.
  

I also discovered a local bakery which has a separate gluten-free kitchen where it bakes gluten-free breads & cookies.  I was impressed!  I stopped in today & bought a loaf of bread & 2 chocolate chip cookies.  The cookies were a hit, the bread was different but edible.  They offer several kinds of gluten-free bread.  http://www.applesbakery.com/

Needless to say, I realized it is going to be cheaper to put our son on this diet first than it is to put our family of 4 on it.  I am certain that as I delve deeper into recipes & check out a local Amish bulk supply store, I will find it easier & more cost effective to make the baked goods myself.  Thankfully, I have some experience in that area (I even have a Sunbeam mixer with a grain mill attachment).

I found a couple of gluten-free cookbooks that I am going to purchase.  I love that you can preview a book on Amazon!  Both books are written by Carol Fester, PhD.  One is titled 1000 Gluten-Free Recipes (I ordered through Amazon).  The other is Gluten-Free Quick & Easy, which I may pick up at my local Border's tomorrow (I'm hoping they will offer a mid-week coupon as they have been lately).

Day 1 is over.  No complaints.  In fact, our son's stomach issues were much better today (even though he did eat some gluten yesterday, he was able to keep it at a minimum).

Looking forward to Day 2.

30 Day Gluten Free Experiment

Tomorrow will begin a new journey for my family.  We will begin a 30 day Gluten-free diet.  What has inspired this experiment?  Our 12 year old son began experiencing migraines 3 weeks ago.  He has also suffered with chronic tics for several years now.  I have been on a quest to find a way to resolve his condition since it began, but have been unsuccessful on my own.  The addition of migraines to the mix has sent me into yet more research.

Our journey is about to take a new path due to my belief that our son may be suffering from Celiac Disease.  I had not heard of the disease until 2 days ago.  The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center has a great website at http://www.celiacdisease.net/

I had suspected the tics were caused by a food intolerence so he was tested for intolerence to gliadin a few years ago, but that came back negative, and so did the tests for eggs, dairy & soy.  Even so, his nutritionist recommended cutting out all gluten, eggs, dairy & soy to see if his symptoms improved and they did.  However, trying to cut out so many things from his diet was overwhelming.  As time went on, the diet grew old, and while my picky eater had done well eating some new foods (and eating meat & veggies for breakfast), it was difficult to maintain such a diet.

I wish I had known about Celiac Disease then.  However, it has only been since my son has experienced several migraines that I made the discovery.  I typed the words "migraines & tics" into a search engine & found several references to CD.  I read on a website that migraine sufferers are 10 times more likely to have CD than the general population.  Neurological problems are also associated with CD.  Could this be the answer I've been looking for?

I found The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center's website & read all about testing for the disease.  First a blood test to measure certain anti-bodies.  A positive anti-body test requires a biopsy of the small intestine for the final diagnosis.  The biopsy is done through an endoscopy.  The thought of putting my son through that was not a pleasant one but I knew if it had to be done, it had to be done.  I continued reading...

Treatment for Celiac Disease: Follow a gluten-free diet.  It stops symptoms & the small intestine heals itself (in relatively short order).  That's all???  No medication?  No surgery? 

The only remaing question for me was do I take my son to the doctor & put him through the testing or start him on the diet immediately?  Thinking about the testing process itself seemed like a daunting task.  Make the first appointment with his pediatrician, explain his condition, making another appointment for blood work, waiting for the results to come in & if positive, making another appointment with a Gastroenterologist, explaining his condition & the results, and very likely making yet another appointment for a biopsy.  How long could this take? Several weeks or months? 

It didn't take long to decide.  Try the diet for 30 days.  Monitor his progress.  What do we have to lose?  If it works, I will be thrilled (that's a major understatement)!  If it doesn't, then a trip to the doctor may be necessary, but we can rule out CD.

I should note also that my son has been experiencing a bout of unexplained diarrhea & abdominal craming since he had his lat migraine 3 days ago.  This is yet another symptom of CD.

The diet seems like a simple solution.  I guess we will find out....