It's been a while...

I've had a couple emails from friends wondering if everything is ok, it's been so long since I last blogged.  Everything is ok, just crazy busy!  Started a new course, heavy into basketball season, you know, the usual around here :)

Going gluten-free has made me feel better.  I've had a few questions about if I did it for intestinal reasons.  No, gluten doesn't bug my stomach, just causes me a multitude of other issues.  But gluten-free is working out great for me.  I'm beginning to feel like myself again, more energy, and I'm crossing my fingers that my antibody levels will be better.  We'll see in a couple of weeks!

Eliminating coffee has proven to be more difficult, and I haven't totally eliminated it, but cut down my consumption.  I'm weaning myself.  I know it has to be done, but it is a physical addiction and I don`t need to feel any crappier than I already do some days.

Interestingly, we woke up to a foot of snow this morning.  Which even here in Ontario is strange!  I don`t recall a snow day for school this late in April before.  But it let me get my planning done for the next couple of days since I won`t be in my classroom.  And I caught up on the gossip with a couple of friends too.

Looking forward to warmer weather and getting outside to run.

Happy April snow day!

gluten...again & some other stuff

Found another great blog about autoimmune, Hashimoto's and gluten.  This post in particular was great!
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2012/02/gluten-questions-answered/#more-1401

And another
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2011/10/healing-autoimmune-disease-8-a-podcast/

I am starting to feel better, the dietary changes and IVs are kicking in....for now anyway!  Next step is to add exercise back in--particularly yoga and some running.  I miss them, and since I'm feeling a bit better I'm going to give it a try.

And really the best part of it all is that being gluten-free has not been that difficult.  Realizing it's essential for better health helps for sure.  Not sure why, but I don't really even miss it.  Which is a good thing.  And for whatever reason, it's made it easier to stay dairy-free too.  Go figure.

You know that little thing over to the right that says "Stress is related to 99% of all illness"?  Turns out it's true.  I swiped it from Lululemon btw if you didn't realize.  One thing that Lulu has right.  Manage the stress, manage the illness.  I'm trying to keep that in mind.

Having said that, yesterday was a hugely stressful day.  I had a very important and meaningful meeting yesterday afternoon.  I'll spill the beans about it when I find out the results.  Suffice it to say that I'm glad it's over, I think it will have really positive results, and I'd like all of my friends to keep their fingers crossed for me.

Enjoy this Good Friday, friends.  A day that causes me introspection and quiet meditation.  A day that fills me with a mixture of sadness and incredible hope.  This extremely important day to Christians.  I am grateful for this day.

find your passion

Passion week seems like the perfect time to speak of finding your personal passion.  It coincides with a week spent grieving the loss of an amazing coworker.  A life spent in education, a positive, joyful woman, her life cut tragically short by an automobile accident.  She and her husband both taken shortly before their retirement.  The time of life when the freedom to do all of the things for which you didn't have time.  Leaving behind family, friends and acquaintances reeling with the suddenness and shock of it.

My message is this--life is too short.  Don't count on doing "it" (whatever it is for you) later, when you retire, when the kids leave, when you can afford it, when you have more time.  If it is something you feel strongly about, do it now.  We don't have the luxury of knowing when our time on earth is up.  Find the joy, find the passion, do what you love.  Spend time with your loved ones.  Kiss your kids, your spouse.  Tell people that you love them and how much they mean to you.

I am guilty of waiting, not making the time now.  If my friend and coworker Joan and her death have taught me anything, it is that the time is NOW.  Not later.

In loving memory of Joan and Neil Coe.  You may be gone, but your spirit lives on.

Dear yoga...

Dear yoga,
I miss you.  I'm sorry I've been so fickle and unfaithful.  Please take me back.
I'll see you later.  I promise.

Also, please pass the message on to your friend running.  I miss it too. 

My iliopsoas promises to be nice.

Love,
Nicole

Being Irish not only means St. Paddy's day....

I went for my IV last night.  Except after an hour of drinking water, heating bags and 6 needle pokes, no IV.  3 people could not find a single useable vein.  Which begs the question of how on earth I'm going to manage this @#$@$$%^** autoimmune disease if I can't get the IV?!

I've been told before that my fair, fair skin hair and eyes go along with having teeny tiny deep veins.  Blood draws and IVs have always been *problematic*.  By that I mean a complete pain in the arse.

Through conversation yesterday with the lovely NDs (who were VERY stressed out by my veins) I found out something else.  Those of Irish descent, especially women with my fair complexion have extremely high incidences of autoimmune disease, and gluten-sensitivities.  The rate of celiac is much higher than in the population of those of other descent.  And so is Hashimoto's.  Hashimoto's thyroiditis rates are very high in Irish colleens with reddish hair and peaches and cream skin. So not only did I inherit St. Paddy's day, a wicked temper and a love for Harp beer and Celtic music, I inherited this tendency toward autoimmune issues.  Which frankly today feel like autoimmune disasters.

My ultra dry skin was mentioned several times, and I was queried as to how much water I drink.  I drink enough water to waterlog a human of much larger proportions than I.  It was suggested that I eliminate coffee, black tea and green tea from my diet.  I admit, I cried in the car on the way home.  It wasn't pretty.  And my hubs listened to me rant and cry and snuffle (bluetooth is a blessing and a curse!) about how I can't ever have my favourite cookies again, pizza and Harp or Starbucks.  He pointed out that 1. I drink Harp maybe 3 times a year, 2. I rarely eat cookies because I'm always trying to lose weight, 3. And eliminating caffeine was something I knew I should do anyway.  I ended the conversation.  How dare he point out the obvious when I was in full-on pity party mode!  :)

So there you have it.  I am tapering coffee (because it would be unfair to those around me to experience the withdrawal with me), and wondering what it would be like to be of say...Egyptian descent.  Well, not really, I generally like my fair complexion and realistically, every ethnicity has some inherited health issue, right?  I'm working on getting over the pity party, and moving on.  Gluten, dairy and soon caffeine free.

More on the thyroid

http://elaine-moore.suite101.com/how-gluten-intolerance-contributes-to-illness-a178438

http://elaine-moore.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=EbsyUwTt3D0%3d&tabid=59&mid=1007

http://elaine-moore.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-2uABUPLqLo%3d&tabid=59&mid=1007

http://elaine-moore.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5NAQVhIjpgs%3d&tabid=59&mid=1007

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hashimotos/

http://www.thyroidhelp.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?57-Hypothyroidism-Underactive-Thyroid/page6

Although I said I wouldn't to a friend, curiosity got the better of me, and I did some more research.  Above are some links I found.  I found a whole bunch more, but these seem to have some great information.

Actually the amount of info out there is astounding!

Gluten and inflammation

Gluten causes inflammation in the body.  And as I've recently discovered, can cause not only celiac but other autoimmune disorders as well.  Often autoimmune diseases are linked to celiac.  I have also found some research that indicates that gluten-free diets improve the symptoms of some forms of arthritis.  Really an autoimmune disease is just your immune system in wacko overdrive, and attacking your body.  Which causes inflammation, joint pain, thyroid issues, bowel and gut issues, brain fog and a myriad of other things.

Blood tests for various conditions will not necessarily reveal that it is gluten that is the cause.  However they may uncover antibodies that are way over normal limits, indicating an autoimmune disorder.  Depending on the antibody, it can demonstrate different types of autoimmune disorders.  Mine is directly attacking my thyroid.

Often the mainstream medical community either doesn't test for the presence of antibodies, or doesn't buy into the link between gluten and autoimmune disease.  Equally as often, there is no mainstream medical treatment until the part of the body being attacked is completely destroyed.

Does that mean there is no causal link?  Absolutely not.  Naturopathic doctors (and a few MDs) believe there is and treat the patient by asking them to eliminate gluten and perhaps giving some alternative treatments.  That's where the IVC I'm getting at the ND's comes in.  It is meant to settle my immune system down, which will decrease the antibodies and I will feel better.  And so will my thyroid. 

I was asked this week some questions about gluten sensitivity and blood tests.  My food intolerance/allergy test didn't reveal a huge gluten issue.  And that's sometimes normal.  It's not always a blood test that will tell the tale.  But my full thyroid panel showed the hugely out of whack antibody levels, and Tara (the ND) has had great success with patients by removing gluten from the diet.

Anyone can do the elimination diet, in which all gluten is removed from the diet.  Symptoms may take awhile to improve, since it will take time for the inflammation to settle down.  A great book that I love that is a great resource for dietary changes is The Hormone Diet, by Dr. Natasha -it's not only about weight loss, but about being healthy--(www.thehormonediet.com).  Another book is Wheat Belly, by Dr. William Davis (www.wheatbellyblog.com) I've read them both, and frankly I can't believe I didn't connect some of my own dots sooner, so to speak.

Another resource that I can say I've used is the website for the Naturopathic clinic where I am a patient www.stonetreeclinic.com  Tara is a published author, and one smart gluten-free cookie!  There is a wealth of information, and the blog is great.

Do a google search about gluten and be amazed by the plethora of sites that come up.  Add natural therapy or naturopath and do a boolean search, and just as many again will come up.

I don't know if gluten-free is the answer for everyone, but I know it has made a huge difference in many people's health and management of autoimmune conditions.  Even something as simple as seasonal allergies is an autoimmune response and could potentially be helped by eliminating gluten.

If you wish to give going gluten-free a try, keep in mind that it will take a month or two to see a difference in how you feel.  Wheat, spelt, rye, barley and almost all packaged foods are a source of gluten.  Oatmeal and other gluten-free grains can be cross-contaminated and contain gluten, so read labels!  So many things contain gluten that we would never suspect.  Examples--bbq sauce, Chinese food, spaghetti sauce, yogurt, canned soups, soya sauce...the list is very long.  Beer and vodka contain gluten.  But it's easy to find alternatives to gluten containing products.  The health food store, many grocery stores carry gluten-free products.  Grains like brown rice and quinoa are gluten-free.  There are many gluten-free flours that can be combined to make baked goods.  Gluten-free baking is very different--it's gluten that makes dough elastic.  Recipes can be adapted and played with until a desirable product is achieved.  And there are lots of great recipes on the 'net and in cookbooks.

Good luck on whatever health journey you're on.  May your answers come easily!