July 2000 - prior to celiac diagnosis
This picture was taken in July 2000, a couple months before I was diagnosed with celiac. By this time, at ago 40, I had lost nearly 50% of my bone density.
This is an article from the Celiac/Osteoporosis study that found my answer. This study was conducted through Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine. 'A Most Brittle Hypothesis', from Outlook Magazine.
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Late 2010 - Gluten Free for 10+ years
40 pounds later, I was
blessed with so many health improvements. I also regained 15% bone density in the first year after eliminating gluten from my diet. (My next bone density scan is the end of this year - Dec. 2012. Fingers are crossed.) |
I have been involved in celiac awareness and support since being diagnosed with celiac disease in September of 2000. I founded the Belleville (Illinois) Area Celiac Support Group within a year and later joined forces with a St. Louis based group to help co-found the Bi-State Celiac Support Group, www.bscsgonline.org.
As the mom of three wonderful young adults and as a teacher who has worked in early childhood classrooms for over ten years, I am passionate about testing of children who may have health issues related to undiagnosed celiac, a disease that affects nearly 1% of the population. I have empathy for children who must face the dietary challenges that come with the need to adhere to a 100% gluten free diet and hope to help ease this path for both parents and children with Adam's Gluten Free Surprise.
As the mom of three wonderful young adults and as a teacher who has worked in early childhood classrooms for over ten years, I am passionate about testing of children who may have health issues related to undiagnosed celiac, a disease that affects nearly 1% of the population. I have empathy for children who must face the dietary challenges that come with the need to adhere to a 100% gluten free diet and hope to help ease this path for both parents and children with Adam's Gluten Free Surprise.
Thank You to My Children
When I was finally diagnosed with celiac, I was thrilled to have an answer to a lifetime of health issues. But within a couple weeks on the gluten free diet I started to mourn the foods I didn’t think I’d ever be able to eat again. And more than for myself, I mourned for what I felt I couldn’t offer my kids any more. They were 17, 14 and almost 11 years of age and all still living at home. I did most of the cooking and liked to have balanced, yet fun and enjoyable meals for my family. I quickly decided that I didn’t want to have to prepare two separate meals - one for me and one for everyone else - too much work and too much risk of contaminating myself with gluten. Besides, I didn’t want my kids to ‘feel sorry for me’ in any way shape or form. So my goal: Find the right recipes, brands and methods to prepare everyday meals we could all enjoy together.
This was a process. And for this I thank my beloved children, Tanya, Kayla and Michael, who never complained about the less than wonderful meals I would at times prepare or the extra time I now spent in the kitchen or the melt downs I would sometimes have over the frustration of it all. One time in specific is a memory I will forever cherish. Gluten free pasta wasn’t what it is now. Or at least the brands I first tried were not the ones I currently use. I remember putting a blob of what should have been spaghetti, but in actuality was starchy mush, on the table. I felt horrible for serving this to my whole family. My kids, bless their hearts, looked at it, slowly served themselves small helpings and said “This isn’t so bad.” Their response, more than anything, gave me the incentive and the drive to find and provide meals that were safe for me and edible for everyone else.
When I was first diagnosed I had no idea there existed replacements for wheat flour and baked goods or for pastas and pizza. A few months into my gluten free diet I discovered a recipe for Carol Fenster's chocolate chip cookies. There are some things we take for granted and there are some things that may appear to others as “no big deal”, but not being able to bake chocolate chip cookies for my kids was a big deal. So I gave it a try. The first batch came out of the oven with all the smells of home – and disappeared before they had a chance to cool. I cried – literally cried. I cried over a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies. That was the moment I knew – I would be o.k. I would be o.k. because my kids could still have the mom who could give them home baked chocolate chip cookies.
So – Tanya, Kayla, and Michael – Thank you. Thank you for being my kids. Thank you for being who you are and thank you for letting me be your mom.
Tanya – thank you for those five words “Mom, you can do it” when I was looking for an illustrator and never considered taking that on myself. Those simple words gave me a direction I never considered.
Kayla – thank you for bringing so much fun and joy to the kitchen. I absolutely love that when we get together we prepare some wonderful eats! The times we spend cooking and enjoying our creations brings me more joy than you will ever know.
Michael – thank you for never complaining about having to eat gluten free yourself. You took this diet on as a matter of fact without feeling sorry for yourself when a school event or social occasion left you having to watch while others enjoyed.
You all bring so much to my life and to my heart. You are my reason for becoming the healthy person I am today. Thank you.
This was a process. And for this I thank my beloved children, Tanya, Kayla and Michael, who never complained about the less than wonderful meals I would at times prepare or the extra time I now spent in the kitchen or the melt downs I would sometimes have over the frustration of it all. One time in specific is a memory I will forever cherish. Gluten free pasta wasn’t what it is now. Or at least the brands I first tried were not the ones I currently use. I remember putting a blob of what should have been spaghetti, but in actuality was starchy mush, on the table. I felt horrible for serving this to my whole family. My kids, bless their hearts, looked at it, slowly served themselves small helpings and said “This isn’t so bad.” Their response, more than anything, gave me the incentive and the drive to find and provide meals that were safe for me and edible for everyone else.
When I was first diagnosed I had no idea there existed replacements for wheat flour and baked goods or for pastas and pizza. A few months into my gluten free diet I discovered a recipe for Carol Fenster's chocolate chip cookies. There are some things we take for granted and there are some things that may appear to others as “no big deal”, but not being able to bake chocolate chip cookies for my kids was a big deal. So I gave it a try. The first batch came out of the oven with all the smells of home – and disappeared before they had a chance to cool. I cried – literally cried. I cried over a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies. That was the moment I knew – I would be o.k. I would be o.k. because my kids could still have the mom who could give them home baked chocolate chip cookies.
So – Tanya, Kayla, and Michael – Thank you. Thank you for being my kids. Thank you for being who you are and thank you for letting me be your mom.
Tanya – thank you for those five words “Mom, you can do it” when I was looking for an illustrator and never considered taking that on myself. Those simple words gave me a direction I never considered.
Kayla – thank you for bringing so much fun and joy to the kitchen. I absolutely love that when we get together we prepare some wonderful eats! The times we spend cooking and enjoying our creations brings me more joy than you will ever know.
Michael – thank you for never complaining about having to eat gluten free yourself. You took this diet on as a matter of fact without feeling sorry for yourself when a school event or social occasion left you having to watch while others enjoyed.
You all bring so much to my life and to my heart. You are my reason for becoming the healthy person I am today. Thank you.
