The low-down on Celiac disease and Gluten sensitivity.
Here we go again readers! We’re getting personal. Over the past couple years, I have been questioning whether or not I have a sensitivity to gluten. If I do, I am assuming that it’s not that serious because I have been eating wheat and flour products up until this past Wednesday. Mogli and I are running a little experiment: I am laying off gluten-containing products for a week to see if my “symptoms” change. Let’s review, shall we?
www.celiaccentral.org says:
“Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. It is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. Roughly one out of every 133 Americans has celiac disease, but 97% remain undiagnosed. This means that almost three million Americans have celiac disease and only about 100,000 know they have it. Researchers have determined that celiac disease is a genetic condition, meaning that it is inherited. In some cases, celiac becomes active or is triggered by events such as surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.”
Very interesting! Some symptoms listed on the site were irritability, poor weight gain (weight loss), bloating or gas, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, itchy skin rash, headaches, and constipation.
Again, let us be personal. I have been experiencing a few of these symptoms over the past couple years or so. Here is an analogy: Imagine one of those pumps that puts air in your bike tires and basketballs. I feel like someone stuck one of those things in my belly-button and pumped air into my abdominal region. In normal situations, a person could simply pass gas but it’s like the air is trapped in my body and it remains that way for up to 48 hours. Eventually it just goes away. But it always comes back! I have also recently lost about 10 pounds which I would like to credit to my smarter diet and exercise (still a large possibility) but who knows! I actually did not know that a sympton of Celiac was weight loss.
^^^ My tummy feels like a balloon.
What’s more, I have a strange history of rashes. I am still open to the possibility that all these symptoms could be completely random but maybe they aren’t. During my freshman year of college, I had surgery to remove half of my thyroid (there was a cyst on the right side…and I got to experience a lot of cool tests! Fun for a science kid). About 6 months after surgey when I was totally healed, I developed this enormous, random rash on my neck that itched like poison ivy (but it wasn’t poison ivy). I saw more than one dermatologist and none of them could explain the rash. It went away then came back, several times over the summer. One day it stopped and was forgotten. Then, as you may recall from recent posts, this past fall (about a year and a half later), I developed another random rash on my right thigh. Again, it itched like holy hellfire. But it wasn’t poison ivy…again. The doctor couldn’t explain it except to say, “It’s an allergy to…something. Here’s some cream.” Yay.
^^^ Sad face.
So now that you know my entire medical history, I am helping myself and anyone else out there who may have a sensitivity to gluten by posting some gluten-free food options. More often than not, the doctor will simply say, “Go off gluten for a week. If you feel better, keep at it.” Doctors will most likely suppliment your little in-home experiment by running blood tests or taking a culture of the inner lining of your small intestine. Blood tests include:
So for now, I am going to finish my experiment. No matter how it turns out, I am going to consult my doctor as soon as possible and talk to him about what else could be wrong with me besides celiac disease or maybe all these symptoms are just a fluke. But for those of you who have been asking this question yourself, here are some foods that are gluten-free!
^^^ YAY! Gluten-free cereal exists! I think Corn Chex will also work.
^^^ I love cereal bars.
^^^ Mogli and I had this “potato pasta” with marinara sauce the other night for dinner; it was delicious!
^^^ I got this stuff as well; it’s very dense…like your own personal brick of bread.
So in closing, I am NOT SURE I am gluten sensitive. I could just be an air-filled person with a skin condition; for now, I’m signing out…back to corn, rice, and potatoes! P.S.- All this info was gathered from www.celiaccentral.org but the best thing you can do is talk to your doctor.
And the entropy ensues.
For those of you who are not familiar with the laws of thermodynamics, entropy is a measure of the degree of randomness. So instead of being boring and naming this entry, “Randomness,” like every other blogger in the world wide web, I chose a more scientific title. And yes, the randomness ensues! I will divulge a few things to you faithful readers now that are completely random and silly about the past few days of my life.
^^^ CHAOS!
Last Thursday night, late after dinner I got the munchies. First, I downed a couple bites of an OLD 80% cacao chocolate bar (I love dark chocolate but the age combined with the high percentage of cacao made this “treat” very bitter; never again will I eat old dark chocolate). Then I tried a small square of caramel that I received in a Halloween candy bag given to students at the University dining halls this past October. It was a little hard around the edges but still sweet. But I don’t really like caramel. So I resolved to eat some dried cranberries, also known as craisins. After that trial, I ate about five stale tortilla chips and finally, I ate an olive.
^^^ I had the Munchies!
This past Saturday, my fish Rhett died. Cher, her little sister, Lafonda and her boy-friend, Mogli, and myself all gathered around the toilet to watch him go down. Then I washed his bowl and put it under the counter. I’m not getting another fish unless it’s free from the science department again; I am a foster-fish mom.
I spent Saturday night at Barnes and Noble with Mogli studying Biochemistry (dry like a vodka martini). Well, I studied; Mogli read an Outdoors magazine. Yay for teamwork. As one might imagine, things can get very boring reading the intro chapter to a Biochemistry book: all the things you’ve learned about the world of chemistry and biology are packed into a 20-some page section of sleeperville. So I resolved to “People-Watching” much of the time and witnessed many interesting things.
^^^ Biology and Chemistry…Together? AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
1. There was a girl who was so excited about her coffee that, as she stood at the condiments counter, she hopped.
2. A woman and her husband brought their 3 kids to the bookstore and bought them treats in the cafe. The daughter recited part of “Twilight” to her dad as they waited at the counter for their coffee. He listened like it was the most interesting thing he had ever heard.The youngest son went up and down the wheelchair ramp on his “Heelies.” The mother brought up the rear, talking to the eldest son. She had a tattoo of two interconnected hearts on her ankle; there was a name in each of the two hearts. One name was her own, I think, and the other must have been her husbands. They seemed like a sweet family.
3. In lue of Heelies, I next witnessed a grown man wearing a sport coat, jeans, and his own pair of Heelies. He actually used them across the tile floor in the cafe. It took every fiber of my being not to bust a gut. But I guess the most important thing is that he was having a good time and his age made no difference in the fact that he enjoyed Heelies.
^^^ Who knew they could be so much fun?
4. A store clerk arranged books on the shelves wearing white cotton gloves. I guess the paper cuts get bad after a while, but it reminded me of Mary Poppins.
^^^ I loved Mary Poppins as a child. I still do.
5. One young woman working in the cafe, about my age I guess, was divulging her latest drama about her boy-friend reconnecting with his old female friends behind her back. Apparently he has been spending hours on the phone with one of them. I felt sorry for her. I would be upset too.
Well that about covers it. I should probably get a move on. I have plant taxonomy in a bit. That’s random…I mean entropic.
The near death experience of Rhett; a tutorial on caring for your pet fish.
The time has come yet again. It’s the start of a new semester, dear friends, family, and readers! I am optimistically looking forward to the coming months. I have found that I fare much better during the Spring semesters while in college. For one, I am fresh from a shorter break so I am still ready to work. Also, things begin blooming around March and this boosts my over-achieving instinct. Holidays aren’t right around the corner so I am not missing home QUITE as much as I do around autumn. Not to mention that I no longer have the “class that shall not be named” hanging on my back. So things are looking pretty good for me.
^^^ I love Springtime! It always feels like a fresh start.
Anyway, in lue of classes starting back up, you can imagine that I have just recently moved myself and all my junk back into my apartment. Along with my laptop, clothes, and novels, I brought back my fish who goes by the name of Rhett (after Rhett Butler). He is a Betta fish and I acquired him free of charge after our science department finished an animal behavior experiment on male Betta fishes. His bright red hue and robust fins prompted me to name him after the infamous lover of Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. It is one of my all-time favorite classics!
^^^ If my fish were allowed to date, he’d be such a womanizer with his gorgeous red fins!
So anyway, sometime around Halloween, I brought this little guy back the apartment and he made himself quite at home here. When Thanksgiving break rolled around, I took him home since I would be gone for a week. Now you can imagine what a 4-hour car ride does to a fish in a little cup. He looked a little out of it by the time I got him home. Because of this, I thought it would be in his best interest to stay with Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) until I could bring him back for the Spring semester. He did very well with his Grandparents and remained extremely healthy! That is, until I brought him back to school. This time around, the car ride was about 6 hours long due to a couple stops I had to make. Not only that, but the day I was driving back had to be one of the coldest days I have ever lived through. Anyone remember the arctic chill that came through Virginia this past week? Yeah, I was driving in it.
^^^ Yep…that started on Wednesday when I left.
I didn’t think much of the temperature because I figured that Rhett, like most fish, is an ectotherm; he will base his body temperature on that of the surrounding temperature. Once we made it back to the apartment after a long day of driving (and poor Rhett sitting on a cold floor-board), I put him back in his bowl and departed with Mogli for dinner. I decided to save energy in the apartment by not turning any heat on until a couple days before classes started since no one would really be home. The fish would be fine right? Not to mention that gases (including oxygen) dissolve easier under lots of pressure with lower temperatures (aka, I though Rhett would have more oxygen in his bowl with the lower temperatures). However, I came back the next afternoon to find Rhett looking quite beside himself in the top right corner of the bowl; I thought he was floating! Luckily, he had just shut down his metabolism because of the severe lack of heat. It had to be no more than 45 degrees in my apartment.
^^^ This looks a lot like Rhett. He’s cute. But not when he’s near death.
I learned the meaning of, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” I always knew that I loved this little fish but I was truly upset! I did NOT want anything to happen to him! And I felt like such a horrible mother (haha). But seriously, with much help from Mogli, the two of us nursed him back to health. There were not immediate results but within 24 hours, he looked significantly better. We put his bowl into another bigger bowl that had warm water in it so the heat would transfer into Rhett’s bowl gradually. And of course, we turned on the heat and stayed the rest of the week so we could watch over him. I am very pleased with his recovery and he is back to following Mogli’s finger and responding to my voice when I feed him. He’s even making bubble nests again! Aparently this is a common practice of male Betas.
^^^ There’s a Betta bubble nest.
So after my scary experience, I thought it would be helpful to list a few short tips on caring for popular pet fish species.
Betta fish care tips: (found at http://www.bettafish.com/betta-fish-care-faq.php)
-Tank of AT LEAST 2.5 Gallons. Some people believe in 5 gallons as minimum. Yes, a fish can live in small tanks, but they thrive in proper conditions in roomy areas. Change water at least every two weeks.
-heater. heater, heater, heater. This is absolutely needed. The temperature in the tank needs to stay at least at 78 degrees. These are tropical fish, and become very lethargic if kept in cold water. A light will not be sufficient enough for heat. In the night, temperature can easily drop 8+ degrees, which can kill as fish. Room temperature is not enough either.
-Hiding Spots: Hiding spots, such as caves, make bettas fell secure. This way, they can escape from light and rest. Make sure the hiding spots are not sharp, as bettas have very delicate fins.
-Filter: This is actually not needed, but it helps. Bettas need a light filter with low flow. They should have very little water movement in a tank. The filter will also keep water clean.
-Light: This helps when it gets dark. Most tanks come with some sort of light, but if not, that should be fine. Simple desk lamps or reading lamps can help give your Betta the right amount of light.
-Thermometer: This will help keep the temperature under control.
-Access to Air. This may sound odd, but bettas can breathe air, and breathe underwater. In the high temperatures in which bettas live at, the water is often depleted of oxygen. Bettas have a labyrinth organ which takes in oxygen for the fish.
Goldfish care tips: (found at http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php)
To keep a goldfish healthy, remember to provide them with plenty of clean, cool water.
Your goldifsh’s temperature should never rise above 73° Fahrenheit, and ideally should remain between 65° and 68,° so you will need a thermometer. Keeping a goldfish above 72° for 
long periods of time will result in Oxygen deprivation, which can cause nerve damage, heart damage, and can seriously hamper the immune system, making them more susceptible to many diseases, from easily treatable Ick to nearly untreatable swim bladder infections.
Keep your goldfish in a tank of at least 10 gallons, and make sure that a minimum of 8 gallons of your tank space is dedicated to each goldfish (a 10 gallon tank is really only suitable for one goldfish). This will provide sufficient space for your goldfish, so he can remain healthy, and this will allow the tank to help you keep healthy fish. Perform your weekly 10-15% water changes, so that your goldfish always has clean water and the waste that is not processed by the filter is removed. Your goldfish will need a filter to keep the water from becoming toxic, and you will need to keep the filter in 
good condition. When selecting a filter, if you have fancy goldfish, make sure that the filter will not produce excessive current in your tank, and this will make it difficult for the fancy goldfish to swim.
So there you have it! Take good care of your aquatic friends!
Don’t sweat the small stuff: A New Years Resolution.
I know I am a little behind in making a New Years Resolution but better late than never, right? Last year, I focused a lot on my physical well-being. I aimed to sleep more (which I finally got under my belt at the start of the new school year in August), to eat better, and basically treat my body as a temple. So far, that resolution has served me well. Over this past semester, I took the healthy eating to a new level and cut back a little. I had a bad habit of eating until I was stuffed and then snacking late at night. I have never been overweight, but by simply eating until I was satisfied and discontinuing the snacking habits, I lost about 10 pounds! Now I am right AT my healthy weight and I feel more energetic. The upgrade in my sleep-hours, I’m sure, was also a key factor in this little success. Yay!
^^^ Yay for being healthier!
But that’s old news! What am I going to do to make THIS year even better than the last? My friends, family, and dear boy-friend would probably all agree that I have developed stress issues. I had a discussion with my mother the other night where she disclosed to me that I used to laugh more than I do now. She said I was more carefree before I went to college but now I am intense and grumpy. I agree. In high school, I was Miss Happy-go-lucky. People used to comment about how cheerful I was all the time. Generally, I believe that there are still shades of that young girl remaining in my personality, but I think I have developed another persona that cancels out my old carefree personality at times of turmoil. I am cheerful, but not as cheerful as I SHOULD be in order to fully enjoy life.
^^^ I typed in “laughing” and this is what I got. HAHA!
Mogli has aided in my recognition of my own intensity. He is extremely calm and goes with the flow of every obstacle; he’s like water. I, on the other hand, am more like fire; if something gets in the way of my agenda, I burn it down, clearing a path for my own plans. I have found that I need to become more adapted to the unpredictability of life. Last semester was a very stressful time for me. I had a professor that pushed me to the edge of my sanity. Looking back on it now, I can think to myself, “I learned from that experience,” but at the time, I felt that I was being treated very unfairly. I felt that he put a lot of pressure on me in particular (whether that is the truth or not). Many times I would run home to the apartment and complain to Cher about all my woes and during one of these sessions as we stood in the kitchen making our dinners, she said to me something that changed my way of thinking perhaps forever: “It would seem that you expect life to be fair.” (or something like that).
She was right. I had NEVER acknowledged the fact that LIFE IS NOT FAIR! Life’s not fair. How revolutionary! It changed the way I think and even though my stress didn’t go away overnight, it helped me to see how I was missing the forest for the trees. I was missing the fact that the POINT of LIVING is to overcome obstacles. Another thing Cher taught me is that “Nothing ever goes according to plan.” I am a planning maniac. I plan and plan and plan, yet somehow, things always get screwed up. Instead of saying, “Ok, that stinks. Now I should figure out how to work with what I have been given,” I would become frantic. “This isn’t the way it was supposed to happen!”
^^^ I live in my planner.
Nothing is SUPPOSED to HAPPEN any certain way at all. So with that being said, I am looking forward to 2009 and overcoming or at least improving this personal flaw. I have road rage; time to get rid of that. I rush even if I’m not late. I eat WAY too fast (even though I am eating healthy). I don’t even skip classes…EVER. I have NEVER skipped a class on purpose. In my entire college career, I have missed three classes: one, I accidentally slept in, two, I had a doctor’s appointment, and the most recent, I had to stay home an extra day over fall break to attend a funeral.
It’s time to stop sweating the small stuff. It’s time for me to free myself of the shackles of worry. Here goes nothin’!
^^^ “I want to break free…”
The anticipation of weather.
I love it in the wintertime when a warm front pulls through for a few days and then suddenly SMACK! Overnight it turns blustery and frigid. Everyone gets all in a tizzy. The excitment I experience by simply anticipating weather can be likened to a Richard Simmons workout tape; my skin crawls with anticipation! Even though I know we’re only going to see a few snowflakes and feel a few light breezes, the idea of everyone getting all in a fuss over a little weather is exciting! Citizens and neighbors rush to their grocery stores and stock up on milk and hot chocolate. My Dad moves some firewood from the back corner of the yard into the garage so it can dry out, making it easier to burn. The firepoker leans against the fireplace bricks, on guard and ready for action. Even the TV remote sits, waiting to be overused in the sport of channel-surfing.
^^^ I love an authentic fireplace.
But this isn’t just a feeling of Winter. It comes every season! In the spring and summer, it’s the thunderstorms! And in the fall, it’s hurricane season. Just this past semester, our campus was evacuated on account of two hurricanes approaching our University at an alarming rate. And of course, we had one rainy day. But Friday classes were canceled and I was OK with that…to say the least. We stocked up on bottled water and had a big sleepover in the apartment. The winds came, the rains came, and we stayed cuddled up inside, safe from all the moisture.
^^^ Ah! It’s coming straight for us!
Mogli’s room at the University has the perfect little setup for a storm. His window is right in the crook of the building so when even the slightest wind blows, the building howls right outside his window! It makes things seem so dark and scary and mysterious…even during sunny days with light breezes.
What’s even better is waking up in the middle of the night when the wind is so loud, you dream about it! Or when you calmly wake up amidst a steady rain at 3:00 a.m. What a good feeling. Then you calmly fall back to sleep, lulled by the water droplets shattering upon the roof that lies above your head. You’re safe.
^^^ I love the sound of rain. Who doesn’t?
The anticipation of weather was on my mind tonight because it was a balmy 60 degrees farenheight today but tomorrow, the high is 37! Weather men are calling for freezeing rain and ice! And I am thrilled. I can’t wait to be trapped in my house. Mom and I went out tonight to buy bread, orange juice, and milk for the day in. She’s hoping to possibly get the day off from work so we can cuddle on the couch and watch “Pride and Prejudice” over and over again until we can recite it backwards. We are also overdue in fixing up a pot of chicken noodle soup! That would be perfect for tomorrow!
^^^ Mmm…Yum.
With all this good weather in the past couple days, Mogli and I went hiking to Dragon’s Tooth. We had LOADS of fun, especially after being separated a whole week. That’s a record in our book. I had been to the Tooth a couple years beforehand and had some peer-help in getting to the base of the tooth for a good picture. This time, equipped with this past semester’s climbing lessons from the one and only Mogli (who is an excellent rock-climber), I was able to climb up myself and sit on the VERY TIP of the tooth! AND I got down by myself too! I was very proud of this feat. And now with a nice hike under my belt, I wait eagerly for the bad weather to begin. Let it snow! Or ice. Or whatever. As long as it’s bad.
^^^ I sat there! RIGHT there! Getting up there is harder and more scary than it looks.
