My Monthiversary and a Gift for You.

Four weeks ago today I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's disease and embarked on this healing adventure. I found a list that I made a while back of things that I hoped would get better after the healing process began. That list included (warning, possible TMI here!) dehydration, constipation, diarrhea, gas, acne, rashes, unhealthy hair, cramps, fatigue, bloating, moodiness, and all around general discomfort. I spent the first four weeks cutting gluten out of my diet and also taking medications that the doctor prescribed. Within days the rash cleared up, the constipation went away, my bathroom habits became normal, my face became clear and almost completely acne free and I started feeling immensely better in general. For the first few weeks I was still having trouble with bloating, fatigue and mood swings but I blame some of that on the medication and also that my lady cycle is not completely normal right now. This past week I've started to see improvements in all three of these areas though and for the first time I'm really starting to get a sense that my efforts are working and will continue to work and I actually will get better.

I am not a patient person. I want instant gratification so it's hard sometimes to deal with the slow process of healing. But I didn't get this way overnight and I won't heal that quickly either. I just have to put it into perspective. And my hair? Silky smooth and shiny beautiful. I'm in love with it. I did also change shampoo and conditioner which may have helped a little but I really believe that it's all about the diet. I can't say enough about food. If you're feeding your body with the most natural, healthy stuff, it will thank you! I promise you that.

Sure there have been days where I've slipped up and ate something I shouldn't, but now that I am eating so much healthier the slips hurt more than ever. And the pain sometimes lasts for days. The rash comes back, the cramps come back, it's not fun at all. The slips come a lot less frequently these days. A lot of people complain that going gluten-free is too hard and so they continue to suffer but let me tell you this - it is not hard! Yes, it's true, there are days when all I want is pizza. But knowing how horrible I'd feel after eating that pizza makes the longing subside very quickly. These days finding gluten-free alternatives is becoming less and less difficult. The bottom line is, it's worth it, you are worth it, and you will feel better and you will look better and you will love yourself for doing this.

A year ago I bought The Gluten-Free Bible by Jax Peters Lowell and it really helped me to understand what it means to be gluten-free. I haven't looked at it in a long time and I think it's time to pass it on to someone else that needs it. If you have been recently diagnosed with Celiac or any other digestive disease and are trying to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle and could use a little help, send me an email. One of my readers will receive my copy of the Gluten-Free Bible to help them through it.

Thanks to everyone who visits this page and supports me in this journey, I really don't know what I would do without so many other people that are going through it too. The gluten-free community here is amazing and I love reading your blogs everyday. Thanks for all the recipes, tips, stories and more.

Stay tuned, later today I'll post the recipe for the marinade I made last night as well as some book reviews!