celiac awareness day is today

i started following The Gluten-Free Homemaker awhile back & she has some great recipes & insightful stuff on everyday stuff.  i also signed up for her newsletter so i didn't miss anything & then i got this email today about her celiac awareness day post & it's astonishing that more dr's don't test for celiac's when there are digestive/intestinal issues.  here are some of the facts from her post, please click the link to read the full post.  :)

Among other celiac facts, the resolution states:

• “Whereas celiac disease is underdiagnosed because the symptoms can be attributed to other conditions and are easily overlooked by doctors and patients;”
• “Whereas as recently as 2000, the average person with celiac disease waited 11 years for a correct diagnosis;”
• “Whereas 1/2 of all people with celiac disease do not show symptoms of the disease;”
• “Whereas a delay in the diagnosis of celiac disease can result in damage to the small intestine, which leads to an increased risk for malnutrition, anemia, lymphoma, adenocarcinoma, osteoporosis, miscarriage, congenital malformation, short stature, and disorders of the skin and other organs;”
• “Whereas celiac disease is linked to many autoimmune disorders, including thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes, liver disease, collagen vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren’s syndrome;”

of the 5 facts listed, i'm #1 (they always thought my attacks were my gallbladder, nope it was from wheat making my insides attack itself!), #2 (i've had stomach issues my entire life, thought to be lactose intolerance was probably more of a wheat thing.  my initial diagnosis was 15yrs after trying to figure out what was wrong with me, why i was having severe stomach aches) & #4 (i've had 2 miscarriages, not for sure if wheat was a cause, & i'm definitely in the short stature category, i'm 5 foot nothing as jason calls it.  q also has eczema really bad & gets these bad scaly patches on her scalp i have a hard time getting rid of)  ;)

so if you have been having stomach issues, please talk to your dr.  it may be as simple (not at first) as a blood test & cutting out all your wheat.  i've been really proud of myself, for about a month now i have been extremely aware of what i put in my mouth these days.  as much as i want a simple sandwich, pizza, etc.  i have decided i'm going to be good to myself & not eat it.  q has been excellent as well.  even at 5 she knows that if she even eats something with wheat she will get sick.  she pretty much refuses to eat anything with gluten in it.  i did however let her have cake this last weekend but i think the next bday we go to i will bring her gf cupcake or something.  i don't think it bothered her but i need to be better prepared.  also i'm super proud of my teen, this has been as hard for her as it has been for me.  she loves anything bready!  but with self-diagnosis, she hasn't been tested yet, she has learned that it's not worth the nausea or the stomach issues to eat wheat.  she has even opened the eyes of friends at school that gluten free doesn't have to be gross or weird.  maybe this is why we have it, to open the eyes of others & help spread awareness.  i should look at it as a blessing & not so much a curse.  :)

i hope you all have a great tuesday!