Recovering From a Backslide

Have you ever wondered why life turns out the way it does?  Me too! However, I’ve decided to move on and quit wondering and start living!

I am now almost 3 weeks past my Celiac breakout and 7 days past steroids, still feeling bad, still itching but thankful that I am slowly healing. The last 3 weeks have given me a new perspective on life! I am so thankful that I am able to enjoy my life and so blessed that I have been given a chance to move on and learn a new way of thinking!  Although, I have been gluten free for almost a year, it was by choice (I could deal with a little joint pain or swelling if I really had to eat that special something!). Now it is a matter of my life and well-being.  I cannot repeat another outbreak just because I want that piece of cake or those fried shrimp. After 3 weeks, my body is still not back to normal. I still find myself taking naps and having to struggle to finish tasks. I also know that if my skin is this bad after 3 weeks, my stomach and intestines must be horrible!

I spent yesterday going through my pantry. Although I have been eating relatively gluten free for almost a year, I needed to verify that EVERYTHING in my house is gluten free.  I ended up with only one thing of barbeque sauce that I was not sure about. I read the ingredients and noticed that at one point it said “spices”. I got it out of the pantry! I remembered Vanessa’s teaching: If the manufacturer won’t tell you what “spices”, it is not safe to eat!

Another thing that I am working on is a list of restaurants where I can safely eat. For those of you in the Nashville area, Darfon’s and the Backstage Grill have REALLY nice gluten free menus! I have also had success at Blue Coast Burrito. I get the Cabo Bowl and Red Robin; they have gluten free hamburger buns! Forget eating at fast food restaurants! The only exceptions that I have found are Hardees; I get the low carb thick burger and Subway, where I get a 6-inch made as a salad!

Dominoes and New York Pizza have gluten free crust pizza, but be very careful because they make and bake the pizza in the same area with the traditional wheat pizza! A month ago, I would have taken that chance, but not now!

The thing that I am happiest and most excited about though is that I can cook ANYTHING that I want and make it gluten –free!  I am rethinking my recipes and am thinking about a cookbook. What do you think?