queenofhearts

My friend Jane died last night, & I'm very sad, but so relieved that she did get to see & speak with her son, her daughter, & her granddaughter before she lost consciousness. So many of her friends came to express their love, I think she knew how much we will all miss her.

Susan, great to hear from you but so sorry that you are still struggling with the depression. I hope the fact that it is the "functional" type means that you are in fact healing. Maybe when you have been gluten-free longer you will find the depression truly conquered. In the meantime, please just do whatever you need to do to stay out of the depths. That's not good for anyone.

Sorry about the E word in your interview, & best of luck with your jewelry!

Celia, I was so glad to wake up this morning to the news that Ernesto had calmed. We blew him away!

Carla, good luck with your investigation of adrenal function. How's Morgan doing?

In my experience the rice flour breads go stale much faster than the ones I've made with sorghum, bean flour, teff, &c. They still lose quality but not with such lightning speed!

if it's not iceburg lettuce (which really is mostly just water), however, it can still be a decent source of vitamins. looseleaf lettuce and romaine lettuce are good sources of leafy greens vitamins - paritcularly K.

Very true... & the mixed greens with spinach, arugula &c. are even better-- but more expensive so I was guessing Lister was getting the watery stuff. At any rate, broccoli is a still more concentrated source of K.

Broccoli: Open Original Shared Link

Lettuce: Open Original Shared Link

Way to go Lister! Broccoli is one of the healthiest things you can eat! My all time favorite is steamed broccoli with Chinese-style peanut sauce, but that is pretty spicy so you should probably wait until your tummy heals a bit. I'd highly recommend broccoli soup for you. If you can tolerate onions, sautee some lightly, add broccoli & water or better yet some of that chicken broth, cook until broccoli is mushy, then whirl in blender & season. It can be thickened with a roux, but probably better for you would be to throw in some cooked rice or potato for the thickening. I'm thinking you're off dairy, but if not you can add some milk. Bring the temp. back up, season to taste & you'll have a very nourishing, very digestible soup.

I'm so glad you are working to improve your diet! It will help you so much. Carrots are quite nutritious, but lettuce & cukes are mainly water so don't contribute nearly so many vitamins & minerals.

Leah

Has anyone heard from Celia? Has she just hunkered down & unplugged the computer?

Hope she's okay...

Glad to hear you & the new doc are homing in on the problem... you deserve to feel GOOD!!!

Hanging pots in a hot climate are under so much heat stress that tomatoes can go into vegetable "Safe Mode"-- no fruit! But I've grown them in large pots, wrapped in bubble wrap & set into even larger pots (for insulation) & so long as they are kept well watered, they produce. The smaller tomatoes do best, though-- I have had great luck with Juliet.

Your body is absorbing more iron, but you're also able to use all the nutrients and energy from the foods you're eating.

Hm, I hadn't thought of it quite that way, but it makes perfect sense. Whatever it is, it's a nice surprise to be getting faster at my age! In some ways gluten-free (for a Celiac at least) is almost like a fountain of youth!

Sorry you're feeling so rotten. It does make it really tough, but many people have delayed reactions to gluten. That's one of the reasons to try new things one by one with only sure things in between, so you can pinpoint the culprits. It's hard, though!

Hang in there,

Leah

I replied to everyone's post last night but the website or something crashed. Here goes again.

That's great that you've had good results with the technique (except for this year). Wow, it seems like a pretty high maintenance job if you can't leave the plants alone for a weekend. Perhaps an automatic drip system would work nicely though if that's the case. Does one need to buy the book on the website to do it or how did you start doing it?

Queenofhearts, your suggestions are really appreciated. Next time I get the chance to do a garden, and cats are a danger, that will come in handy. That garden I made was actually at my parents' house. Do you think it is safe to eat from a garden fertilized by cats and dogs and chickens? Right now I'm living in a student apartment and don't have the space to start a garden, but am planning for the future.

As far as I know, chickens are okay-- it's a classic homesteader's trick in fact-- but cats & dogs can carry diseases that are problematic for humans. It's the fecal matter that's risky, not the urine-- though that can burn a plant to death from excess nitrogen!

Another pet-resistant trick that I've read, but haven't tried yet, is to sprinkle black pepper over the area in question. I'd think that would be expensive for a large area, but might be worth it if you have a major problem!

If you have a balcony or even a fire escape, you might want to look into container gardening, especially if you like herbs-- I grew all my herbs in outdoor pots for years before I got a proper garden. It saves money & the herbs are always handy. You can even grow great tomatoes in a big pot. I've not had much luck with herbs indoors, but if you have a really sunny window it might work.

Good gardening!

Leah

I have to admit, eating out gives me the willies... but I'm fairly new to this game & still not really sure when I'm being glutened, so I'm taking the why-chance-it approach for the moment. That said, I'm eating out tonight! I'm going to an authentic Japanese place & will have the simplest forms of sushi, with my own soy of course. So far that seems to be my safest refuge. Even my beloved Vietnamese place uses Hoisin in their marinades, boo hoo! I'm hoping to be able to work something out with them, though, since I've been a loyal customer for 15 years.

When I go out with friends, I usually eat something beforehand, & then just have a beverage while they eat. It makes them a little uncomfortable, but I assure them that I am not "tempted" by their eating. I have no desire to poison myself! When I go to their houses, I bring my own food most of the time, or eat something whole & simple like olives or fruit.

Leah

In my case it is the opposite!

Actually I'm not a runner-- used to be but my knees won't allow it anymore. I was never super-fast but I did run 6 miles 3-4xweek religiously for years, & loved it for the physical & mental boost it gave me.

Now I use the elliptical trainer, which is not the same but still gives me a little of the old runner's rush... I give it my all for an hour, & keep track of how far I've "run".

Here's the thing-- since going gluten-free, I'm going faster & faster! I had hit a wall with my times & was just barely staying in one place until I went gluten-free & now it seems I have one pb after another! It's actually one of the most noticeable effects of going gluten-free in my case.

I've gained 10 lbs. & I think this may be part of it since I'm probably gaining some muscle. But I'm betting what is really making the difference is that iron is finally making it from my belly to my blood. I've been anemic practically forever. Haven't been tested since gluten-free, but I'm betting that's why I don't get so out-of-breath.

Has anyone else had this experience, & do you know if it is related to iron?

Leah

Celia,

How are you? I hope Ernesto changes course...

Hugs and thinking about you. I too will be watching CNN to keep updated on what's happening..... Where in Florida are you again?

I think it's Citrus County, is that what you said?

What great news! Good for your husband & the sandwich shop too! I predict you'll be feeling better soon.

Leah

Sorry you had a bad spell... I hope you can feel better on the diet, I'm betting you will. You know both D & arthritis are linked to gluten, so it sure couldn't hurt to try it. Really clean up all sources of cc, & stick with it for at least a few months, then you should have your answer.

Leah

Did I miss something? I am confused

Bet she means Penguin's???

Yes. Would that check for mono?

Yes, if memory serves that's the screening test for mono. But check just in case I'm remembering wrong!

Was this on purpose? Just curious...

I saw a rave on some chicken nuggets posted a little while ago... I'll try a search, maybe you can get your nugget jones without gluten!

Leah

Here it is:

Open Original Shared Link

I just looked again at the product info and the Grilled has soy sauce in it, which has wheat.

Arghh! That's awful. How can they call it gluten-free?

Or is flame-grilled different?

No, I'm not anemic, I was just tested for that at my regular checkup, but that's exactly how I feel. I do take iron supplements. My thyroid is fine, too, and I take thyroid supplements.

Did you have a white blood cell count?

Hey, Morgan, have a great first day!

You're not anemic, are you?

That's what I was wondering. Or could you have mono?

YES!!! BAD! Especially on your lips! Throw it out or give it away NOW!

Sorry if this sounds extreme, but anything on your lips doesn't have to be absorbed through the skin-- it gets in when you eat, lick your lips, &c.

You'll find another favorite. Don't make yourself sick.

Leah

I just thought of something else. The US government has just written some kind of documents on celiac and celiac awareness. National Institute of Health, I think? Anyway, you say your husband doesn't "believe in" celiac? Maybe if he had more info and saw that the US government is concerned about how underdiagnosed it is he would be less able to deny its existence.

Here's the link to the NIH site:

Open Original Shared Link

I'm glad your husband is back on your side, at least for a while. Maybe you could get his gluten-free promise in writing?

Good morning ... I've been reading but not posting ... I don't feel good

Carla, I'm so sorry-- is it getting worse? Have you seen a doctor in case it's a bug?

Cissie, thanks, that's a lovely quote.