When I discovered I was Celiac-Sprue it was a year after I nearly bled out during my C-section.

With too much gluten stuck to my digestive intestine over the 29 years I had no proper nutrition, so my ability to create/absorb vitamin K (needed for blood clotting) was impaired. During the operation my count dropped 50 grams below normal!

While I was under, I sat on bench with 3 sepia toned ladies in hooded capes. I kid you not. We were in the subway station waiting. Now that I visited the Serapeum in Egypt. See my blog here. I realize this could be the place we waited 🙂 Who knows, it seems reminiscent on reflection.

Regardless these 3 ladies waited with me while ‘Girl From Impenema’ played on the overhead. It was nice to meet these ladies who saved me from a car accident a few years later. They appeared beside the road as sepia coloured WW1 soldiers saluting and yelling ATTENTION at me as I drove past. My spirit guides I guess.

Once I did more research I realized I had a health problem. I always bruised easily. Got the nick name ‘Le Peche/The Peach’ one summer in Quebec. My stomach ached eating toast every morning, but I thought it was just waking up. I always had a runny bowel or was bunged up. After a time all I craved was the foods made from gluten. I craved it because I was always so hungry. I wasn’t getting nutrition so I was always hungry.

Now off gluten I know what I am hungry for. Protein, Carb, Fruit, Dairy, Fat, Nuts…
Before I was just generally hungry.

The confusion in ‘gluten free’ being good for everyone is why I am writing this. Simply to say if you are curious get a blood test before you alter your diet.

Eating gluten free is easy if you always eat fresh adding gluten free bread/pasta.

If you want to use food products the ingredients to avoid are called Hydrolyzed Plant Protien and Modified Food Starch. Unlesss specified as ‘corn or soy starch’ one must assume it is from grain gluten.

The doctor who owns a gluten free cafe called Leyda’s in my city spoke on the radio. She explained the two ‘problem bits’ in gluten some cannot digest well or at all. There is a protein portion and a carb portion to it.

People called Celiacs or Sprues are not able to handle the Gliadin Protein Molecule portion. Other people in the spectrum are intolerant of the carbohydrate portion and have a less severe reaction.

Some like my self are called Sprue. We are very sensitive to it. I also get a rash called Dermatitis Herpetiformis if I get too much gluten and it is very itchy. An auto immune reaction occurs, the out come of which is the IgA being deposited under my skin in tiny bubbles.

This creates a spectrum of people dealing with gluten.

-Celiac/Sprue-(Protein)
– Requiring true gluten free diet for optimum health. Sever symptoms.

-Celiac Spectrum-(Carb)
– Requiring true gluten free diet for optimum health. Less severe symptoms.

The third Gluten Free group are those who do not understand and buy the products because they think it is just healthier.

In my experience I am grateful there are products I can replace old indulgences with. However they are very pricey and usually contain more calories. With the letter my doctor gave me the government tax man allows me 10% back on GF items.

One thing I learned is that nutrition is very important. Also food is what your quality of body starts with. I use premium in my gas tank, so I try to do the same with my body. A balance is needed.

Because the Celiac gene is passed on, the members of my family have become aware of their own issues with gluten. Again it is important to get the blood test before you take gluten out so the antibodies it creates are there to be found in the test.

The best thing is always to know the truth, as eating gluten while being Celiac, Sprue, Coeliac/Gluten Intolerant can hurt your health in the long run.