Learning to live with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

I don't usually eat at work, but today I brought a mini block of Velveeta cheese and a jar of Matouk's Kuchela to eat with it. Kuchela and cheese go together like peas and carrots! I ate the cheese with some Kuchela and then I got hungry for a snack. I walked the quarter mile to the snack machine to get a bag of pork rinds, and the machine wasn't stocked with them! Everything else in the machine was either chocked full of gluten, potato based (I'm allergic to white potatoes), or not advisable for a diabetic. I got a cup of ice and walked back to the shipping office and silently cursed my allergies and diabetes for ruining a potentially delightful vending machine experience. For those of you that aren't familiar with Kuchela, it is a condiment from Trinidad. Kuchela is amazing with cheese, and is absolutely the best thing that you can put on an egg and cheese sandwich! It also goes very well with curried dahl (lentils) or chana (chickpeas). Kuchela can be mad...

Several years ago, I caught the toe of my sandal on a stair and slid down my cement front steps like I was doing a stage dive. The results were not pretty. It wouldn't heal, so I went to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with Traumatic Psoriasis. I also got allergy tested. 100+ needles all over my back and down my arms. I am allergic to grass, trees, pollen, mold, mildew, lima beans, rye, white potatoes, oats... Well, you get the point, I'm allergic to everything except hardwood floors and my dogs. I also get asthma and migraines from chemical cleaning products, perfumes, air fresheners, etc. When I ingest food allergens, my leg itches and gets nasty looking. I've noticed that when I behave myself and eat right, my leg stops itching and gets a chance to heal. So you may ask why I keep eating the bad stuff and keep scratching my leg until it bleeds and looks a mess. Well, until recently I didn't know that gluten was hidden in almost everything that is processed, so ...

Update! This is the best cake EVER!  Please go to Chef Jana's site for more deliciousness from Hawaii! http://www.chefjana.com/  I love, LOVE, L-O-V-E, cake. Unfortunately, it's kind of loaded with gluten. I found the recipe for a Gluten Free cake that I'm going to try. I'm planning on using Stevia instead of sugar. I'll make this at my mom's house so I can give her an daddy half of it. Ingredients  1 pound Mandarin oranges to make 11 1/2 ounces of puree (approximately 5-6, but weigh them) 3 eggs 1 cup sugar - I will be using Stevia 3 cups almond meal or almond flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 Tbsp Amaretto (completely optional) confectioner's sugar for dusting Instructions  Set oven to 350F Step one is the only time consuming part of this cake. Wash your tangerines and put them in a saucepan covered with cold water. (They'll float, but don't worry about that) Bring to a boil, and boil for a full 15 minutes. The boiling removes the b...

FOOD JOURNAL  Eating well does not have to be expensive! I'm spending less than $30 (USD) a week on food and staying quite satisfied! I would also like to point out that I am not eating Paleo to part of the "In Crowd". The very thought makes my skin crawl. I have food allergies... LOTS of them, and Paleo suits my needs splendidly! Weight all time high 284 (the last time I weighed) in 2009. Fluctuated between 265 and 275 from 2010 until 2017.  Tried from mid 2017 until February 2018 to break the 250 barrier. 29 March 2018, I broke the 240 barrier. Since cutting gluten in March 2018 and going Paleo in April 2018, the weight has been falling off steadily. Broke 230 on 17 May 2018! I'm officially in (and sometimes out) of the 220's! ( I still gross myself out if I pass by a full length mirror when I'm nekked or in underwears) Hit 220 on 25 June 2018! My belt is on the last hole!  You may deduce from my weekly menus that I cook on Saturday or Sun...

Extremely long story short, I made an appointment for a massage. I've been making some pretty big lifestyle changes and kind of want to have a lymphatic drainage massage and some trigger point to try and restore my range of motion. I got in touch with Brandi at  Affordable Spa Services , and after a pretty comprehensive Q&A, she asked me if I have ever been tested for gluten sensitivity. It seems that my laundry lists of aches, pains, and ailments are pretty much text book symptoms of  gluten sensitivity. She also told me that she would throw in a nutritional analysis along with my massage and told me to keep a food diary for two weeks. I have been keeping the diary and notating how I feel, and I have discovered that I have joint and muscle aches, I feel foggy, my balance gets all weird and I feel like I'm going to fall, and I get the dreaded constipation. I also discovered that after a few days of eating "clean", I don't hurt and I feel better in ...

Achy joints and muscles are a symptom of NCGS ***Update*** 9 April 2018 - 6 weeks with my inserts and I still feel like dancing! Daddy got his inserts today. I really hope they help his feet and hips.  _____________________________________________________________________ I'm 54 years old and up until recently I have been feeling the effects of aging... or so I thought! On 26 February 2018, I started a new job working in a warehouse a couple of months ago. I walk anywhere from a 1.5 to 3 miles a day. After my first two days, I hurt from my toes to the roots of my hair. I need to clarify that I have been behind a desk and very sedentary for the last 20 years, so I just thought the aching muscles and joints were part of the old, fat, aging process. On 28 February 2018, I went to  The Good Feet Store  and paid $400, you heard me right $400, for a pair of inserts for my shoes. I had just gotten off work and could hardly get out of my car; my lower body hur...