'Tis the Season

I don't even know where to begin, because I don't know where the past few months have gone! The last time I posted was three months ago, and here we are embarking on the Christmas season.

Today on Facebook (facebook.com/leeenryerickson), my status reads: "We're a blended family... gluten-happy and gluten-free." The past two days I have been making Christmas cookies with my youngest daughter and granddaughter. They are "gluten happy". We had so much fun decorating sugar cookies cut out in the shape of a tree, star and snowman. They were all for their enjoyment, because I am "gluten-free".


Next time we bake together, we will make a variety of Christmas cookies in a cookie mold with gluten-free dough. And they will be for all of us to enjoy, when visiting Nana and Papa's house during the holidays.

For a recipe for gluten-free Christmas sugar cookies go to Celiac.com, the Gluten Free Cooking School and About.com for their "Decorated Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe". Oh, and if you don't have time to make your sugar cookie dough from scratch, Cherrybrook Kitchen makes a terrific sugar cookie mix that is nut, dairy, egg, wheat and gluten free.

These past few months, I've been distracted and preoccupied with many things... health issues, sailing, projects, and especially busy with our family as we prepare for the arrival "Littlest" Sephira Lee's baby brother "newest" Leif Kohl Ericson. He can make his debut any day or week now. I'm waiting for the call! I've devoted little time for experimenting in the kitchen. Since we moved last July, leaving my large, beautiful kitchen behind, I've lacked some of the motivation I had adjusting slowly to working in a smaller, less inspiring and accommodating space. And, to be perfectly honest, there are times when I just don't feel like cooking much.

I have found however, that my interest in learning all I can about the differences and similarities between celiac disease (CD) and gluten intolerance has greatly increased. I recently posed that very question on Facebook. If you are a member, click here to add your vote and join the discussion. At the time of this posting, the vote is nearly 50/50. I'm also trying to connect with a many people and experts as I can who are either a Celiac or gluten sensitive. Another online community that I have joined to connect with others is Gluten Free Faces. I'm beginning to feel inspired once again!

My intention is to reboot my blog with entries about experimenting with more raw foods and gluten-free recipes, as well as working all this into an acid-alkaline balanced diet. I recently responded to a friends inquiry: What do you guys think of the acid v alkaline theory? The following was my response:

I've learned that a balanced alkaline-acid body chemistry is foundational to health. If our bodies are too acidic, then that imbalance can cause a myriad of maladies from a-z. Acid waste in the body attacks joints, muscles, nerves, organs, gut, glands, including our thyroid, adrenal and lymphatic system... and opportunistic infections and insidious diseases like cancer. It's primarily our poor dietary choices, which lead to alkaline-acid imbalance that is the underlying, root cause of why we see a pandemic of illnesses, allergies, sensitivities and syndromes. Alkaline neutralizes acid. It is essential to know which foods and minerals are alkaline-forming or acid-forming to avoid over-acidity and create alkalinity. The best diet is an organic, raw foods diet rich in alkaline-forming foods and drinking the purest water we have access to.

The best book I've read on this subject is Alkalize or Die by Dr. Theodore A. Baroody.

I also plan to start putting together a blog entry that will provide links to my favorite celiac disease/gluten-free blogs and website, as my side bar would cascade to the bottom of the sea if I posted all the links there.

Last Christmas I shared my recipe for making a delicious, organic Gift of Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix. 'Tis the season to share it again. Click here. Gift a batch of sugar cookies while you're at it!


Happy Gluten-Free Holidays to You and Yours!

Celiac Disease - Do you know what it is? Do you have it?

I just got off the phone with my doctor's office. I called to inquire how long ago my physican ordered a celiac blood test for me. I was blown away. I was tested August 2007. That means I've lived gluten-free for 2-1/2 years!

Celiac Disease - The best resources I have found on line to learn about this disease is the Celiac Sprue Foundation, whic is dedicated to ongoing research, education and support to help those that suffer from celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis, and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness' Celiac Central. The mission of NFCA is to not only help those who suffer from gluten sensitivity to gain a diagnosis, but seeks to help improve the health of those who have been diagnosed.

From the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA): "Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. What does this mean? Essentially the body is attacking itself every time a person with celiac consumes gluten.

Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the finger-like villi of the small intestine. When the villi become damaged, the body is unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to malnourishment.

Left untreated, people with celiac disease can develop further complications such as other autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, and cancer." Learn more.

Once I learned about Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, it became clear that this was probably the hidden, underlying root to some of, if not most, of my health problems over the years. It is common that blood tests for Celiac Disease return negative, meaning no - you are not a Celiac according to test results. This happened to me. Because, I had so many gut and food sensitivities and allergies that are symptomatic of those with this disease, my physician suggested that I simply remove all foods containing gluten from my diet and see what would happen. I did, and I immediately began to feel relief - the absence of discomfort, and positive changes in my body, my digestive system and overall health, which made it an easy decision live a gluten-free lifestyle for the rest of my life.

There are more than 300 symptoms of Celiac Disease, which varies among sufferers, and can show up in early childhood or later in life in adults. Diagnosis has bee problematic, and according to NFCA 95% of Celiacs have either been undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as having other conditions. This would be me. Check out the list of symptoms and if you think you might have Celiac Disease, take this short survey by the NFCA, their celiac disease symptoms checklist.

For more information about Celiac Disease visit National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Are you a Celiac? Having a hard time finding gluten-free foods in your area? Check out Gluten Free Mall and Your Gluten Free Source.