Celiac Disease Symptoms

Did ya hear? May is Celiac Awareness Month! And all month long, I’ve got a little extra gfree knowledge to share … so let’s get it started in here! 😉

A few weeks ago, the always awesome Gluten Dude asked the Celiac Community: “what are your Celiac symptoms?” And boy did he get quite a list. Using the info he recieved from over 100 Celiacs, he put together this handy infographic of the most commonly cited symptoms.

If you, or someone you love, is experiencing several of these symptoms, getting tested for Celiac Disease could be lifesaving! Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine. Consumption of gluten causes the body to attack itself, ultimately preventing the absorption of nutrients from food. According to the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment untreated Celiac Disease can result in the following:

Celiacs are more likely to be afflicted with problems relating to malabsorption, including osteoporosis, tooth enamel defects, central and peripheral nervous system disease, pancreatic disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders (gall bladder, liver, and spleen), and gynecological disorders. Untreated celiac disease has also been linked an increased risk of certain types of cancer, especially intestinal lymphoma.

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For more info on Celiac Disease, visit the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment and Celiac Central.

And, stay tuned to FD for more info on living a fabulous, gluten free life!

Live Fabulous.

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Kicking off Celiac Awareness Month

MAY IS CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH!!!!

Today marks the beginning of Celiac Disease Awareness Month. And though I do my best to advocate for Celiac and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity all year long, this month posts will have a special emphasis on spreading awareness about these commonly misunderstood conditions. I have several posts planned for spreading gluten free knowledge and lots of gfree love with y’all (: 

If you suspect you or a family member has Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, please get tested prior to beginning a gluten free diet. Not only is diagnosis difficult after beginning a gluten free diet, but being gluten free without a medical need may not be the most healthful option available to you. (I absolutely cannot emphasis this enough!!)

Some FACTS about Celiac Disease:

• Celiac Disease is a genetic disease, meaning that it is hereditary. In fact, between 5 and 22% of those with Celiac disease have an immediate family member with Celiac.
• It is estimated that 1 in 141 Americans have Celiac Disease, with 81% of them being undiagnosed!
• Celiac is an autoimmune disease that is triggered by the ingestion of gluten. Ingestion of gluten damages the villi in the digestive system. 
• Though the experience of Celiac Disease is different for each person, symptoms include: diarrhea or constipation, anemia, abdominal pain and bloating, smelly stool and gas and headaches.
• There is no cure for Celiac Disease. The only treatment is living a gluten free lifestyle.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (gluten intolerance) FACTS:

• NCGS is a condition that causes symptoms similar to those of Celiac without an autoimmune response.
• The exact cause is unknown and there is no test to diagnosis it.
• It is estimated that approximately 6% of the US population has NCGS.

Interested in learning more about Celiac disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity? Head over to Celiac Central for more info. 

And as always, stay tuned to FD for more posts about Celiac Disease and living a gluten free life!

Live Fabulous.

Recipe: Banana Nut and Oat Muffins

My Sundays tend to revolve around food: grocery shopping in the a.m., followed by food prep for the week in the afternoon and a yummy, home cooked dinner in the evening. I always look forward to fresh baked muffins during the week, so most Sunday afternoons you can find me mashing ripe bananas to make up a batch of muffins to get me through the week ahead.

This Sunday was no exception. The fiancé and I started our Sunday with brunch and Garfield cartoons on Hulu+ (our newest Sunday ritual), followed by grocery shopping, the weekly food prep and muffin making, obligatory homework, a long walk with the Piper dog and a game of chess before enjoying mahi-mahi and veggies for dinner. We’re not the worlds greatest chess players, but we’re learning as we go and have fun regardless. Even though Sunday is filled with work, we try to throw a little bit of fun in there too … ya know, since it’s supposed to be Sunday Funday after all!

Anyhow, back to those muffins I was telling you about. Banana nut bread has long been one of my favorite treats. To meet my dietary restriction and in an effort to eat a healthy and balanced diet, I make it into single serving muffins that are gluten, dairy and refined sugar free.

141 calories, 3.8g fat, 21.8g carbs, 3.1g fiber, 9.5g sugar, 3.1g protein and 138.7mg potassium each (without additional pecans)

My No-Poo Journey

If you’ve been following along on Twitter or Instagram you may have noticed that a little more than two weeks ago, I gave up my shampoo habit. Now, I know you’re probably thinking “gross, how can you not use shampoo?!” but hear me out … I gave up shampoo for two reasons: (1) I’m trying to reduce my exposure to chemicals; opting instead for natural cleaners and (2) since I was a kid, I have been plagued by oily hair. As a teenager, I had to switch shampoos every few weeks because it seemed like they would just stop working. I could wash my hair and when it dried, it would look like it hadn’t been washed in a week. Over the years, the issue seemed to level out, but I still couldn’t use ONE brand of shampoo, each time a bottle ran out, I would purchase another brand. And if I didn’t wash every day, I looked like I stuck my head in a bucket of grease (except for maybe the ends of my hair, which are super dry from washing every day). I have used everything from $1 to $40 bottles of shampoo, all with the same end results. I tried clarifiers, sulfate free shampoos, vinegar rinses to remove build up, I’ve scrubbed my scalp like a crazy women, let shampoo sit on my head for 5+ minutes and then scrubbed some more in an attempt to get all the shampoo residue out so that my hair would look clean, all to no avail.

Then I came across a pin on Pintrest about giving up shampoo, it’s called the no-poo method. Intrigued, I did some more research.

Styled: April Showers

Brave those April showers in an oh, so adorable high low-dress with girlie accessories, toughened up by some sweet leather boots — perfect for splashing in a few puddles! And, don’t forget to bring a light cardi (or a cropped denim jacket) along for those moments when it gets a little chilly!

April Showers by gototallycrazy

Live Fabulous.

Styled: Casual to the Max

I don’t know about where you are, but here in Houston it’s Spring like temperatures one day and back to cold the next. Last week, I picked up the adorably ironic (un)t-shirt and maxi skirt combo at none other than my favorite store, Target. Paired with a chunky knit cardigan and delicately accessorized with just the right about of attitude thanks to a leather Fossil wrap bracelet, it’s the perfect way to transition from Winter to Spring in fabulous style, even if the weather is less than cooperative!

Transitioning in Style by gototallycrazy

What are your must have pieces for making the transition from Winter to Spring?

Live Fabulous.

DIY: Reusable Floor Wipes

There’s nothing I like more than a clean home, but I loath spending a lot of cash on cleaning products that are full of chemicals. I long ago gave up on buying the disposable cleaning cloths to mop my floor, they were just too pricey for my college student budget.

Enter this easy, eco and budget friendly DIY from the ladies over at SavySugar!

Recipe: Two Birds, One Chocolatey Stone Cookies

Almost every week, I bake up a batch of cookies or muffins to serve as a healthy snack or dessert. And despite my best efforts, my chocolate cravings always seem to get the best of me and I end up picking up a bar of chocolate at the store mid-week. This week is going to be different because this week, I added chocolate to my cookies.

At ~95 calories each with 2.5g of protein, 3.5g fat & 13g carbs these cookies are a balanced snack that also boast 2.5g of fiber and 45mg of potassium each! Delicious and nutritious, these cookies definitely knock out two birds with one chocolatey stone! They’re also gluten free, dairy free and soy free!