Oh Gluten...

So I went gluten free for 5 weeks (see two posts previous).  Sunday I added flour back into my diet in the form of dredging chicken in flour and baking it. Sunday I ate the chicken for breakfast, lunch, and then had roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy for supper.  What started off with a lump in my throat Sunday afternoon soon turned into a headache, bigger lump in throat, an overall feeling of awfulness, and a stomach ache.  I went to bed feeling pretty bad.

Then Monday I made scalloped potatoes for supper.  This was my only flour all day because since I still felt awful all of Monday I didn't feel like eating any more flour.  But  I had prepared the potatoes for supper the previous night (and they are my favorite food) so I had to cook them.  Big mistake.  I felt even worse!  Add to all of the previously mentioned symptoms, my face got red and hot-it felt inflamed, my jaw was sore, my headache got worse, I felt even more terrible.  O-k-a-y-...maybe I'm gluten intolerant? 
:( 

I do remember feeling this way in the past after eating gluten (stuffing, bread, etc.) but I had assumed it was from the soy. I am glad I found this out though because there are so many gluten free products available now and I can avoid feeling TERRIBLE. 

Now it is Wednesday.  I never had any gluten on Tuesday because the gluten hangover was enough.  I still have it today!  I will wait the three days and try rice or corn.  I am thinking popcorn.  I miss having something to snack on while watching a movie.  My fingers are crossed that those don't bother me.

Wedding Dress

Well the best part of getting married (besides committing myself to the greatest man in the ENTIRE world for the rest of my life) was wearing a beautiful gown.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE my wedding dress!  So any chance I have to put it on again I'll do it.  And my recent weight loss seemed like a perfect opportunity to me, as well as my mom was visiting and a second person is necessary to put that baby on! 

Here I am on my wedding day.  I've posted this photo before.

There is actually an interesting story about this dress.  It isn't my original.  This is my SECOND wedding dress. 

I had gone on vacation to Calgary, AB with my mom to visit my aunt and family.  A few days before we were due to go home, we decided to go wedding dress shopping and the first store we went to was called Ethos.  After trying on a bunch of dresses (none that were my actual size though-they were all way too small and didn't really give me the whole picture) I found THE ONE.  It was a Pronovias, beautiful and perfect.  I found the veil and hair barrette to match it.  I was in love.  Unfortunately, as the saleslady, Cathy, went to place the order she found out that the dress was discontinued...as in no more were being made.  I was devastated! My mom and aunt told me that we could leave and look at another store or try again on a new day but I had already spent hours trying on dresses and I just wanted to be done. 

So I scoured the racks (which isn't usually allowed but Cathy was desperate to make a sale) and finally found a Sophia Tolli dress I liked.  But it was a size 2.  Okay, no worries.  Cathy found a saleslady who was a size 2 to try it on and said since it was a simple cut that it would look great on me too.  Hmm...I was sceptical but exhausted and couldn't bear the thought of dress shopping a second day so we ordered it!  In 9 months it would arrive!

Fast forward 9 months later-Christmas Eve to be exact- My cousin delivered "the dress" to me from Calgary and I rushed to try it on.  I HATED it.  It was too big. It didn't flatter me at all. I looked awful. My mom and brother were in the room once I was dressed and the expressions on their faces told me they hated it too.  Then we showed my dad.  He said all the right things dads are supposed to say, but I still hated it.  I got on the phone immediately but since it was Christmas Eve I had to wait a few days to talk to a manager at Ethos.  How could I have ended up with a dress that was at least 2 sizes too big when they measured me at the store?  Someone screwed up. I eventually talked to a manager but was told that it was ordered specifically for me and they wouldn't refund my money.  If I wanted, I could trade it in for something in the store though.  No...I wasn't going back to Calgary to find a new dress.

So I took the dress to a seamstress who said she could take it in.  She had the dress for a few months but in the mean time I just knew I wasn't wearing it.  My mom, brother, and I went to Saskatoon, SK for a second shopping trip and we went to a wedding dress store that sold dresses off the rack.  Since it was already March I didn't have time to order a dress for my summer wedding.

And I tried on dresses that fit me!  Lots of them!  I eventually tried on a dress that my brother picked out for me and fell in love.  Again.  It was perfect.  And the kicker?  It was the same brand as the other dress, Sophia Tolli, but in the correct size!  My mom forked over the money for a second dress and I was the happiest girl in the world.  I had found my wedding dress. 

Back to the seamstress!

And the seamstress must have known I would never wear the dress because she never touched it in the months it was at her house.

.......................................................

So Sunday afternoon I donned "my wedding dress".  But it didn't fit. It was too BIG!  How many people can say their wedding dress doesn't fit a year and a half later because the gown is too big?  It's usually the other way around! 

Here are the pictures from Instagram taken on my iPad.

:)  I love that dress.  I also wish I could have a wedding do over so I looked even more amazing in my gown.

Here I am at my wedding with my brother, in the dress he picked for me!

P.S.  I ended up writing a nasty letter to Ethos in December after my wedding and got a phone call from the store saying they would refund my money.  The lady was amazed and as disgusted as I about how the situation went down. 

Progress

I am having a great day.

The sun is shining (but it is still cold out there!), it is Sunday and that means roast chicken night and I have invited my parents over for dinner, I have plans to watch the Oscars with some friends (I hate the Oscars and haven't seen any of the movies up for awards besides Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2, but I want to visit with the girls), and my body is still feeling great from my 2 hour workout this morning. 

I am hoping I can have a great week too.  Last week was hell.  It was a short work week because Monday was Louis Riel day, but it seemed like forever.  There was a lot of work stress last week that I could do without, and my doctors appointment had been cancelled, as well as my Bowen session. So this week can only improve right?

I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday at noon where I will get the other part of my complete physical (I've already done the lab work required) and hear the results of the tests I had done two weeks ago.  And get a new Allergist referral since I am STILL waiting for it. 

I am so anxious to get to an allergist because I feel like my whole life as been affected by food allergies.  I don't go for coffee with my friends on Saturday mornings anymore, something I love doing because it is sometimes the only time we get to catch up and visit. I do not go out for Friday lunches with the staff at work, which is a nice change from eating at work everyday.  I do not go out for dinner with my husband at the end of the week.  I don't go for lunch after shopping with my mom on the weekend either.  I really miss eating out, but it is safer for me to eat at home.  Once I have the allergy tests it will be easier, because maybe I'm NOT allergic to soy, or all nuts.  Not being allergic to soy would be FANTASTIC!  I'm crossing my fingers.

On the positive side, not eating out so often has saved me a lot of money.  Money I can spend on new clothes.  I had to go shopping this weekend because I had no shirts that I could wear to the gym anymore.  They just hung off of me and when you lose so much weight, you want to be able to see your body so new clothes was necessary.  It was so weird to pick out size medium and small off of the rack when I have bought XL for so long.  Weird, but I'll get used to it!  :)

5 Weeks Gluten Free

So I passed my 4 weeks gluten free minimum, but couldn't figure out how to reintroduce it back into my diet so I just didn't.  So last night I made a plan. I like planning-that is my totally my personality-I don't do anything without planning it out.  I felt better about eating something with my plan.

I put some raw chicken in the fridge last night that I would eat today.  I woke up, dusted the chicken pieces with flour, pepper, and Epicure Lousiana Hot and spicy seasoning (soy free!).  Then I baked it.  One piece for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for tomorrow's breakfast.  Tonight we will have roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy (there's the flour!). 

Then I went to the gym!  I really really love/hate the gym.  I go through stages where I hate going and have to talk myself into it and then I get so obsessed that I can't stay away.  I am at the obsessed stage right now. I make time to go, squeeze it in wherever I can, spend hours there!  Well today was great because after talking to the owner on Friday she decided it was time to give me a new routine. 

My workout consists of alternating cardio (treadmill or eliptical) with weights.  I usually do supersets.  One day would be Back and Chest, then Legs and Shoulders, then Triceps and Biceps.  The days I lift weights I usually do 30 minutes of cardio as well, but if it is just a cardio day then usually an hour!

One way to get me to the gym on those "dread" days is knowing I can read my Kindle.  I only let myself read for pleasure at the gym because it gets me there!  Right now I am reading "New Moon" by Stephanie Meyer (for the bazillionth time!), but that is because I am waiting for the new Cassandra Clare novel to come out. 

Today I learned how to use some new equipment like the BOSU ball, ball, kettlebells, and  Landmine.  I will type up a superset workout using these new moves so I have a bit of variety on weight days.  I did Shoulders and Legs today and loved my new routine!  I'll feel it tomorrow though! 

So the only thing I have noticed about having some gluten this morning is the lump in my throat.  I used to get it alot, but I can't remember if I've had it since I stopped gluten.  Hmm.  No other changes yet.  2 more days with gluten, and then three without.  If I am good at the end of the 6 days then I will introduce something different.  I'm thinking Baking Powder because I'd love to bake some blueberry lemon muffins!
If you haven't tried them yet, here is the recipe!  Blueberry Lemon Muffins recipe

Enjoy your Sunday-the sun is shining here but it is still -15C!

Bowen Session 2

Friday I had my second Bowen therapy session.  I was much less anxious about this one because I knew what to expect.  My therapist had some white noise playing in the room and the crashing waves of the ocean made me wish I would give in to my husband's pleas for a hot vacation during Spring Break.  I have refused to book a trip feeling as awful as I do.

This time she did a technique to help my digestive issues.  That night and for 2 days after I had a pain in my left side which occassionally bothers me depending on what I eat.  I had this pain a lot back in June and July.  Today, (Monday) it hasn't bothered me as much.  This is similar to my last session where my knee hurt for days and then the pain went away. 

My jaw has hurt since Friday afternoon (I took my grade 4 class sliding and went down the hill quite a few times-maybe we hit too many bumps!) and seems to get worse after I eat.  The chewing aggravates it. I also haven't had my jaw readjusted at the chiropractor since February 6 since I can't do Bowen and other types of therapy at the same time. 

I haven't noticed any other reactions to the Bowen this time.  My next appointment is Friday! 

1 Month Gluten Free!

I am a bit behind of my blogging so here is what has been up!

Thursday marked one month gluten free.  I was supposed to consult with the dietician (Lois) about reintroducing gluten back into my diet in a purposeful way.  I didn't understand what purposeful meant...I just wanted to eat some bread in the form of a grilled cheese sandwich.  Or a muffin.  Or a cookie.  Apparently that is not purposeful.  I talked to Lois Sunday afternoon for about 15 minutes.  She told me that I had to put gluten back in starting with one item at a time.  For example, rice.  I could eat rice 3 times a day for 3 days (1 TBSP only), and then 3 days go back gluten free.  If I had no reaction then I would introduce another food, such as flour or oats. 

My dilemna with this is how do you put flour back in your diet?  Flour is an ingredient that you add to other ingredients to make something.  I struggled with ways to incorporate flour into breakfast and lunch.  So I just didn't bother adding anything back in to my diet!  This is so typical of me as well.  I am an all or nothing type of girl. 

Lois said I couldn't make muffins because it would have either baking soda or baking powder and I might react to that and mistake it for a reaction to the flour.  Who knew this would be so complicated? 

Oh, and that 15 minute call cost me $15!  The bill is in the mail. 

Bowen Therapy

So on Friday I had my first Bowen Therapy session as recommended by the naturopath.  I had no idea what Bowen Therapy was and everything I read about it was pretty vague. But I have an open mind and will try anything to feel better.

First I had a short consultation with the therapist who asked lots of questions. I had spoke to her prior to my appointment so she had some background knowledge so this didn't take long. 

Then I went into a small, dark room and got out of my clothes down to my bra and underwear, and layed on a massage bed.  The therapist came in and made small light movements on my ankles, then left.  She came back a few minutes later and did something similar on the backs of my knees, then left.  This continued as she made her way up the back of my body, and then she did the same for the front of my body.  My session was around an hour long, and I was pretty relaxed by the end of it.  It was nothing like having a massage and I now know why it is so hard to explain what Bowen Therapy is.

She had told me to be aware of how my body felt and responded during the session.  The only thing I really noticed was my left knee, which I had hurt doing Zumba, was sore and the pain travelled from the knee and down my leg. 

I was instructed to drink lots of water, walk around often, and wait. 

That night I woke up around 3 a.m. and my legs had felt like I had had an intense leg workout at the gym. It is two days later and my knee is still really sore all of the time, whereas before the Bowen treatment it only hurt occassionally. I haven't had any jaw pain or tingles since though-could the Bowen have helped this?  I hope so! 

I go for my second appointment this Friday so I will keep documenting how I feel.

To learn more about Bowen Therapy check out this site: http://bowencanada.ca/