Spotlight on Gluten

Today I went to a fascinating talk on living the low carbohydrate lifestyle, presented by Lucille Cholerton. It was an interesting look at this new lifestyle that we've adopted (from a slightly different angle). I learnt a lot and met some great new friends who are on a similar journey. It was lovely to connect with folks who really "get it", and to be able to offer some information and support, too.

Lucille is a gluten counsellor and author.

From Amazon.com:

Lucille Cholerton is a specialist in gluten sensitivity and coeliac disease. She and her three grown children all suffer from gluten sensitivity. Read her story in Spotlight on Gluten: New symptoms for the new millennium? Or long-standing symptoms now being recognized? 

She says, "Age is very pertinent to the subject of gluten sensitivity. This disorder should really be diagnosed in childhood, but if the diagnosis is missed, people can suffer for many years with unexplained symptoms, when something that they are eating every day could be the root cause of their ill health." 

This book covers the symptoms that Cholerton and her children suffered, and how they improved their health dramatically on a gluten-free diet. The author's research spans twenty years. "In my research I discovered that gluten may be responsible for many autoimmune disorders, of which there are some eighty-eight documented. My doctors knew nothing about this, so I really had to be my own "guinea pig." 

A former teacher, Lucille Cholerton is now a nutrition counselor and is writing her next books on gluten sensitivity. "There is a dire need for better diagnosis and understanding of this disorder." She is married and lives in Durban, South Africa. She started the Gluten Intolerance/Coeliac Support Group in Durban in 1995. 

For more information about gluten, visit http://www.allergysa.org . Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/LucilleCholerton Author's Website: http://spotlightongluten.com

SCD, Here we Come!

Alright, we’re ready. On Saturday we went shopping and bought everything we need for the SCD Intro Diet. This is supposed to last for three days (give or take a day), and it cost us R164. That’s really, really good for three days for our family, so I think perhaps it won’t last as long as I’m hoping. But some of that stuff will last longer than three days, like the eggs, so we’ll see.

I spent most of Sunday (the bits where we weren’t at Church), preparing for the diet. I have given my family their “last meals.” (Pies and crisps. I know. Don’t judge me). I have cooked up a gigantic pot of chicken-and-carrot soup, 36 meatballs, 8 bowls of grape jelly and a dish of purèed carrots. I also have 40-odd eggs in the fridge, just waiting to be breakfast!

Now, I don’t know how long this lot is supposed to last, but it feels like about two days’ worth. Except the jelly – that’ll get us through today only. Again, we’ll see. The intro diet is supposed to take between two and five days, so we’ll re-evaluate on Tuesday night and decide what to do next. I foresee another full day of cooking in my future, though.

Here’s what I hope to achieve from all of this preparation:

• Fewer headaches;


• Fewer stomach cramps;


• Better concentration;


• Fewer mood swings;


• Better skin;


• Fewer allergic reactions;


• Fewer nightmares;


• Better sleep;


• More energy; and


• Better focus.

When I list these like this they really don’t seem that serious. One might even wonder why we’re bothering with such a strict diet and lifestyle change. But the thing is that the headaches are really debilitating at times, leaving the girls in tears and me wishing I could get away with tears! The girls spend a lot of time doubled over in agony at their stomach cramps (and their relief is our demise as they expel the offending bubbles. Sorry to share but this journey is important to me and I need to remember as much of where we started as possible so that when I look back I can see real change).

My skin breaks out all the time. It’s painful and decidedly embarrassing, given that I really am too old for this kind of thing. I’ve even had to cancel client meetings because of my skin (or headaches, or tummy troubles). Papa Bear and Goldilocks battle to concentrate and often Papa Bear’s not even here, despite being physically present. He also battles terribly with hay fever, and his hay fever, tiredness and tummy troubles have kept him out of meetings and appointments, too. Not being able to concentrate affects us all and I imagine things can only improve if we have better moods and better focus.

My vision for the outcome of this new eating plan is that we will have energy, joy, focus, time (because of better sleep and better planning), success (because of more confidence and fewer canceled appointments), and all-round awesomeness. I know the beginning is very tough indeed, and I don’t expect it to be easy, but I am looking forward to the long term results. I’ll keep you posted.