The “before” picture was taken in the summer of 2009 on our 8th wedding anniversary.  I remember loving this picture.  8 years, two babies, and still incredibly happy.  Somehow I didn’t notice Aaron’s gaunt face.  I didn’t notice how his shirt hung off of his ultra-skinny body or how his belt had to be cinched to hold up his pants.  It all seems so obvious now, but hindsight is crystal clear.  He was incredibly sick.  It is very hard to remember, but using picture evidence, the physical signs began to show in 2007.  He was also incredibly weak, always tired, and had horrendous intestinal problems.  We attributed it to stress from a new job.  The tipping point was an emergency hospital stay and the loss of more than 30 pounds.  I finally forced my husband to see a doctor.  With simple blood work it was confirmed that he had Celiac Disease.  Gluten was gone, forever!  Within a week of eating gluten free, he began to feel normal.  He tells me that he didn’t realize how bad he felt until he started to recover.  In the span of 6 months, he gained 20+ pounds  and was feeling 100% himself.  The “after” picture, taken in 2012,  tells the whole story.  {Isn’t he so handsome and healthy?}

Celiac Disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.  This reaction destroys the tiny hair like fibers in the small intestine which absorb nutrients from food.  {And that is no good!}  There is no cure.  It is 100% managed by diet.  A diagnosis of Celiac Disease is really a diagnosis for the whole family.  It can be extremely overwhelming and scary! It is NOT the same thing as being gluten intolerant.  I must repeat.  It is NOT the same thing as being gluten intolerant.  Interested in things I have learned, resources I used, and products we love?  Click through for the 411! (more…)