NEVER LOSE YOUR PASSION

Never lose your passion<----

Always educate and embrace change.

Originally I was going to direct this blog to food.

My favorite topic !

BUT IN honor of MAY I felt I needed to spread light on celiac awareness. It seems that my passion for spreading awareness has heightened since April. After meeting Chrissy from www.glamwithoutgluten.com ( who in case you didn't know is AMAZING! ) I was diagnosed 4 years ago, but honestly I've always felt so alone on this gluten free journey until Chrissy started a closed Facebook support group. www.facebook.com/groups/glamwithoutglutensupport

 These woman educate me on the daily. I'm so grateful to have them
!They have such PASSION and strength.
To top it off it feels amazing to have friends that feel or have felt exactly how I have felt...and fear what I fear...and get mad about things I get mad about.  

Something happened this last week I'm sure you all herd about it the Disney channel aired an episode on the Jessie show that bullied a kid with celiac disease well this really hurt my fellow gluten free family (we didn't choose to have celiac disease and it's not something we joke about ) the Disney channel respected the feelings of the fellow GF community and removed that episode from airing ... BUT later a comedian Decided to poke fun at us again by talking down at CELIACS around the world and reinacting the scene from the Disney channel .(not cool) A LOT of people still think that it's all in our heads ...or a made up disease ....MADE up....tell that to the years of me throwing up...tell that to the years of being misdiagnosed ....it hurt us WE ARE DIFFERENT BUT WE ARE STILL HUMAN AND HAVE FEELINGS!
 CELIAC DISEASE can be triggered by something emotional that happens to you....Whether that be pregnancy, stress, divorce and whatnot it's life. life happens and you get the celiac disease and you got to keep moving!(that's what we have to do)

 Honestly people are so passionate for breast cancer awareness, HIV awareness ,childhood cancer awareness, diabetes's awareness,autism awareness ,ovarian cancer awareness lets add celiac disease to that list!!!!
I am very passionate about all of those. I feel like we aren't educated enough in all of those and more!!!! Its Ignorance<----- 

Eeekkkk tough subject I know.
My problem is I'd rather be brutally honest with you. like I am with my friends and my family.
I feel like we can all be a little ignorant and also we can lack empathy ! 

 it's so easy for us to forget about other people and situations they go through. Whether they are normal person or celebrity.... I actually had this argument with my best friend the other day it lasted about 30 minutes going back-and-forth back-and-forth And although she still didn't agree with me at the end she respected the fact that I stood by what I believed and understood my point of view and I respected the fact that she stood by what she believed and also understood her point of view... We took into account to what each other's said.

NOW If only the WORLD could do the SAME! Open your eyes, be the change!

if someone tells you they have an allergy to onions,Peanut butter , Fish , cucumber or WHATEVER.....
 ( TAKE THEM SERIOUS)
its there life and THEY MATTER ,Its my life and I MATTER !

Celiac disease isn't a food allergy it's an auto immune disease and it hurts!


I feel like I'm rambling and I'm sure I want to write more.
I'll leave it at that tho.
thank you for reading

what would you like to read about?

Eli.felix717@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/glutenfreewitheli

R & R ( Ranting And Raving)

 :: Rant #1  ::

Pet lovers You know who you are!

It irritates me when Pet owners care more about what there animal eats...then what they eat....I mean about 90% of people with celiac have NO IDEA that the have celiac disease in the first place. So when I'm switching television stations and i come across a dog food or cat food commercial I want to scream!!!!!! Especially when the voice over lady says "do you know what's In Your dogs food ....yada yada yada GLUTEN...yada yada yada.....excuses me did she really just say that?!?!?!

Are they serious ????? Dog food has gluten ? 

Well lets not feed our pets gluten but let's go to a fast food restaurant  and eat as much gluten as we can! 

I can't speak for everyone with Celiac problems ....but really people it can get annoying when you don't care for your own bodies! 

::  Rant 2  ::

Our Food is not TERRIBLE. sometimes it can be gross but then again so can gluten filled foods.so be nice don't rub it in our gluten free faces that we can't have CUBAN BREAD????? don't Say...."your food tastes like cardboard. Have some empathy!
There are times where I want to go on strike because I cant eat Gluten and there are times where I just want to cry BUT over the years (for the most part)I have Embraced my Gluten Free Life.

::  Rant 3  ::

Short an sweet......
I HATE READING LABELS!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL THE TIME !!!!! ( LOL I really do) how do I know what to look I've said this in all my blogs Gluten is in everything! Well it is. 
thank you Sweet Jesus for my Iphone and google.

nuff said.

::  Rant 4  ::
even shorter...
Eating Gluten free is not a fad for people with CELIAC !
It's not going anywhere!

::  Rant 5  ::
Last but not least
When you go to the store and purchase something Labeled Gluten free and when you get home you notice that it says the product was processed in a WHEAT FACILITY! ARE YOU SERIOUS?????
HOW ANNOYING IS THAT?!
CROSS CONTAMINATION!!!!!!!
Why the heck does it even say GLUTEN FREE ON THE BOX ?


the purpose of my R&R is to OPEN YOUR EYES!
to my fellow Celiacs YOU are NOT Alone.
to my friends and strangers that are reading because they rock (It's just to give you a better understanding to my MADNESS)
thank you for letting Me vent.

xoxo
Eli

*-Tell me your thoughts what makes you mad about celiac  what have you embraced? -* what would you like to read about?

   Eli.felix717@gmail.com

.

Cheaters NEVER Prosper!

Why do people cheat ?

 Cheating is serious !!!

No I'm not talking about relationships.

 I'm talking about GLUTEN. If you have sensitivity to gluten or celiac disease in general cheating is the worst thing you can do.

 trust me your body will know! There's no way to sneak around and cheat on being gluten free.

Celiac disease is serious. I've had people ask me If I ever cheat and automatically say NO! Are you crazy? I don't wanna feel that pain anymore ...sure I joke about eating papa johns pizza with extra cheese and extra sauce sometimes but that doesn't mean I'll do it! 

Gluten has the worse effect on my body...it feels like a group of people jumped on my stomach over and over again.

Come on people!!!!

I met a mom of a 13 year old who also had celiac disease. She said if her daughter was good she'd let her have regular waffles or pizza...she'd just enough gluten so she wouldn't get "sick". Whhhhhhaaaattttt?(in the minion voice ) I wanted to scream at this woman!!!!!

What the heck are you thinking you are rewarding her with GLUTEN!?!?!?!? Did a doctor tell her "hey it's okay for her to have gluten sometimes...or she can just take the pain...???

I was brand new to the GF lifestyle when I met this woman and her daughter so I wasn't sure what to say or do in that situation!

But now I can say it without hesitation Say NO to GLUTEN if you have celiac disease ! Say NO to the Pain! Yes gluten is amazing!!!!!! If you don't have Celiac problems <------- but if you do and you eat it....you are basically Killing your insides!!!  You are weakening yourself!  Whether its ....

• Abdominal cramping*****
• intestinal gas*****
• Distention and bloating of the stomach*****
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both)*****
•  Steatorrhea – fatty stools
• Anemia – unexplained, due to folic acid, B12 or iron deficiency (or all) Unexplained weight loss with large appetite or weight gain ****

(found on  www.celiac.org)

More you want more okay here you go...

• Dental enamel defects
• Osteopenia, osteoporosis
• Bone or joint pain****
• Fatigue, weakness and lack of energy*****
• Infertility – male/female
• Depression*****
• Mouth ulcers
• Delayed puberty
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet*****
• Migraine headaches*****

(found on Www.celiac.org)

And some long term conditions <---

• Iron deficiency anemia****
• Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
• Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging.  
•  Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies Pancreatic insufficiency Intestinal lymphomas
•  other GI cancers (malignancies)
• Gall bladder malfunction **** (that happened to me because I went 20 years Eating Gluten)
•  Neurological manifestations

( found on www.celiac.org)

Now do you understand why I freak out when people cheat?????

why would you do that to your BODY????
 YES I AM Lecturing you :) because if I don't who will?? 
Take care of your body its the only one you'll ever have!

I wish Everyone was More educated about Celiac Disease....Doctors , Nurses , Hospital staff ,Mothers , Fathers, Sisters ,Brothers, Aunts ,Uncles, Friends and so on.

Please Help Me Raise Awareness and Educate.

Don't Cheat Stay Gfree If you have Celiac problems <3

xoxo thanks for letting me vent

-Eli

Please feel free to email me eli.felix717@gmail.com

Getting Down to Gluten Free Buisness

First off  Happy Celiac Awareness Month

This month is not only CELIAC AWARENESS Month it is also MY 4 year Anniversary in my Gluten free Adventure.

Do you  know the Facts ????

(I sure didn't!)

Gluten is everywhere! 

Gluten is in everything!!!!!   

(No dramatization) not only is it in wheat,oat,barley,rye and flour.

(Meaning cookies cakes, beer oatmeal....pizza...the list goes on and on)

By Now your thinking oh please Eli (rolling your eyes and all)

 so let me ask you...

Is there gluten in the following 

• shampoo
• conditioner 
• tooth paste
• Hairspray 
• mousse 
• gel
• Make up 
• Perfume 
• Body wash 
• Soap
• Laundry detergent 
• Band aids 
• Shaving cream
• Chap stick
• Hand sanitizer
• Lotion  
• vitamins 
• Candy
• Gum
• Play dough 
• envelopes
• chocolate
• ice cream
• coffee creamer
• medicine
• salad dressing
• cheese
• sauce

 The answer is YES <--- there is gluten in all of those products

(for the most part you can find all of that in a gluten free version)

the reason why I listed more non-food products was so I can Point out that Gluten is everywhere.

sometimes It can really be a nightmare!

People always ask me if I have an outward reaction to any of the products from above.

Yes if you have celiac disease you can have an outward reaction.(sometimes people have no reaction)

For example : when I used a non gluten free shampoo, I felt like my head was rolled in a red ant pile!
another time when I used a NON GF LIPSTICK!!!!! Oye it Was Terrible my mouth puffed up like Eddie Murphy in the Nutty professor!!!
and my last example....BAND AIDS!!!!! what the french toast!!!!! who saw that one coming???? I had a cut and suddenly it turned into another WORLD on my leg because of my band aid!
(Well that changes EVERYTHING!)

read your labels people!!! look things up I  told you in my last post GOOGLE is My best friend when it comes to my Health. if you have Celiac disease it should be your best friend too!

I feel very blessed to have friends who make me GF Cupcakes and order GF Pizzas for parties and events. it really helps to have friends and family support. especially when you feel like you are all alone and you can't EAT ANYTHING! (that can get depressing!)(I BELIEVE IN FOOD) They also take the time to learn more about the Disease and help me spread awareness. They call me or text me when they see new things at the supermarket! Those are the little things in life that Make me Happy.

I have An amazing hair stylist (also like a sister to me ) who thankfully researched all the products before using them on my head. She also shared those facts with her co-workers so they can know difference (now that's spreading Celiac awareness!) It still Amazes me that that Gluten is In hair products.

I hope you feel alittle more educated today on celiac disease...
This Gluten free thing Can BE HARD But you are NOT ALONE!

thank you for reading and sharing <3

all my love
Eli

if you have any request or even questions please email me :)
Eli.felix717@gmail.com


HAPPY CELIAC AWARENESS MONTH!!!! GO OUT THERE AND EDUCATE OTHERS!!