About This Blog
Yes, one of my favorite treats before going gluten-free was Krispy Kreme doughnuts, especially the chocolate-covered glazed ones. I do miss being able to enjoy treats like those.
In September 2012, I went gluten-free for the first time to see if it would help with acne which continued into my thirties. Little did I know that I would end up reacting to really small traces of it and would eventually discover that it was due to a wheat allergy. I struggled for several years after going gluten-free with super-sensitivity issues and tracking down all the ways in which I was getting exposed to trace residue and how to handle them. I marveled that I was having such a difficult time going gluten-free while others seemed to have a much easier time. In fact, the difficulties I was having are what inspired me to start this blog and give it the name “I Hate My Gluten-Free Life”. Later, I realized the difficulties I was having were due to having an actual food allergy. Since I figured out the wheat allergy and how to handle trace exposure issues, I’ve been doing a lot better. I do hope my earlier posts on struggling with the gluten-free diet and with having a wheat allergy will help others who are also dealing with these issues.
Over the years after uncovering the wheat allergy, I started dealing with other issues. I had to correct nutritional imbalances to get some CBC and iron blood work back to normal. I had problems with consuming too much copper in my diet. When I balanced copper with zinc, the results were dramatic. I started feeling worse soon after that, which was due to iron and vitamin E being out of balance. Once I got that imbalance corrected and later got on the proper multivitamin, my blood work normalized. I hope that those dealing with nutritional imbalances will find my posts on this topic helpful.
After dealing with the nutritional issues, I started having vestibular issues. I believe these were due to circumstances over the years that damaged both my inner ears. A cap gun incident, where a child I was babysitting put a cap gun right up to my ear and pulled the trigger, caused the damage to my left ear. An episode of vestibular neuritis in 2015 caused the damage to my right ear. Two and a half years after the vestibular neuritis incident, after I thought my brain had compensated, I started having more issues. I had testing over time that found abnormalities in both inner ears. Over time, I’ve just had to adjust how I do things and had to have my vision properly corrected and had to get hearing aids to compensate for my hearing loss. While I still have problems from time to time with the vestibular issues, I can get by just fine for the most part. For those dealing with vestibular issues caused by inner ear damage, I hope my posts on this topic will be helpful.
You might wonder about the name of the blog since I’m no longer 100% gluten-free. Since so few foods use barley and/or rye ingredients, my diet is still gluten-free most days. I might consume foods with barley or rye ingredients at most a few times a month. Also, I still dislike having a wheat allergy and having to avoid wheat, which is the most prevalent of the gluten grains by far. While “I Hate My Wheat-Free Life” would be a more accurate name for the blog today, “I Hate My Gluten-Free Life” still comes pretty close. Even though the blog now has plenty of posts and topics that have nothing to do with being gluten (or wheat) free, I feel that it’s important to write about these topics, like the copper toxicity issues and vestibular issues, because of the chance that what I share might help others.
and finally…
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About Me
I’ve been struggling with the gluten-free life since September 11, 2012. I’m a programmer/analyst by trade and a Christian who loves being involved with her church. I help with the computer presentations during services and in other areas as needed. I am also a member of the Hostess Committee. I love listening to music, particularly music with a great beat. I love movies and television, particularly science-fiction
and fantasy. I love to read but have a hard time finding time to do it. I love spending time with my family and friends. I love participating in the occasional 5K race. Despite the stress that exists with it now in my gluten-free life, I do like to cook. I enjoy grocery shopping. Finding a new and different gluten-free food item that I can eat can be an exciting event. I love going to book and electronic stores, even if it’s only to browse. I’m single without children, unless you count fur babies! Cocoa has been in my life since October 2010. I love her dearly!
In April 2021, I adopted a homeless kitty who tried taking up at a friend’s house. He wasn’t able to care for her, so I took her. Her name is Corona, and she’s also loved very much!
