From Tests to Testimony

About five and a half years ago Matt was in the middle of blood tests and preparing for an upper endoscopy. The doctors were looking into celiac disease and all the tests proved our assumptions to be true.

We were faced with Matt living gluten free. For life. The first couple years were life altering as we tested some great products and, let's face it, some major stinkers. With each year our family began to flow more in gluten free eating and now it is only natural to cook this way -- and quite healthy I may add!

The son who I though would live so differently from his peers is playing sports, excelling in school and enjoys many parties/gatherings with his friends. Why was I so worried about his future? It's just living without wheat products for heaven's sake!

Our local paper circulates a parenting magazine and I was asked to share Matt's journey from his diagnosis to the gluten free diet. I gladly accepted the task and took it as a way to raise awareness about celiac disease. Here is what the latest research is saying:

*It effects more than 3 million Americans

*A child will visit on average eight pediatricians before being diagnosed

*It presents with as many as 300 different symptoms

*97% with celiac disease have not been diagnosed

*If undiagnosed, patients are at greater risk of other serious illnesses

When the paper posts the article online, I will link you to it. I pray this causes more food and drug companies to wake up and realize that millions of Americans have this disease. It's not a rare condition, but becoming more common among those with gastrointestinal/weight issues. And I am willing to spread the word!