Gluten Free Pets... Why? & How?

I have a really special puppy named Gidget.  I grew up with her since I was in grade school, and we have made a lot of memories.  She never left my mama's side through her struggle and defeat of breast cancer.  She helped me through the depression I struggled with after the psycho came to my school.  How do puppies know how to do that?  They are always there at just the right time, quietly comforting you when you need it most.  We have definitely bonded!

But I never thought we would share such a strong bond or that she would share in one of my struggles in a very different way. You see, my Gidget has Celiac Disease.  Well at least that's what I call it.  The vets call it a gluten allergy, but gluten is gluten, and it destroys both of us just the same.... so I'd say that is a quite a bond to have between a human and a pet. 

Celiacs love to share stories about their diagnosis.  So you may be curious... How did you figure out your dog had Celiac?!  It started with her constantly biting at her feet.... my goodness... it was as if she wanted to chew them off!  She also had A LOT of ear infections, and would scratch at her ears all the time.  She was having digestive issues as well, and our puppy who was usually so good and pottying  where she was supposed to was having accidents.  We never really considered the possiblity, or the coincidence, that she would have celiac!  But when the vet said to try a gluten free diet and see if it helped, I just knew that it would..... and it did!

Now she is a healthy almost 17 year old puppy!  She can't hear well, and can't see out of one eye because her sister scratched it when they were playing, but other than that the vet says that she is extremely healthy for her old age!  Yay Gidget!!  We are all so proud of you!

Me and my girls on our wedding day!

I'm sure that she wouldn't be fairing so well had we not figured out that she had Celiac... like so many others that struggle with this disease that can be such a pain in the you know what to diagnose.  But as many of you know... once you recieve that diagnosis and get over the shock of a complete life overhaul, you feel one million times better!  And that was our Gidgey girl!  Once we switched her treats and food she was acting like she was a puppy again, and still does to this day... even at 17!  So it is something to think about if your pets are having symptoms that resemble your own, or symptoms that just seem to want to hang around.  I know it made a world of difference for our Gidget, and it really isn't that difficult to ensure that your pets are gluten free.  My parents ensure that both of their girls are all gluten free, and my Penny Su is also GF, just for the simple fact that it is better for her, and then I don't need to handle unneccessary gluten when caring for her.

It is more expensive to go this route when it comes to caring for you pet.  You do get what you pay for when it comes to dog food, but I feel that it is more than worth it, and here's why... Dogs are carnivors so grains aren't a part of their natural diet, and their simple digestive systems aren't designed to deal with the grains that make up typical dog foods.  This means that regardless of whether or not your pet has issues with gluten it is much better for their digestive system and overall health to be fed a grain free, or at least gluten free diet.  I could go into a whole big scientific explanation, but I'm sure you don't really want that so we will keep this short and sweet.  Bottom line is that today most pet foods on the market are made up mostly of grains or carbs.  When you take all those fillers out there is much more room for real proteins, fats, and just more vitamins and nutrients!  So when you go grain free you end up getting nutrient packed food that is actually easy for them to digest and absorb all the good stuff in it.  Otherwise you are feeding them a bunch of carbs that are hard to digest and all it is doing is making it really difficult for them to absorb the little bit of good stuff that does make it into the food.  Sounds like a no brainer to me!  I know my girls are all definitely worth the extra money!


 

Penny and I both sleep better knowing that she is GF!

You are probably wondering what choices you have and what we feed our girls.  There are a lot of options out there for gluten free pet foods, and also completely grain free foods. Same goes for treats. Here are a few of our favorites....

 

BLUE FREEDOM:  This is completely grain free!  They have wet and dry choices for both dogs and cats.  Penny is currently loving the formula for small breed adult dogs.

BLUE BUFFALO WILDERNESS:  Another completely grain free food from Blue for both dogs and cats.  They line also has some options for treats.

Taste Of The Wild:  They offer a lot of flavors of grain free foods, I'm sure you can find at least one your pet will love.

EVO:  They offer different flavors for different life stages that are all grain free.


There are A LOT more options out there depending on what your pet likes and what your wallet allows!  These are just some of the ones that we have tried and our girls have approved of!  Stay tuned to learn about what kind of treats our girls get!



My Love Affair With Dermorganic!

I had been thinking about trying Dermorganic products for a long time.  I was hesitant because they are a bit pricey and I didn't want to put in the effort of ordering them and paying to have them shipped when I wasn't sure if I would like them or not.  I had been having so many issues with trial and error of all these new GF products that I just didn't want to waste the time or money.  But, when I saw them at my local Marshall's of all places I couldn't leave them on the shelf.... and I am so glad I didn't!



I love these hair products!   I got the Daily Conditioning Shampoo and the Intense Hair Repair Masque, and I adore them both!  They are all gluten free of course (it says so on the bottle!), and they are also pH balanced and free of sulfates, parabens, artificial preservatives, salts, dyes, and propylene glycol.  They are vegan and cruelty free too.  Check out the links under the pictures for more information and the ingredients.



Daily Conditioning Shampoo

The Daily Conditioning Shampoo is made with facial cleansers so it is gentle on my hair and sensitive skin.  I only need a tiny bit for it to lather up really nicely and it leaves my hair feeling perfectly clean, yet not stripped.  It smells good too!








Intense Masque Hair Repair



The Intense Masque Hair Repair is amazing!  It immediately makes my hair feel so soft and smooth.  While I am rinsing it out I can't stop thinking about how amazing my hair feels!  My hair is so much more manageable when using these two together. 



You don't have the use the Masque everyday, and they do offer a Daily Moisturizing Conditioner if you don't want to.  I have not tried because I am dealing with dry Midwest winter here and can use all the help I can get.  I have never felt like everyday use has weighed my hair down or is too much for it.  In the summer I will probably order the DMC and see how that works for me when the weather is not so dry.



I did warn you all that these products are pretty pricey.  But, the bottles are HUGE so I think they will last forever.  I literally use one tiny pump of the shampoo and two of the conditioner and I have long hair that is fairly thick.  I have been using them for a few months and feel like I haven't even put a dent in them, so I plan on not having to repurchase for a long time.... but when that time comes I will definitely be repurchasing!




Facial Moisturizer



As much as I love the hair products, the star of the show for me has got to be their Facial Moisturizer.  I adore this stuff!  I have had such a struggle with my skin lately because it has become so sensitive to gluten, and I was honestly so depressed about it.  For starters it is very hard to find products that are gluten, oil, fragarance, and silicone free.  So there was a struggle to begin with, and the few options I did find were either not moisturizing enough, too much so, greasy feeling, drying, gave me a rash, made me breakout...I mean nothing was working!  My skin was just unbalanced and unhappy... and so was I!  But this stuff made a world of difference and I can't explain to you guys how much I am in love with it.  It is $20.00 for 3.4 ounces, which lasts me a really long time so I didn't think that was so bad... and it is definitely worth it for something that works so well (you can buy a 1oz size too if you just want to try it out!).  It goes on so smoothly and abosorbs quickly.  It is oil free, but still packs in all the vitamins and benefits of argan oil by getting them from the argan fruit instead of using actual oil.  It feels just right both alone or under makeup.  It makes my skin feel comfortable and happy and that definitely makes me smile! :)  

   

 Bottom line.... go buy these products...end of story! You will thank me....Your welcome!! :)












It's Valentine's Day... And I'm Finally Celebrating It!

 

It was a cold February day on the NIU campus.  Although it was five years ago, I remember every detail as if only ten minutes have passed.  I had my huge, way-to-heavy bookbag chock full of the usual science text books, lab manuals, and other school supplies, but there was something different about today.  You see it was a special day.... It was Valentine's Day.  Today my bag was also full of Valentines and candies to share with my friends.  We were having so much fun giving each other Valentine's as if we were still in middle school and talking about what our plans were later that night with whoever our significant others were at the time.  Little did we know that that day's giggling, chatting, and lecture sounds would soon be replaced by gunshots, screams, and sirens.

To go from such a happy atmosphere to such a horrific one in a matter of seconds is a complete shock to the mind and something I will never be able to forget no matter how hard I try.  Having experienced this definitely put a damper on my positive feelings towards this particular holiday. I spent the last four years boycotting the whole thing actually.  No presents, no cards, no "Happy Valentine's Days" (except for at preschool, where I put on my game face and faked it as best I could).  Finally, after A LOT of counseling, way too much thinking, and five whole years I have come to the realization that although I want to forget everything about that day I have to remember that everything happens for a reason and maybe some of the things I learned that day I shouldn't want to forget.  I must remember that things could have always been worse. I did live through that day, and some didn't.  I get the chance to move on with my life and learn and be strengthen by that day, and others don't.  So I have to forget the survivor's guilt that I feel and honor those people who lost their lives by living the life that I still have the chance to live.

 

 

So although that event changed the whole course of my career, which is something I struggled a whole hell of a lot with, I have to realize that I was right where I was supposed to be at the exact time I was supposed to be there so I can be right were I am now.  I am content with my life just as it is.  I really learned that although you say "it won't ever happen to me" that is a line of shit.  So you can't take one single day for granted.  You live your life the way you want to live it while you get the chance. 

 

I also struggled with the fact that there are people out there who want to do things like this and not knowing what the world is coming to because of it.  But I cannot control the actions of other, just my own.  No one is going to change the world if they just sit around and watch it all go to hell.  So make a conscience effort to be positive and do good.  Smile at people, say hello, use your manners.  You never know, your random act of kindness may be just what someone needed right at the exact time they needed it... and that could make a world of difference. 

 

Today I will celebrate Valentine's Day for real for the first time!  It doesn't mean that I forget, or am over it, it just means that I choose to see the positive.. to live my life.  My husband is taking me up to NIU and we are going to have dinner at my favorite restaurant there and then see Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert play at the convocation center!  I feel a bit anxious, but it is time to make some great Valentine's Day memories at NIU to replace the scary ones!  Say a prayer for me that I don't have a panic attack!  I hope you all have a fabulous Valentine's Day and spend it with the ones you love!

 



Fat Tuesday.. How we celebrated!

Being the good Catholic girl that I am I take Lent VERY seriously.  Having said that I LOVE to celebrate Fat Tuesday.. it's like one last big celebration before this celiac has to be even more serious about food.  Lent is hard to begin with, but try it with Celiac Disease... it's serious business... and proof that I could never survive as a vegetarian... sorry but I just love meat too much!  Over the course of Lent I will try to share with you guys some of the meatless dishes that I will be eating, but for now let's just chat about Fat Tuesday!

We had quite the Fat Tuesday celebration at the Red Roof Inn!  A lot of our friends came over to share some yummy Cajun food and of course  Mardi Gras cocktails! I made drinks by the pitcher, and I did the food in the crockpot so I could spend more time socializing with my friends and less time in the kitchen.  Here's how it all went down...
 

Cajun Pot Roast with Maque Choux (from Better Homes & Gardens)

Ingredients

• 1  2 - 2 1/2 pound boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (recipe below)
• 1 10 ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 large green sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

 

Directions

1. Trim fat from meat. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning evenly over all sides of the meat; rub in with your fingers. If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 quart slow cooker.  I wrapped the meat in plastic wrap after I put the rub on and refrigerated it overnights so it was extra yummy!

2. Place meat in the slow cooker. Add frozen corn, sweet pepper, onion, sugar, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Pour tomatoes over mixture in cooker.

3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

4. Remove meat from cooker. Drain vegetables, discarding cooking liquid. Serve meat with vegetables. Makes: 6 servings  I doubled this for all our friends, and it was just enough!

DIY Cajun Seasoning (kinda from Traditional Foods)

2 1/2 T Paprika

1 1/2 T Sea Salt

2 T Garlic Powder

1 T Black Pepper

1 T Onion Powder

1 T Cayenne Pepper

1 T Dried Oregano

1 T Dried Thyme

1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 t Celery Flakes

1/4 t Dill

Mix everything together and store in a cute little mason jar!

 

Spicy Crock Pot Jambalaya  (from Cajun Delights)

1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

1 lb. Andouille sausage, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
1 cup bell peppers, any color, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1  (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 or 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped, (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Few shakes Tabasco
1 tbs. or more Cajun seasoning
Salt to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups raw rice

First chop the veggies, slice the sausage,  and chop the chicken.  Combine chicken, sausage, trinity (onions, celery, & peppers), rice, garlic, chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, jalapenos, and seasonings,  in 5 quart slow cooker. Mix well, cover,  and cook on low for 5 hours.  Stir well and add shrimp, parsley, half of green onions, and Tabasco, and cook on high for 30 to 40 more minutes. Discard bay leaves and garnish with remaining green onions before serving.

I doubled this recipe as well... and it made a lot... but this dish makes for very good leftovers!

 

Katrina's Hurricane

Everyone else still feels the need to joke with me about "my" hurricane... so I thought that I would really make my very own Hurricane :).. Fortunately this one is much more pleasant that the previous one!  Enjoy!

1 1/2 oz Bacardi Select- or another dark rum you like
1 1/2 oz Bacardi- or another white rum
2 oz Pineapple Juice
2 oz Mango Passion Fruit Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
Juice from 1/2 a lime
Fresh Pineapple
Cuties
Key Limes

Fill a hurricane glass with ice.  Pour all of the liquids into a shaker.  Shake well and strain over ice.  Garnish with pineapple, cutie wedges, and key limes.

This recipe is for one drink.  I multiplied it by about ten and put it in a big pitcher along with a lot of pineapple and cuties.  I made this the night before the party and let the fruit make it all yummy overnight!  It was definitely a hit at the Fat Tuesday party!

Having just shared with you all that delicious hurricane recipe I have got to tell you..I gave up alcohol for Lent.... like seriously this year.  In the past I have said no drinks during the week, but on the weekends it is ok.  But this year I'm seriously giving up alcohol!  Let's see how this goes.  What are your plans for Lent??

Gluten Free Medicines

It's that time of year again.  Everyone is sick!  I can't remember the last day of school that we weren't missing someone.  So it's constant kleenex, hand sanitizer (I use Method brand from target... its GF!), and hand washing until my knuckles bleed in an attempt to stay healthy.  But as hard as you try to beat the bugs you can't win all the battles... so it is always good to know what medicines are Celiac safe.


I just had a horrific experience with a so-called doctor.  We won't name names, but the doctor was going to prescribe a specific drug to me and I obviously asked if it was gluten free.  And my oh my... the response I recieved should not have been the response of an educated medical professional.  Instead of a knowledgable answer, or even an honest "I don't know but I'll find out" it was just laughter.  Yes, the doctor laughed in my face!  I was beyond disgusted, not to meantion fuming, but at the same time not too surprised.  I'm sure the look on my face was none too pleasant because the doctor kept digging.  And the worst part... "how much gluten could really be in there... it won't hurt you"... coming from the doctor who started the process of getting me diagnosed with Celiac.  She had dug herself a pretty deep trench by the time she was done talking to me.  I ended up talking to the pharmacist myself and we figured out the yes in fact Tamiflu is gluten free.  And guess what... it wasn't that hard to find the information!

OK... it isn't all that disabling, but we can still relate!

 

 The worst part is that this isn't the first, and probably wont be the last doctor to respond like that to that question.  I had a doctor who looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if an antibiotic was gluten free.  He said "Gluten is a protien found in wheat, malt, barely, and rye... It's not in antibiotics".   I said it is a common binding agent in a lot of medicines and he then looked at me with a blank expression and said well it won't hurt you.  And this man somehow made it through medical school??  Needless to say he is no longer my doctor.  This sadly is the realilty of medicine today.  So it is up to us to take our health into our own hands and get the information for ourselves.

Thankfully, I have never met a pharmacist who wasn't helpful when it came to helping me determine if medicines were gluten free.  This information on Gluten Free Drugs was put together by one of these amazing pharmacists.... thank you amazing pharmacist!  The site says that the info was obtained from multiple sources such as direct contact with the drug manufacturers or with another individual who had contacted the manufacturers.  An email is also listed if you have questions or concerns when it comes to the information. The site is continually updated, but remember it is for informational purposes only and although an effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information it is still your responsibility to double check.  This lists both OTC and prescription drugs.  I reference it as a guide on where to even begin.  The drugs are listed both alphabetically and by use.  If a doctor wants to prescribe me a specific drug I look it up alphabetically.  If I am searching for something for a specific reason it is easy to see all my choices on the list that is by theraputic use.  I always double check with a pharmacist and scan the ingredients myself just to make sure, and I haven't been steered wrong yet! 

The links for the different information are below.  I am hoping that none of my readers need to refer to this list in the near future, but reality is someone probably will...damn bugs!  Hopefully this will make getting over your sickness a lot easier!


This list has the drugs divided up according to use:
http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/Glutenlist.htm

This list has the drugs listed alphabetically:
http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/list.htm

This is some good information on different ingredients commonly found in medicines and their sources:
http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/Excipients.htm

Thankful for Celiac Disease.... Yes I sure am!

You did read that right.... I am thankful for Celiac Disease!  Sounds crazy I know.... but I'm serious!  Sure there are a lot of negatives, but what fun is it to focus on those?  Doing that isn't going make it any easier or make it go away... so what the hell.... be positive!

1.  I can control it: 

This disease is only going to kill me if I let it.  All it takes is a lot of will power and some education and I am in the driver's seat.  And the best part is that I can control it without pharmacueticals.... yay, no long lists of side effects... just good healthy eating!

  

2. I eat a lot more healthy now:

Before I used to eat crap.... like seriously just junk! I hated vegetables, I ate processed garabage all the time, and not to mention all kinds of sugar. But Celiac has forced me to focus on healing my digestive system and my entire body, and it has taken me on a journey that has completely changed the way I eat for the better!

3. I eat a lot of things that I probably never would have tried: 

I used to be a very picky eater... I am still a very picky eater, but in a very different way. The last vacation we went on I ate octopus and duck because they were the only gluten free options at the restaurant on those nights... I never would have ate those things if it wasn't for celiac disease.  And you know what... they weren't bad.  I am used to trying some gf cardboard foods so branching out and trying things that might not taste so good isn't that big of a deal to me anymore... and it has opened up a whole new world of food possibilities to me.

4.  It forces me to buy more healthy and organic foods: 

Yes it is a bit more expensive to eat gluten free, but the fact that eating healthy foods that are naturally gluten free steers me towards foods that tend to be way less processed and a whole lot healthier is well worth it to me and my intestines.  I would never spend the money on healthier foods if I didn't have a darn good reason.  We eat a lot of fresh veges and fruits now and I make my own sauces and dressings... which is a lot healthier and a lot yummier!

5. You find out who your friends are.... or aren't!

This is a big one for me. I used to feel ashamed of my disease (stupid... I know!) and feel guilty about being a pain in the ass for people when it came to food and eating out.  Having good people in my life has made me realize that the people who really care about me are going to want to make that extra effort to make my life a little bit easier, becasue they want me healthy. It takes a very small effort for them, but it means a whole hell of a lot to me! And those people that act like my disease and I are an inconveinece are not the kind of people that I need to be around. Seeing how people react and treat me when it comes to celiac disease is a good gauge of their character and is an easy way for me to tell if I want that person as part of my life or not.  I have recently started sticking up for myself when it comes to this disease more and more and it feels great!  This is life or death for me, and if you aren't on board with my gluten free lifestyle then you clearly don't care about my life... end of story.

6.  I cook at home a lot more: 

For a while I hated GF cooking because it was too stressful for me... it was too much to think about.  But I have embraced it, and I love it.  We eat pretty clean at the RRI now and it is satisfying and delicious!

7.  Cooking at home is a lot cheaper: 

Like I said in #6, we tend not to eat out a lot because I like the control of knowing that I made something myself and I knowing exactly what's in it.  This means we save money becasue we aren't going out for dinner and drinks.  This means there is more money to buy shoes, or go on beach vacations... and that makes this celiac very happy!

8.  I have a fabulous excuse to be way picky about my food:

Sometimes I abuse this... but hey... its a perk of this disease.  If there is something that I think I won't like I can always just say I'm "allergic" and nobody asks questions. ;)

9. Being a part of an entire community of celiacs:

It started with the support group that I attend, and it has spread from there to me finally sharing my story with the world through this blog... and it feels great!  I embrace the whole celiac lifestyle and the chance to help others learn to cope and thrive in a gluten free world.  I love both teaching and learning about gluten free-ness and I am always ready to share stories, recipes, favorite foods, beauty products, or anything and everything gluten free.

10.  I can still have good cocktails:

Whiskey, Wine, Rum, Tequila, Vodka... the list goes on.  I have an excuse to drink the good stuff and don't have to look high maintenance when I order something other than a beer at a bar!

11.  Getting to choose where we eat out:

When I do go out to eat with friends or family I typically get to choose where because they want to make sure we go somewhere that I can eat something.  I have a selection of restaurants in my community that I am very loyal to because of the way they take care of me... and we tip accordingly :) (Thanks Mi Margarita!)

12.  I have to read food labels:

 Let me tell you what... if more people had to read food labels like celiacs do I would bet my bottom dollar that there would be a lot of things they wouldn't be eating!  There are some crazy things in food these days... things that have been banned in other countries for goodness sakes!  I am forced to pay attention to ever single ingredient that is going into my body, and that is very important in such a processed chemical world.

There you have it... 12 reasons that I LOVE Celiac Disease.  Am I forgetting anything??  Why are you thankful for Celiac Disease?