Posted by Paulette
My story: In 2001 I was pregnant with my second son. I developed a nagging cough that wouldn't go away. When I asked my doctor about it, and informed him that my family had some history with asthma and seasonal allergens, He put me on an inhaled steroid. My symptoms went away after the pregnancy, and then returned with my 3rd pregnancy. Again I went on the inhaled steroid with occasional breathing treatments.The mysterious symptoms disappeared after having the baby. 2006 and pregnant with child number 4. Now I had symptoms that weren't helped much by the inhaled steroid, and was put on frequent breathing treatments. I also developed hives all over my body. I visited my mother in FL. By this time hives were just a part of my day. Cool baths helped, but nothing else gave relief. She suggested that I may be allergic to wheat. I was devastated. I was grinding my own wheat and making everything from scratch. I went on a gluten free diet for one day and saw a disappearance of the hives.
I began a gluten free diet from then on. Soon after this I was introduced to some literature about allergies that suggested that after I cleansed my body, I would be able to eat wheat again. I started taking a digestive enzyme, while steering clear of anything that had gluten in it. I got really good at making gluten free baked products. My asthma symptoms went away all together. When I reported to my doctor that I was taking a digestive enzyme and not taking any of my medications, he was amazed. He told me he'd notify my insurance company that I didn't have asthma. I began eating wheat again with no allergies.
My pregnancy with my fifth child was perfect. No allergies, no asthma.
Two years later I started working out with a trainer and lost 50 lbs. I was eating a healthy diet of lots of vegetables, and a variety of grains. All of a sudden I developed hives and the asthmatic symptoms again. I went on a gluten free diet, and they only got worse. The inflammation in my body was so bad that my bones hurt. I thought I had bone cancer or something. One night while eating walnuts, my chest hurt so badly that I was afraid my airway was being cut off and went to the emergency room.
I made an appointment with an allergist and had a scratch test done. I was allergic to almost everything! I asked him in desperation, "what do I eat now?"
I learned how to make a no tomato marinara sauce. Cream sauces were okay, as long as I used goat's milk. I started drinking soy milk. I wasn't allergic to corn, so it became a large part of my diet, either as cornstarch, or as tortillas. I gained back 30 lbs. I was so depressed!
My mother put me in contact with a friend of hers that was interested in going on a gluten free diet. We became facebook friends. Jennifer was my savior. She was doing the research to try to avoid poisoning her daughter was so much more sensitive to foods than I was.
My mother urged me to watch a video about GMOs (genetically modified organisms). I panicked. How could people do this to us. We were being poisoned! I began a GMO free diet, getting rid of first the canola oil, the corn tortillas, corn meal, masa, and later anything that contained corn in any of it's forms from our pantry.
Two weeks later, I experimented at a party and had an egg roll, which of course is made with wheat flour. I had absolutely no reaction!
I am now sort of a purist. I read all labels before I buy anything. I educate my kids why GMOs are poison to is, and urge them to make good decisions when they are away from home. I know I can't eat GMO free ALL the time. But I try to make good choices when we go out to eat. Trader Joes has become my go to place for snacks. And I eat a lot more raw unprepared foods. I can even have a sandwich occasionally. I do so with my own homemade bread, made from King Arthur flour and my own ground wheat flour. I've only lost 5 lbs of the 30 that I put back on, but I am working with a trainer once a week and have gone down a dress size. I'm on track and healthy. I feel great, and have implemented other healthy things into my life, like taking good quality vitamins and minerals.
And I continue to do research about GMOs, and educate my friends about their dangers, and the corruptness of our government to allow them.
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