LFG27’s BodyBlog

Few of you close to me know that I have Celiac disease. A disease is defined as: pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms. My disease is genetic and totally un"spreadable". I have started saying that I have Celiac disorder in order to prevent the "OMG" wide eyed and scared look people give me when I say I have a disease. I vowed when I found out 2 years ago that I had this condition that I would help spread the word on what doctors have thought for so long was a rare condition. In reality it isn’t as rare as originally thought. Celiac disease is quite often misdiagnosed as doctors only receive about 20 minutes instuction on this condition in all their years of med school. It took about 6 months of agony before I finally INSISTED on a blood screening for Celiac Sprue simply because I knew my father had it and knew there was a slim (10%) but real possibility I could have inheirited it. Sure enough, blood tests came back overwhelmingly positive. What is Celiac disease? It is a auto-immune disorder. My body reacts to a protein found in wheat as if it were an enemy. When wheat is ingested, my immune system attacks my intestinal lining in an attempt to destroy what it perceives as a very real threat. In doing so I destroy my own tissues which leads to malabsorbtion. Untreated Celiac patients eat but starve to death due to malabsorbtion. Common symptoms of Celiac disease are: Weight loss due to malabsorbtion-I was actually a weight gainer before diagnosis. I felt so hungry all the time because I wasn’t getting proper nutrition that I ate and ate and never felt satisfied. Bloating and abdominal distention-One of the ONLY symptoms I exhibit. Children with growth retardation Patients with recurrent mouth sores-I had these only if I had consumed large amounts of wheat. Changes in bowel habits Skin rashes-dermatitis herpetiformis Extreme fatigue The ONLY symptoms I showed on a regular basis was abdominal swelling and fatigue which put me out of the symptom range that doctors normally look for in diagnosing Celiac. The only treatment available for Celiac disease is a lifelong adherance to a wheat/gluten free diet. I urge anyone who has been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, even depression (untreated Celiac has been linked to depression and neurological damage) to request testing for Celiac. You may be met with resistance as I was, but it is a simple blood test and YOU are in control of your health. If anyone has any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me! Best wishes for health and happiness:)

I went to an open audition Sunday for JOICO haircare. I didn’t accept the job for the fact that they wanted to chop my long hair, and not only is it long but its healthy. But that isn’t what this blog is about. Its about the other girls that were there. All extremely thin, I felt like a muscular sore thumb sitting there amongst girls that look as if they have survived on carrots for the whole year. Not that thin is bad if it is the persons natural build. My natural build is muscular, that is the genetic pool I swim in. Nevertheless, I had to draw in a deep breath and disengage the panic button. Inside I was going through the mental banter that all women do. "hmm..does her butt look better than mine. Geez, shes tall and her legs definitely are longer than mine, blah, blah, blah."

I strive to maintain a balance between the quest for external beauty and internal beauty. Realizing that it isn’t really what I have outside that radiates, its kindness and compassion that lends a special glow to someone. I always try to nurture that glow above all else. Yet, I am human and fallable. I try and remind myself on a daily basis what life is about. What my life is about. My children and teaching them what is important, my personal spiritual growth and helping others find peace with their bodies as a trainer. Being a friend, a listener, a shoulder to lean on. And yes, that shoulder carries more physical strength than the average female. That is different, unique, and beautiful in its own way. We all have beauty and strength in our own wonderful ways. Let not the size of our hips take precedence over the size of our hearts, now that is beautiful.