Learning about celiac disease

Late last year after a few doctor visits and some extensive testing I got the diagnose of having celiac disease. I hadn't even heard of the term. I might of heard about being gluten intolerant or being allergic to flour. But if someone would have asked me 'what is gluten', well I'd probably say "Google it". 

Today, well I know much more about it and knowing that my immune system attacks itself whenever I eat it, it's safe to say I try to avoid it at all cost.. But gluten food... It is so yummy. Adjusting to a life without it and also always have to double check with restaurants etc when eating out.. It is no fun.

So by a few statements here you probably understand that gluten is found in flour and in different kinds of food. But what is it really? Gluten is a general name for proteins that you will find in different wheat kinds as well as rye, barley etc. and it is what binds the food together like 'glue'.

Luckily not all kinds of flour has gluten in it, like corn flour, almond flour and even oat should be gluten-free unless the fabric are using the same tools and machines creating other flours that contains gluten. But for it to get a similar consistency as normal bread you have to add i.e xanthan gum, guar gum, or fibrex etc.

Funnily at the beginning of the year there was a parody song on YouTube based on Adele's hit "Hello" where part of the lyrics said "This gluten-free bread taste like a sponge", which I had to LOL at because it isn't that far from the truth. I have a long way to go when it comes to test out different recipes.

Sooo, gluten makes the immune system attack itself what do you mean with that you might ask?
Probably my poor wordings.. But yes.. You see the gluten causes the immune system to damage the small intestine. Picture it like this, we have branches in out small intestine (actually called Villi) that picks up nutrients that our body needs. But when the immune system attacks these branches it leaves it unable to absorb the nutrients like vitamins and minerals. There are other long terms affects too like Lactose intolerance, Gallbladder malfunction (I've already had mine removed years back), Pancreatic insufficiency etc.

When reading about celiac disease after the diagnose, I only wish I had learned about it earlier. It came with a lot of aha experiences that I've had issue with since I was a teenager. From what I understood it is quite normal to figure this out in your 30's and about 1 out of 100 has it.

I was actually looking through some of the recipes we used at primary school and secondary school and what do you know.. Gluten, gluten and more gluten. Hopefully we are more vary about this these days.

Tragic!

I'm sure most people by now that watch the news on TV, newspaper or on the internet through social feed etc. knows about the horrible massacre that happened in a gay club in Orlando. It's just sad the world we live in today.

I still cannot phantom how love can bring so much hate from other people.
It kept me up most of the night.

How can some people judge and decide other peoples fate and human rights?  Taking matters into their own hands with doing something so drastic like killing 49 people (and I heard it was 53 injured)?

We live in a world that people judge based on someone not living up to "their" standards meaning not being religious enough, straight enough, black enough, white enough... and believe it or not... Gay enough..

It is scary when people can't accept that other people are different and choose to act with violence instead of turning a blind eye as it is not their life to live.

Bombing, Guns, knives - weapon that are used instead of words and minds unwilling to understand and acknowledge that all life has value.


Equally as disturbing is seeing that people can celebrate and justify these actions. So much hate. It makes me sad and also makes me wonder what has happened to them that made these individuals turn of their humanity switch?

Time flies when you're getting older...

Sooo it's been almost 3 years.. Where did the time go...?

Some say "Time flies when you're having fun", but I must admit it does just seem to fly away the older you get. Not that I have a problem with getting older - far from it. It is one of the pleasant things in life, you mature and hopefully get wiser.

I guess so much has changed since then. In 2014, I started the 'Certified System Specialist' program where I took some Microsoft certifications (MTA 98-349, MTA 98-365, MTA 98-366 and MCSA in Server 2012). Shortly after in 2015 I took a Service Desk Technician job as a 1st and 2nd line supporter. I was of course at the time hoping that I'd get the chance as an Server Administrator or such, but the lower levels seems to be the jobs that are in-demand and  easiest to get. Supporter jobs in general are.

Right now I am looking for a new challenge, so we will see where that takes me (and my partner). I guess still getting more certifications might be the way to go to keep myself updated in the field and in that way making me still attractive on the job market. *Crossing my fingers*

Also in 2013 I was on a good path with the walking ending up loosing 30 kg, but after getting love struck it is safe to say the kg slowly came back on during 2015/2016.. I am hoping 2016 will be a good year getting me and my baby back on track.

Ta ta for now. =)