Tag Archives: symptoms

Listen To Your Body… Before Gluten Does You In!

I’ve taken a long hiatus from blogging and with good reason. The last week in August I tripped over a stone in a parking lot that should have been removed years ago and wound up in the hospital for two days with a moderately severe concussion and five staples in my head. I had no recollection of the ambulance, the emergency room, or the concern on the faces of my family as I repeatedly told the doctor how good-looking he was and that he seemed too young to be a doctor.

All the family were around as the next day our kids were planning a big surprise 50th for my husband and me. Needless to say, “I didn’t make it.” I hear it was a great party.

I knew how important it was to have little to no visual stimulation so I spent 3 ½ weeks on the coach with no TV, videos, or books and wore sunglasses and a cap to keep the light down. After a week, books-on-tape and friends got me through the next 2 ½ weeks. My husband was a peach tending to my needs.

After 3 ½ weeks I slowly got back to using my mac and some reading. Fortunately, the neurologist found nothing out of the ordinary on all the tests and I was given the ok to venture to the Far East on a trip we had planned. I managed to keep up with the group fairly well, but opted out of a few adventures that would have been too taxing. My balance was still somewhat off, but manageable.

We arrived home just prior to Thanksgiving and I had to put extra holiday time into the Clever Hand Gallery, an artisans’ co-op in Wellesley that I belong to. Then there was shopping, cleaning, and decorating for our own Christmas holiday party with the whole extended family that we have hosted for close to 50 years. It was taxing, but I got through it. We wound up going out for New Year’s Eve for a quiet dinner with great friends.

On New Year’s Day my youngest daughter who is a captain called and asked if I’d like to join her on a trip to see the northern lights. When she’s not working she’s apt to be flying somewhere in the world. I felt as if I’d been on a rollercoaster for some time and that I needed to rest. Listening to my body, I reluctantly refused this lovely invitation to spend time with my daughter to stay home to rest and recoup by the wood-stove. Of course, my husband doesn’t let an opportunity slip by so he went and they had a lovely father/daughter connection even though it was overcast and they didn’t see the lights. I feel that my balance improved over this quieting stretch.

This story may seem unrelated to my topic of gluten, but it isn’t. First, I expect that being gluten-free may have played a huge roll in the health of my brain and neurons and in my quite successful recuperation. Aside from a balance issue I didn’t seem to have any other serious symptoms that can be associated with a moderately severe concussion. Gluten is a sticky protein in wheat and is linked to many cerebral and neurological disorders. Not having a body full of this hazardous protein destroying the intestinal villi that absorb nutrients to keep the brain/body healthy undoubtedly helped with healing.

Second, I finally listened to my body that was screaming at me to rest. Many of you reading this blog may manifest subtle to more troublesome symptoms and maladies/diseases linked to gluten that can affect any part of the body. There comes a time when you need to stop ignoring and start listening to your body before life gets worse, especially if you want to avoid the slippery slope of aging. You need to realize that your ailments, no matter how seemingly subtle or problematic could very likely be linked to gluten.

The following are just a few symptoms that you may think are a normal part of life (they are not; something is causing them): dry skin, chicken elbows, mouth sores, reflux, rashes and other skin conditions, brain fog, headaches, migraines, joint pain, dull flat hair, hair loss, splitting/weak fingernails, nail striations and white dings, irritability, moodiness, paleness, red face, weight-loss or weight-gain, fatigue, depression, sickly, allergies, asthma, bleeding gums, most any gastrointestinal ailment, etc.

For many more gluten-related issues see the Toxic Staple Table of Contents at: http://toxicstaple.com/wp-content/uploads/TS-TableOfContents.pdf and sign up for the blog notification top right at http://www.toxicstaple.com for a free report and a list of 50 gluten-related symptoms and maladies. You will know people whose lives could drastically change if they address what’s making them so sick and tired.

There are many very serious complications of celiac disease and gluten intolerance that you might avoid or ameliorate including cancer, autoimmune diseases, organ and glandular issues, blood and bone problems, pregnancy/fertility issues, and numerous neurological and cerebral ailments, all supported by easy-to-read research in the book.

What may seem like a simple irritating symptom may be a sign of underlying mal-absorption or antibody activity that is slowly eating away at your body and your health. It would be important to address the matter before it gets worse, but you need to get educated and become your own advocate in working with your doctor. You need to request certain tests. Mainstream medicine is still in the early stages of awareness (mostly unaware) of the devastating issues linked to gluten and how to detect intolerance.

Listen to your body if you have any chronic symptom or disease. Do not delay in getting tested for celiac or gluten intolerance. This intolerance is too serious to just “try” the GF diet. You need to know if you are intolerant then pay close attention to the GF diet. Get educated so you can advocate for yourself. It is a must! Unfortunately, mainstream medicine blood testing is not that reliable that’s why I wrote Toxic Staple. I spell out four blood tests and very sensitive stool testing that will nearly 100% get an answer if you are intolerant to gluten.

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See disclaimer: http://toxicstaple.com/disclaimer/

Thanks at Thanksgiving…and All Year

As we approach this Thanksgiving Day and holiday season many of us think a little more about giving thanks for all that we cherish: our family and friends, our freedom, and our good health, among many others. I especially am thankful everyday for the excellent health my family and I enjoy. Had we not discovered we were all quite intolerant to gluten we would not have been such happy campers these last 12 years.

Knowing what I know about the devastating and degenerative hazards of gluten from having poured a decade into research and writing my award-winning book, “Toxic Staple” I can’t imagine what shape my family and I would be in if we hadn’t figured this monster out. I am fortunate to only be on one med for a hypothyroid that was very likely damaged due to gluten (autoimmune diseases are highly linked to gluten) before I even knew what gluten was, and I never get sick, and have great energy.

Many of you, however, do not bask in the sunlight of good health and great energy and may not realize that much of your poor state of health lies in your own hands. Most of you really can do something about your allergies, asthma, fatigue, autoimmune diseases, skin issues, neurological maladies, and on and on, if you want to. Naturally everything is not linked to gluten, but truly, it is incredible what gets better when you address this “toxic staple” that pervades our everyday lives and destroys your gut and other parts of the body.

Going downhill at the rate I was traveling prior to “the gluten-free lifestyle” in my early sixties, I can only assume that my longevity has been extended vastly, along with greater health, and rejuvenated energy and vitality.

I encourage you to look at your health and that of your children and other family members and friends. Many of you think it is normal to have intestinal issues, fatigue, allergies, asthma, arthritis, organ issues, migraines, depression, and on and on for more than over 300 maladies linked to gluten, but it is not. Older age does not necessarily have to mean degenerative, failing health. Your health and life can become so much more enhanced and transformed that you would not believe it. I am in better shape in my seventies than when I was in my forties. No kidding! All I did was remove the “monster” gluten (dairy also bothers many who are gluten intolerant). By the end of the first year I was only going for health checkups instead of sick calls.

But let me warn you that the vast majority of our traditionally trained doctors are not giving enough testing to track down celiac disease or gluten intolerance, nor are they aware of the numerous symptoms and illnesses linked to gluten. It’s not really their fault. Little is being done to educate every health care professional in every facet of medicine, since gluten can affect any part of the body, and many think celiac and gluten issues are rare. They are epidemic!

If you are plagued with chronic symptoms and illness please…do your body and brain a favor… you must become your own advocate in conjunction with your doctor. Get educated, get tested (you will need to request certain tests), and if positive follow a 100% gluten-free lifestyle. No cheating!

 And give mega thanks you have discovered the root of your health problems.

Please read the disclaimer above.

Please get back to me with your success story at anne(@sign)toxicstaple.com and kindly share this info with all your sick and tired friends who may be misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or overdosed! Even some of those who have rare and incurable diseases may find life can improve without gluten.

Need a speaker? anne(@)toxicstaple.com

Poem: Trickster or Treat?

I have to admit Halloween has never been a favorite holiday of mine, but I was prompted to write this jingle for a local poetry group I’ve been trying to attend.

Trickster or Treat

It is a devilish trickster
In everything you know
From white flour in cupcakes
To wheat flour pizza dough

It plays with your health
In insidious ways
It can lead to cancer
And shorten your days

Neuro issues quite linked
To celiac disease
Detect if you have it
Get some expertise

Part of its schtick
Is autoimmune disease
It devastates your body
With seemingly great ease

Type 1 diabetes
Is associated you know
All should be tested
Before diseases overthrow

Over 80 autoimmune
Oh, you didn’t know
From thyroid, blood, and liver
To MS and cardio

A few symptoms
You might recognize
Reflux, fatigue, and headaches
Can be a great disguise

From intestinal issues
To weight loss or gain
To organ and skin problems
Can be related to grain

If you experience
Most any chronic disease
Consider it could be
Gluten is your sleaze

You have an opportunity
To educate yourself
On the many faces of gluten
That can deteriorate one’s health

The treat is finding out
What is wrecking your health
Once you discover it’s gluten
You’ll realize your greatest wealth

Over 300 symptoms and maladies
Linked to gluten if you please
Substantiated by world research
This is a moment to seize

By deleting this nasty protein
Your body can quickly heal
Feeling energetic, never sick
Has tremendous appeal

If you’ve been down and out
Not feeling very well
Get tested for gluten issues
Your health can excel

If your doctor says,
“There’s nothing I can do”
Don’t believe it for a minute
With gluten-free you can renew

A decade into “Toxic Staple”
Recommended for doctors too
With life-transforming info
For the sickly to pursue

So take this poem seriously
Your health may be at stake
Let the gluten-free diet
Your health vigorously remake

© Oct. 1915 Anne Sarkisian

For excellent testing information that goes beyond what is generally offered (if it is even offered), if you have chronic health issues, please check out and share with your doctor Chapters 16 and 17 in my book. Little is being extended in the way of conferences for health care professionals in all facets of medicine, and certainly not enough testing info is offered unless you have full-blown celiac disease and do test positive.  Too many folks test negative and told they don’t have a problem with gluten when in reality they are gluten intolerant.

Catch this nasty monster before it overtakes your health.

 

 

Michael Dresser Interview: Gluten

Below listen to an interview by Michael Dresser on The Michael Dresser blogtalkraido@SuzyRadio. Dresser and Sarkisian discuss celiac disease, symptoms, importance of testing, unawareness, contamination, and children with celiac and growth issues.