Wheat free eating –

Let me begin with this – I have a final tomorrow and not much confidence in the outcome. I should be studying for it but my brain has turned to mush. That is a warning. What comes next may not make any sense. I have almost no intention of re-reading or editing or attempting to make it anything less than a stream of consciousness purging and release. Try to open up some space for more anatomy information to reside in until after Monday night.

Being a member of the uninsured cast of America, when I do not feel ‘right’, I rely on reading, asking questions of those I believe are knowledgeable and of course, trial and error. The last several weeks my allergies have been maniacal. I have taken more OTC meds this past month than all of that last two years combined. Now, the herbal supplement regime I usually take for assistance has been compromised by funding, or more correctly, that lack there-of. Also, the rats moved in around the same time the weather here became very ‘not normal for us’. What does that mean? Who knows why but I have been feeling like crap for weeks, that’s what.

Recently a conversation with a great friend and by the way nutritionist, led to the idea that, if I take wheat out of my diet and begin to feel better, we’re on to something! I had no idea wheat, gluten blah blah blah was so common a problem, allergen. Easy and the price is right. Not taking, eating something is free, right? No, not right. Not at all!

Up front, it means no bread. Bread ya know, the staff of life and all that? No bread? I am the type that believes a buttered slice of rye makes nice sandwich filling, between two slices of 7 grain or potato or cracked wheat. Or all three even. I will butter a slice to go with a sandwich. Right up there with bread are tortillas. Wheat, brown, tasty and ready in 30 seconds tortillas. The quesadilla is one of the most important inventions in history. Close behind, pizza crust. So many wonderful things have wheat in them.

It sucks that I feel a bit better after only four days. Then again – I can keep dairy (read this to say cheese/rocky road) if this works.

One thing I was not prepared for however was this morning at church, communion. That wonderful ritual that gives to me the symbolic body of Christ, to be dipped in the symbolic blood of Christ, (anyone know when they stopped using real wine?) is made of very real wheat. Oops. I did not think about it until I was only two people away. What to do?

When I take communion, I sit and say a short prayer, mostly of thanks. I never ask for anything for my self, except direction, understanding. Not for stuff. Today however, I prayed very directly for myself. “God, please don’t let this little piece of bread jack up my program!”

Still kicking, still able to breath and only one tablet today. So far so good.

OK – now that this is out of my head, maybe I can concentrate on muscles.

Thank you for listening

Ant-Knee