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Gluten Free

1 Apr

To wheat, or not to wheat?  That is the question…

I am not one who likes to follow the trend…of anything!  So when going “wheat free, or gluten free” became the nutritional fad of the year, a few years ago, I was adamantly opposed to investigating its principles.  But as my nosy and incessant drive for knowledge (especially in the field of the human body and nutrition), overtook my elites attitude, I found myself acquiring a broad sense of the gluten free world.  And yes, I would pride myself on introducing products, resources, recipes, and vendors to my glutenless peeps (peeps=friends and family), even though I still refused to eradicate my own diet of wheat bearing products.

I even had my sister and her husband avow to a strict wheat free regimen for a one month, very loose, very nonclinical, trial.  Instead of learning how the GI and Excretory systems of a Crohn’s sufferer could benefit from the dietary change, I learned my sister makes for a poor lab rat and her husband, who is not a victim of chronic intestinal disease, is highly sensitive to the criminal grain.  I know, not the scientific method of the academic sect…though interesting just the same.

But alas, an “issue” of inflammation has been pestering me, off and on, for quite some time, so this past month (actually two) I felt inspired to give the ‘ol wheat-less diet a try.  Now I will tell you that I did not scrutinize ingredients too carefully.  For example, when eating at a restaurant I did not concern myself with the ingredients in my balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, nor the possibility of miniscule droppings of a glutenous product on my french fries.  Nor did I become preoccupied by the ingredients of a wine sauce.  My intent and execution of the imposed restriction was only to abstain from the obvious wheat choices.  For me, this was not too difficult a task, except when I was craving a bowl of Grape Nuts Flakes cereal; then, and only then, did this new diet hurt my feelings!

Now at about the second week into my loss (of bread, pasta, cereal, etc.), I noticed no improvement in my random acts of gastrointestinal inflammation.  So I said, “to heck with it”, and ate a piece of chocolate cake and a hamburger with a bun.  However, the next day I awoke with a migraine headache.  I then went wheat free again for another week or so; but being I hadn’t received the GI benefit I was looking for, I joyfully gave into the craving for two pieces of toast one night after dinner…a guiltless indulgence I assure you.  But guess what I was given the next day?  That is right, another migraine headache.

Now mathematics have always been a challenge for me, one I love but challenging just the same.  Yet in this case, I was definitely catching on to the 2+2 of my wheat-free equation.  And since I have been a long time sufferer of serious migraine headaches, I am now living wheat free because I am also living migraine free.

Have I checked the research to back up my claim?  Heck no, you think I have time for that?!  This is junk science, remember?!  But I have to tell you, my results are more than compelling and I have been undergoing several of my migraine triggers without succumbing to having the nasty beast of a headache.  You know what that means?  I have finally joined in league with the masses…I am living the fad, and will do so for as long as I am on the receiving end of my benefactor.

Wheat free, Gluten Free, NOT fat free, thus completely DELICIOUS!

The Best Recipe (courtesy my Jillian)

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Raleigh circa 1970’s

25 Mar

I want to introduce you to my bicycle.  I can’t remember how we (Brian and I) acquired it, but I do know that I have had it for many, many years.  When my son and daughter were little, I had a child-seat bolted to it and as they were big enough to ride on their own two wheeler, the bolts were removed (along with the seat).  Additionally, it sported a small, white basket attached to the handle bars which had a blue license plate on the front with the name, “Dorothy”.  This bike has been a friend to me all these years, getting me to and fro and back again as I so desired.  Its little basket has held more weight than it should because I would load it down with treasures from the store or the farmer’s market.  It accompanied the children and I many a times to our local California Mission, and waited patiently outside as we contemplated man’s adoration of G-d as painted on the chapel walls.  The Raleigh has doubled as a dirt bike, beach cruiser, mountain bike, and exhibition parade rider.  It is small but perfectly sized to me.

Now this past Christmas my loving husband totally, thoroughly, and completely bombed on his gift to me.  That is right, I did say “bombed”!  He bought me a pair of Jessica Simpson brand pumps.  They were water colored and extremely high.  So high heeled, in fact, I could have put them on and just stood in one place…that is all.  Not to mention my style is rooted in influences OTHER than Jessica Simpson, so needless to say I made no qualms about my complete disdain with his erroneous purchase.  My husband now stands corrected.

And in all honesty, the only thing I really wanted (besides a Clarisonic, Yves St. Lauren dress–or Dior for that matter, an excursion to the Greek Islands, five million cash, or a house on the beach) was to have my little Raleigh bike spruced up and new tires put on it.  …after a year spent land locked to my feet, I am ready to feel the ocean breeze in my face as I ride, ride, ride.

So after belittle-ling the multi-colored street walkers I had just been given I told him my bicycle could use some lovin’.  His response was, “well geez, that is easy…I can do that right now!”  And you know what?  He did.  …what a guy, the best in the west–for me!!  So here I am with my shined and ready Raleigh.  The basket was too sad to keep, but “Dorothy” is patiently awaiting her new replacement.

“Vive le vélo”

P.s. Let me introduce you to a very cool bicycle blog.  Here is the url for an entry written a couple of years ago but with a similar subject matter:  lovelybike.blogspot.com

My “new” Christmas gif

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Got.

22 Mar

Today I read a vehicle license plate that asked, “Got Hope?”  And since the owner of the car was posing a random question, I in turn, felt obligated to answer.  “No, hope was yesterday.  Today I ‘got tired'”.

Yet me being who I am–a person who abhors the overuse (or use even), of  lackadaisical terms such as “got (anything)”, especially as those types of faddish word phrases somehow manage to become integrated into everyday language–proceeded to hypothetically chastise the owner of the car and his or her misuse of the English language.

So the rest of my one-woman-soliloquy went something like this:  “…Today I got tired.  But actually I don’t “got” anything because “got” is not something I “have”.  And shame on you for proselytizing incorrect use of language.  I mean really, not any of us “gots” anything!  Did you even learn the language you profess to use?”

Well my rant and rave was a little better in person, just ask Cole, he was there.  Though I don’t know he would vouch for me in the positive…he did keep mentioning something about the mental institution, but I was so distracted by gotting hope that I didn’t pay him any mind.  Or is it, I didn’t pay him no mind?  Or how about, I didn’t pay him a mind?  No, no, no.  It’s, I ain’t got no more mind!

And that folks is a ranting from one tired and cranky Rivka!!!

 

 

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