Sat, 23 Sep 2023 06:52:55 -0700WeeblyWed, 20 Apr 2016 19:01:45 GMThttps://mamastoens.com/blog/what-does-it-feel-like-to-live-in-a-gluten-free-worldI can only comment on this from my own personal experience.  I know that when I first was diagnosed it felt very lonely because when I would go to parties I was not able to eat all of the food that others were able to eat.  I really wanted to eat the same food that they were eating, but I knew that this would only harm me.  So I had to think of food in a different light.  I started to tell myself that gluten containing products are like poison for my body.  I started to realize that in-order for me to be healthy I needed to make sure that I only ate gluten-free foods.  Therefore, I now knew that if I was going somewhere that I needed to make sure I ate before I went or I brought my own food.  This was easy to think of for myself, but I also have a daughter who has Celiac who I have to be aware of.  So I always made sure to bring a large purse so I can fit many different kinds of snacks. I still take tupperware containers of desert in my purse in case we are at a special occasion so we can feel like we can also par-take in the celebration with the same kind of food.  It has become easier lately because my other daughter Cameron eats gluten-free for gluten sensitivities and many individuals in my family have to eat gluten-free because they either have celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten.

Overall, I still have a hard time when I smell a particular food and I really want it.  I just have to remind myself that I need to go back to the kitchen to create a recipe that will be as close as I can get it to the real thing.  It may take awhile, but I know it will payoff in the end when I can sit down and enjoy it.  ​]]>Thu, 18 Feb 2016 03:00:25 GMThttps://mamastoens.com/blog/my-journeyIt all started in the year of 2009. I was a high school math teacher and things were going great. I had three healthy children, a great husband and a house over our heads. What can I say....life was pretty darn good! It was good until I began noticing symptoms of tingling in my feet, arms and feeling ill. This would lead me to a long road of doctor appointments that seemed so often I should just speak more of when I was not at the Mayo Clinic vs when I was. 
After months of doctoring and searching for answers I was diagnosed with neuropathy. I was finally at a point where I was getting answers but I was still lost as what caused this. I began to ask myself....why me?...things were going so well...I'm to young for this....WHY ME!?!
Daily life became a struggle, trying to get a grasp on going from a young wife, mother and teacher and just trying to keep my family happy. I was still fighting with just plain feeling sick constantly on top of the neuropathy diagnosis. Through conversation with family members we started noticing a pattern of what I was feeling as well as my Dad and at the time my youngest daughter Gracie. We began talking about Celiac Disease which at the time was not a real talked about disease. 
I began to research this disease and would lead to DNA Tests, endoscopy test which would give me the sit down meeting with my doctor.......Christine.....you have Celiac Disease. My mind went into a whirlwind....what would I eat....does my kids have this disease....where do I start?
I left the doctors office and went directly to the local market with a health market and picked up the most common gluten free items. I went home and made up some of the items....what I was introduced to was disappointing and I began to turn into a ball of emotion. Our children got tested to see if they were clear of the disease and our oldest two children were found to be in the clear, unfortunately our youngest daughter Gracie (2 years old at this time) was in the same boat as me. This is when I knew things were going to be tough, but the strong family we were we would beat this roadblock.]]>