Cautionary Tale

I really don't want to turn this into just a health blog; I like to explore ALL aspects of life as we know it on here, especially the annoying ones. ;o) However, as some of these important aspects of life are health issues, I'd like to share a cautionary tale.

I do this simply because I don't want others to go through what I have if there's a way to prevent it. And there is. Awareness is the key. So I give you one word: ALUMINUM.

I mentioned on my last blog that before I got celiac disease, I already had colitis. Symptoms of chronic illness can be so insidious, sometimes we really don't realize we're ill until those symptoms become debilitating. So it was with colitis. I knew something was wrong, but I just thought I needed to eat healthier, so I got the whole grain pastas, added veges to my diet, ate fish (tuna) regularly. Yet I still got sicker and sicker... no energy, gut pain, bleeding bowel... I won't get too graphic because if you want to know more about colitis you can always look it up. Suffice it to say I was suffering and wound up ass up in a little room in the hospital, somewhat drugged, a doctor coming at me with a hose-lookin' thing with a camera on the end of it. This is called a colonoscopy. Not fun... drugs notwithstanding. Through the haze of those lovely seditives I heard the doctor say, "colitis." Then he instructed the nurse to have me make an appointment for 3 weeks hence.

Three weeks to find out about this colitis thing... more than enough. The library books told me what the doctor would say and gave all kinds of case histories. A common thread ran through many of them. Aluminum.

After reading this, I looked at my pots, pans, utensils. I'd grown up with these. Mom gave them to me years ago when I left home and got herself new stuff. Aluminum. I looked at the colanders I used to drain my healthy pastas ~ both of them ~ aluminum.

Longer story short, I got rid of them and replaced them with stainless steel, enamel or glass. I started noticing all the consumables that come in aluminum and I stopped using them. I made dietary adjustments to accomodate my condition, including no dairy, white wheat, red meat and no more tuna (mercury). I got well. My colitis remained in remission until I got complacent and drank some iced tea out of cans. Lesson learned. (Canned beer, soda pop, teas and even the lining of some drinkin' boxes.. aluminum.)

Life is good with no gluten. Life is good with no aluminum. Even with all these dietary restrictions, there are still lots of foods left and I feel good. I can see the blue sky, feel the warm sun, smell the fragrant breezes, hear the rain on my deck, get annoyed with technology and its limitations (another blog.. again) and go shopafrolicking without worry! Yep, life is good.

Note: Everyone is different. You may have enjoyed your drinks from cans forever and feel no ill effect. I reached my saturation point for aluminum in my 40s. You may never do so. But know that you could and what it can do to you. Aluminum and consumables don't really mix well.

To follow me on Twitter: @Wendakai

Other health resources on twitter I suggest:

@Marielhemingway

@mercola

@MattinglyMD

@iHerb

Some of these folks are also on facebook.