Is gluten-free for me?

For past few years I've had this rash on my arms and hands that only occurs in the spring/summer. It's itchy and really unattractive. It starts at the inside of my elbows and spreads down to my hands. I finally went to my family doctor last year about it, and since she knows my family history of liver disease, she tested my blood for different things, one being celiac disease, or an allergy to gluten. Considering my favorite foods are bread, pasta, and sweets, I was clearly NOT happy. It came back negative so she sent me to the gastroenterologist to run some tests on my liver and a dermotologist who gave me some topical steriodal cream which didn't really help. My rash ended up going away over the winter and since I've lost some weight, it hasn't returned. I believe it was directly related to my weight gain and my diet.

When I was waiting for my celiac results, I did some research on gluten-free cooking and actually went around the grocery store and read the labels to see what has gluten in it. Answer: almost everything I was eating. Since I've become more aware about gluten, I've noticed that there are a lot of gluten-free products out there and it's really not that difficult to buy my favorite things sans gluten. I also came across this website, gluten free you and me, and I can't wait to check out some of the products. Even better, it's local! Gotta support my Columbus peeps!

Don't get me wrong, I still eat/drink products that contain gluten. I just opt for gluten-free options on certain items when I can. It never hurts to get tested for celiac; just a simple blood test by your regular doctor can tell you. Almost every blog and/or site says that people who are intolerant to gluten don't even know it, and only after they stop eating gluten do they realize just how much better they feel. Just some food for thought! :)