In a good way that is... I've broken a barrier in my weight loss (by re-losing any that I had gained over the holidays and the illnesses that came with them) and now my weight is lower than it was at the end of my last weight loss run. When I talk like this, I sure sound like a gatherer, but my explorer-ness is not in question.

I saw a picture of myself in 1995. I had forgotten how quickly I had gained weight after mono in 1994, but I saw it in he picture. Mono, which effects the liver, is bad news, particularly for explorers, who are challenged to begin with as far as liver function and detoxification go. The path to weight gain in explorers is tied to sluggish detoxification abilities. I lost most of my ability to digest fats at that time, and started eating a low fat diet out of necessity. This was years before I knew anything of BTD or the dangers of wheat, so there was plenty of that in my diet. I know a few other people, most of them I suspect are explorers, who started a slide into weight gain and poor health in the years after having mono. For me, my Gilbert's syndrome also manifested itself in that time, with two bouts of jaundice. Luckily most of that is over now, although I still suspect mono for starting the autoimmune reactions in my gut (celiac) and thyroid (hashimoto's). The explorer's reactive immune system is another reason mono and similar infections can be bad news.

Explorers, take care of your livers.

I've been good on the diet, if you didn't guess by my weight loss. When I put in the work, I get the rewards, and I am incredibly grateful for that. (Sometimes I complain at the amount of work it is, at how hard it is for me compared to others, but then I kick a punching bag's into the corner of the TKD studio and feel better about my situation). I am going to get a black belt... just to know for myself that I am tough and can do anything. Even if I get thrown down on the ground a few times, I am going to do it. A year from now I may need to take a break, as I have a year to lose the weight and prove that I'm healthy enough, then I may decide to have another baby.

That is a monumental decision, and it would be easier to decide otherwise, it is such a monumental sacrifice that basically eats up three years of my life in the pregnancy/baby years, but I have a lot to offer a child. I have a stable home and family, which so many kids don't get these days, and I want to make room for one more. I admit that not all the genes I pass to them seem optimal, but with knowledge, they grow up strong.

Speaking of those bum genes, I'm having to use my knowledge a bit more on my oldest son. The milk and egg allergies that he was supposed to outgrow have actually gotten much worse, in the severe range. I've been letting him eat anything that doesn't make him sick, because he needs calories, but his immune system needs a little more individualized care. It is hard to carry an epi-pen for him, even though I'm pretty sure he'll never need it, I hate to think of the possibility. I have a constant regret for eating milk and eggs and a bit of gluten during pregnancy, which I now know are not optimal for me, and they certainly weren't optimal for him. I'm questioning if he could be a teacher, as I suspected he is, with all those allergies, I need to finally coax him into spitting into the tube for a secretor test. I made him a smoothie last night because he wanted a Costco Berry Smoothie, and for once the one I made was better than the one he wanted. That was good, because I also snuck in some bromelain and quercetin into the mix, and he loved it so much that he drank the whole thing.

I'm doing well, my immune system seems to be improving. I'm attacking the new year with a somewhat new plan, and think it will do well for me...

So I am now on the explorer diet along with being casein (dairy) free and gluten free. I've only had dairy once in the last month (mozzarella), and it made my nose run within 10 minutes, so fairwell dairy. I think this diet combination, with compliance, will make my white lines improve. Once they improve, showing that my intestines have healed, I may be able to have a little dairy again, but that will most likely be a long time in coming.

When I look back at my healthy, strong, times over the years, they are when I've been eating the least amount of dairy.

This month I've also been working on my spiritual strength. I often just go along, and float with the current, but it's very rewarding to actually put more effort into it, with personal study and family home evening (when we have a lesson, song, activity, and prayer together once a week). I've also begun attending the temple much more often than I previously had, and that is a great source of strength and direction. Looking back again, my life just goes better, including my health, when I put forth some effort in spiritual things.

Physical strength has also been improving with continued taekwondo, and a good bit of snow shovelling. My arms have been sore for about a week, thanks to working them two tkd classes in a row, and the heaviest snow I've ever shoveled coming down this weekend. That is a good thing, because my shoulders have been a point of weakness for me in the past. My kicks are all coming along well, but my side-kick still needs work (my body has never moved like that before, and is stubbornly resisting, it was a lucky day that I was able to break a board with that kick last month).

All in all, I'm feeling strong and hopeful, and have faith that this year will be a better one than the last.

One bit of good news: I hadn't measured myself in a while because I hadn't lost weight in a while, but I discovered today that I recently lost an inch off my hips.

For now I can stand by my motto "Surgery, never had it, never will" (Unless you count my wisdom tooth extraction, that is, since I opted to get put under for that.) I saw a very good ENT today and he didn't see any need for surgery. I have rhinitis, and basically all the similar mucous membranes are inflammed, as you'd see with allergies, though my allergy tests were somewhat inconclusive...I don't find it too much a stretch to think that the membranes could be more reactive than my skin, and could react to things (like dairy or corn) that my skin barely reacts to if at all. Before I thought I measured out as gatherer, I was sure I had to be one of the reactive types (hunter or explorer) because inflammation is always a part of how my body operates.

So my plan of attack goes back to higher compliance, nutrient-dense foods, better sleep, regular exercise, and address my high oxi-stress readings. There is a natural treatment I'm planning to try, a nasal spray for allergies by Thorne Research called QC Nasal Spray. They're a good company and I'm far more comfortable with that than with nasal steroids, though those are safer than oral or inhaled steroids.

I'm relieved that I don't need that surgery, because it's a very difficult one for adults. There are no quick fixes here, just do the work.

Happy New Year! Here's to one that's better than the last.

I've realized that I'm probably deficient in zinc. I did a taste test (Zinc Status), and could hardly taste it after 10 seconds. If you taste it strongly, then you're not deficient, if it just tastes like water then you're deficient, and to me it started to taste like mineral water after 10 seconds. It would explain a lot of things, and I'm hopeful that turning around the deficiency will make this a better year than last, illness-wise. I have a lot of the lists of symptoms, so things are now looking up.

I'm happy to be off the large doses of vitamin D (and I'm still happy to have that one figured out 3 years ago), but whenever you take a lot of one thing, other things often get out of balance.

I've been sick twice since I last blogged, and have gotten quite fed up with the whole matter. We never even got our family picture done for Christmas cards, despite trying 6 times, because I kept getting too sick to do it (or worried I'd be contagious to the photographer). It was kind of a big deal this year, and just one of many things that I never got done.

Such is life, being a celiac explorer. I thought I'd ruled out all deficiencies, but bingo, now one makes itself known. Sometimes you have to get pretty low before you see the way up.

I'll still get my tonsils checked next week, since I've waited 3 months to get into the ENT, but I won't be in a big hurry for surgical options if things improve without them. I also plan on strictly avoiding all dairy except ghee, until further notice.

I noticed my first ever reaction to eggs when I cheated over Christmas. Perhaps they've been causing absorption problems ... the white lines may tell over time.

I'm sick again, after feeling awesome for more than a few weeks and getting into a pretty good exercise routine, it's a bit of a setback. I can't help but think that if I'd refrained myself a bit more for Thanksgiving, I wouldn't have gotten as sick as I did. I did pretty well on choices, other than some cream in a couple spots, but just ate too much and went into a stupor afterwards. That night my nose started running and within a day or two had a full fledged sinusitis, pink eye, ear congestion, and laryngitis.

Other than a slight residual cough and sinus headache, I'm feeling pretty ok today. Tomorrow I might start getting back into the swing of things. I have gotten back into cooking and eating, trying to eat more frequent small meals as my blood sugar seems to swing a bit when I'm sick.

It's that lovely sniffly time of year, but this was the last straw for me and my tonsils. I'm going to see an ENT about them and if he strongly recomends removal, I'll go for it. It was also the last straw for me and any dairy. It's only ghee for me from here on out. I'm also doubting my affections for many sweet things, and pulling out the vegetable glycerine as my primary sweetener. Basically, I'm way into vegetables. I've been eating a lot of them. Tonight I made peasant soup (swiss chard, dandelion, broth, simmered 30 minutes, and dressed with garlic, nice olive oil, and sea salt to taste). Today I haven't had any grains, sugars, or dairy. Some grains will come back, in modest amounts, but veggies and a few fruits are my first priority, followed by some lean protein.

I tried a prickly pear for the first time today, I blended it up, strained it (ate most of the pulp), then put the rest into some v.glycerine sweetened lemonade. It's got a very mild, refreshing, flavor. Star fruit (carambola) is pretty popular around here lately too. It's surprisingly crisp and not too sweet but sweet enough.