08/01/2020

The archive contains older posts which may no longer reflect my current views.

# A number of years ago I experienced months of health problems and was tested for, among other things, Crohn's disease - a type of inflammatory bowel condition - but ended up being diagnosed with IBS. It was a generic diagnosis with no further attempt to determine causes or triggers. I have had varying levels of problems with it ever since, sometimes food related, others brought on by stress.

Our youngest daughter was diagnosed as having a lactose intolerance with a secondary gluten intolerance (one frequently triggers the other) so, for a while, our family diet changed to accommodate and manage her issues.

I discovered that while eating gluten free my IBS symptoms were greatly reduced and continued with a gluten free diet for some time. Once things seemed to have fully settled I gradually reintroduced gluten until I was back on a normal diet.

Working at an off-site event in December, I was discussing my B12 deficiency with a colleague (gluten intolerant themselves) who reminded me that one cause is coeliac disease.

While I am not full blown coeliac I can't help but feel that a gluten intolerance is, at least partly, to blame for my B12 deficiency. To combat both this and a recurrence of my IBS I have returned to a mostly gluten free diet.

Gluten free breads and pastas are now really good but why can't anyone make a decent gluten free biscuit?

In all seriousness, this is a change with two targets: the obvious benefits for my physical health and the knock-on effects for my mental health. With one of the symptoms of a B12 deficiency being depression I am tackling this physical aspect alongside the steps I am taking to address the clinical.

And that can only be a good thing.

# A bounteous haul of books for January; mostly second hand but that just means pre-loved.

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