Sport Psychology

A few years ago I looked into doing a Masters in Sport Psychology.  Having seen first hand how positive attitudes and mental toughness pulls people through their workouts, I wanted to learn more and share it with my students.

In the September/October issue of "Canfitpro Magazine," Dr. Hayley Perlus has written an article entitled, "Mental Toughness Training for Endurance Athletes."  I do not work with endurance athletes who are running marathons but I do work with students well into their late seventies and early eighties and to me these two groups of people have many things in common. 'Working out' for the older crowd is about going the distance and staying fit right up until life's finishing line. We are all on a race course of sorts; the race course of life.  As Dr Perlus points out, the challenges faced by her clientele are threefold: pain, intensity and fear. Seniors face these obstacles every day just in a different form. Her suggestion is that it is how we handle each of these challenges that determines our success.


My students taught me many years ago, that most of them live with constant pain in their joints. "Beth, if you wake up one day and you have no pain, it means that you are dead!"  I have watched all of them show up to class, without exception and push themselves through the exercises. I always caution them to listen to their bodies but what I see is that they have learned to navigate the pain just like an athlete does. Dr. Perlus recommends using visualization to power through. She says to focus on skill mastery which is exactly what my students do. They focus on learning that new dance or those new moves. They distract themselves from the pain in order to keep moving forward!

When teaching I remind my students to keep track of how they are feeling. Dr. Perlus teaches us that proper pacing is the key to success. We do not want to use too much energy too fast and not be able to complete the class. Again my senior students are experts at pacing themselves.  The students who are the most successful are the ones who listen to the cues from their bodies. It is all about checking in with your performance regularly. Dr. Perlus wants her athletes to ask themselves, "does my race feel faster today?" Or, "am I thinking clearly?"  This is excellent advice for anyone. During your workout check in with your performance. Stay focused on how you are doing compared to the last time you were with me and then adjust accordingly.

Fear for the athlete means worrying that you will not make it up the next hill. I would argue that seniors face this type of fear daily however they face it with a great sense of purpose and humour. Dr. Perlus says that, "fear make us retreat while challenges make us defeat." What a great way to view life. She suggests that we must feel our fears but face them anyway! My students have taught me this time and time again. They show up to class to keep the fear from getting in the way of living. Life gets harder and harder as we age because our bodies and lives are changing so unpredictably. It would be easy to stay home and feed into all of our fears about getting to class; the drive, the road conditions, the possibility of accidents etc. The key is to face these fears but to focus on achieving your goal and go to class anyway! The joys will far outweigh the risks.

I bet you have never considered yourself to be an Endurance Athlete. Well to all of my students I say that you are the best athletes I know! I am so proud of all of you! 

See you soon,
Beth

Note To Loyal Readers

This is just a quick note to tell you why I have been absent. I am in the midst of marking the exams of my English students.  What a priveledge and a huge responsability. I need to give this task my undivided attention however I have a fabulous article that I read in my Canadian Fitness Professional's magazine that I cannot wait to share with you.  It is about mental toughness in the elite athlete.  I would argue that my Senior students compare to elite athletes in the way that they handle life in general.  I will give you tips on how to be even more successful in your goal setting and achievement.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's article!

Have a great day and I hope that you are enjoying these beautiful moments of Autumn weather.

See you soon,
Beth

Mom First!

When we meet new people and have to give them a reference to understand who we are and what we do, I often go straight to my profession. "I am a personal trainer and fitness instructor." These words pop out of my mouth automatically but before I was those things, I was only a mom to three amazing kids.

With a Bachelor of Arts under my wing, I was in the Education faculty studying to become a teacher but in my heart my first priority was starting my family. Peter and I were married when I was 22 and at the young age of 24 my wish came true.  I did complete my studies but we had our first child when I was 25. 

Perhaps I wanted to have kids so soon because I grew up with a Mom who stayed home to raise her kids rather than work full time.  My Mom volunteered and did work part time but not when I was young. She was always home when I was home and she was my biggest supporter. 

This weekend we celebrated our youngest sons birthday.  Jesse turned 19 years old last Saturday!  My youngest child is 19!  How did that happen? I can still remember having all three of them under my feet while I was cooking and doing chores around the house. Life was hard at the time but now looking back I realize that those moments were precious. It is a bit sad that we often cannot appreciate the beauty of the life when we are in the midst of it.  Time zips by and before we know it, all we have are our memories.

I am so grateful that I have wonderful memories with my kids to keep me smiling.  Living far out into the country. Picking berries on our long walks around the block. Catching frogs and releasing them in the stream behind our house. Star gazing and off roading on the paths around the neighbourhood. Snow slide building and long nights tobogganing and laughing. All of them live away from home for the most part. I get to see some of them on the weekends if I am lucky!

My message today is to fully appreciate the day that you are living at this very moment. Tomorrow will look completely different and it may not always look like we hope it will look.  We have to treasure the little joys that come our way.

Have a wonderful day!

Beth

Congratulations!

One of my students came up to me yesterday to congratulate me.  I looked at her rather perplexed. "You have hit 6000 page views on your blog!"  I laughed because this does not feel like a personal achievement compared to all of the hours I spend prepping and teaching every week.

I started this blog for two reasons.  I want to be able to communicate easily with my students, friends and family about all things related to living a balanced, healthy lifestyle. I also need to show potential publishers that I have an audience for the book I am writing on fitness.  Apparently, in today's world, publishers do not take you seriously unless you have a digital footprint.

I am not the worlds leading expert.. I do however have 17 years of experience working in the fitness industry. I have been on the ground, sweating side by side with my clients. I know what works for the majority of students who arrive with various physical limitations.  I attend conferences and see all of the latest gadgets and gizmo's and trends. I evaluate them based on my clientele and very few of them get a passing grade and make it into my classes.  I have no desire to be the most popular teacher, teaching the hottest, latest type of class at the club. My mission is to focus on keeping my clients safe and fit. I have seen too many clients get injured attending crazy concept classes.  I prefer to be the safe harbour for those who simply want to keep their bodies in shape, so that they can continue do the sports and activities that they love.

Thank you to everyone who tunes in daily to read my humble words of wisdom. Your support is very much appreciated!

Have a wonderful weekend.
See you Monday.
Beth

A Look Back in Time

This time of year is special for Peter and I because we met in the Fall of 1985 while both attending JAC. Two years later, in the Autumn, we decided to get married.  We took this picture hours before we popped the question to each other.  Neither one of us had a ring, nor did we have the experience of a big fancy proposal.  I am amazed to hear about the elaborate, complicated ways in which people propose nowadays.  The pressure!  It is almost as if the proposal and wedding are more important than the marriage. We simply looked at each other and knew. What a special moment.

The hair is very different now.....some is missing and most are grey but the love is the same. We laugh more than we cry. We support each other in every crazy adventure we can come up with. We never raise our voices to each other and if we are upset, we truly take the time to sit and discuss as best we can, how to move forward. We are far from perfect but we are perfect together.

The leaves are almost completely off of the trees where I live. Fall reminds me to be grateful for the love in my life. Every day is precious.

Feeling sentimental today!

Hug your loved ones.

Beth

Meditation Class

Last night I took part in a meditation class in Beaconsfield.  I have decided that this time will be carved out for self care as I give so much of myself in all of my jobs.  It is so easy to get burnt out as a teacher that I am trying to be proactive and make certain that I am refuelling, so that I can continue to be an effective leader.

If you have never tried taking a meditation class I highly recommend it.  It is hard at first to sit quietly as we are all so used to rushing and being busy. We are being stimulated constantly in our jobs and our homes, so if we are asked to simply sit still, the experience can be unnerving.  What I realized after 45 minutes to an hour of guided meditation, is that I am very tense. I had a very hard time submitting to the experience which tells me that this is exactly what I need to help me to relax.

My mind kept wandering which is normal but the leader reminds us to draw our attention back to the mantra and our breath.  Simply 'being' still. Focusing our energy inwards, instead of constantly projecting outwards is a very healing experience.  If we are always giving and never taking, the balance swings all the way to one side and we can get sick.

If I compare this to muscle conditioning, I tell my students never to train the same muscle group on back to back days because of the risk for injury. Over training one muscle puts the others at risk. If we never give our mind a rest we can suffer serious health consequences simply because the whole balance is off.

I am so happy to be embarking on this new experience. I left feeling more centered and excited about coming back to the next class. While meditating, I was able to answer two key questions that I had when I went in to the class.  I felt re-energized and I was full of smiles.  It is such a joy to be the student once in awhile!

Have a great day.
Beth

The White Coat Syndrome

This phrase can mean different things to different people. In my work, I use it to describe those clients who need to be told by a doctor that they have to start exercising.

I see it primarily in men and while I used to look at this as a sad fact, I have grown to understand that it is a result of the way in which we have socialized our boys/men.  If we consider and accept the traditional gender roles of men and women that we have promoted in our society, than we have told boys throughout all of their various socializing games and interactions, that they are supposed to be tough and strong and not need anyone's help. Is it really any surprise then that men spend more time working in their jobs than exericising formally at the gym?

I can only speak from my own experience with the men in my life. Most of them are hard working individuals, who are dedicated to making sure that their families have a comfortable roof over their heads.  They are dedicated Dads who devote their spare time to improving their kids lives, either on the sports field or academically. Very few of them, take care of their own health.

Last night, one of my students brought her husband to my yoga class.  She whispered in my ear that the doctor had told him that he had to start coming to my class as his back was in need of some stretching and strengthening exercises. When faced with this situation I realize that the 'patient' may be very hesitant or unwilling to participate.  For this reason, I must take special care to make sure that they feel supported and valued.  I also have to make certain that they see the benefit of the time that they are taking to care for themselves.

Whether you are in my class of your own volition or by a doctor's prescription, I am very happy that you are with us, putting your own needs first for a change.

 Make sure to encourage and support the men in your lives who are trying out classes for the first time. Never make them feel that they have made a mistake by not taking better care of themselves up until this point. Instead love and support and encourage them on their new path toward better health.


Have a great day!
Beth

Change is Coming!

As many of you know, I live in the country surrounded by trees. In April I posted a video on Youtube of the sight and sound of the stream in my backyard.  Above is a picture of our lovely little river this past Saturday. Below you can see the snow that blew in momentarily yesterday morning!

Change is hard but it can also be refreshing. Autumn is my favorite time of year, not just for the colours but for the promise of new life that comes with the death of summer. This sounds so dramatic but I am hopeful when this season arrives because it brings with it a freshness and a newness that is exciting and full of hope.

We might secretly dream that our lives would never change or that it would be summer all of the time but each moment in our lives contains both good and bad elements and it is only when we are snapped out of routine by the weather or serious life events that we feel fully alive.  We want our lives to be constantly moving. We are fortunate that each new day offers opportunities to improve ourselves and our situations.

It is election day in Canada. I work with many young people who feel disillusioned and insignificant.  We need to remember that we can make a change in our situations in many ways.  We are not powerless. We can positively affect our lives and our society through our voice and our actions.

Embrace change!

Have a great day everyone,
Beth

Use Exercise to Reduce Workplace Stress!

 

I hear it all of the time.  "Beth, I have no time to workout. I am too busy at work."  Unfortunately when we make this statement we are setting ourselves up for potential health problems. I believe it is a choice. We must make the time.

It is of course easy for me to say this when I get paid to workout.  The challenge for me however is to actually learn to use the time to help myself and not just focus on everyone else.

I want you to know that I rediscovered the benefits of exercising away 'frustration/stress' on Wednesday.  I was teaching my home class and I suddenly found myself using the workout as a way to vent off steam.  Picturing what was bothering me most and then pushing myself through the exercise to successful completion, made me feel hopeful that I can handle and succeed at overcoming my problems at work.

Physically I felt better after doing cardio for twenty minutes, and then muscular conditioning and stretching. Even though it was hard to get started, once I committed to the experience, the benefits manifested themselves without much effort.  I felt relieved. I felt hopeful. My entire outlook changed.

The key is to get out of our heads.  Stress at work becomes a mind game. We tend to think about problems non-stop while driving, eating and sleeping and before we know it, we get sick.  Forcing yourself into a class or to go on a run, helps to change the focus. Suddenly survival becomes the focus. You have no choice but to rely on yourself and your skills to get through. You regain the confidence that you had in yourself. 

Exercise is such a great way to change your mood, lift your spirits and brighten your day.

Just do it!

Have a great weekend everyone.
Beth

Change Your Life By Changing Your Thoughts

Personal Training is a balance of tough love and compassion. People come to me to make changes to their physical bodies but what often ends up happening is a transformation of the mind.

"If you tell yourself that you can't....you won't!"  I find myself saying this quite often in my group classes as well as in my private sessions. Attitude really is everything. It is my job to give clients the tools and knowledge to execute the exercise but if they have already decided that they are going to fail, they will.

Ask yourself if you are actually sabotaging your own efforts to change your circumstances. I see this in all areas of my teaching. Sometimes when faced with a new challenge we revert back the 'stories' that we tell ourselves. "Oh I cannot do that. I have never been able to do that exercise. I cannot change."

Yesterday we were working on balance challenges as we prepare for slippery winter conditions. I want to make sure that my clients are steady on their feet and part of the way that I do this is to put them in a safe situation that demands the recruitment of their stabilizing muscles.

Once I cue how to stay steady, most of the class will execute the moves perfectly. I can then see the students who are laughing or growing increasingly frustrated as they fall back into their old patterns of thought. I can literally see their thoughts on their faces.  Their whole appearance changes. They are exhibiting signs of self doubt.

So how do we break these self sabotaging thought patterns?  Lets face it, being miserable is just that...miserable. Life is hard. There is so much to be sad about when we listen to the news and we think or add up all of the things that are wrong about our bodies and our lives. In this state, we reach for comfort foods or other self soothing aids.  Before we realize it, we are unhealthy and at risk for serious illness.

Whenever I want to make a change in my thought patterns, I create little rhymes or mantras that I repeat to myself.  No one has to know you are doing this but it will help to snap you out of your pattern.

I have written about 5 mantras up to this point. I started in 2010 when my life was most challenging. I saw how it pulled me through tough times and now I create new ones whenever I feel the need to prop myself up.

You will change your life by changing your thoughts.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Beth

The Excitement of New Challenges

I recently learned that two members of my family are embarking on "The Whole 30," eating plan today! This blog is for you.  I am so proud that you are taking this leap toward better health. I am so impressed and motivated by people who make the committment to exercise and eat well.

Please note that at first the change will be very hard. When I eliminated processed sugars and other bad food from my diet, I went through a withdrawal period of two weeks at least. Mark this date on your calendar, Oct 27. If you can make it to that point, the rest is smooth sailing. Keep yourself busy and try to avoid all rituall behavior that resulted in you eating and drinking the foods that have made you unhealthy. As soon as you feel the need to revert to eating those things, get up, change your environment and distract yourself with something else. Swap those rituals with new habits. This is imperative!

I bought this book last Spring and I have to say that I loved it because it explains why eating well is so important for improving our overall health.  The basic idea is that you focus on eating only good, healthy food for thirty days.  The author's, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, believe that it takes thirty days to make a change in our habits. I found the following reveiw on Google.  I list it here for your interest. I did not write this review but it gives a clear idea of what the book is about should you be interested in trying it yourself!

The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom

Dallas Hartwig, Melissa Hartwig

Hodder & Stoughton General Division, Apr 23, 2015 - 432 pages

32 Reviews

Get on the path to better health, effortless weight loss, and incredible improvements in sleep quality, energy, and mood with THE WHOLE30.
Melissa and Dallas Hartwig are the authors of New York Times bestseller IT STARTS WITH FOOD, which has taken America by storm, and the founders of the Whole9, an online community focused on health, fitness, and sanity serving 1.5 million visitors a month.
Their new book THE WHOLE30 provides all the resources you need to reset your health. Based on Paleo diet principles, this is not a traditional diet book but a way to implement lasting change in your life by eating real food for 30 days. By following the WHOLE30 programme, the authors argue that you can reclaim your health and transform your relationship with food in the long term. The authors' positive empowering message and the health benefits and weight loss this programme can bring make this book potentially life changing.
Motivating and inspiring with just the right amount of Dallas' and Melissa's signature tough love, THE WHOLE30 features real-life success stories, answers to common questions, detailed elimination and reintroduction guidelines, and more than 100 recipes using familiar ingredients, from simple one-pot meals to complete dinner party menus.

Good luck and have a great first day of this new challenge!

Yours,
Beth

I Can't Thank You Enough!

I learn new things from my fitness students every single day! Despite many serious health problems, life tragedies and other obstacles, they have taught me to never give up!

They have taught me how to carry on in the face of adversity.
.........how to smile even when I may feel like crying.
.........how to laugh when life is difficult.
.........how to put one foot in front of the other despite walking in pain.
.........how to act gracefully under pressure.
.........how to hold someone who may be suffering.

You continue to inspire me to be the best person I can possibly be. I know your stories and I have watched you weather many storms. I have learned so much just by watching you conduct yourself in class and in your groups of friends. I lost my beautiful Mom on March 28, 2007 and my Dad on December 31, 2011. In many ways, you all have filled this void in my life and I cannot thank you enough.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I will resume posts on Tuesday October 13.

I am off to a retreat today for my other job!  Two workshops on Yoga...:)  Food and fun.

Have a great weekend.


Love,
Beth

Following My Own Advice!

 

On September 3rd, I accepted a new teaching position at Place Cartier. On top of teaching many fitness classes every week, I am now teaching English, Secondary 5 to adults.

One of the great things about this new job is that it does not conflict with my fitness classes.  Unfortunately, I had to let go of my afternoon dance class and yoga class.  This was very difficult for me as I have worked hard to build up a wonderful group of dedicated individuals.

After being in this new job for over a month I now see how hard teachers work on their own time.  As a result of having to spend hours correcting papers and prepping lessons, I have had to let go of another one of my fitness classes.

I started teaching on Saturday mornings in 2007.  I rented a beautiful church hall full of light and love and every Saturday at 8am, twelve or so of my students gathered to exercise together.  We have weathered snow storms and poor driving conditions. We have supported each other through injuries and the passing of loved ones. We have celebrated our various fitness achievements. We have gone on retreats together, shared many breakfasts and above all, many laughs.

I speak often about maintaining balance in life to avoid disease and overall ill health.  I was simply finding it too hard to keep my Saturday class going when I have so much to do to get ready for the next week of classes. It was with a very heavy heart that I announced the end of my Saturday class yesterday however I had to accept defeat. There is only so much of me to go around and if I want to continue to do my best for the remaining classes, I had to cut one more from my schedule.

I love all of my students. I really do care and I work very hard to be my best for each student, everyday.

In life we have to recognize the signs of stress and eliminate the cause early before it can harm our health. I saw how it was affecting me and "something had to give."

I encourage everyone to examine their own lives and if stress is a regular part of your day, it may be time for a change.  Sometimes simply going to a yoga class or working out is not enough. Sometimes we have to put an end to something in our lives. It is hard to do but I promise you that your health is the most important thing that you are taking care of at this moment. If you get sick, all of the things that you are juggling will come crashing down. So listen to your body. Select what feels right and make lasting changes by eliminating the things that are possible to eliminate.

In the above picture, a heart appeared after teaching 3 fitness classes in a row.  I love this picture and each time I wear this shirt the heart appears. This is just a reminder to take care of myself. I have made these changes with my own health in mind. I am learning to follow my own advice!

Breathe.

Have a great day everyone,
Beth

Exercise is Meant to Be Uncomfortable

I am very clear with all of my students that they are the boss when it comes to whether or not to perform certain exercises. "If something feels very wrong, do not do it."

When I say this in my group fitness classes, it is a way for me to make sure that people understand how to be aware of their own limits. People come to group classes for many different reasons. Some are there just to socialize with others their own age, while others have serious fitness goals that they are hoping to achieve. For this reason I make sure that my students learn to listen to their own bodies.

Exercise is meant to make you uncomfortable to a certain degree.  If you are there to try to lose weight or become more flexible, you will need to step out of your comfort zone to achieve your goal.  You may need to increase your heart rate to burn more calories or you may need assistance in reaching a bit further in stretch classes.

Ultimately though, no one else should push you beyond what you deem to be your acceptable limit.  We all have to decided how far to push ourselves.  The good thing about group classes is that it gives you an idea of what others are doing to step out of their comfort zone. Working with a personal trainer can help you establish what you need to do to meet your targets, based on your specific situation.

Just be aware that your current state of health is largely a result of you being comfortable to some degree.  To make positive changes to your current situation, you will need to be step out of your comfort zone for a short while. In time though you will establish a new normal for yourself. A new zone of healthier living and joy!

Have a great day.

Beth

A Teacher's Note

I have to say that I am very proud of all of my students, however yesterday I was most impressed by one lady whom I have known my whole teaching career.

While on my way into the building in the morning I noticed that "lady x" was several steps ahead of me on the walking path.  I was able to observe her gait and her posture. This lovely lady moves like the wind. She is in her 80's but she moves like she is 50.  Her pace was impressive and you can tell just by watching her that she is not suffering from any sort of physical limitation.  I caught up with her later and took the time to let her know her my observations.

At times I am so caught up in being the 'gatekeeper' of the class, that I miss opportunities to pass on valuable feedback to my students on an individual basis.

As a general rule the majority of my students who are over the age of fifty are in better shape than my younger clients. It is clear that you have made your health and well being a priority. You move faster and can last longer without getting out of breath. You are able to remember line dances from week to week and learn new moves. You have strong cores and amazing upper body strength. You are very flexible and you know your left from your right!!!

So this is a positive note to all of my students who attend regularly. I hope that you see what I am seeing. I hope that you feel that your health has improved. I can see the changes in your body shape and your fitness abilities and I am very impressed.

Please let me know when you notice the positive changes in your health, as this motivates me to keep doing what I do!

Have a great day and see you soon,
Beth

A Moment of Thanks

Thanksgiving is next weekend and I am fortunate enough to usually host this event for at least part of our family. I love to cook and I love to entertain. The planning starts a week or two ahead as I can expect at least 22 people. Last year we were 28!  I emptied the living room and set up 7 tables of 4 guests each so that we could enjoy dinner by the fire.

One year, my daughter and I carved out 25 mini pumpkins and served squash soup in them with the lids on as appetizers.  I have done some crazy things but they always work out and we have so much together that it makes all of the work worthwhile.

All of the preparation can result in me forgetting to actually be "thankful" at this time of year. I get so wrapped up in preparing for company that I forget what a gift it is to have a big enough space to host events like this and enough energy to accomplish the task. Some years, once the dust clears and everyone has left, I realize that I did not get a chance to talk to one of the guests as I was so busy.

Well my promise to myself is to get things done ahead of time as much as possible and to spend more time talking to the people I love.

My life is not perfect but I have all I need. I have so much to be thankful for in life that when I tell people I could die tomorrow and be fully satisfied with my life they are amazed.This feeling has arisen from living in the present moment. When I sit and evaluate if I have everything that I need at any given moment. My answer is always yes.

This coming Thanksgiving I need to be more present during the actual celebration and completely submerge myself in the joys of my extended family.

Practice being present today. Live in the moment.

See you soon,
Beth

Chef Veganessa

Yesterday I told you how hard it can be to socialize when you suffer from food allergies. Today I want to tell you about one of my favorite places to eat, Chef Veganessa located at 275 Elm, in Beaconsfield, Quebec.

The best thing about Veganessa's is I can run in and quickly get something to go that is healthy and safe for me to eat. While you can get something out of the case that has just been prepared and sit in the restaurant or outside to enjoy the specials of the day, it is primarily a catering service. Once you subscribe to the website you will get a weekly menu and you can order your meals for the week and then pick them up at the designated time. Every meal I have ever purchased has been enough for two meals. I can usually get dinner and then small lunch for the next day. 

I have spent quite a bit of money and time trying to cook speciality ingredients on my own and let me tell you I have thrown out a lot of food.  Vanessa knows how to make things taste amazing and she knows how to make things look good enough to eat.  That may sound funny but it is a real skill to make vegan food appetizing enough that non-vegans want to eat it.  I am just being honest.  My husband has loved all of the dishes that I have brought home.

I am so happy to have found this treasure in Beaconsfield as it is close to where I work and on my way home. When I get cravings for food that is not good for me, I drive right over there and get some clean, healthy, organic, flavorful food and in no time at all the cravings are satisfied.

Thanks Vanessa!

Give Chef Veganessa a try.
www.veganessa.ca

Socializing and Gluten Intolerance

It has been almost a year since I finally made the connection between my symptoms and gluten. My life and health has improved so much over this past year.  I have to say though that the hardest part remains socializing with others over meals.

People try so hard to be helpful and make menu suggestions that would appear to be safe for me but really they are not because the kitchen has to be a gluten free environment from the start. Soups have to be made with gluten free broth and not have any canned soup added to bump up the flavor. I have to avoid all dressings and sauces because of potential thickening agents. Even bouillon cubes have to be gluten free.  The last time I had soup at a restaurant, my skin flared up and these flare ups last for a week or longer.  I had the soup so that I could sit with a friend for lunch and feel "normal." It felt wonderful at the time but I suffered so much afterwards that now I just chose to eat in my car and go in and have water or tea when I am visiting with friends at a restaurant that is not safe for gluten allergies.

People are convinced that they can cure me. People are convinced that their food is safe and sometimes I feel so badly to be causing such a problem, that I will simply eat things that I know are not good for me, to put an end to conversation.  When you go to a party or sit with friends, you want to forget your troubles and most of all you do not want to have to educate others about the graveness of the situation.  When I showed some of my family some photos that I took of my skin in a flare up, they finally understood how serious this is for me but really it should not have to get to that point.

So I bring my own food wherever I go or I cook for my friends and family. The important part is to get together and laugh and have fun. If you are around someone who is struggling with a dietary restriction, the best thing that you can do is to ask them how they would like to have a visit. Maybe it will be over tea and not lunch or dinner.  Maybe they will suggest a restaurant that is safe for everyone or perhaps they will want to bring their own food.  Do not be offended if they explain that they cannot eat your food. This is not a matter of being picky. Celiac and Dermatitis Herpetiformis are awful conditions and we are just doing our best to function in a society that is all about food!!!

See you soon,
Beth