33 and a Third

Spent the evening last night with a wonderful group of people, munching on yummy food and enjoying wonderful conversations. It was a perfect way to unwind after a couple of hectic days for me.

The UCLBS (Upper Canada Lower Bowel Society) is made up of a number of individuals in the Toronto area who share a common illness (Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, IBS, etc.) and who follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to combat them. We each brought a dish and then proceeded to pig out (or, at least, I did). The food was incredible, and so was the company.

It was wonderful to see Tanya, whose parents welcomed us into their lovely home for the potluck. Tanya has been working hard on our UCLBS web site, which is hosted on “tnir”, our server in the basement. We’re hoping it’ll make an excellent resource for people trying to find specific food items in the Toronto area. For example, we use plenty of ground almonds to make muffins and breads since we can’t eat wheat. Ground almonds are very expensive, but through the group, I found a store where I could buy a 25 lb. Box for a reasonable price.

I can’t tell you the relief I felt when I found out I wasn’t the only person in Toronto on this diet. And it’s amazing to see how much our group has grown in the last few months. It’s great to get the word out about the diet. People suffering from these illnesses can be so very, very sick. I myself became quite ill in 1998, when I happened to stumble on the diet. The difference it made in my life was incredible and I’m astounded that doctors don’t promote it actively. Again, I’ve been lucky. My doctors are supportive (I don’t deal with those who aren’t any more). My GP seems happy that it meets all my nutritional needs, backed up by the fact that my blood work is just fine.

Another highlight of the evening was meeting Domenic for the first time. What a delightful, friendly man. I think I could have talked to him for hours (wait, I think I did). After speaking to him for a short while, it feels as though you’ve known him for a long time. In fact, I thought he and Tanya were old friends by they way they talked - but they had just met, too!