I went gluten free quite a few years ago now, I honestly couldn't tell you the exact time frame but it has been about 7-8 years. I am a naturally energetic person and was spending my summer doing something I truly loved... teaching summer dance camps. The problem was my naturally energetic self was lagging behind after every meal. I was exhausted, mentally fuzzy, and running to the bathroom in the middle of classes. After a visit to the doctor ended in prescribing me medication she wasn't sure would even work because she wasn't even sure what the issue was.... I decided to take a more "food conscious" approach first. I started a food journal and logged what I ate and how it made me feel. Within the first week I was already fairly certain it was wheat products. I did A LOT of research, being gluten free was definitely not as common as it is now. I thought I would be so sad to lose bread & pasta but I felt so crappy that I was ready for a solution.
I cut it out completely, and the first couple of weeks were a bit rough trying to navigate all the tiny little crevices that wheat flour likes to hide (soy sauce, licorice, salad dressings, soups), BUT I not only survived... I felt like my old self again! Which truly made going gluten free so worthwhile. Yes, it can be frustrating going to restaurants and not wanting a salad or craving an old favorite that I can't seem to create a GF copy cat version of but knowing my body is functioning well and not having all the mind fuzzies.....totally worth it.
All that being said, if you are considering going gluten free here are a few things to consider and help you along the way!
1. Going GF is not a diet, it is a lifestyle/behavior change
Some people will sneer and ask why you need a "diiiiiieeetttt"? To which you can respond with, "it's not a diet, its taking care of my digestive system so that my brain and body can function well every day!" Some people have gone gluten free and lost weight, others have gained weight, I didn't do either. The people that gain weight typically replace junky gluten filled food for junky non-gluten filled food. A cookie is still a cookie whether its gluten free or not. Others have adapted a healthier lifestyle in general when going gluten free; eating more nutrient dense food and eliminating more processed foods. I was pretty active and tried to eat well so eliminating gluten really just intensified the things I was already doing. Don't get me wrong I LOVE brown rice pasta and gluten free licorice but instead of trying to replace the items you can no longer eat with a gf version, try opting for even better options for your health. I recommend brown rice, quinoa, zucchini noodles, or hearts of palm pasta!
2. READ EVERY LABEL
Silly mass producers will put wheat flour in ANYTHING as a filler or thickening agent. I have been baffled by the things I have found wheat flour in when I least expected it. #1 food item still remains to be a tuna pack- herb & garlic flavor, yet there is no wheat in any other flavor! All flavors were on sale at the grocery store, I checked one label and assumed the rest would be similar. Man was I NOT happy after I ate that tuna packet. BUT the positive is that you get really good at reading nutritional content of products! I became a wiz a recognizing products that had tooooooo many ingredients; like ya'll if I can't pronounce half of the ingredients... I am NOT putting that in my body. You will definitely grow an appreciation for whole foods with one single ingredient!
3. Don't be afraid to be picky and ask questions
The day will come when you sit down at a restaurant, ask for a GF menu, and the waitress looks at you like an alien. OR, you end up in small town North Dakota where the only restaurant available to you is the homey diner down the street that batters and fry's the majority of their menu. Not to worry! This is one of those times when you get to be high maintenance! A sandwich without the bun, a salad, choose a protein and a vegetable, basically make your own meal and how you would like it prepared. I promise, no restaurant will ever tell you no because they want your business and they want to create happy customers.
Favorite GF restaurant options:
Jersey Mikes (awesome GF bread)
Blaze pizza or Dominoes (love both of their GF crusts)
Mackenzie River (has a variety of GF bread, crust, pasta)
Noodles & Company (has lots of options and staff is very helpful!)
Qdoba/Chipotle
4. Find a GF friend
As you learn about what you can and can not eat, you WILL GET FRUSTRATED! It's annoying to have to sift through menus or constantly google questions but I promise it gets easier. Find someone that is already GF, a real life friend, a blogger, or someone you follow on social media and defer to them for questions!
I have a gluten free life so engrained in me that I love sharing my experiences and any help I can provide to make it easier for others to make the transition. Like minded people love sharing!
5. Be patient with yourself
As you start to get a grasp on a new lifestyle give yourself some love. Reminder that behavior & lifestyle changes are hard whether or not you HAVE to do them. Make a grocery list before going to the store- a lot of stores now have GF only sections but that doesn't mean you can't shop anywhere else! And if all else fails, keep a couple GF frozen pizzas in your freezer for when you need a quick, easy dinner! It gets easier each day!
To all my current and gluten free loves out there! You got this!
Note: One time at a sushi restaurant (after already divulging that I was gluten free) I ordered green tea and the server told me I couldn't have it because it had popcorn in it.......both green tea and popcorn are naturally gluten free and green tea does not contain popcorn. Such a confusing moment for everyone and we had a really good laugh about it! Not everyone will know anything about what gluten is or what its in, so always be your own advocate! :) eat all the popcorn you want!
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