Finding out you’re now gluten intolerant and must eat gluten free for the rest of your life is a shocker. But when the cold hard hand of reality gives your mug a slap in the face is when you’re standing in line at the local Panara trying to figure out what you can eat that doesn’t include bread, noodles, or rice. Or when you’re out with friends and your have to watch them eat a pizza, or munch on the warm savory rolls and sweet breads. How about desserts!? Can’t have pie, cakes or brownies either. Ahhhhh!
For the first month of going gluten free I was huddled in a corner, hugging myself, and rocking back and forth. How was I going to do this?! It all seemed so daunting and restrictive. But being the headstrong person that I am, I wasn’t going to be beaten by this. I would figure things out. And I did! There are lots of gluten free breads, pizza crusts, noodles, etc.
So now when I go to Panera I have a sandwich with no bread or tomatoes. I eat my sandwich with a knife and fork. Some places will let you bring in your own bread. I’ve learned that eating bread, noodles or rice = bloating and really bad stomach pains and that helps me get over the feeling of ‘loss.’ You can’t miss what hurts you. When I go out to eat with my husband and friends I dodge the bread or rolls and for dessert will get a sorbet or cream brulee. Of course there are lots of desserts you can have without gluten, but compound that with lactose intolerance and not being able to have potatoes, tomatoes, or corn – now we have to get more creative than if I was only gluten intolerant. No potatoes – you can have sweet potatoes as an option. Why no tomatoes? There are tiny seeds called pectin that wreak havoc on your gut and also cause acid reflux Studies have shown that the bread available to us to purchase in stores is full of Gods only knows what. So we have to be label readers.
Way too much sugar, in the form of fructose, or grains and wheat that’s not very healthy (if consumed in large quantities) for us as they’d (the Government) would like us to believe, will cause obesity and ill health. And I mean an over abundance of sugar, especially in the form of high fructose, corn syrup, or plain ole fructose, is in EVERYTHING we eat. Fast foods and eating out are the worst, so choose wisely what you consume on a daily basis. I found that once I laid off gluten, cut WAY back on sugar, ate more cooked foods, and laid off potatoes I lost 5 lbs right away. I could lose more and tone if I could just push through all of my physical aches and pains and step up my exercise game. But we all have to do what we are capable of and what we have time for. Eating right and reading labels is easy and a great way to start feeling your best from the inside.
Take charge of your gut health and be the best inside so you can shine outside!
The Healthy Witch 