GF and MS
Hello wonderful readers,
Happy Monday!
I hope last week's post inspired you to dedicate some time to stop and note what you are thankful for. Trevor and I have continued to take time every evening and make a mindful effort to address what we are thankful for. Some days we have a long list, and other days we note just a few things, but I have seen an improvement in our evening routine and overall mindset.
Please feel free to share your list of what you are thankful for anytime here on the blog, or send me a personal message. I adore hearing from all of you!
This week's topic is one I have greatly looked forward to writing about! I was chatting with a family member during the week and she mentioned to me she is starting to go gluten free, but would benefit from receiving tips and tricks on my experience with this lifestyle.
Your wish is my command, so here we go! This week is dedicated to my journey with going gluten free and how it has helped with my symptoms related to multiple sclerosis.
I would like to mention I am in no way sponsored by any company or brand to share these tips and tricks with you. I am simply sharing my experience and what I have found to work for me during my journey when going gluten free. I have been gluten free completely for the past four months. Some of you might be saying four months, that's it, you aren't in a position to be giving tips and tricks to anyone because you are not an expert. You are correct, I am not an expert. I am just a twenty-four year old woman who has made the conscious choice to be aware of how food effects me and how I feel on a day-to-day basis. I am someone who has had some success during the past four months, and I feel inspired to share, but I have also experienced failure in my voyage with my life being gluten free.
My intention behind this week's post is to help you if you are contemplating going gluten free and need some simple tips and tricks to help you. Or, if you are looking for a sign on going gluten free, here is your sign. 😊 I will be sure to share more during my experience with being gluten free as I continue through life.
So, with that being said, let's get this gluten free party started!!
Before I go into my tips and tricks, lets define what gluten is.
"Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together."1
Click here to read more on gluten.
1. Going gluten free is your personal choice.
You chose what you put into your body. This is not a mind blowing statement, we probably all already knew this. You are also the only one who is making a conscious, or possibly, unconscious choice on what you consume. Eating should be viewed as a healing experience. What we eat either fuels us or drains us, makes us feel productive or unproductive, keeps us healthy or keeps us in an unhealthy cycle. If you are wanting to take back control of your health, start by making a conscious effort to see what you consume to fuel your human body.
If you are ready to start living and feeling like your most optimal self, and you are wanting to go gluten free, you can make this life style change.
2. There is a difference in gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity.
When I share with others that I am gluten free, they ask if I have celiac disease, which I am thankful I can respond by saying "no, I do not". I do however, have a gluten sensitivity and there is a very big difference. Intolerance means your body can be damaged if you consume gluten. Individuals with celiac can attest to their sever symptoms if they consume, or are sometimes, even in contact with gluten. Intolerance can be in a variety of seventies, along with gluten sensitivity. The difference between intolerance and sensitivity is that individuals with sensitivity to gluten might not have physical damage to their bodies, but they still experience symptoms. Some symptoms include: bloating, indigestion, upset stomach, skin rashes, abdominal discomfort/pain, headaches/migraines, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, joint pain, and autoimmune disorder(s). Gluten sensitivity is more mild than gluten intolerance, but they both are trying to tell you something, your body does not do well when you consume gluten.
I highly encourage you to do your research on the difference and talk to your health care provider and doctor if you have questions. Please note that some healthcare providers have certain opinions on going gluten free, so please hear them out and take their medical opinion, but do not overlook what you feel your body needs to be better.
3. Ask a friend or friends for tips and tricks
Before I went gluten free, I asked one of my very dear friends what she found useful in her journey with going gluten free. She shared with me her tips and tricks and some of them have stuck with me ever since we spoke. I love hearing what works for individuals who are gluten free, so ask around. If the person is willing to share, listen to what has worked for them and think how it could apply to your life. Some tips might not resonate with you, and that's okay, listen and appreciate them for sharing. If you don't currently know anyone who is gluten free, I am here to provide you all with some tips and tricks here on the blog and be someone you can reach out to and ask questions. As previously stated, I am no expert, just someone who is on their own personal health journey and wants to share what has worked for me in hopes that it might work for you!
4. Read the entire ingredients list. Yes, all of them.I thought I was pretty good at reading ingredient lists when I went grocery shopping. I would read the first few ingredients and then when it got to words I didn't know how to pronounce, I stopped. Awhile back I completed a patch allergy testing. I worked with my dermatologist and they taped fifteen of the most common allergies to my back for several days. I found out I was highly allergic to some, and others I was slightly allergic to. I keep a list of my allergies in my wallet so I am able to take it out when I read the labels on foods. If you have allergies you are aware of, feel free to use this sub-tip and write what you are allergic to so you are able to refer to it.
Getting back to this main tip, reading the entire ingredient list will help you not consume any gluten. Make sure to read the entire list, don't be like me and stop when I can not longer pronounce the items. Even when the ingredient list is done, continue to look at the label to see if it has a little note that reads "may contain". This is where the ingredient list tells you the facility the item was made in. Gluten free items can be made in a completely gluten free environment, or they can be made in an environment that produces other items with gluten. When I read a label that notes it might contain gluten, I simply walk away. I do not want to even risk consuming gluten even if the item states it's gluten free.
5. Gluten is in a lot of different items, not just food.
Gluten is not just found in bread, cookies, cake, or pasta. Gluten can be found in drinks such as vodka, sauces such as soy sauce, cheese such as blue cheese, ice cream with cookie pieces, and even in beauty products such as lotions, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, and much more. This is why tip number four is so important. Just because it might not appear to have gluten it is doesn't mean it doesn't. Gluten can be very hard to spot, so make sure to read the label to see if the item you are consuming internally and externally doesn't have gluten. If you read the label and you still aren't certain if it contains gluten, feel free to google it. A great deal of us have smart phones, so feel free to research the item. It is worth it!
6. The beginning might be difficult, but I promise it will get easier.
When you start, temptation is going to show up. I will not brush this piece under the rug during the gluten free process. When you start grocery shopping or going out to eat, you will notice gluten is in a lot of food items. Some food items will be easy to turn away from, and other food items are going to be really difficult. I have a big sweet tooth, so anything sweet with gluten in it is really hard for me to turn away from. Cookies and cake are my weakness, and I know this. Whenever I go somewhere that I know for a fact there will be this temptation, I come prepared. For example, if I am going to a birthday party of family gathering where I know there will be desserts, I offer to bring a gluten free option for dessert, or I even bring something sweet in my purse to curve my craving. This is not rude, this is sticking to your goals and values and respecting your health above anything else. Turning down something, or not putting it on your plate is not a jab at the host, so please do not feel guilty saying "no thank you". I would stay away from taking something you know has gluten in it and throwing it away to "save face". This is wasteful and it could deepen the temptation and cause you to turn around and consume gluten, which I can guarantee you, you will regret later. So please stick to your guns and know your health is worth it.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. When you cut gluten from your diet and start to feel the health benefits in your life, you will not want to even attempt to eat gluten. Grocery shopping will get easier, saying no to foods you might have once said yes to will be second nature. These temptations to eat gluten will fade, along with your unpleasant symptoms. Your health is worth it, you are worth it.
7. Clean out your living space and work space.
If items are around that contain gluten in it, it makes staying gluten free harder. If you are chose to go gluten free, and your spouse, loved one, or roommate is going to continue to eat gluten, that's okay. It will require a conversation with the other person to let them know that you are making the conscious choice to avoid gluten.
(Sub-tip: people will have their own opinions and sometimes adversity on going gluten free. I have heard multiple people tell me "that's so silly, we have always consumed gluten, you are just putting yourself in a box and limiting yourself." Our food today is not made or produced the way it was five, ten, fifteen, twenty-plus years ago. If you are choosing to go gluten free, own it. Others can have their opinions, you are entitled to your opinion and your choices. Don't feel as though you need to defend your honor, just smile and say "thank you for your opinion, we can agree to disagree" or even look at it as a positive learning opportunity.)
If you live by yourself, or your family / living mate is also going gluten free, this is great! Make sure to go through your refrigerator, pantry, spices/sauces, bathroom hygiene products, even the lotion you keep at your work space and get rid of them. When I say get rid of them, please please please do not throw them away. See if there is someone in need of the items in your neighborhood or donate them to a local food pantry. Please do not just throw away the items and waste this food or product. Someone else can use it if they are not currently gluten free, so please share!
8. Gluten free does not always mean healthy
Going gluten free can be extremely healthy for you, IF you chose to eat healthy gluten free food items. Just like non-gluten free food items, there is unhealthy gluten free items. There is gluten free cake, doughnut, bagels, chips, cookies, and bread. If you do need some of these gluten free unhealthy foods, please consume them in moderation. You are entitled to have your gluten free cake and eat it too, so please feel free to enjoy your gluten free lifestyle.
(Sub-tip: there are no cheat days when going gluten free. When I went gluten free the first time, I would eat gluten every so often, and this was not good. I did not experience the benefits of going gluten free until I was truly gluten free for at least a solid month. If we have a cheat day, we will not be able to experience the benefits of going gluten free.)
9. Buying items that are gluten free is trial and error, so have fun trying different items made by different brands.
I have eaten my fair share of pretty icky gluten free food items. Just because it says gluten free and it's more expensive than other items, does not mean it will taste better. Sometimes the price can be deceiving, so don't stock up on any specific gluten free brand unless you have tried it and enjoyed it. My husband and I have a blast looking at different gluten free products and trying them at home. When we find something we like, we remember it and continue to come back to it. Eating should be a fun event, so please enjoy the trial and error process. If you do come across something that does not taste good, laugh at the experience and move on. Again, see if someone else might be interested in using it and consuming it, we all have very different taste buds after all, so please do not just throw it away.
10. There are more options available today for individuals who are gluten free than ever before.
Gluten free items are more readily available in stores than ever before. My grandmother has been gluten free for years and she had to go to a specialty store in order to find any gluten free items. Now, we are lucky to live in a time where products are being made gluten free, and you don't have to travel cities away to find it. Most grocery stores have special gluten free sections, and they will have more than one brand available. One brand Trevor and I both like is called "GFree" and it's sold at Aldi for a very reasonable price. Again, I am not sponsored by any company on this blog, I am simply sharing with you what I personally like. If you try it, great, if you don't, no worries at all. If you are in a grocery store and you are unable to find the gluten free section, don't be afraid to ask. We all need a little help sometimes, so do not be shy. I ask questions all of the time at the grocery store.
Another concern from individuals I talk to about being gluten free is "you can't eat anything, you can't even go out to eat at restaurants anymore". I would like to note here that there are many nutritional foods for you to consume and use that do not have gluten in it. Sometimes it takes some modifying in order to make your meal gluten free. I can reassure you, there are so many foods you can eat while being gluten free and that does not mean you have to photosynthesize like a plant. Please know you can eat and be healthy while being gluten free. The second part of the statement above I wanted to touch on is going out to eat. So many restaurants have adopted the gluten free style of eating and offer gluten free menus. If there are not gluten free options listed on the menu, asking the server to make a dish gluten free is always a possibility. I constantly modify dishes when I go out to eat. Just recently, I was out to lunch with family and the restaurant had a burger on the menu, and instead of having gluten free buns available, they placed the burger over a bed or lettuce, which was extremely yummy! (Sub-tip: just because fried items might seem gluten free, items that are not gluten free can go into the fryers. So be sure to ask if the item is fully gluten free and how it is prepared to avoid cross contamination. Some restaurants have special spots to make gluten free items to keep them truly gluten free.)
All of these tips and tricks might sound like a lot, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. We all experience this. Do not allow these tips and tricks scare you off. If something doesn't sit right with you, do not feel as though you need to implement it in your life. My hope is that these tips will help inspire you and make your transition easier to going gluten free.
I would like to take a moment and share with you the health benefits I have experience since going gluten free.
-I no longer feel bloated or uncomfortable after eating. I always felt as though my digestive system was working overtime when ate and I no longer have this feeling.
-My skin has cleaner up. I have eczema and have noticed since cutting gluten, my eczema outbreaks are far less often and less severe.
-My overall mood is better. I will not lie to you, I am not always in a happy go lucky mood, I have moments where I feel sad, and I still do, but I have less mood swings throughout my day. I feel as though I am more in control of my actions.
-My brain fog as been lifted. I would often be forgetful form time to time. This wasn't a major concern for me, but since cutting gluten I feel as though my memory has improved, and I no longer feel as though I am walking through a haze.
-I often would suffer from joint pain, more specifically in my knees. This is something I am still working through, but since cutting gluten I have had less joint pain and discomfort.
-My overall energy has increased slightly. This is an area I am still suffering from with relation to my multiple sclerosis, but my energy has slightly improved since going gluten free. I am very interested to see the long term results in going gluten free and my energy, but only time will tell.
-One of the largest benefits I have experienced since cutting gluten from my life is that I feel more like myself, more like the Jenny I was made to be. I have mentioned a few times on this platform that I am a planner and my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis has taught me that I am not in control of anything. I do have a choice on what I put into my body, and I have come to know that gluten does not improve my life, so I have cut it completely.
Going gluten free is not the end all be all solution for your health concerns. We are privileged to live in this time period and have the options and choices today that many people before us didn't have. Acknowledge this and appreciate that we have this life choice.
Your health and Wellness is a privilege, and taking care of yourself will make your life more enjoyable, more fun, and more whole physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I hope this week's post has given you some useful tips and tricks no matter where you are in your gluten free health journey.
Thank you all so much for reading this expanded blog post on my tips and trips for going gluten free and its relation to multiple sclerosis.
I hope you all have a happy, healthy week!
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Resources:1. https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/what-is-gluten/
Happy Monday!
I hope last week's post inspired you to dedicate some time to stop and note what you are thankful for. Trevor and I have continued to take time every evening and make a mindful effort to address what we are thankful for. Some days we have a long list, and other days we note just a few things, but I have seen an improvement in our evening routine and overall mindset.
Please feel free to share your list of what you are thankful for anytime here on the blog, or send me a personal message. I adore hearing from all of you!
This week's topic is one I have greatly looked forward to writing about! I was chatting with a family member during the week and she mentioned to me she is starting to go gluten free, but would benefit from receiving tips and tricks on my experience with this lifestyle.
Your wish is my command, so here we go! This week is dedicated to my journey with going gluten free and how it has helped with my symptoms related to multiple sclerosis.
I would like to mention I am in no way sponsored by any company or brand to share these tips and tricks with you. I am simply sharing my experience and what I have found to work for me during my journey when going gluten free. I have been gluten free completely for the past four months. Some of you might be saying four months, that's it, you aren't in a position to be giving tips and tricks to anyone because you are not an expert. You are correct, I am not an expert. I am just a twenty-four year old woman who has made the conscious choice to be aware of how food effects me and how I feel on a day-to-day basis. I am someone who has had some success during the past four months, and I feel inspired to share, but I have also experienced failure in my voyage with my life being gluten free.
My intention behind this week's post is to help you if you are contemplating going gluten free and need some simple tips and tricks to help you. Or, if you are looking for a sign on going gluten free, here is your sign. 😊 I will be sure to share more during my experience with being gluten free as I continue through life.
So, with that being said, let's get this gluten free party started!!
Before I go into my tips and tricks, lets define what gluten is.
"Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together."1
Click here to read more on gluten.
1. Going gluten free is your personal choice.
You chose what you put into your body. This is not a mind blowing statement, we probably all already knew this. You are also the only one who is making a conscious, or possibly, unconscious choice on what you consume. Eating should be viewed as a healing experience. What we eat either fuels us or drains us, makes us feel productive or unproductive, keeps us healthy or keeps us in an unhealthy cycle. If you are wanting to take back control of your health, start by making a conscious effort to see what you consume to fuel your human body.
If you are ready to start living and feeling like your most optimal self, and you are wanting to go gluten free, you can make this life style change.
2. There is a difference in gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity.
When I share with others that I am gluten free, they ask if I have celiac disease, which I am thankful I can respond by saying "no, I do not". I do however, have a gluten sensitivity and there is a very big difference. Intolerance means your body can be damaged if you consume gluten. Individuals with celiac can attest to their sever symptoms if they consume, or are sometimes, even in contact with gluten. Intolerance can be in a variety of seventies, along with gluten sensitivity. The difference between intolerance and sensitivity is that individuals with sensitivity to gluten might not have physical damage to their bodies, but they still experience symptoms. Some symptoms include: bloating, indigestion, upset stomach, skin rashes, abdominal discomfort/pain, headaches/migraines, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, joint pain, and autoimmune disorder(s). Gluten sensitivity is more mild than gluten intolerance, but they both are trying to tell you something, your body does not do well when you consume gluten.
I highly encourage you to do your research on the difference and talk to your health care provider and doctor if you have questions. Please note that some healthcare providers have certain opinions on going gluten free, so please hear them out and take their medical opinion, but do not overlook what you feel your body needs to be better.
3. Ask a friend or friends for tips and tricks
Before I went gluten free, I asked one of my very dear friends what she found useful in her journey with going gluten free. She shared with me her tips and tricks and some of them have stuck with me ever since we spoke. I love hearing what works for individuals who are gluten free, so ask around. If the person is willing to share, listen to what has worked for them and think how it could apply to your life. Some tips might not resonate with you, and that's okay, listen and appreciate them for sharing. If you don't currently know anyone who is gluten free, I am here to provide you all with some tips and tricks here on the blog and be someone you can reach out to and ask questions. As previously stated, I am no expert, just someone who is on their own personal health journey and wants to share what has worked for me in hopes that it might work for you!
4. Read the entire ingredients list. Yes, all of them.I thought I was pretty good at reading ingredient lists when I went grocery shopping. I would read the first few ingredients and then when it got to words I didn't know how to pronounce, I stopped. Awhile back I completed a patch allergy testing. I worked with my dermatologist and they taped fifteen of the most common allergies to my back for several days. I found out I was highly allergic to some, and others I was slightly allergic to. I keep a list of my allergies in my wallet so I am able to take it out when I read the labels on foods. If you have allergies you are aware of, feel free to use this sub-tip and write what you are allergic to so you are able to refer to it.
Getting back to this main tip, reading the entire ingredient list will help you not consume any gluten. Make sure to read the entire list, don't be like me and stop when I can not longer pronounce the items. Even when the ingredient list is done, continue to look at the label to see if it has a little note that reads "may contain". This is where the ingredient list tells you the facility the item was made in. Gluten free items can be made in a completely gluten free environment, or they can be made in an environment that produces other items with gluten. When I read a label that notes it might contain gluten, I simply walk away. I do not want to even risk consuming gluten even if the item states it's gluten free.
5. Gluten is in a lot of different items, not just food.
Gluten is not just found in bread, cookies, cake, or pasta. Gluten can be found in drinks such as vodka, sauces such as soy sauce, cheese such as blue cheese, ice cream with cookie pieces, and even in beauty products such as lotions, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, and much more. This is why tip number four is so important. Just because it might not appear to have gluten it is doesn't mean it doesn't. Gluten can be very hard to spot, so make sure to read the label to see if the item you are consuming internally and externally doesn't have gluten. If you read the label and you still aren't certain if it contains gluten, feel free to google it. A great deal of us have smart phones, so feel free to research the item. It is worth it!
6. The beginning might be difficult, but I promise it will get easier.
When you start, temptation is going to show up. I will not brush this piece under the rug during the gluten free process. When you start grocery shopping or going out to eat, you will notice gluten is in a lot of food items. Some food items will be easy to turn away from, and other food items are going to be really difficult. I have a big sweet tooth, so anything sweet with gluten in it is really hard for me to turn away from. Cookies and cake are my weakness, and I know this. Whenever I go somewhere that I know for a fact there will be this temptation, I come prepared. For example, if I am going to a birthday party of family gathering where I know there will be desserts, I offer to bring a gluten free option for dessert, or I even bring something sweet in my purse to curve my craving. This is not rude, this is sticking to your goals and values and respecting your health above anything else. Turning down something, or not putting it on your plate is not a jab at the host, so please do not feel guilty saying "no thank you". I would stay away from taking something you know has gluten in it and throwing it away to "save face". This is wasteful and it could deepen the temptation and cause you to turn around and consume gluten, which I can guarantee you, you will regret later. So please stick to your guns and know your health is worth it.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. When you cut gluten from your diet and start to feel the health benefits in your life, you will not want to even attempt to eat gluten. Grocery shopping will get easier, saying no to foods you might have once said yes to will be second nature. These temptations to eat gluten will fade, along with your unpleasant symptoms. Your health is worth it, you are worth it.
7. Clean out your living space and work space.
If items are around that contain gluten in it, it makes staying gluten free harder. If you are chose to go gluten free, and your spouse, loved one, or roommate is going to continue to eat gluten, that's okay. It will require a conversation with the other person to let them know that you are making the conscious choice to avoid gluten.
(Sub-tip: people will have their own opinions and sometimes adversity on going gluten free. I have heard multiple people tell me "that's so silly, we have always consumed gluten, you are just putting yourself in a box and limiting yourself." Our food today is not made or produced the way it was five, ten, fifteen, twenty-plus years ago. If you are choosing to go gluten free, own it. Others can have their opinions, you are entitled to your opinion and your choices. Don't feel as though you need to defend your honor, just smile and say "thank you for your opinion, we can agree to disagree" or even look at it as a positive learning opportunity.)
If you live by yourself, or your family / living mate is also going gluten free, this is great! Make sure to go through your refrigerator, pantry, spices/sauces, bathroom hygiene products, even the lotion you keep at your work space and get rid of them. When I say get rid of them, please please please do not throw them away. See if there is someone in need of the items in your neighborhood or donate them to a local food pantry. Please do not just throw away the items and waste this food or product. Someone else can use it if they are not currently gluten free, so please share!
8. Gluten free does not always mean healthy
Going gluten free can be extremely healthy for you, IF you chose to eat healthy gluten free food items. Just like non-gluten free food items, there is unhealthy gluten free items. There is gluten free cake, doughnut, bagels, chips, cookies, and bread. If you do need some of these gluten free unhealthy foods, please consume them in moderation. You are entitled to have your gluten free cake and eat it too, so please feel free to enjoy your gluten free lifestyle.
(Sub-tip: there are no cheat days when going gluten free. When I went gluten free the first time, I would eat gluten every so often, and this was not good. I did not experience the benefits of going gluten free until I was truly gluten free for at least a solid month. If we have a cheat day, we will not be able to experience the benefits of going gluten free.)
9. Buying items that are gluten free is trial and error, so have fun trying different items made by different brands.
I have eaten my fair share of pretty icky gluten free food items. Just because it says gluten free and it's more expensive than other items, does not mean it will taste better. Sometimes the price can be deceiving, so don't stock up on any specific gluten free brand unless you have tried it and enjoyed it. My husband and I have a blast looking at different gluten free products and trying them at home. When we find something we like, we remember it and continue to come back to it. Eating should be a fun event, so please enjoy the trial and error process. If you do come across something that does not taste good, laugh at the experience and move on. Again, see if someone else might be interested in using it and consuming it, we all have very different taste buds after all, so please do not just throw it away.
10. There are more options available today for individuals who are gluten free than ever before.
Gluten free items are more readily available in stores than ever before. My grandmother has been gluten free for years and she had to go to a specialty store in order to find any gluten free items. Now, we are lucky to live in a time where products are being made gluten free, and you don't have to travel cities away to find it. Most grocery stores have special gluten free sections, and they will have more than one brand available. One brand Trevor and I both like is called "GFree" and it's sold at Aldi for a very reasonable price. Again, I am not sponsored by any company on this blog, I am simply sharing with you what I personally like. If you try it, great, if you don't, no worries at all. If you are in a grocery store and you are unable to find the gluten free section, don't be afraid to ask. We all need a little help sometimes, so do not be shy. I ask questions all of the time at the grocery store.
Another concern from individuals I talk to about being gluten free is "you can't eat anything, you can't even go out to eat at restaurants anymore". I would like to note here that there are many nutritional foods for you to consume and use that do not have gluten in it. Sometimes it takes some modifying in order to make your meal gluten free. I can reassure you, there are so many foods you can eat while being gluten free and that does not mean you have to photosynthesize like a plant. Please know you can eat and be healthy while being gluten free. The second part of the statement above I wanted to touch on is going out to eat. So many restaurants have adopted the gluten free style of eating and offer gluten free menus. If there are not gluten free options listed on the menu, asking the server to make a dish gluten free is always a possibility. I constantly modify dishes when I go out to eat. Just recently, I was out to lunch with family and the restaurant had a burger on the menu, and instead of having gluten free buns available, they placed the burger over a bed or lettuce, which was extremely yummy! (Sub-tip: just because fried items might seem gluten free, items that are not gluten free can go into the fryers. So be sure to ask if the item is fully gluten free and how it is prepared to avoid cross contamination. Some restaurants have special spots to make gluten free items to keep them truly gluten free.)
All of these tips and tricks might sound like a lot, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. We all experience this. Do not allow these tips and tricks scare you off. If something doesn't sit right with you, do not feel as though you need to implement it in your life. My hope is that these tips will help inspire you and make your transition easier to going gluten free.
I would like to take a moment and share with you the health benefits I have experience since going gluten free.
-I no longer feel bloated or uncomfortable after eating. I always felt as though my digestive system was working overtime when ate and I no longer have this feeling.
-My skin has cleaner up. I have eczema and have noticed since cutting gluten, my eczema outbreaks are far less often and less severe.
-My overall mood is better. I will not lie to you, I am not always in a happy go lucky mood, I have moments where I feel sad, and I still do, but I have less mood swings throughout my day. I feel as though I am more in control of my actions.
-My brain fog as been lifted. I would often be forgetful form time to time. This wasn't a major concern for me, but since cutting gluten I feel as though my memory has improved, and I no longer feel as though I am walking through a haze.
-I often would suffer from joint pain, more specifically in my knees. This is something I am still working through, but since cutting gluten I have had less joint pain and discomfort.
-My overall energy has increased slightly. This is an area I am still suffering from with relation to my multiple sclerosis, but my energy has slightly improved since going gluten free. I am very interested to see the long term results in going gluten free and my energy, but only time will tell.
-One of the largest benefits I have experienced since cutting gluten from my life is that I feel more like myself, more like the Jenny I was made to be. I have mentioned a few times on this platform that I am a planner and my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis has taught me that I am not in control of anything. I do have a choice on what I put into my body, and I have come to know that gluten does not improve my life, so I have cut it completely.
Going gluten free is not the end all be all solution for your health concerns. We are privileged to live in this time period and have the options and choices today that many people before us didn't have. Acknowledge this and appreciate that we have this life choice.
Your health and Wellness is a privilege, and taking care of yourself will make your life more enjoyable, more fun, and more whole physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I hope this week's post has given you some useful tips and tricks no matter where you are in your gluten free health journey.
Thank you all so much for reading this expanded blog post on my tips and trips for going gluten free and its relation to multiple sclerosis.
I hope you all have a happy, healthy week!
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Resources:1. https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/what-is-gluten/
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