Going Gluten Free

I did it, I jumped on the gluten free bandwagon.  I didn't do it to be cool, I didn't do it as a weight loss quick fix (because it is neither easy nor quick). I did it because I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired every.damn.day.

Over the past 10ish years, I have developed some not so fun issues.  Diarrhea, sulphur gas, vomiting, constipation, bloating & cramping - just to name a few.....Extra hair grown where there shouldn't be, thinning of my hair, weight gain, brain fog, joint pain, anxiety, bone weary exhaustion, depression, mood swings & no more menstrual cycle.

Doctors have made me feel like I am crazy when I go in with these issues and they find "nothing" on their blood work.  Funny, I know that something is wrong.  For a long time I refused to go to the doctor at all about any problem because all I seem to hear from them is 'lose weight, you'll feel better'.  Well I am sure I will, but when you have a hard time losing and pain that keeps you from working out, well that's the last thing that you want to hear.


I am finding that I no longer feel bloated, no more gas, haven't had diarrhea.  But the craziest thing I have felt change since I started eating this way - I no longer have the urge to binge eat or overeat.  My binge eating has always driven me a little crazy because I could never put a "feeling" as to why I was doing it.  It just wasn't emotional to me. If anything I felt detached.  I would get a jaw clenching, need to have this item feeling that I would eat and eat until I felt so full I felt sick.  I wasn't doing it because I felt sad, angry or lonely.  I could never pinpoint it why.  I now stop when I feel myself getting full.  Now, it just seems to have disappeared.  I never would have ever linked those two things together, and who knows I might be crazy and it might all be in my head.   

It is for sure a hard thing to do but man, the benefits are unreal for me! Weekly meal planning and grocery shopping take a little longer and labels now get read.  I stay away from pre-packaged items and make more stuff from scratch.  I find myself choosing more whole foods, fruits & vegetables.  Eating out is definitely where I feel most uncomfortable about gluten free. There are not many options in the small town that I live in especially when two of the restaurants that carried gluten free menu items were affected by the flood.    We went to a restaurant on Friday night, I was craving poutine - well gravy has flour in it.  So I ordered Poutine - hold the gravy lol. It's all a learning curve and one day it will be easier.