Im terrified of GLUTEN.

by

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this is how I feel when I’m gluten-free!

I’ve noticed gluten free eating in the news again and this time for not so fabulous reasons.

It seems restaurants (exhausted by dieters with gluten free! demands who end meals with gluten-filled, decadent desserts) have grown slack in being certain foods are truly prepared gluten free.

While a it’s a terrible thing for restaurants to do, I can see how “gluten-free for quick weight loss” special orders could be a challenge for the industry (not to mention the fact it doesn’t work).

I was gluten free for 15 years before I blogged about it for that very reason.

Now, close to 22 years later, it still surprises me when people remember/associate me with that approach to eating.

I received this email last week:

My doc asked me to eat gluten free to manage rheumatoid arthritis. It’s helped, but I’m obsessed with wondering if there’s hidden gluten in foods. I’m terrified of gluten. The stress is pushing me to rebel/overeat. How can I eat GF & not stress/obsess?

First:

A gluten-free diet eliminates the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps people with celiac disease control their signs and symptoms and prevent complications.

Second:

I don’t have celiacs disease (never tested).Ā  I just felt consistently like crap (technical term) & knew something needed to change. Swollen, rashy, achy, joints hurt, constant exhausted. I focused on my food, eliminated a few things, shed about 35 pounds, felt FANTASTIC and carried on with my life. It was 14 years later I learned what Id eliminated was gluten.

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swollen, gluten-filled living.

Lastly:

Eating gluten free is not for everyone. If it’s for you—then I believe you’ll know fairly quickly. Not from weight loss, but from swelling reduction, full body rash-ridding, and an increase in energy/depression mitigation.

Right after I released my e-book I received a of flurry emails asking for tips on how to start eating gluten free.

While I don’t advocate GF eating, I began eating this way when there existed no processed substitutes. As a result, my “diet” mainly consists of unprocessed foods which is something I believe we could all benefit from.

I also feel compelled to add I didn’t struggle when I went gluten-free.

I didn’t miss my gluten foods.

I’d no idea what I’d eliminated, but I felt so much better I had no temptation to return to old eating habits.

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gluten makes me feel like this!

Which brings me to my response to the email (and the fact Id love for you to chime in below):

4 steps I took to transition to gluten-free eating:

  • I got excited. I was swollen, overweight, achy, lethargic, and rashy. After I eliminated bread/pasta I felt so much better I couldn’t wait to see what else I could change to lessen my symptoms. My excitement eclipsed any feelings of deprivation. I wont say I didn’t feel, at times, mentally exhausted (trying to figure out meals etc. No one had thought of using lettuce leaves as sandwich wraps back then) but I was excited, energetic again & it felt worth it.

 

  • I became empowered…LATER. It really was close to 14 years down the road when I realized what Id eliminated from my food plan. Once I figured it out I read voraciously on the subject. Some of the reading matter applied to me. Some did not. I empowered myself through education. (This is a great post on getting stated with GF eating).

 

  • I listened to my body. Since others weren’t yet talking about gluten my only option was to try foods & pay attention to how my body responded. For example, many who are gluten sensitive can not tolerate oatmeal. I can tolerate oatmeal. For a short while I kept a food journal (what I ate, how I felt immediately afterward, how I felt hours afterward) which was tremendously helpful in creating a list of foods which worked for my body (this is a fab list of common places gluten can hide).

 

  • I kept it simple. I still keep it simple. With a few deviations I eat foods my grandmother would have recognized. Whole grains. Veggies & fruits. Lean proteins. My daughter has noticed I eat differently from her dad and asked why. I have a simple answer: This is how I feel my best. These are the foods which give me energy. (and, since she’s noticed times when Ive accidentally glutenized myself) These are the foods which keep mom’s skin swelling away.

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she’s not gluten free. she doesn’t need to be!

  • I only buy/consume gluten free foods.
  • I don’t order anything at restaurants which could potentially contain gluten/eat anything potentially gluten’y at friends homes.
  • I’m fortunate I don’t have to worry about cross contamination (manufacturing or restaurants) because while I swell & rash my gluten-reaction is neither debilitating nor life threatening.

All I know–and can share with my emailer– is what has worked for me.

Which is why, as always, I look to *you* in the comments below.

  • If you eat gluten free how did you stop *obsessing* and start living a GF life? Links to your writing on the subject are welcome!

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Comments

  1. You have such a healthy approach. I’m glad I don’t have any foods that I need to avoid for health reasons, but there certainly are foods that make me feel better than others.

  2. I feel like there is starting to be some gluten shaming going on — not by you of course, but just in general. A feeling of embarrassment to put gluten in your shopping cart, on your dinner table, talk about things with gluten, serve food with gluten at social events, etc. and so on. So I totally understand the celiac thing and also your situations where it just makes you feel better — I DO eat gluten, not tons of it because I have a higher protein diet and there is just not room on the plate calorie-wise, plus I like other things better (am I saying this because I feel shamed? hmmmm) . . . okay, damn it . . .give me bread with that

    • haha so true. ANd why I thrive off a gluten free diet, and it comes easy to me, I know that others do just fine. We are all so unique and need to do what is best for us! Great post carla! and Jenn, i’ll pass you the bread. ENJOY!

  3. A few years ago, I was having lots of digestive issues. After several tests, the Dr. said that I was either lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant. I had to eliminate both from my diet and then reintroduced one , then the other. I found that eating gluten free was very challenging and I didn’t enjoy the foods I did eat. Turns out, I was lactose intolerant! So, I could eat my beloved bread again. I can say that gluten free was not for me!

    • I think I wrote that message. When I was first told to eat gluten free I found it hard, I struggled with not being able to eat pizza or that if I ate out and had accidental gluten I would feel horrible. As the years have gone by I have learned to deal with being accidentally glutened and since I’m not celiac I don’t worry as much about the hidden gluten. In the beginning it felt like a food prison now I have been able to find the balance.

  5. Love this post!!! I have been eating gluten free for about 8 years now for the very same reasons- I just feel better and know that it is trigger to a lot of my symptoms!

  8. This post makes me so happy. We are on the same wavelength. I’ve noticed I get bloaty and just generally don’t feel well when I eat gluten. So I’ve been focusing on eating meat/rice/veggies- none of the GF substitute crap and I’ve felt 100% better. Then for giggles yesterday I decided to eat a sandwich (free catered lunch) and this morning woke up with a stomachache and that’s the only reason. Back to eating the way that makes me feel best!

  9. I have been eating gluten free for two years this past July. Carla like you I had unexplained rashes, severe joint aches, nose bleeds, GI issues within a few minutes of eating anything with gluten in it. At this time I didn’t have insurance or money to go to a doctor for testing but I had read of others with these symptoms having problems with gluten so I knew enough to cut out gluten from my diet. Within one day of doing so no more joint aches or nose
    bleeds, within 3 days my brain fog/depressed feeling lifted and has stayed gone, no more GI issues either unless I accidently gluten myself.
    I felt alive and human again once I cut out gluten so I didn’t miss it at all still don’t never going back! The main thing was I had to learn what I could eat, learn to be a label reader. A funny thing happened to me I switched to g-free pasta and bread which are either made from corn or rice. I didn’t gain weight was already at what I thought was a good weight but my WAIST size went up a couple of inches enough to make my clothes tight. So last fall I changed what I eat yet again to eating only that which had a mother or comes from a plant. I cut out eating all breads and all pastas. A interesting thing happened I lost 13 more pounds with out dieting or exercising like crazy. So how do you adapt to going g-free? Learn to be a label reader at the grocery store. Know what you can and cannot eat when you eat out. Give yourself time to adjust if gluten is making you sick that will be enough motivation to stick with eating gluten free there are still plenty of food you can eat. I hope my story helps someone out there reading this. Good luck!

  10. Eating gluten free gives me more energy. I rarely have that 2pm slump at my desk and don’t want to come home and go straight to bed. I also keep gluten out of my diet because I will get the weirdest rashes when I have been “glutened.”

  12. we have several family members who are gluten intolerant – they can get away with cheating now and then but the stomach cramps etc are the price they pay for it. I don’t envy them eating rice crackers instead of bread, but with all the gluten free alternatives available nowadays it is pretty simple to steer clear of the foods that cause problems.

  13. I think the fear of foods and being terrified is so counter productive…. so much more important to empower yourself with information. It happens not just with gluten but all sorts of other things.

    If the fear is “hidden gluten” I would focus on the foods that contain gluten first. The other thing I would do is if eating out, only select restaurants who understand that gluten-free, though a weight loss plan for many is a health issue for some. If the restaurant has gluten-free options on the menu, confirm that by talking to the waiter and go forward. If not, order something simple — a salad without a lot of toppings, an omelet, etc and make a point of talking about the health implications with the waiter.

  14. I am not gluten free – but I do limit my exposure. Mostly because I feel better when I don’t have it. Whenever I eat wheat a feel puffy and lethargic and well….umm gaseous. To be honest, oatmeal is worse. I can do steel cut oats but not regular oats.

    There is definitely a connection between brain fog and wheat products, for sure!

    I am not terrified of gluten but I am “aware” at all times of what I am consuming.

  15. I just got super BASIC! I took a step back from all things processed and taught myself how to make simple and whole things. This was over 5 years ago now, and like you, this is all second nature to me now. My best piece of advice to anyone starting out is to keep in minimal and find the resources to help you along the way:)

  16. I am thankful that there are sites like yours and Lindsey’s where their is education on the subject of a GF diet. Like you said, there’s quite a bit of misunderstanding about why to go GF and I think it can be a very slippery slope for many. As with all things diet in America, few know how to manage things in moderation and often, even why to eat a certain way to begin with.

  17. As a diagnosed celiac, I didn’t struggle either. One of the reasons for my food blog is to help those who are struggling (since it really is not hard). The variety and amazing things about food that you learn on the journey is priceless once you embrace it.

  18. Great post, Carla. I’ve been gluten free for a few years now at the urging of a couple doctors. I have severe symptoms. I can tell if I eat something with gluten, my belly instantly bloats and the days, and sometimes weeks, following I have a lot of pain in not only my belly, but joints. And a ton of GI issues. And, yes, I get rashy and swollen too. I’ve learned to keep it simple with foods. I recently had a bad reaction when I ate a brand of pasta, though, that had just come out with their “gluten free” product. After I ate it, I was symptomatic for 2 weeks. So I understand your reader’s fear. I just stick to what I know and simple foods. Meat and fresh veggies. No processed foods. Except for what I already know I can eat. I don’t miss bread anymore. I miss cakes and a traditional dish that I make. But it’s gotten to the point where I’m so sick of the pain, “toilet management” and crappy feeling that eating it is not worth it. Thanks for writing this.

  19. Not only do I love this post, but I need to read the comments.

    I’m currently mostly g-free and it’s post Whole30/45. I haven’t reintroduced grains into my life. I’m not freaking out over salad dressings and things like that that surely have gluten in them, because it doesn’t impact me the way it did you – but I’m feeling so much better. Or I think I am. So I’m focusing on certain choices and picking the lettuce wraps over the buns and taking it slowly.

    Love this post. Adore you.

  20. My sister in law is celiac and I truly do not envy her or you when it comes to eating gluten free. It seems to be everywhere! Thankfully, after a time you get to know what brands of thus and so are gluten free and it makes cooking simpler. She has run into issues going out to eat where “gluten free” items actually aren’t prepared that way due to lax restaurants and it’s a shame…but I recall working in a restaurant. If people don’t like something they should just say they have a sensitivity or don’t like it. When you cay allergy it becomes all new knives and cutting boards and cleaning the grills and pans and it’s a royal PITA to do properly. When people say they are allergic and really just don’t like something it makes a cook want to spit in their food!
    For me I have other sensitivities…oranges and quinoa. Both won’t kill me but make me feel oh so very crappy and altho I love them I won’t eat them anymore. People ask me why I don’t eat them anymore and it’s simple – why would I make myself feel like crap?
    I’m glad you figured out the gluten thing so early on. šŸ™‚

  21. I went gluten free 2 years ago at the advice of my physician to see if it would improve my immune system. It did miraculously improve. If gluten slips into my food now I feel horrible for days. I suppose I never noticed how horrible I felt all the time before I stopped earring it.

  22. Love this post! I agree with what Jen from FitFork said… I think there is a lot of ‘gluten-shaming’ going on. It’s important to eat what makes YOU feel good, but I think there is a huge wave of people that are in the realm of saying ‘I don’t eat gluten, so you shouldn’t eat gluten’. Or are just un-educated on the subject matter and go gluten free because it’s trendy. Which drives me nuts, because it minimizes the seriousness of people who are severely allergic to gluten, or just sensitive to it like you!

  23. I honestly feel so lucky to not have to deal with this! I’ve seen extremes here as well from the HAVE to be GF to loose weight to having celiac disease and needed to be GF – way before it was a “thing.” I love this approach and know at least two people I can forward it to!

  24. My mother in law was diagnosed with celiac 6 or 7 years ago. After 3 abdominal surgeries due to intestinal blockages (years of celiac being undiagnosed led to much scar tissue causing many problems), she is super careful. Just in the short time since her initial diagnosis, it has become much easier to cook for her when she stays with us for 1-2 weeks each year. Labels now readily identify gluten free items. Restaurants have gluten free menus. But I hate taking her out to eat because I don’t trust restaurant kitchens most of the time. So I’ve gotten quite good at doing the gluten free thing when she is here. With all the products available now, I don’t have to change up our diet at all. But it is much easier to focus on the fresh and unprocessed when she is here. My grocery bill does run higher while she is here.

    Gluten free has become a punch line. I have to admit to rolling my eyes at some folks who do it for silly reasons (not that it isn’t their right). It is very serious for her, but we joke when she isn’t around. Because she is convinced all her children and grandchildren likely have celiac. Every single quirk (physical or mental) that she notices she’ll say “You know that is a symptom of celiac.” A headache? Celiac. Gassy? Celiac. Not hungry? Celiac. Really hungry? Celiac. Weight gain/loss? Celiac. No symptoms? That is the biggest indicator of celiac. She is angry that Steve’s doctor has advised him not to bother being tested (after she spent years insisting) because he has no reason to suspect.

  25. While i did not set out to be gluten free, i did set out years ago to finally lose the weight and keep it off by eating real food and eliminating processed foods. It worked and is still working. Experiment and eat what helps you feel healthy, that’s all i can say.

  26. Hi Carla! This is such good advice about eating in general. I don’t have a problem with gluten usually but I think we all would do well to pay attention to how our bodies feel and how we react to everything we consume. If we did then we would all feel better and wouldn’t have to “struggle” so much with our food. Thank you for making it so clear. ~Kathy

  27. I know several people who are GF but since I am not, I really have nothing to offer. I do find it fascinating that it can affect people so much yet others don’t seem phased by gluten at all. Thanks for posting this, I feel like I learned a lot!

  28. The four steps you list are so important for anyone looking to eliminate a problem food from their diet or transition to a healthier way of eating. I think it’s so important to eat what’s good for your body and be aware of what doesn’t make you feel good – for some it’s gluten, for others it’s dairy or legume or meat. I love your emphasis on whole foods! It saddens me when some people turn to Frankenfoods in order to eat GF.

  30. The only food product that I’ve every had to stay away from is dairy. Anything dairy šŸ™
    I’ve never done gluten free. I’ve tried a few items but it’s never been a lifestyle change for me. Glad you’ve found something that works for you šŸ™‚

  31. I love your approach to life/eating/thoughts…everything! I cut gluten out for over a month and felt fantastic. The moment I reintroduced it, my stomach hated me. Boo!

  32. My dad has gastric reflux, the kind that makes him throw up small mouthfuls on a regular basis. He’s had it all of his life. I have it too, but mine causes lots of burping and a burning sensation in my throat. Now, one of my daughters has it – the same type my dad has, although she occasionally suffers the same way that I do. she’s been tested for the H. Pyllori bacteria (which can sometimes cause this), but was negative (as was I). She’s had the test where they make her drink a chalky substance and then scan to see what happens to it. It went straight down her throat and into her stomach as it was supposed to. We will be seeing her doctor again in December, and I have been planning to ask if she shod be tested for gluten intolerance. I’m running out of things that might be causing this for her and I want to know what’s causing it so it can be treated. I’m actually hoping it IS gluten because then I will be able to do something about it.

  33. I’m still working on it. I have been diagnosed as gluten intolerant so I try to make a conscious effort to not eat gluten, unless it’s something that I really, REALLY want. Then, I eat it knowing how I will feel later and I don’t complain about it….much. šŸ™‚ I don’t have to be strict gluten free so I don’t try to avoid things like soy sauce or other sauces. I just try to stay away from gluten in grains. So far, it’s worked for me.

  34. A great post Carla! I really like that you pointed out that everyone does not have to go GF & maybe should not if there are no issues., Some do it just to do it…. Yes, eating whole foods is the best way to go!

  35. I’m coeliac (celiac) so HAVE to eat gluten-free, but have never ever felt better as a result. Lots of coeliacs talk about feeling fabulous after cutting out gluten but I’m still bloated and have upset stomachs very very often and I’ve never suddenly had more energy etc.

    I stick to my GF diet but very occasionally (when I’m in binge-eating mode) I’ll disregard the issue and eat something which I know has gluten. Not cake or bread or biscuits, but takeaway or chocolate which ‘could’ contain gluten.

    Of course when I do eat something with gluten, the side-effects aren’t pretty. Sometimes I get an incredibly bad headache and have to lie down, but mostly I’m just in the bathroom with food-poisoning like symptoms.

  36. As a recently diagnosed Celiac, I find it difficult to not stress about restaurants having hidden gluten too. But the worst is the silent judgement from everyone when I ask…as if they automatically assume I’m on some diet. How do you reconcile that?

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