I imagine you are wondering how I knew I needed to give up all the delicious gluten filled treats in my life. Because really, who does that on a whim?
Let me start by saying I was resistant. Very resistant.
I mentioned in my first blog post that I didn't share with anyone that I was giving up gluten. (Ask my husband...I didn't even tell him!) This was in part because I had given up other things in the past with little success. I had given up dairy, fried foods, acid containing foods (tomatoes, etc.) to name a few. I also tried adding things. I drank aloe vera juice, took Chinese herbs, popped lactate pills, chewed on crystalized ginger, saw chiropractors, went to acupuncture. I even saw a self proclaimed medicine man. Yup! I tried it all. Nothing was working. Since my symptoms ranged from an urgent need for the bathroom to wishing I could go #2 (sorry...again...TMI) doctors thought it was IBS. They told me to limit my stress. Another doctor thought I had tape worm. (Tapeworm for several years?? Insert eye roll.) So in the summer of 2008 when my stomach problems were not going away (think doubled over after dinner) and other problems were coming up such as extreme fatigue, catching every cold that went by, frequent and painful cold sores in my mouth (a sign of immune distress), and an unhealthy weight, I had to do something.
At the time I was working at Williams-Sonoma as a manager and also building up my Pilates business. I was was rushing all over the LA freeways and often eating on the go. I was doing my best to eat what I thought was healthy - sandwiches on whole grain Ezekiel bread for lunch, Nature Valley Granola Bars for snacks, whole wheat pasta for dinner. But little did I realize this high gluten intake was the very thing that was leading to all my distress.
If you entered these symptoms in mighty Google now, I'm sure gluten intolerance would come up in a flash. But back in 2008 it took some searching. I found a few bloggers who had just started writing about being gluten free. Their stories sounded similar and it sounded like they were symptom free without gluten in their diet.
But remember, I was resistant.
Could I really give up muffins, scones, pizza, birthday cake and chocolate chip cookies? If this worked, would I ever enjoy a stack of pancakes, waffles, or a simple sandwich? I have to say those first bloggers gave me the confidence that I could and would. Their simple blogs (that are now deliciously developed) recounted their cooking wins and boasted tasty gluten free recipes. Those bloggers gave this foodie hope.
And so my gluten free journey started. I knew I needed to give up gluten to have the same success that they had. To be symptom free, or at least symptom-less.
Has it been successful? Absolutely. To date I have no stomach issues, great digestion, am completely free of constant cold sores, have a strong immunity and a healthy, consistent weight.
Recently, I was asked how long it took to notice a change once I eliminated gluten. If memory serves me correctly, the change was almost immediate. That being said, the symptoms came back when I ate something I didn't know contained gluten. That was a huge learning curve in itself! I had to be my own advocate by reading every label, talking to servers and chefs at restaurants and even educating my family. Believe it or not, I think it took a full year for me to be 99% gluten free.
For me, gluten free living was a huge lifestyle change that has been worth its weight in gold. I am so glad I finally found what was bothering me for over a decade!! Cheers to persistence!!
In finding your path to great health,
Francine
Let me start by saying I was resistant. Very resistant.
I mentioned in my first blog post that I didn't share with anyone that I was giving up gluten. (Ask my husband...I didn't even tell him!) This was in part because I had given up other things in the past with little success. I had given up dairy, fried foods, acid containing foods (tomatoes, etc.) to name a few. I also tried adding things. I drank aloe vera juice, took Chinese herbs, popped lactate pills, chewed on crystalized ginger, saw chiropractors, went to acupuncture. I even saw a self proclaimed medicine man. Yup! I tried it all. Nothing was working. Since my symptoms ranged from an urgent need for the bathroom to wishing I could go #2 (sorry...again...TMI) doctors thought it was IBS. They told me to limit my stress. Another doctor thought I had tape worm. (Tapeworm for several years?? Insert eye roll.) So in the summer of 2008 when my stomach problems were not going away (think doubled over after dinner) and other problems were coming up such as extreme fatigue, catching every cold that went by, frequent and painful cold sores in my mouth (a sign of immune distress), and an unhealthy weight, I had to do something.
At the time I was working at Williams-Sonoma as a manager and also building up my Pilates business. I was was rushing all over the LA freeways and often eating on the go. I was doing my best to eat what I thought was healthy - sandwiches on whole grain Ezekiel bread for lunch, Nature Valley Granola Bars for snacks, whole wheat pasta for dinner. But little did I realize this high gluten intake was the very thing that was leading to all my distress.
If you entered these symptoms in mighty Google now, I'm sure gluten intolerance would come up in a flash. But back in 2008 it took some searching. I found a few bloggers who had just started writing about being gluten free. Their stories sounded similar and it sounded like they were symptom free without gluten in their diet.
But remember, I was resistant.
Could I really give up muffins, scones, pizza, birthday cake and chocolate chip cookies? If this worked, would I ever enjoy a stack of pancakes, waffles, or a simple sandwich? I have to say those first bloggers gave me the confidence that I could and would. Their simple blogs (that are now deliciously developed) recounted their cooking wins and boasted tasty gluten free recipes. Those bloggers gave this foodie hope.
And so my gluten free journey started. I knew I needed to give up gluten to have the same success that they had. To be symptom free, or at least symptom-less.
Has it been successful? Absolutely. To date I have no stomach issues, great digestion, am completely free of constant cold sores, have a strong immunity and a healthy, consistent weight.
Recently, I was asked how long it took to notice a change once I eliminated gluten. If memory serves me correctly, the change was almost immediate. That being said, the symptoms came back when I ate something I didn't know contained gluten. That was a huge learning curve in itself! I had to be my own advocate by reading every label, talking to servers and chefs at restaurants and even educating my family. Believe it or not, I think it took a full year for me to be 99% gluten free.
For me, gluten free living was a huge lifestyle change that has been worth its weight in gold. I am so glad I finally found what was bothering me for over a decade!! Cheers to persistence!!
In finding your path to great health,
Francine
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