That Darn Tootin' Gluten

Okay, so this isn't wheat- just the weeds growing in the empty lot across the street from us, but I didn't have any other photos to go with this story.

After a lot of research and many evenings of feeling like crap and wondering what I can do about it, I have decided to go gluten free for awhile. It seems like many of the issues I'm dealing with right now, are also symptoms of an intolerance to gluten. And since I am a carb queen, it won't hurt for me to see if indeed gluten is the culprit behind my recent physical ailments. I have decided that once we get back from vacation, I will give up gluten. All the way, not just some foods, and not just some days. 100%. That is the only way I will find out if I have a gluten intolerance or not. Yes, I know there is a blood test I can take, but if I stop eating gluten and my symptoms improve then that's all I really need to know to keep me going.

By the time we return from our trip, it will be a few days before April. I am going to spend the entire month of April learning to eat gluten free. We don't have any trips planned or family coming to visit, so it seems like a good time to start this new venture. The reading that I've done says that as many as 3 million Americans are gluten sensitive and don't know it, they just feel crummy all the time and get misdiagnosed with things like IBS or chronic fatigue. And if April goes well, then I will aim for one more month gluten free, and then etc etc etc.

I was very uneducated about what gluten is. I thought I knew enough about it because I read a lot of health magazines. I just assumed that since gluten was in bread and pasta, that it meant gluten was in all carbs. Not so. Things like rice or potatoes or corn do not have gluten in them. Neither does sugar, thank you! But unfortunately almost all processed foods do, and I rely heavily on frozen dinners or pre-marinated meats and fish or bottled sauces to doctor up dishes. No more. It will be strictly whole foods like lean meats and veggies and fruits. No crackers or sodas or spaghetti or salad dressing. Nothing that comes out of a box or a bag or a jar. I know they make gluten free breads and cake mixes and pastas made from funky stuff, but for right now I don't plan to experiment too much with that.

As always, my focus is to lose weight, but it's also to be healthy overall and feel better and have energy and live a life that I can love. Although I won't be blogging while we are on vacation next week, I look forward to coming home and starting on this new phase of taking better care of myself. And recording it here. It may work out, or it may be a big flop where I just can't give up bread, or it may turn out that even if I stick with this it may not cure my ills. I know right about now, my husband is reading this and will say that he supports me in any decisions I make. He is more than willing to eat a whole food diet, sans carbs, and hopefully we will both benefit from this.

But until then, I have nine days on the road of eating to (dread) look forward to and enjoy. Everyone take care until I get back!

Sandy