Before I even knew i was on this journey I was diagnosed from my Chiropractor with Fibromyalgia.
I have had this pain forever and to me it is the norm. My Chiro was worried though and did the pressure point test on me. You have to have 11 of 18 and I had almost every one. So like the wonderful Chiro she is she did some research(as did I) into natural healing techniques for this disease.
Fibromyalgia is basically an inflammation in the body. One way to help with inflammation is eating a low inflammatory diet. So she suggested among other things a gluten free diet. There were many other options but I wanted to choose something that would be doable for me as a life change, not just a fad diet. At her suggestion of giving up all dairy I had to laugh. Unless the pain becomes debilitating I can't see myself doing that. I do however eat all organic dairy products. I am a healthy eater anyway so it really wasn't that hard for me to switch to Gluten Free but it was surprising all the places you will find gluten and not just in your food!
One of my best resources has been Vitacost.com and my Local Trader Joe's. Also my local grocer carries a wide range of GF products and I have also seen them in Wal-Mart.
Summary of the changes I made:
Breakfast: Easy Peasy:) I went from eating yogurt a banana and a whole grain granola bar for breakfast to eating the same thing but GF bar instead. Some mornings I like cereal so I switched to a GF variety. I have also found cream of buckwheat and on the mornings I have time to spend 10 minutes cooking it, I really enjoy it.
Lunch: A little more challenging and this is where I normally have to fudge a little. At first I just ate Chinese a lot since I can get rice a meat and a veggie. Well, apparently almost every sauce they use has wheat in it! I still eat it some but try to limit the saucy variety's I get. I checked online at all my fav fast food joints and was able to find quite a few things here and there that serve GF options. Some things may not be labeled GF but common sense tells you there are a lot of things you can still eat. (Although if you are highly allergic you should stay away from anything that is not actually be labeled GF. Some things like oatmeal are packaged on the same machines that package wheat food so there is cross contamination.) Trader Joe's also has some wonderful frozen items that are GF like tamales and taquitos! My fav bbq joint offers grilled chicken strips which is great and their sauce is GF!:)
Dinner: Basically no change. We switched our noodles to GF noodles and I no longer make rolls. You may be wondering "Isn't there GF bread?" Yes but as an added measure I have also sworn off yeast. As a bread worshiper this is harder for me than the gluten ban! But, I know that yeast is something my body really needs a break from. This part will probably not be permanent. I do want to find more out about the different kinds of yeast and those that are actually healthy for you. I did however find a brand called Chebe through Vitacost and they have mixes for GF breads, crackers, and pizza dough that is both gluten AND yeast free! I have made the pizza dough which even my picky hubby loved and am looking forward to making the onion rolls.
Dessert: BEST GF FIND EVER!! Gluten free brownies! proof God loves me and wants me to be happy:)
Snacks: I found these great nut mixes at my grocer. They are by Majans and are called Bhuja. Its a great spicy mix with crackers and noodles and nuts. All GF! I also snack on dried fruits, nuts and GF crackers I found at Walmart with hummus. Also organic GF corn chips and salsa!
Food I miss the most? I have found that with eating GF your really don't crave much. Its like your body just doesn't need it. Every now and then I do miss a good pb&j:)
In a future post I may just have to post a few GF recipes I have created:)
Results and experiences so far?:
My pain has reduced by 50% I would say, in the several months since I have been eating this way. Also with a little exercise I have lost almost 15 lbs. Which is a BIG deal for me because after I went on birth control when I was 17 I gained 70lbs in 9 months. That weight has NEVER budged no matter how hard I have tried to lose it.
Eating GF does force you to eat healthier and you also spend a lot more time cooking. As most things that are quick are not GF and are also not that great for you.
You may contribute the sudden need to Keep It Simple to the GF diet as I have heard it helps clear the fog from your mind! I would have to say I definitely feel less foggy!:)
Do you have any GF experiences? Questions or comments? Please feel free to comment below and share!
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