My Not-So-Happy Journey to Eating Gluten-Free
About a decade ago, I began hearing folks talk about adopting a gluten-free (GF) diet. The trend seemed to be taking on a life of its own and I noticed that restaurants began accommodating these dietary restrictions. At the time, I didn’t understand the draw.
To be clear, I did understand it from the standpoint of folks who had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. But I didn’t understand why relatively healthy adults were also adopting this strange — and difficult — diet.
I had no intention of trying a GF diet myself, even though I had heard rave reviews about it from my friends who had tried it. I resisted it for years and my wall of resistance only came down when my boyfriend moved in and we were having to figure out ways for him to eat gluten-free.
We ate GF bread that tasted like cardboard. We tried GF pasta that formed a gummy mess. We took two bites of GF “cheddar” crackers before throwing them in the trash.
“Why would anyone do this?!?” I sighed.
At first it was very difficult for me to forego bread, pasta, and even some of my favorite vegetarian meals, which replaced meat with various gluten-rich alternatives. It took me many months to fully embrace this new diet and to feel its positive effects.
After eliminating all gluten for a time, I noticed that I felt “off” when I reintroduced it. My symptoms included brain fog, slight fever, and a general malaise. What was most stunning was that I had never noticed this before. In other words, when I ate gluten previously, I probably did feel unwell, but I didn’t recognize it because that low-level malaise felt normal to me.
Today, several years after first trying a GF diet, I now limit gluten, but I haven’t completed eliminated it from my diet. What I’ve discovered is that I can eat gluten in small quantities or occasionally and still feel generally well. Some of my friends have had a different experience and have found that they cannot tolerate even small amounts of gluten.
As I’ve learned more about GF diets and why people choose them, I’ve discovered some surprising facts. One stunning discovery that others have made (but I haven’t had the opportunity to try myself) is that they feel fine when they eat gluten in other countries but not in the U.S.
I’ve heard this enough times that it appears there is something in our U.S. food supply that does not exist in other countries (e.g., Europe). This unexpected finding has led a number of experts to conclude that the issue may not be gluten at all, but rather the toxins used to produce our food (most notably glyphosate).
You may think it odd that I’ve chosen to write about a GF diet in a blog about happiness.
How does a GF diet relate to happiness, exactly?
Quite simply, I feel happier when my physical health is optimal (and you will, too). It’s difficult to maintain a positive outlook when our physical body is suffering. Even a little brain fog or slight fever can be the difference between me having an excellent day and a so-so one.
Should you try adopting a GF diet for a time? I can’t say. Your specific dietary needs are personal, so if you have concerns, I recommend finding a physician who can guide you in creating a dietary plan for optimal health. I recommend finding a holistic practitioner (I chose a functional medicine practitioner) who understands the connection between our food choices and health.
The most important point I have to make about this subject is that food and health are intimately related. You simply cannot have excellent health while consuming food that doesn’t feed your body appropriately. Even if you feel well most of the time (as I did), taking note of what foods make you feel vital and which make you feel lethargic (for example) may lead to some surprising discoveries.
My current approach to food is that nothing is off-limits for me and sometimes I do eat terribly. (French fries and pizza are still two of my favorites!) But I pick my food battles, always thanking God for providing whatever I choose to consume, and I am mindful of the consequences before I choose poorly.
Sometimes just knowing that my joints will ache if I eat pizza rather than a salad is enough to convince me to have the salad. But, at other times, I may choose to have the pizza and, when I do, I enjoy it to the max! If I’m going to suffer later for my choice, I want to maximize my happiness while I’m eating what is not best for my body. ;)
My not-so-happy journey of trying a gluten-free diet was an informative venture that taught me to view food in a new way. I no longer view my dietary choices as “restrictions” but rather as opportunities for increasing my health. I feel free to eat anything I wish… but these days I more and more often wish for what makes me feel vibrant rather than sluggish.
Along the way, there were many surprises in store and some of them quite exciting. Stephen and I discovered how to make GF cupcakes in a variety of flavors (strawberry, blueberry, and orange) that we now share with our friends. We began eating more Asian food (which we already enjoyed), and found that we could even make some of our favorites at home. In general, we have expanded our food horizons and expect to do so even more.
Perhaps most importantly of all, it feels good to be taking control of my health by allowing my body to tell me what is working and what is not. There are so many conflicting messages about what is “healthy” and what is not that it can sometimes feel like the safest course of action is to eat nothing at all!
My journey included trying a GF diet, but it has not ended there. I am always searching for greater health through my food choices. Since I dislike cooking, this is a real challenge for me, but I celebrate even small wins in this area.
Most surprising of all is that, as I’ve become happier through other means (most of which I write about here), my food desires have been changing on their own. I don’t expect to eat perfectly all the time, but when I do eat well, my body rewards me by wanting more of what makes it feel good and less of what doesn’t.
Have you tried a gluten-free diet? Have you tried other diets simply for their health benefits (and not for weight loss)? What would happen if you mindfully explored your relationship to food?
Even if all you do is think about integrating more healthful foods into your life, that simple intention will cause positive changes. Be kind to yourself as you take on this part of your happiness (and wellness) journey, but do give it a try and see what happens. :)