The Struggles and Rewards of Going Gluten-Free: My Honest Journey
I will never forget the first gluten free birthday cake I ever ate. It was 2007, before going gluten free was popular. The cake was vanilla and it felt like a hard sponge that crumbled immediately when I took a bite. I should’ve just eaten it with a spoon and some milk because it was basically cereal at that point. I was only 9 years old and not yet gluten free, but I remember thinking about how much I never wanted to eat a gluten free cake again. A few months later is when I started my personal gluten free journey and it was not always a fun experience.
Why did I go Gluten Free?
Since I was a baby I always had tummy issues. My parents always blamed it on something else- colic, anxiety, stress, food poisoning, dairy, etc. And it definitely could have been any one of those things! However, I wonder if that pain could all be related to undiagnosed celiac disease?
I was around 7yrs old when my symptoms began being a noticeable problem. At first it was subtle- mild stomach cramping that we attributed to anxiety. Around 8yrs old I started an elimination diet but by 9yrs old the abdominal cramps worsened. I spent hours in the bathroom crying because of my abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, you name it. It progressed to vomiting and I was chronically nauseous. I was so afraid of throwing up that I slept with a pot in my bed every night for 5 YEARS!! We did not realize that all these symptoms were also symptoms of gluten intolerance or celiac disease until my younger brother (4) was diagnosed with celiac disease. He was going through a series of issues himself, so when he started showing relief from eating gluten free, my mom decided that I should try it too.
How did I go Gluten Free?
It took a full year for me to give up gluten completely. I did not want to stop eating all the yummy food I grew up with and was used to. It was really hard to develop the self control needed to advocate for my health, especially at such a young age. So, here are the 4 simple steps that I used to start my gluten free journey:
1. No More Bread.
When I finally started eliminating gluten from my life, I started with the biggest item: no more bread. Instead I would eat peanut butter and jelly on plain rice cakes or corn tortillas. I learned how to make my own gf bread (I used Glutino’s Sandwich Bread Mix). Since bread was the main source of gluten for me, eliminating that first made a huge difference.
2. Read Food Labels
I learned how to read food labels and identify what keywords meant there was gluten in the food. At first, I still ate foods with labels that read “may contain wheat.” However, over time I became more strict and cut those out too. For a full list, read “Sources of Gluten” from the Celiac Disease Foundation.
3. Hidden Gluten & Cross Contact
I learned that there is hidden gluten everywhere! It takes practice and time to master reading food labels and know what foods and products have hidden gluten. I made a list of 22+ items with hidden gluten in your home that you should be aware of!
4. Gluten Free Substitutes
Find some good gluten free products that you like that you can replace with your typical products. Back in 2008, gf products were few and far between. We are so lucky nowadays to have so many options and that several companies have changed their recipes to accommodate the gluten free community.
*Please note, this is not a complete beginners guide to going gluten free. These are just a few simplified steps that I personally used to help start my journey. Everyone’s journey looks different. Consult your doctor on what you should do when starting your gluten free diet.
Struggles of Being Gluten Free
Some days being gluten free is easy and fun, while other days it absolutely sucks. It is not an easy lifestyle to maintain. My hope is that sharing my experience can help you with yours! These are the struggles I face since beginning my gluten free journey.
1. Inconvenient & Limited Options
The biggest challenge with going gluten-free was giving up the convenience of eating. It is still what I miss the most 17 years later! When I was eating gluten I could go to any restaurant and eat whatever I wanted, no stress. Now, I have to plan ahead, scour menus, and spend extra money to get something I can eat. You may luck out with 1-2 items on a menu that are “gluten friendly,” but not necessarily safe. For the longest time I stopped dining out because my options were so limited. Usually, I was stuck with salads, but now there are several chain restaurants that offer gf buns or they have grilled chicken options.
2. Social Gatherings
For me, social gatherings are rather painful. I was 10 when I went gluten free, and being a kid with this diet is extra hard! Those years are filled with class parties, birthday parties, school events, sports games, etc. Your life revolves around your friends and trying to fit in. I remember how awful it felt not being able to have all the fun foods my friends were having. Even though it was never on purpose, it still left me feeling alone a lot of the time. However, I am so grateful for the friends I had when I was a teenager. By then it was the mid-2010s, and being gluten free was more recognized. There were so many gluten free options for bread, snacks, and restaurants, it was great! Some of my friends also had special dietary needs, so we were always looking out for each other.
3. Dealing with Complaints
Being gluten free can feel like a burden to ourselves and others. I overheard friends and family complain about trying to accommodate me and my gluten free diet. It was hard to feel welcome knowing people found it annoying to include me. I know it was not me personally, rather the changes that being gluten free required, but it often still left me feeling like a burden. I would bring my own dishes to gatherings and did my best to help out in the kitchen to make up for it, but I will never forget those frustrated comments.
4. Risk of Cross Contact
There is gluten everywhere. It took several years for me to accept that I may still have gluten-attacks and flare ups. When traveling, staying with family, trying new restaurants or products, you run the risk of getting contaminated. I am careful, I advocate for myself, I hand select and make my own food, but there is always risk. I learned that I need to not fear it or let that stop me from living my life.
Rewards from Being Gluten Free
My gluten free journey has been a rollercoaster. For how challenging it was to make this transition, the benefits of a gluten free diet have outweighed all the heartache. I have found a great community of friends that have educated themselves and support me. My symptoms and chronic pain have reduced, I have more energy, feel better and more confident. I can go out and be around people without fear of destroying the nearest bathroom. There is a lot of prep and planning I do before every outing, but it is not so daunting anymore. There is still risk, but after 17 years I am more confident and at peace with my diagnosis. I am not afraid to live my life anymore!
If you are new to the gluten free world, welcome! I am so glad you’re here. It can be an overwhelming diagnosis, with so many questions and information for you to process. I promise it gets easier. Going gluten free is a lifestyle change- it is a complete transformation of the life you once lived. But that does not mean your life is over. It is a new beginning and new opportunities! Do not feel like you have to be perfect and know everything all at once. Start small, build your knowledge over time. And have fun with it!
What are your biggest questions about going gluten-free? Let me know in the comments!