Gltuen Free- Fad or Necessity?

Going out to dinner used to be a treat. Not having to cook and clean up after yourself is always a nice break, right? Over the past six months, going out to eat has become more like a pull on the slot machine. It's a challenge to understand from the outsiders' point of view, I know. For others, I'm sure it seems as though one day, I flipped a switch and started saying "I can't eat that." Which is somewhat true, but it's not so much a choice, like veganism or something, as it is a gaining of knowledge. Yes, I am capable of eating grains, and no, my throat won't swell shut if I do. However, a myriad of other things takes place that aren't enjoyable and are quite disgusting. I've also started to learn just what I would be doing to my body, and passing along to my someday children, by choosing to ignore my body's intolerance.

I'm not talking cutting carbs. I'm talking purging poison.

So did I "flip a switch" one day? Or -if this is truly a disease or intolerance- wouldn't I have felt these effects all along? Well, I did. But I didn't know that I felt bad, until I discovered what it felt like to feel good. Make sense?

Beer, bagels, flour tortillas, fettuccine, and french bread used to be my favorite food groups.

In an effort to keep my blog not disgusting, I'll spare you the details, you can do your own research if you're curious. I'm not saying everybody who has these issues is allergic to wheat. I'm saying that I fought and fought against these ailments with no real answers or solutions. Then, I stopped eating grain products and every single one of them was solved. Every single one of them also returns on the occasion of contamination. Coincidence? It's possible I suppose, but ignoring the facts would be like touching a hot burner just to see if it's a coincidence that I was getting burned.

I haven't pursued medical diagnosis of gluten intolerance/allergy or celiac disease. It's a process that involves many weeks of ingesting gluten and receiving test results that could be inconclusive. Why force myself to feel like crap just to pay a doctor to confirm that something makes me feel like crap?

• Eczema- I'm talking to the point of embarrassment. I got comments like "It looks like something's been chewing on your legs""What the heck happened? Is that a sunburn?" "It looks like your hair is falling out" oh, speaking of which.....
• Alopceia
• Acne (honestly, I still gots acne, but there is noticeable improvement after diet changes)
• Insomnia
• Migraines
• Digestive,  umm.......difficulties and bloating
• Joint pain
• Hay fever and chronic nasal congestion
• Obsessive-Compulsive like tendencies (picking, scratching, twitching, repetitive tasks)
• Focus and concentration difficulty
• General fatigue (and loss of mojo)
• Mood swings and anxiety (just ask my husband about this one!)

I met the husband after work this evening because he had a craving for Chinese food. Anyone familiar with gluten an/or Chinese food knows that this means only one thing for me this evening.... let the itchy red skin, headache, and insomnia ensue!

I highly recommend The Gluten Connection by Shari Lieberman. LOTS of info up in here.

*Please remember I'm by no means an expert on food intolerances or dietary needs. I'm simply sharing my experience with you.