gluten free

I have an appointment to go and talk to someone about my nutrition and suspected gluten intolerance. The more I read about celiac and gluten sensitivity, the more convinced I am that this is my issue.

Last December, after my doctor suggested that I cut out a lot of the carbs I was eating, I felt better than ever! I still ate fruits and veggies but completely did away with all grains in my diet. I immediately felt much, much, much better than I ever had. I could eat until I was full and not feel sick, bloated and crampy after the meal. Generally, even when I do not overeat I am sick afterward. Also, even though I was eating plenty of natural sugar the weight fell off of my body.

Through my life, I've always eaten a carb-heavy diet. It's what I love. Originally, I attributed my better digestion to some sort of sugar-carb addiction that I had broken. Now, I'm certain that it's because I have an actual problem with gluten or some related issue.

When I began eating grains again in small portions, I would have a sandwich in a whole grain wrap or a salad with quinoa and barley. I might have one of these things one time in three days, so I wasn't going crazy or over-doing it. I noticed that I immediately started getting eczema. I mentioned this to my mom, who said that I was allergic to barley as a baby. It gave me rashes and eczema. I also noticed that when I ate these foods I'd feel so sick. I could eat rice or eat things that I've made with gluten free flour and not suffer from it. It makes so much sense.

It will be really interesting to have a few tests and see if this is an actual problem of mine.

It's funny, you never actually know that there's something wrong with you until you feel great. This reminds me of how amazing I felt after I began taking my thyroid medication. I remember thinking, "I had no idea how tired I was until I had energy again." For my whole life I just assumed that everyone finished a meal and felt sick and bloated no matter how much they ate. It wasn't until I stopped eating grains that I realized that I could enjoy food and not feel like I was about to explode.