Gluten

Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

A few months ago I realized that my body was going through some changes (i.e. unexplained weight gain) thinking maybe I needed to frequent the gym more often I tried with no success.  Thinking I wasn't eating 'right' I went on a slight diet with again no success.  I researched and researched some more online until I started a food diary.  A few weeks of monitoring my food and my body I found the culprit, gluten.  But I didn't even really know what gluten was, come to find out gluten is a key building block in a lot of my favorite foods: cupcakes, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, pizza, pasta, and bread.

It's been about a month, give or take, that I have been completely gluten free.  G is eating what I fix at the house but when we are out eating he eats gluten, like normal.  I can tell a huge difference and the issues I was experiencing with my body have for the most part disappeared.  I have yet to receive a diagnosis, but after the holidays I hope to find out the extent of my intolerance.  No matter which way the results sway I think this is going to be the new me, the new gluten free me.

The holidays were probably the worst time to have to start such an "extreme" diet; the parties, the dinners, the sweets.  I'm slowly learning to cook and bake gluten free but it will be a long road until I master eating at home and eating out.  I still slip up from time to time, as I learn what I can and cannot eat, and I can tell almost immediately if I've eaten a gluten food; I gain about 10 pounds in a matter of minutes and my skin itches all over. 

I'm not one for making resolutions; studies show people only stick to them for approximately 21 days.  But my one 'goal' is too get a better handle on my gluten sensitivity.  I've only been eating gluten free since November and there is so much I don't know; with time and some research hopefully it will all get easier.