Eating a gluten-free diet has become somewhat trendy in recent years. But is it a fad diet or a forever lifestyle? And what are the gluten free diet benefits?
Years ago when I decided to try a gluten-free diet it was out of desperation. I struggled with acne, brain fog, mood swings, recurrent sinus infections and daily headaches. In my 20's, the headaches lead to an Excedrin addiction - I needed one just to get out of bed in the morning.
I was beyond frustrated.
When an alternative doctor suggested avoiding gluten, I thought she was crazy. But eventually, I decided I had nothing to lose. When I finally committed to TRYING it, it saw immediate improvement.
It took me years to stick to a gluten-free diet faithfully but every time I "fell off" the wagon I became more committed to feeling better.
Having this experience and now anecdotal evidence from working with hundreds of clients, I can tell you that MOST people respond positively to a gluten-free diet. But WHY?
Many of use cannot properly process gluten. Even if you don’t show symptoms or don’t recognize the symptoms, gluten slowly damages the cells of our intestinal lining and can create leaky gut and inflammation.
Eventually this decreases quality of life.
What's more is that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is so heavy in gluten that it's displacing more nutrient-dense foods and often creating a hyper caloric situation that leads to weight gain. Many of my clients see immediate weight loss when trialing a gluten free diet.
So what's the best way to try a gluten free diet for yourself?
First, I recommend getting a Celiac Test to rule out whether you do have Celiac (a gluten allergy) before removing gluten. The test is much less accurate after removing gluten.
Once you've ruled out Celiac, set a start date on your calendar for "going gluten-free" and aim to do so for 30 days. This is really just giving you a timeline to do the following:
Make a list of naturally gluten free foods that you love - do your research to figure out what those are if you need to!
Go grocery shopping - read every label! Wheat must be listed as an allergen but look for the "Gluten free" label, too. (Note: Gluten free food products should be limited. Just because it says gluten free doesn’t mean it’s healthy! These are often highly processed and high in sugar.)
Stock your kitchen with fresh/frozen fruits, vegetables, meats, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and healthy fats. A well-stocked kitchen will be the KEY to success!
Try a gluten free diet for a minimum of 2 weeks and see how you feel - what improvements do you notice? Only once you know how your body responds can you determine if it's a fad or forever lifestyle!
Need help with your gluten free diet? All of my programs are gluten free. Ask me about your next steps!
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