So this rounds out the second week of being gluten-free. My reasons for turning into this ultra-picky eater and now being one of those girls I used to roll my eyes at when they ordered…is due to health concerns and doctors orders. All came about from unexplained abdominal pain that has been ongoing really for years. It started on and off and now has been constant. Being gluten-free I have noticed a big change in how I feel. Used to feel a lot like I had this fog in my brain. Also used to be food obsessed with major cravings. And every time I was eating I was already thinking about what I would eat next. Now I have to remind myself to eat so the crazy ongoing cravings and thoughts of food are no longer consuming me. And I just feel better all around…….but anyways enough about that part and more about the gluten-free part.
It’s not as hard as I first thought. I was worried in the beginning when I learned it was basically no wheat or barley and that a lot of processed things that you wouldn’t think have wheat in them actually do or are made in a facility that makes other things with wheat in them so that means you can’t have those things either. So that left what? Potatoes and corn and corn flour. This seemed overwhelming. But I have found easy to find things to eat. Good things too. Things don’t make me miss all the stuff I would eat before. Things like an omelet with asparagus, tomatoes and ham and cheese. Or whole grain waffles with blueberries. Or a grilled chicken salad with strawberries, fresh feta cheese lightly drizzled with olive oil, basalmic, garlic, and a freshly squeezed lemon. Vegetable stir fry with steamed rice. I was never a big fan of processed foods before but there are some gluten-free ones that I have gladly packed my pantries like brownie mix, rice crackers, cornbread mix, coconut flour, almond and soy and others which have all sorts of recipes for them like pizza dough and cake. Plus all that healthy stuff like fruits and vegetables that actually tastes better now.
So I am watching what I eat to make sure it’s gluten-free but I also don’t want to lose sight of the calorie content or the fat content too. My family has jumped on board too and doesn’t mind me cooking this way. I have also been pleasantly surprised to find things on menus at restaurants that are labeled gluten-free or that are just naturally gluten-free. I am going to keep on keeping on the gluten-free lifestyle. The doctor says in 6 weeks we will reevaluate how I feel then.
