Gluten-free Zone

A couple of years ago, I discovered that I had an allergy to gluten, or sensitivity or intolerance...I really don't know which term to use. All I know is that whenever I ate products with gluten, I felt absolutely miserable.

I remember the first time I learned about people with gluten allergies. I thought it was another one of those made up diets that people come up with to make them seem special. Little did I know that not only is this a real thing, but a world-wide epidemic. This isn't just an "American" problem, but something that has been affecting people all over the globe.

A few years ago, I had a coworker who was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease (CD). CD, is a serious auto-immune disease with a whole host of complications associated with it that I won't get into here. I was complaining about bloating and other afflictions when she thoughtfully said to me, "I had those same symptoms before I was diagnosed with Celiac's" and me, being a bread & pizza lover like everyone else said "You take that back right now!" Ha, was she onto something.

Fast forward a year or so and painful symptoms that I just thought was normal and my sister introduced me to "Grain Brain" by Dr. Perlmutter. I poured over this book like my bible. I started quoting Dr. Perlmutter like he was the Buddha. I learned that my migraines could be the cause of eating gluten. And then there was Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis explaining all of the gut issues associated with gluten. I didn't cut out gluten altogether, but I reduced my intake significantly. I'd go weeks without eating  any sandwiches.

One weekend, thinking that I would be okay, I ate a wheat product per day. One day it was a piece of baguette, the other day it was a pizza, the following day a croissant. I thought I was going to be fine but 2 days later I had a migraine. It didn't immediately occur to me that it was the gluten, I just thought I had a migraine. I started to think that I ate too much and I should take it easy next time. Another weekend out of town and I ate a bagel one day and a sandwich the next. Again, 2 days later, I had a migraine. But this was the mother of all migraines. This was the migraine that basically ended my cheating affair with all things gluten. Imagine a sharp pain like someone driving a nail through your eye. Imagine this sharp, throbbing pain for 2-3 days in a row, including when you were trying to sleep. Add the uncomfortable bloating to the mix.

Now, I have not been formally tested, but I haven't suffered a migraine since. I have slipped up and felt the effects a day or two later.  I have my theories to why I became sensitive to gluten which I will explore in later posts. But, if you find that you get uncomfortable after eating, then you should try an elimination diet. I highly suggest reading the books, Grain Brain & Wheat Belly and checking out this video blow by Dr. Tom O'Bryan. This will all enlighten you on the evils of gluten.