Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Week 1

Gluten Free Week 1

I survived the first week of going gluten free.  It was a tough week of not knowing what's inside of all these packaged products, so I decided not buying a lot of packaged items at the store.  I just mainly shopped on the perimeter of the grocery store where all the natural foods are in the first place.  I usually do that, but occasionally I would slip up and hear the potato chips calling my name.  I'm getting more disciplined with myself.

Tips that helped me stay disciplined is 1) Stay focused to get healthy 2) Get educated on diet 3) Have a plan and stick to it

Stay Focused to get Healthy

Tell yourself the reason why I went on this diet is to get healthy.  The only way my Celiac Disease is going to get cured is having this lifestyle change.  No junk food or bread is worth one day or taste, so I cause myself to get sick again.  Tell yourself do you want feel lousy again?  Do you want the headaches and pain to come back again?  I know if I tell myself that I eventually talk myself out of giving in to eating a slice of bread or that cupcake or whatever it may be.  

Get Educated on Diet  

Lately, I've been reading a couple of books and websites to get myself educated on diet.  Some books I recommend reading is The

Gaps Gut and Psychology Syndrome By Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD., and another book called Breaking The Vicious Cycle Intestinal Health Through Diet By Elaine Gottschall B.A., M.Sc.  Both of these books have great insight on intestinal health and why it is important to heal your gut and how it connects to basically every part of your body.  I've been also going to the Celiac Disease Foundation website at www.celiac.org for dietary tips and information.  It tells you how to get tested, what is Celiac Disease, gluten sensitivity, treatment, gluten free diet, and the list goes on.  These resources certainly helped me to get better informed and how I can manage my symptoms.  I highly urge everyone that's having intestinal issues to seek medical attention from your doctor.



Have a Plan and Stick to It

My plan is to get better.  I plan on being on this diet by taking the advice of my doctor and the experts on intestinal health.  This time I'm serious.  No more fooling around and listening to other people that say, 'It wouldn't hurt to have wheat just once, right."  "Uh, no thanks, I"ll pass, I don't want to get sick again".  Hopefully, they will get the message and not get offended.  I've implemented advice from Gaps diet and the SCD diet to see if those options will help me in the long term.  So far it is helping short term because just for a few days being on a gluten free diet and SCD diet I feel lighter and have more energy.  I don't feel overly full after eating, the headaches and abdominal pain was gone and I don't get up in the middle of the night like before.  I certainly feel better by changing my eating habits and take things day by day.  I tell myself to be patient and the results will come.  The best advice I can tell you that the plan I'm sticking to is forever.  

Stay tuned for the next week on the Gluten Free Diet Challenge