My daughter has been on a Gluten Free journey for the last three months. Her sore tummies and low energy seemed to indicate some kind of dietary problem, though nothing showed up in the blood tests apart from being low in iron and having a positive reaction to some kind of unspecified allergen.
Thankfully my sister and brother-in-law were on hand to help solve the mystery, and suggested gluten intolerance. My bro-in-law is a chiropractor who has specialised in neurology. My sister and nephew are both gluten-intolerant and have become masters of delicious gluten-free baked goodies.
After just a short time going gluten free my girl's sore tummies cleared up. And the fun really began trying to figure out how to cook gluten free dinners (I'm a lazy chef, I like quick'n'easy, and won't cook multiple meals), how to make a gluten free birthday party, how to find edible GF bread and snacks and treats.
In the middle of all this, my bro-in-law kept suggesting that I may be gluten intolerant too.
He says, a sore tummy is just one symptom. A lot of other problems can be cleared up by eliminating gluten, he says.
The symptoms can include any combination of: Low energy (low iron is an indicator), fuzzy-headedness, headaches, bloating, spotty skin, difficulty losing weight, fluid retention, gradual weight gain, flatulence, depression and tiredness.
Hmmmm. That does all sound very familiar.
But can I really do without my scones? My muffins? My donuts? By chip'n'marmite sarnies???
Well, er, my waistline says, YES! In fact my waistline and ever-increasing butt scream: "Help!! Do something" and my lack of energy shouts: "I need to go to the gym but I just caaaaaan't!"
Then the lovely Cat started a health-kick blog and I quietly admired her resolution. And wished I had her determination. Because my tummy still resembles a five-month pregnancy and lets just say that clothes shopping is a trial not a delight.
And on Saturday I was chatting to a friend whose daughter has also gone gluten free. She was diagnosed on the autism spectrum and her Harvard-trained specialist recommend a gluten-free diet (along with other dietary changes). My friend cannot believe the change in her daughter's behaviour. She says, unbelievable.
Then my sister made the yummiest gluten free choc caramel slice for dessert on Saturday night. Man, gluten free can taste great. It needn't be a life of deprivation!
So this morning I woke up and decided: I am going to try to go gluten free for the next two weeks and see what happens.
I have a spotty face. I have a sore tummy, bloating and er, other embarrassing symptoms. My head is fuzzy at best, my memory is shocking. I have frequent headaches, am always low in energy. I need to get healthy. I need to lose some weight (not even for vanity reasons, just for feeling good in my own skin, and having more energy).
So. This morning I had GF toast for breakfast. It was quite yummy, tasted like Vogels (it's Venerdi).
Dinners will be easy as we are already Gluten Free at dinnertime. So that just leaves lunch. I might go back to my bowl of chopped fruit with yoghurt and LSA. Healthy and delicious.
In two weeks I will report back and tell you how my experiment went and whether it will become a permanent thing. Me. Gluten Free.