Gluten-Free Babe: My quest to live gluten-free for 30 days

Yesterday was the final day of my gluten-free experiment. And I have to admit - I cheated toward the end of the day. We were at Wrigley Field, watching the Cubs get slammed by the Milwaukee Brewers, and I just had to drown my sorrows in an Old Style. The folks I was with agreed it was July 1 somewhere so I went for it.

You know you’ve been missing beer when an Old Style tastes good! Seriously, I’ve been vigilant about sticking to the diet, but I didn’t realize just how much I missed a few old favorites. We also went out to dinner that night and I had some delicious handmade ravioli at our favorite local restaurant.

It’s been an interesting month. I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve still got lots to learn. I’m back to my gluten-y lifestyle for now, and I’ll monitor how I feel for the next few days and compare it to how I was doing gluten-free.

If I feel about the same, then I’ll count this experiment as totally worthwhile - I learned things, hopefully people enjoyed the blog and learned from it, and I feel like I can write with more knowledge about celiac disease and other food allergies.

If I feel worse with gluten in my system again, then I’ll go back to living gluten-free for good. I can see it’s possible, and I don’t have to give up very much - so if it seems like it’s worth it, then I’ll go for it. It’s all one big experiment.

Thanks to everyone who commented and offered their guidance and support. It’s meant a ton to me! I’ll post a few more updates depending on what happens.

I have the most excellent friends! Everyone has been great this month, not just understanding but enthusiastic about helping me eat well. Kirsti and Greg showed up a couple weeks ago with special treats. Natalie called last night to make sure I knew about the Wild Oats grocery store’s gluten-free ice cream social coming up. (Too bad I have to miss it because of travel!)

And last night, Matt and Meg cooked a fantastic dinner. Chips and salsa, followed by dill rice (with fresh dill from their garden, no less!), a grilled corn succotash that included red onions, edamame, green beans, tomatos, fresh basil and a yummy dressing with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Grilled pork chops with a tasty, spicy rub from The Spice House. (You really must try their rubs and seasoning combos!) And a big bowl of berries for dessert. All gluten-free naturally!

I felt so spoiled. They had made a similar spread earlier in the week and thought of me. Isn’t that nice? I think it just goes to show you that if you take the time and action to build a solid circle of friends - your support team (which I talk about a ton on ChronicBabe) you get to have special treats and surprises. And you feel less like a weirdo or an imposition and more like a welcome friend. You gotta love that!

So I haven’t posted much, mostly because a huge pain flare-up in my hands really limited my ability to type. Now I’m starting to learn how to use Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software, with big hopes that I will be able to get up to speed and maybe even work faster, hands-free.

It made me think about the gluten-free thing, though, and wonder if it’s helping any in the pain department. I’m not jumping ship yet, but I’m wondering. And trying to be patient.

Meanwhile, I ate out a lot this weekend and think I did pretty well. At a middle eastern restaurant, there were many options for me - so that was a real treat. (Not to mention the whole reason I was going out that night, but that’s another tale.) I’m getting better with ordering and asking questions, and with all the reading I’ve been doing I’m getting better acquainted with “no-no” ingredients, and it feels great.

I also tried Anheuser-Busch’s Redbridge gluten-free beer, and it’s yummy! I like it a lot more than the other brand I tried earlier this month, and it sounds like some bars are starting to carry it.

And…I learned a good lesson about letting my guard down. I gnoshed with some neighbors last night, who were kind enough to offer up some leftovers from their previous day’s BBQ. I chomped into a tasty salmon-spinach-feta goodie from the grill, and was about to have another bite when I thought, hey, I should really double-check the ingredients. Of course: breadcrumbs. The label even said “with gluten protein.” If I had celiac disease, I would have really been upset (and really sick). As it was, I realized that I have to be ever-vigilant, and not always trust it when folks say something is gluten-free. They’ll do their best, but it’s up to me to check labels, and as I read on one web site, “when in doubt, leave it out.”

So overall, things are going well. I’m learning! I have the feeling I always will be if I choose to make this a long-term lifestyle choice.

Not from eating gluten-free. No! Never.

Seriously, though, I considered it a couple times. I had a couple of annoying incidents that served as reminders that I’m not so hot when it comes to meal planning. Let’s just say, two trips to the grocery store in one day. Let’s just say, dinner of cherries, cheese and rice cakes. Hmm. Not so hot.

But I’m learning. I stuck with the small meals, more frequently plan this weekend and it was great. Enjoyed some time with pals and ate lots of good-for-me foods. I cooked some, too, which I’m getting back into the groove of.

I’ve decided it’s less important to catalog every item I eat (because there’s a lot of repetition) and more important to write about things I try for the first time, or experiences that have to do with going GF. So the focus of this blog is shifting a little from its original intent. Just so you know.

Yesterday, I followed the frequent, smaller meals approach again, topped off with lazy gnoshing at an evening concert at Millennium Park, where my pal Natalie was singing. It was lovely! And because I had plenty of variety in what I brought, it didn’t make me crazy that I couldn’t eat the crackers and cookies that other folks had. And as usual, my very thoughtful pals also brought things they knew I could eat. They rock!

• A few observations after the first two weeks (lots of folks have asked what I’ve learned so far):
• I am learning how to spot hidden no-no ingredients, but I have so much more to learn.
• Meal planning (and shopping accordingly) is a must for success. (I think this follows for ANY diet, actually.)
• Smaller, more frequent meals are more fun, easier, and keep my energy consistent throughout the day.
• Having snacks around is key. Those should include cheese, nuts, fruit, veggies, rice crackers, etc. Those ridiculously good Pamela’s Products chocolate chip mini cookies are also…essential. 
• Restaurants are tricky, and I need to get more comfortable asking questions and pushing for more detailed answers. Overcoming shyness in this area is key.
• If going gluten-free really is going to reduce (or eliminate my PMS), then I think I’m sold for life.
• Because I’m not a celiac babe, I’m wondering if I can occasionally cheat a smidge - like at an upcoming wedding, where I’ll want to eat a bite or two of Steve’s slice of wedding cake. So I’m doing my homework. My guess is that it’s not a huge deal, but not something to make a habit of.
• When I am (or you are!) trying something new, it’s great to put it out there to the universe, and to friends and family. They’re mostly helpful, curious, and supportive - and that makes it so much easier.
• It doesn’t have to cost a ton more to eat this way. It costs more to eat healthy, which I wasn’t doing the best job of before, so yes - I’m spending more on groceries now. But I’m eating healthier overall and that’s a great thing.
• There is a wide spectrum of gluten-free babes and dudes, and their advice ranges from reasonable to wacky. I take every suggestion with a grain of salt, and I follow-up to check it out. So keep sending me your tips and advice and asking questions, but please don’t feel hurt if I don’t follow every piece of advice.  As a non-celiac babe, I’m approaching this first as an experiment, but starting to think of it more as a lifestyle shift toward better health, and I’m not obsessed with perfection (because the occasional slip-up isn’t going to make me really sick).
• You really can eat wonderful meals and baked goods. You just have to think about it a little bit more and plan ahead.
• Chipotle is my friend. I want to marry it.

Okay, those are the big things I’ve learned so far. Thanks for listening! Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and suggestions, for which I’m extremely grateful.

On a highly personal note, the doctor appointment yesterday was the ob/gyn. I visited him with interesting news: since going gluten-free, I have not had any PMS. I know it’s only been one cycle, so I thought maybe I was reaching, but he said that it’s very likely the absence of gluten was reducing all kinds of inflammation, and that could definitely reduce PMS.

Woo hoo! That’s enough good news to sell me on this dietary change forever.

Would any of the GF ladies reading like to weigh in? I’m wondering if you’ve had a similar experience.

Today was another not-feeling-good day. Sometimes being a fibrochick really sucks! But despite how bad I felt, I forced myself to go to the gym. I’m thankful that I pushed past the pain, exhaustion, brain fog, depressed feelings…and hit the gym. The trainers were so encouraging and I felt supported and inspired to work hard.

So, on to food today - there was lots of snacking, and I craved sweet, salty, crunchy. I think it’s mainly because I felt so bummed out and not feeling good. Breakfast: yogurt, Udo’s, berries. Lunch: brown rice and a Trader Joe’s Thai tuna packet, with some yellow and orange bell peppers chopped into it. (I haven’t been to Trader Joe’s since I started this little experiment, so I must head over there this week and see how they handle their GF selection and labeling!) Dinner: salmon steaks marinated in spices and white wine, wild rice, corn on the cob. Kind of heavy on the fish and rice today, purely by accident, but I could do worse.

Being in pain, and exhaustion, is a bummer. Being bummed out causes more fatigue and pain, as well. So I’ve been in a vicious cycle for a couple weeks now. Yes, I have “up” days and moments, and I’ve gotten lots done workwise, but overall I’ve been feeling a malaise that I can’t kick, and all my typical fibrochick pains are flaring bigtime. It’s not the easiest time over here at ChronicBabe (and Gluten-Free Babe) HQ, but going to the gym today got me feeling a little more positive and hopeful. All the lovely comments and emails help too, so thanks.

This morning, I had my final GF Whole Foods almond scone, and my customary yogurt and Udo’s choice oil. As I prepped for the bridal shower I was attending, I wondered if people would like the GF foods I prepared to bring. Earlier in the week, I had emailed one of the hostesses, explaining my situation and offering to bring dishes that I could have and that everyone could share. I felt a little self-conscious showing up with food when no one else was doing so.

I didn’t have to worry, because the party was great - people seemed to like the food, and we talked about it a little, and I felt comfortable. They had a delicious fruit salad, too, which I ate a big heaping pile of. But it’s challenging to explain to people that even though they think I can eat something, I can’t. For example, they had made a salad which looked awesome, but it had bacon bits on it, so those were iffy. They had two kinds of fruit popsicles, so I read the packages - one kind was ok, the other wasn’t. A couple folks were incredulous that a popsicle could have “wheat” in it so I explained that it hides in lots of ingredients. It started an interesting conversation, but then I felt weird that we were all talking about my food needs at someone else’s party and changed the subject. All in all, it was a very nice party, and I was glad that everyone was so cool about my chow.

I keep reminding myself that I’m not allergic, and I don’t have celiac disease, so if a tiny bit of something slips in, it’s not an emergency. But I want to be as faithful as I can be; otherwise, what’s the point of trying it? And I don’t want to preach to people, but I like educating folks, because they likely bump into other people with similar limitations and it’s good for them to know something about it. It’s tough to know when to explain things, like last night with the waitress - should I have stopped her and explained that she had goofed? Probably. But she was harried, and it wasn’t going to hurt me, so I passed.

Another example: In a store yesterday, my pal Natalie and I were looking at chocolates to give as a gift, and out of curiosity I was checking ingredients. A store clerk overheard me, and she asked about it. Once I explained what celiac disease was and why I was being so thorough, she said, “I’m sure a little couldn’t hurt. After all, everything in moderation, right?” Wrong! “Well, for someone who has the disease, even a crumb can be enough to make them really sick,” I replied, and she shrugged and turned away. What’s the right thing to do in that situation? Should I chase after her and make her understand? What if someone with celiac asks her for help with a product and she steers them the wrong way? I guess I could make myself crazy every day with those kinds of questions.

It’s a fine line to walk. I can imagine that for folks with celiac, it can become tedious, or infuriating, or a crazy mixture of both depending on the circumstance.

I was supposed to lunch with my pal at Lula Cafe, but she wasn’t feeling well, so instead I picked up some ginger ale and crackers for her and headed over, thinking I would leave her place and have lunch at Lula anyway. But my pal was WAY sicker than she thought at first, and instead, I wound up taking her to the hospital. I’m still not sure what’s going on - last I heard last night, she was being moved to the ICU. Needless to say, I’m worried for her.

My food challenges, I realize, are minuscule compared to what’s going on for her. But I committed to logging all food into this blog of mine, so I’m forcing myself to write even though I really don’t feel like it.

Heading to the hospital was a real question: it’s a place of health, so they must have gluten-free stuff, right? Uh-uh. Not special food, anyway. I had enjoyed a tasty popsicle with my pal before we drove (it rehydrated her and sugared her up enough to find the energy to climb into the car) but it was way past my lunchtime by the time she was dropped off. So I headed to the cafeteria, which is really an Au Bon Pain. After scouring the offerings, I came up with a romaine salad with walnuts and gorgonzola, and a raspberry salad dressing that was mostly sugar, and of which I used only a tiny amount. I scarfed it and grabbed a banana and headed down to the ER waiting area to meet my pal, and we waited.

I was hungry an hour later. Seriously. After a breakfast of yogurt and berries, a salad and a banana don’t get me too far. But there was no way I was going to complain, of course. Later that evening, when it was clear her parents were on their way, I headed out to drop off her car, feed her dog, scour her fridge for anything I could eat (nothing but pickles) and drive home. I succumbed to the call of Chipotle on the way, since I know it’s GF and basically nutritional. A little rice, some black beans for protein, and tons of veggies. And a few chips and guacamole. And then I just crashed.

This morning I am still feeling wonky. I had my customary yogurt, Udo’s Choice oil, and a pear. Around lunchtime I had a Whole Foods GF almond scone and I just feel like taking a nap and not thinking too hard - I’m still waiting to hear what’s up with my pal. Worry makes me hungry. I did mention earlier that I am an emotional eater, yes?!

So all in all, despite a super crappy awful no-good very bad day for my pal (and some residual crappiness for me), I think I’m doing good, all things considered. I’m glad I was able to help my pal, I’m proud that I didn’t give up and eat a ton of cookies at Au Bon Pain. And re: dinner, even rushed and going for fast food, I managed to make it fresh vegetable-focused. I bought a bunch of fresh produce this morning to keep me on the right path.

That’s the lesson I’ve gleaned from the past two days. As work stress overloads, I take it out on my tummy. After a long, frustrating day, I craved a snack - so I had a Tree Huggin’ Treats Crispy Cat, and then I went to the gym. Kind of counter-productive. For dinner, I had more leftover pasta salad with asparagus, mozzarella, and red peppers; and a few corn chips and salsa, followed by a little more chocolate. Oh, and a mandarin/lime soda. Sheesh! It was all about the crispy/salty/chocolaty today.

So to repeat: what have I learned in the last 48 hours? When I get busy, I don’t plan ahead, then I scramble for food, which usually leads me to less-than-optimal choices. Luckily, the GF experiment has forced me to be slightly healthier. Barely. Also: when I am stressed or highly emotional, I scarf, and my urge is to go for unhealthy snacks.

Next steps: get some more healthy snacks for those freakout moments. Fruit. Veggies with tasty (healthy) dip. Rice crackers and cakes so I can get crunchy and sweet with minimal calories. And, keep writing all my food down, because I’m learning A LOT. Slightly embarrassing to be putting this out there for the public to see, but hopefully it’s helping other people to see the process. I know your comments help me. So thanks for listening and chiming in.