I remember making this very Google search, “How to Go Gluten Free.” It was about three months after I had been diagnosed with Graves Disease. And for those three months, I was in denial that I needed to make any changes to heal my body.
I figured the utter exhaustion, hair and weight loss and general loss of vitality would go away on it’s own and I would be myself again. But, around that three month mark, the frustration outweighed the denial, and I started following my naturopaths instructions.
After a few months of strictly following a gluten free diet, I could tell my body was starting to heal. I couldn’t believe what a shell of myself I had been before and I was so happy to feel human again! If you are in that place right now, I hope this gives you hope that your “new normal” can be FULL- life and belly.
DON’T…
Get discouraged-
The first month or two will likely be a real adjustment, and that’s ok! It’s totally normal to feel emotional or angry that you can’t eat the foods you are used to.
Try your best to switch to problem solving instead of staying in that place. For example, if you can’t have your favorite coffee shops cinnamon rolls anymore, try to find and whip up a recipe that’s gluten free. I bake and then freeze these and warm them up whenever cinnamon rolls sound good.
Go out and buy all the pre-packaged gluten free foods-
Most of them don’t taste good, unfortunately. Especially desserts! Honestly, this is mostly trial and error. I will say, I really like Krusteau and King Arthur brand in general for their mixes.
Otherwise, I usually stick to adding pre-packaged gluten free components to dishes. For example, I use gluten free pasta for a pasta dish and make the rest from ingredients I have in my kitchen instead of buying a full-fledged gluten free pasta mix.
DO…
Realize that what feels like a lot right now will feel completely normal in time. If you give it a chance, you can get to a place where you don’t feel deprived, and your body will thank you for it!
Remembering your “why” can be really helpful. For me, it was wanting to be able to be healthy and energetic for my daughter and husband and to feel confident in myself again.
At this point in my gluten free journey, I honestly don’t crave gluten-full foods very often because I know how crappy the crash is. And because I’ve become more prepared over time, I often have other options available that I’m happy with anyways!
Prepare-
I honestly think the worst thing to do is go gluten free cold turkey. You will be hangry and end up eating gluten and then get mad at yourself… Rinse repeat. I’ve been there. Give yourself a good week to plan for the next week in meals and snacks and gather gluten free replacements.
Try to make the meals simple for the first bit. Eating gluten free doesn’t have to mean hours of meal prep. Use google or Pinterest to search for “easy gluten free meals” and find a wealth of ideas to start off.
It may also be wise to meal plan for the week ahead in general if you don’t already. For example, on Sunday night I make my list of meals for the week and then make a grocery list. It’s good for your wallet and your sanity!
Kick the gluten in your pantry-
This may seem obvious, but the longer you look at food you can’t eat in your own home, the more frustrating it will get. Pass your gluten-full flours and pastas etc. on to a friend or family member that isn’t sensitive and make room for your gluten-free replacements.
Get familiar with the lingo-
Gluten hides everywhere, but you can find it and avoid it! On pre-packaged foods, flip over to the ingredients section and look at the “Contains” portion. If it says wheat or gluten, it’s a no go. A few other random things to keep in mind is that soy sauce, grains that are not specifically marked gluten free, beer, bouillon cubes, and spice mixes can contain gluten.
Cook in bulk and freeze-
When you find a recipe you love, make a lot of it and freeze it in easy-to-warm portions for when you need a quick bite. This is seriously a life saver! The reality is that you will most likely be doing more cooking than you have in the past (not a bad thing!), but you can make the load lighter by doubling or tripling your recipes and freezing! I do this with my Crazy Easy Chicken Taco Meat and 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Italian Beef often.
Thankfully, gluten free education and options are becoming more and more available as time goes on. You really can make the switch easier than ever!
Feel free to browse the blog for gluten free recipes! I try to focus on nutrient dense (Citrus Kale Salad) and feel-good recipes (Best Ever Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies) so you’ll always have a go-to.
