My Gluten-Free Journey: Healing from Within
Come join me as I share my gluten-free journey. I hope my experience will inspire you or someone you know.

Ever since I was a child, I have had digestive and intestinal issues resulting in difficulties going to the bathroom.
Early Struggles: From Childhood Symptoms to an IBS Diagnosis
I grew up with a negative association of food and appearance. Needless to say, it had a negative impact on how I ate. In my 20’s and early 30’s, I basically ate a non-fat diet (non-fat milk, margarine, etc., and snacked on those rice cakes that taste like Styrofoam!). My unhealthy eating habits did nothing to help me with my health issues. In fact, they hurt my body – a lot!!! I suffered from adult acne, constipation, diarrhea, hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, and low blood sugar.
I met my husband in my early 30s, and he encouraged me to add “healthy fats and foods” to my diet. It was tough! I had the mindset that fat equals fat. I added them in minimally, just enough to get by. If I did not eat every two to three hours, I would get dizzy to the point of almost passing out and be crazy over the top hangry! Although I made these changes, they were not enough to resolve my digestion and intestinal issues. The bloating combined with cramping would be so bad that I could not stand up! The intense pain would come out of nowhere and without warning.
Two months after we were married, I was in so much abdominal pain we went to the emergency room. After describing my symptoms, exploratory surgery was recommended. In the meantime, my husband was on the phone with his workout buddy who happened to be a naturopath. We went to see him the following day. He practiced Iridology, which is a holistic practice where he examined my iris (the colored part of the eye) to identify potential health issues. Iridologists believe that different patterns, colors, and markings in the iris correspond to various organs and systems in the body. By studying these features, iridologists aim to detect imbalances or weaknesses in a person’s health. Guess what? My abdominal health issues were connected to my intestines. Along with supplements, I did a bowel cleanse for 30 days. I also removed wheat and processed foods from diet. Wow, did I feel good afterwards!
I continued eating clean until we moved to a rural area with only one grocery store. Shopping for high quality products was challenging. Plus, those yummy church potlucks did not help the situation! After falling off the bandwagon, I continued on the downhill slippery slope of eating a poor diet.
After a colonoscopy in 2001, a doctor diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I was prescribed a short-term medication for long-term use. I had almost every side effect possible, and I went off the medication cold turkey! However, my health continued to decline.
The Turning Point: Discovering My Gluten Sensitivity
In 2009, I met a naturopath who pinpointed my digestive and intestinal issues. He was skeptical that I had IBS and suggested that I might be sensitive to gluten. The diagnosis process was straightforward: eliminate gluten from my diet for 30 days, then reintroduce it gradually. If the symptoms persisted, it would indicate a sensitivity to gluten.
I removed gluten from my diet and almost immediately I began to feel significantly better with almost immediate results. However, after reintroducing gluten 30 days later, all my previous symptoms returned, but with such severity that recovery took several days.
I thrive on a diet that consists of soft, mushy foods free from gluten. I have also eliminated almost all processed foods. This combination has proven beneficial for my health. To understand what gluten is and why it matters, click here.
Adapting to a Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Transitioning to gluten-free was not easy. We would eat out with friends but there were many times I wanted to stay home. It would have been easier. One of the favorite places to eat at was Pizza Hut. (It was there that I learned about cross-contamination.) While my husband and friends were devouring thick slices of pizza, I would be sitting with my baggie of nuts and peeled apple slices. My sweet girlfriend would bring me egg slices from the salad bar because she felt so bad for me. It was hard! I tried so hard not to be cranky!
On another occasion, I brought my own dinner to a friend’s house. They were very understanding, but another guest was quite rude. He insinuated that the lasagna they had prepared “wasn’t good enough for me.” It was an embarrassing situation, and I felt awful. Additionally, I wasn’t well-acquainted with the gentleman, nor did I feel knowledgeable enough to explain my gluten restrictions to him.
Educating myself made it so much easier to share with others about my gluten-free journey. Now, I don’t think twice about sharing what gluten is and how you can begin your own journey. It is amazing how many people I meet that are either gluten free or know someone who is.
Final Thoughts: Embracing a Gluten-Free Life
I am the only one in my family who follows a gluten-free diet. However, my husband is incredibly supportive and has adopted a gluten-free lifestyle at home. While he doesn’t strictly maintain it when eating out, his support has been a great source of encouragement, particularly with gluten-free baking. He is my most rigorous critic!
The dietary adjustments I’ve implemented have been challenging but immensely gratifying. Once my gut health improved and began absorbing the nutrients I was missing, I gained weight, which was significant as I had been underweight for a prolonged period. Now, I’m brimming with energy, appear healthy, and most importantly, I feel fantastic. Even though I’ll be 60 next year, I feel as though I’m in my 40s.
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Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle requires knowledge about diet and exercise, along with discipline. This holds especially true for individuals with gluten intolerance. The journey is challenging, often perplexing, and demands both time and effort.
If you are new to the world of gluten-free, I encourage you to take it one day at a time, even one meal at a time. If you mess up and ingest gluten (and you might), let it go without any condemnation.
From my happy, healthy, home to yours,
