Its been about two and a half weeks of attempting to be gluten free. I've been good for the most part. I've had a few meals that contained gluten... one night I had a few slices of thin crust pizza because I discovered how disgusting some gluten free pizzas are. I had to repent to the pizza superiors and eat something that was actually good. I've heard that Udi's makes a good gluten free crust (a base for you to start off with and make your own) but avoid Amy's and Glutino brown rice crust pizzas. Terrible awful. I ate it and immediately regretted it.
Thanksgiving I behaved. I didn't even have any bread or rolls. My sister jokingly took mashed potatoes and smeared them on a roll and took a huge bite. Didn't bother me one bit. Saturday night I went over to her place again for a birthday party/bachelor/bachelorette party dinner. She made Orange Chicken, eggrolls and chicken fried rice. The rice part was behaving. The eggroll was not. It was super good though! I also gave in and had a veggie burger from Burger King the day before Thanksgiving.
At home I've found a few cereals that I really like. Yes, they're kids cereals... but I don't care! The first is Gorilla Munch Crunch. Tastes oddly like Captain Crunch cereal when you eat it with unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk. The other is the Koala Krispies. . . read: Cocoa Crispies.. Gluten Free Style.
I have been good and have not had one beer. Not one. I found a few wines that I like so I have a small glass here or there.
And, so far I feel a little better. A little. I was really good for a while and felt good. Then, I ate the gluten and my knees and joints started bothering me horribly. My stomach started sounding like the Deathstar was being taken out, and I was coughing a nasty phlegm that only seems to appear now that I stopped eating gluten. I never noticed it before, perhaps because I hadn't eliminated wheat/gluten/beer from my diet before.
I think the most horrible of any of these side effects is the itching. I feel the need to itch all the time... the bottom of my feet, my torso, my neck, my hands (even the palms) everywhere. All the time. And, in asking others if they experienced this problem, they said they did. Its your body detoxing all the crap out. Well, I'm itching like Tyrone Biggums. And if you don't know who that is, watch the reruns of the Chapelle show. No amount of lotion or scratching makes it any better. If I could just put the lotion on the skin... wait, bad movie reference.
For all of you that know me personally, I have a wretched sweet tooth. And I have to eat something sweet once I'm done with my meal. It doesn't have to be big. It just has to be something. Its my bodys signal that I'm done. My sisters are the same way. If we eat dinner, then something sweet, then something salty, we have to have something sweet to end it. I've heard one of my sisters say, "No, I don't want any of that, because then I'll have to eat a bite of{insert dessert name here}. I've had the GF snickerdoodles from Trader Joes, lots of the Only 8 frozen yogurt at the shop around the corner and I purchased some Arrowroot Cookies from the store the other day- the brand is called Mi-Del. They are REALLY good. Kind of like an animal cracker.
I have an opportunity to really mess up bad in the next few weeks. I have a company function next Tuesday (lunch AND dinner) ... but, the benefit is that I planned it, so I know what is going to be on the menus. I also have a trip out of town coming up soon, of which I intend to fully indulge on some Broadway Pizza in Minnesota. It is my FAVORITE pizza...I killed a medium by myself when we were there for my man's brothers wedding in October. I've already gone to their website and they do not have many things that are gluten free. So, since this is by choice, not Dr ordered, I am going to indulge. I figure that a few days here and there are ok, as long as I continue to see the benefits. I do pay for it a few days after- my knees and hands... but sometimes, its worth it.
Have you ever tried a new lifestyle, eating differently? Have you had any challenges? What was your biggest accomplishment?
You should try Psyco Suzi's Pizza in NE Minneapolis. But Broadway is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteFrench fries and pizza are what I miss the most.
ReplyDeleteI've been gluten-free since 2006. I've had lots of 'glutenings' along the way, but am sticking with the diet and feel so much better. I was diagnosed with celiac in 2001, but at that point I saw the tiny list of things I was 'allowed' to eat and said no way. I'd probably have tried the diet if the doctor had bothered to mention how sick I would get if I kept eating it, instead of letting me find out the hard way!