Alright- a little dramatic title, but bonus points for getting you here.
I have been suffering with upper abdominal pain for the last four months, topped with unexplained weight gain, intestinal issues and no energy. Looking back in hindsight, my symptoms started well before that- more like about 18 months ago when I plateaued on my weight loss, regardless of what I ate, did, lifted, ran, walked or slept.
Thinking the upper ab pain was from a pulled muscle, then perhaps an ulcer, I underwent a Molotov cocktail of IBS and GERD inhibitors, pain medicine, a sonogram, endoscopy and a good round of blood work- all of which proved that I was a severe hypochondriac with a huge self esteem issue. Not the diagnosis I had anticipated.
I was at wits end. I contacted a natural healing specialist on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, who, after five minutes and one glance at my blood work, determined what I never wanted to be diagnosed with. "You have a gluten intolerance. Your body has been fighting against itself so long to digest the gluten that now certain parts are exhibiting pain, or malfunction."
Great, I'm thinking. How in the hell am I going to become gluten free with everything I have going on- you know, life?!
She continued. "You are going to get better. Don't go GF cold turkey. Take a day or so to digest, ha ha, this information, start to go through your cupboards, hit a good grocery store this weekend and off we go! You are going to heal. I promise you. You can do it."
So, with a handwritten note by the doc of good brands to look for, things to avoid, books to read and tote bag full of supplements to get my body back in good working order, I was back in the car.
I immediately came home and dove into a box of Wheat Thins like they were my last supper before my early-dawn execution. But, after dinner, I sat down, organized my supplements for the next ten days, started to think about what I would need to substitute and tried to keep it simple. You go out to eat, you get a salad- you go to a commercial restaurant, you look on their menu (like you already do anyway) and just find the GF stuff. It'll be okay.
It's been about two days since I've been given the news and today is my first full on Gluten Free day. I haven't broken out into withdrawal shakes, hives or started speaking in tongues. And I'm already starting to feel better. Tomorrow's mission is to track down some GF bagels with some hormone free cream cheese and I'll be in heaven- like the good old days!
Check in on my progress, my failures and successes. And if you have symptoms that seem unexplainable, seek medical advice. Don't make any assumptions or jump on some diet bandwagon because it works for someone else. And if you feel like how I felt, deflated and knowing there MUST be an explanation for your symptoms, remember the natural specialists out there, too!
