How to Accept the Challenge and Live a Gluten Free Lifestyle

Is gluten-free a "lifestyle" or just a diet?

Have you noticed that going gluten-free has changed your life in surprising ways? From socializing, to travel, to how you set up your kitchen and your pantry.

Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash

Has it changed the way you think about what goes into your body? Are you trying to make simpler, healthier choices? Are you spending more time in the organic section of the supermarket or at the health food store?

Have the things you’re interested in changed? The books and articles you read? The people you interact with on social media? Conversations around the dinner table?

Going gluten-free definitely affects our lives and the way we live them.

Importance of a "Food Philosophy"

Have you thought about your own food philosophy? What’s your guiding principle? Have you tried putting it into words? Don’t worry about getting it wrong. I bet it will change over time as you get more comfortable with your new gluten-free lifestyle.

Here's mine

Natural is best.
Balance is essential.
Simplicity is the thread that ties it all together.

The reason a “food philosophy” is important is that it will inform the way you approach your gluten-free lifestyle. There are many options, and you’ll need to decide what works for you and your family.

Some people banish gluten entirely from their homes. Others try to cause as little disruption to the rest of the family as possible. Some people buy everything they can find with “gluten-free” on the label. Others try to avoid food with labels in favor of whole foods and cooking from scratch.

The beauty of a naturally gluten-free lifestyle is that it’s easier to take a balanced approach and still remain safe. Most of the food in our house is naturally gluten-free whole foods which are safe, healthy and delicious for everyone. More of our socializing is done at home. When we have friends over for dinner, which we do often, most of the meal is gluten-free and everyone enjoys the same food.

Beyond Food

Do you feel like you’re a little bit obsessed with food? I do.

Of course, at the end of the day, being gluten free means starting and staying on a gluten-free diet, so it’s unavoidably about food. But a gluten-free lifestyle and the affects of celiac disease go well beyond our bellies and beyond the food we eat.

For me, part of a naturally gluten-free lifestyle has involved exploring natural remedies. I totally support science and medicine. Although imperfect, they’ve given us so much. Yet, if there are ways that we can help ourselves with simple plants and products that earth has been giving us for centuries, that seems worth investigating.

You’ll see this leaning toward the natural world as I share my experiences with apple cider vinegar and as we examine the connection between celiac disease and our skin and reproductive systems.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Celiac

Celiac and Miscarriage

Gluten-Free Skin Care

Herbs and Home Remedies for Celiac Disease

Celiac Self Diagnosis - Is Getting Tested Worth the Pain?

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State of Mind

Are you a cup-half-full, or a cup-half empty person?

Albert Einstein famously said that the most important decision we make every day is whether we live in a friendly universe or a hostile one.¹

Isn’t that crazy? I mean in a good way. We get to decide!

We can focus on the bad news that crosses our screens or the sharp word someone spoke to us, or we can notice how much we have to be grateful for.

The sun rises every day. We have roofs over our heads and food in our cupboards. We have family and friends to share our time with and the beauty of nature to explore. And we have a disease that is managed by diet. No drugs, no chemotherapy, no surgery.

That doesn’t mean things don’t annoy me, or I never get frustrated. I often explore and comment on the attitudes I see around me and what works for me in the rants and blog-like articles I write. Here are a few that I hope you’ll enjoy.

Victim of Celiac Disease?

Are You Offended?

What Nourishes You?

Resources

I’ve been doing this gluten-free thing for a long time and that means I’ve done a lot of reading.

Not just about celiac disease and living a gluten-free lifestyle, but also about food in general: cooking, the food industry, health and wellbeing. I write reviews of the books I read and share them with you so that you can decide if you would like to read them for yourself. Every Sunday on my Facebook page I do a “Grab and Good Book” feature and highlight one of the books on my list.

I’ve also seen the good and not so good sides of the internet.

We all know now about the double-edged sword that is social media. There are lots of great groups and forums out there where people share information and their own experiences and support one another. But there is lots of misinformation out there too so beware!

Interesting and Informative Books on Celiac Disease and Healthy Eating

Why You Shouldn't Join Gluten Free Forums or Read Blogs

10 Annoying and Harmful Gluten Myths That Need to Die

How AI Health Diagnosis Helped Me Pin Down an Elusive Illness

Join the Conversation

I and the rest of the Naturally Gluten-Free community would love to hear from you.  Share gluten-free lifestyle tips, recipes, and experiences at our Naturally Gluten-Free Facebook Group.

Talk to you soon.

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