I've been getting asked a lot lately if "it" has worked? By "it" I mean my gluten free eating experiment. And the answer is yes, it has worked.
I started back in May with my experiment of trying to eat gluten free. (And I say try because it is not always easy.) After eight weeks of being diligent about not eating gluten, I then ate gluten for a three weeks - which thankfully was over my birthday so I got to eat birthday cake!!! The result was that gluten in my diet makes a difference. I don't feel as bloated or gassy.
Do I have Celiac Disease? I don't know. There are some recent studies that show some evidence that there is a relationship between Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease since both are auto-immune diseases. Since I have been trying to eliminate gluten from my diet the tests for Celiac wouldn't be conclusive. And if I do have Celiac, all the doctors would do would be to tell me to not eat gluten. So this will be a lifestyle change by my own accord. Thankfully I don't get "sick" from gluten, I am just calling it a gluten intolerance for now.
As I mentioned, not eating gluten is not easy for a carb loving girl!!! I love bread!!! I love cake!!! I love doughnuts!!! And although you can have gluten free baked goods - most are not worth eating. (But I have not given up my quest!!! I will find gluten free bread that is squishy and chewy and delicious if it is the last thing I do. Be damned the laws of nature!!!! My baking prowess will overcome!!!) But I have found some baked goods that are worth eating albeit not as good as the gluten filled variety so my sanity is intact.
Will I ever eat gluten again? Yes!!! My general rule is to not eat gluten except when I am traveling and for special occasions. Why traveling? Have you tried to go through the McDonald's drive-thru and eat a salad while you try to drive down I-95 at 70 m.p.h.? I didn't think so. And as you know, I don't like to be the only kid at the birthday party without cake.
So, there you have it. My experiment proved to me that gluten is bad for my already faulty digestive track and I will try to not eat it. Although some days I am sure I will say "screw it" and eat a doughnut!!! A girl can only be good for so long before she needs a good pastry.
