why + when I went gluten free
September 6, 2011 Nothing like writing a post that has been sitting in your brain for something like, 4 months?
I think it’s easiest if I break this down into a Q + A format. It will keep me from rambling on + on + on. This way I’ll stay focused on each question and if there is one you’re not interested in, just jump to the next. Or maybe to another post altogether. May I suggest, Cake Batter Cashew Butter?
I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about my experiences in going gluten free.
1] What prompted you to think about eliminating gluten from your diet?
For the past 10 years [prior to going GF], I’ve eaten many different ways. 10 years ago, I was a freshmen in college. I ate fairly healthy, and was not overweight, but ate my fair share of processed food. – easy-mac, ramen noodles, pizza, subs, beer, etc. It wasn’t until we lived in Charlotte, NC [I went to grad school at UNC Charlotte for architecture] that we really started to clean up our diet. We didn’t go on diets, but we did clean them up. I started researching food. All things food. I started reading + watching documentaries and learned a ton. My love for the kitchen grew, while our stockpile of processed foods shrank. Our meat consumption lowered, and we focused on quality sourcing when we did buy it. We lived in Charlotte for 3 years and loved it, but decided to make the move out to Colorado almost exactly 2 years ago from today. I started the blog and continued to be obsessed with creating in the kitchen, and naturally, meat started to disappear from my diet. At first it was chicken, and then it was beef, and then it was all meat and even fish. There was no real turning point on why I ditched meat, it just happened over the coarse of about 1 year.
Even though our diets improved immensely in those 10 years, there was always something that stayed the same.
Bloating. Annoying, painful, embarrassing, uncomfortable, stomach expanding, bloat. During college, I remember it being the worst. It would build up during the morning + day and I would be extremely uncomfortable by the time I was going to bed. A few times I even asked my doctor about it. “This doesn’t seem normal. Any ideas?” They always suggested over the counter meds, which never helped at all. It improved some as we cleaned up our eating habits, but still did not seem normal to me. I remember thinking, “it must be all the vegetables I eat.” Or, “well, I do eat a lot of beans.” etc. etc.
I finally reached the point where I had to see if it was food related. Something had to be done. This was not normal.
2] When did you realize gluten was the culprit?
I realized gluten was causing my discomfort, during weeks 8+9 of my food elimination/detox. I first reintroduced dairy for 2 weeks and then soy and then gluten. It was obvious that gluten was the problem. Without a doubt. This was back in February/March.
3] What steps did you take to figure it out?
I hemmed + hawed about doing a food elimination/detox for a few months. It’s a big commitment! I first had to come to terms with the idea, that the end result might be less than exciting. Meaning, I may have to eliminate certain food[s] from my diet. There was quite a bit of mental preparation actually. Finally, I took the plunge, after the holidays.
*I’m in no way suggesting that anyone should copy my method. I formulated this from my research and didn’t follow any one plan. Always check with a doctor before making changes to your diet. I am not a doctor. I just like to cook + photograph.*
This was my plan, after doing extensive research on the topic. *It’s important to note, fasting/liquid diets/lowering food consumption/etc. were not a part of my “detox.”
For three weeks, eliminate:
- dairy
- soy
- gluten
- added sugar
- alcohol
- caffeine
For three weeks, lower:
- sodium to 400mg/day
For the whole detox, add:
- 8oz warm water with 1/2 squeezed lemon, upon waking, 1x/daily
- dry brushing, everyday before showering
- up water intake
- detox tea *for first 3 weeks
During weeks 4+5:
- bring dairy back in
- add in small amounts of natural sweeteners
- 1 glass of wine, 0-2x/week
- started juicing 3-5x/week
During weeks 6+7:
- bring whole soy back in, [tempeh, sprouted tofu]
- continue to use natural sweeteners
- coffee 1-2x/week
- salt <800mg
- juicing, 3-4x/week
- 1 glass of wine, 0-2x/week
During weeks 8+9:
- bring gluten back in
- continue to use natural sweeteners
- coffee 1-2x/week
- salt <800mg
- juicing 3-4x/week
- 1 glass of wine, 0-2x/week
I honestly thought I was going to have a problem with soy, however that was not the case. I have figured out that my stomach does not tolerate processed soy [which I avoid at all costs to begin with] well at all. There is only 1 type of soy milk I can drink, [Eden Organic GF – non-GMO and the most natural, non-processed soymilk you will find – I drink this occasionally] and I can only eat sprouted tofu and tempeh.
Gluten was definitely the culprit, which I realized in weeks 8+9. I never had a clue before then. I ate quite a bit of bread, whole wheat noodles, etc. and figured I would have been able to pin point that as the cause, pre-detox. It wasn’t until I eliminated it completely, that I was able to tell it was the culprit. I tested out quite a few different gluten foods and the bloating all came back. There was really no reaction to dairy or soy.
After the 2-week gluten testing phase, I went back to eliminating gluten and was once again bloat-free. The bloating has improved to around 90%+ what it used to be. To me, that is HUGE. While bloating may not seem like a big deal, it was to me. I just never felt right and was sick of it. And now I know, it wasn’t normal. There was actually a reason! It wasn’t just from vegetables!
One thing I haven’t yet tested, is if I’m only wheat-sensitive, or if it’s all forms of gluten. I haven’t had allergy/sensitivity tests done to narrow things down more. In the near future, I plan to try and eat a few different types of non-wheat gluten to see what happens.
4] What was the transition like?
After the detox, it was time to really move full-steam ahead and eliminate gluten for good. It really wasn’t hard to nix gluten in my cooking, but it was hard to nix gluten in my shopping. I thought I checked labels before! I quickly learned what I could + could not eat. For me, this mostly meant not eating wheat based bread and re-learning how to bake.
Going out to eat also presented challenges. I would say eating out was the biggest transition. Before going GF, I already felt like the stand-out in the group, because I didn’t eat meat or fish. My friends + family were extremely supportive of both decisions and never made me feel bad. However, I felt stressed. Everyone was so kind, letting me pick where we would eat out, but I wasn’t a fan. I always felt pressure and hated being the odd ball in the group with special food requirements. I don’t like when people have to go out of their way to accommodate me. After a few months, this became easier to deal with.
5] What is the hardest part about being GF?
- social gatherings/weddings/events
- cookouts at friends’ houses
- going out to eat + making special requests
- no delicious, warm, crusty bread
6] What can you not eat when going GF?
Better than me typing it all out, here is a link to a list of foods to avoid.
Foods to Avoid on a Gluten Free Diet
A few things to note about me specifically:
- I am still able to consume oats of all kind, without having to make sure they are certified gluten free. *oats are typically cross contaminated with wheat during growing and/or packaging
- During the detox, I realized that garbanzo flour does not agree with my stomach at all. While I am able to consume cooked garbanzo beans, the flour made me extremely bloated. I was using Bob’s Red Mill.
- I can consume beer, without feeling bloated after. It’s thought that because of the fermentation process beer goes through, a lot of the gluten is lost, making it more tolerable than things like bread + flour.
- A few readers suggested that I may be able to eat sourdough bread, because it also goes through a fermentation process. I have tried a few different kinds, and while it doesn’t always make me react, I don’t make a habit out of eating it.
7] How has your cooking changed?
I still create the same types of recipes in the kitchen. Now they just happen to be gluten free! I don’t like to repeat over + over that my recipes are gluten free, just like I don’t always point out if a recipe is vegan. Sometimes people can be intimidated when recipes have labels, but my goal in cooking is creating recipes that anyone would love. – gluten eaters, meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, etc. I don’t want my recipes to taste really good for being gluten free. I just want them to taste really good. I want them to exceed expectations for any type of eater.
8] Does Chris eat gluten free now too?
Chris is such a good sport! Our diets have really transitioned side by side with one another. It’s been a pretty amazing process when I think about it. No meat comes into our house, except on rare occasion that I buy a few strips of bacon from Whole Foods, to cook + crumble on his pizza. ;) He’s completely fine with this and loves the way we eat. About 1x/week he’ll eat meat when we’re out. Luckily in Colorado, it’s easy to come by well-sourced, local meat when dining out.
As far as Chris eating gluten free. He definitely eats less gluten and has no problem with our gluten free meals. However, I still buy him bread for his everyday PB+J breakfast. I also buy him fresh loaves of bread from the market, when the budget allows. Typically, all of Chris’s work-lunches are leftovers from the previous night. He’s not a fan of eating out for lunch, and would rather have food from home. This has also helped save us quite a bit of money. He went from eating out 2-3 lunches a week, to eating out about once, every other week. Sometimes I cook Field Roast [vegan, not GF] sausages for him [which I miss so much], or Annie’s organic mac n’ cheese, if there aren’t dinner leftovers.
9] a] How are you feeling since going GF and have you lost weight? b] What do you think about people going gluten free as a diet plan?
a] My bloating has gone down at least 90%. Sure there are still days when my stomach is protruding out, but now, I blame it on vegetables. I can’t even tell you how big of a deal this is for me. After brushing it off for so many years, thinking it was “just normal,” I finally figured out there was a reason for my discomfort. And it was something that could be easily fixed!
I didn’t lose any weight over the coarse of the detox, or even to this point. My stomach may look flatter, but that’s because I lost the bloat. ;) My workouts have changed immensely in the past 6-9 months, so I have has lost body fat. I’m wearing the same sized clothes and fluctuate 1-3lbs on the scale. I’m currently at a very comfortable weight for my body type + height.
b] If I didn’t find out that gluten was the culprit to my stomach discomfort, I never would have gone gluten free. I am not a proponent of cutting out gluten as a diet plan for weight loss. It does seem like everywhere you turn people are going gluten free. However, I can sympathize with anyone that tries to cut it out as a means to better their health. If it truly makes you feel better physically, I am all for it. I’m not lacking in nutrition without gluten. My opinion is that it’s not a necessity in the diet, but it is delicious. Why give up bread if you don’t have to? :)
10] Do you ever cheat?
Once in awhile I do cheat and eat gluten. Since I don’t have Celiac, or become extremely ill from consuming gluten, I do make once-in-awhile exceptions. At restaurants I try my best to make sure what I’m eating is gluten free, from asking the waitress and sometimes calling ahead. The things I’ve cheated with are the occasional bite or two of fresh, local bread…cake…french fries of Chris’s [most are not GF, unless fresh cut]… Really, I haven’t done it that much, because it actually has a worse reaction in my body since eliminating it. I typically will feel a reaction 24hrs later. I can literally pin-point it to the hour. I’m bloated…what did I eat 24hrs ago? Then I usually have my answer.
If you want links to check back to any of my detox posts, here’s the list. I provide much more extensive recaps of my experiences in these posts.
- pre-toxing
- detox day 1 – part 1, part 2
- detox day 2 – part 1, part 2
- detox day 3 – part 1, part 2 [dry brushing + swimming]
- detox day 4 – getting creative
- detox day 5 – juiced!
- detox day 6 – balls save the day
- detox day 7 – it’s been a week!
- detox day 8 – detoxing your life
- detox day 14 – 14 days in review
- detox day 21 – 21 day detox overview
- detox week 4-5 – dairy reintroduction
- detox week 6-7 – soy reintroduction
- detox week 8-9 – gluten reintroduction [with favorite detox recipes]
…
Since this post is already a YEAR long and has NO photos, I’m going to do a follow-up post with tips I have on going gluten free.
- favorite GF recipes
- favorite GF ingredients
- baking GF
- favorite GF products
- favorite GF blogs
- eating out GF
- GF cookouts + social events
Hopefully it won’t take another 4 months for that post.
And hopefully a lot of your questions have been answered on the why + when I went gluten free!
Phew….
Done!
In other exciting news…
While I work on my photography website, I started the Ashley Mclaughlin Photography Facebook page. Progress. Slowly but surely!
Ashley
gluten free
Reader Comments (122)
What a great post! This may seem like a dumb question, but I feel the same way as you described with some bloating, but how can I tell if it's from eating too much or just bread ect? I go to bed and my stomach is poofed out a bit but then wake up and it's back to normal/more flat. Is it because of just eating from the day so it gets bigger and then smaller once I wake up because I haven't eaten for awhile? Even then, it's not like I'm overeating every day, but still at night, it's more poofed out than in the morning. Maybe it's just the daily fluctuations in weight?
I am GF, 95% of the way. I was STRICTLY GF for about 6 years.
Aside from some recent desserts in the past 6 mos or so, every single recipe on my site is GF. Desserts and otherwise.
Although I do eat gluten is limited amounts now, for 6+ yrs I was STRICT about it and believe that's what enabled me to heal my gut to tolerate limited, every once in awhile amounts, of gluten.
But really, I feel best when I don’t have any gluten but sometimes baking with a little bit of real flour just gives amazing results. Sort of like baking with real butter :) But I remember when I first went GF…I thought the world was ending. It was so over whelming!
I love your story and your trial and error method. Gold standard.
I also cannot do garbz bean flour and really, I can't eat much hummus, beans, or peanut flour or many nuts. Legumes and nuts bother me, too. I just need to be careful and be moderate and not eat a whole bag of TJs spiced nuts in a sitting :) But you're not alone with the garbz bean flour situation, at all.
Love this post, so much!
Damn, you talk a lot. A lot of your posts are not organized and seem kind of scatter brained. I wish it was easier to look for things on your site. I click on one post to read about one of your nut butters and there's like your dinner, what you did, a picture of your feet, and hey look what the post is actually for. Its annoying.
I really like your site though. Just please try to be a little more organized with your blogging skills. Im sure it bothers a lot of us that follow a ton of food blogs.
Actually, no. This post was great because it had Q + A and clearly showed she was trying to be organized. Why don't you try to start a blog and see how easy it is to be organized and then hear from people like you who are ungrateful of the effort that goes into the posts.
I completely agree with Lorin. I haven't found many blogs more organized, informative and entertaining than Ashley's. Perhaps you should better organize and research your constructive criticism?
I was completely fascinated watching you go through the process of your detox before but I didn't realize how much thought you actually put into it prior. It seems like it was a huge decision for you which does make sense since it really is a HUGE commitment.
I recently realized that wheat products have been giving me lots of tummy troubles too. My stomach was bothering me a lot of the time but I noticed it the most when my pre-run snack of wheat toast would tie my stomach into knots. Once I switched to GF pre-run meals though my stomach was totally fine. Solving that puzzle has done wonders for my workouts.
This was a GREAT post and I'm totally looking forward to the rest of them :D [I am super curious as to why garbanzo flour messed you up though. I wonder if you'll ever figure that one out]
This is a great post - really informative. I do best if I keep my gluten/wheat intake low so I focus on oats, rice and quinoa.
When my stomach is bloated, which is more often than not and always uncomfortable, it will be that way anywhere from 12-32 hours :( I never considered a gluten intolerance until you said the 24 hour thing because that is about how long it takes for me to get this 'belly ache' - did your gluten-caused bloated last this long for you? (ps i know you aren't a doc and I would have much research to do on my own just like you have done, I just appreciate your knowledge & experience, thanks!)
wow, I think that was a bit rude. I actually like the writing style and I don't think it's that disorganized. Ashley post about her daily "adventures" and the name of the post is just to highlight a detail of that day, just to make a little recipe or a little blip come out from the whole day as the star "achievement". At least that is what comes through to me, if you don't understand her writing style or if you don't like it, fair enough we are all different, but I don't think you should come here and just say "it's annoying" and asking her to be more organized because you follow a ton of blogs and it makes you waste time.
I think if you meant this as a constructive criticism you should a said it differently, it comes across as a rude demand to me.
Take care.
I was diagnosed with a wheat intolerance although at first I swore that it was gluten intolerance. I felt the same heart-wrenching bloating feeling that you suffered through and tried my best to ignore it for weeks before finally giving in and going to the doctor.
Now that I've been without wheat for 3 months, I couldn't be happier and I even lost 5 pounds in the elimination process! It's crazy how your body reacts to sensitivities
THANK you for this post!!!!!! I have been experiencing tummy troubles and have recently eliminated gluten. This is so insightful and helpful!
This was an awesome post - I went through some of the same things, including thinking that the bloat was "normal". In college, every night I would be so uncomfortable and could not put my finger on why. Finally the year after I got out of college, I finally put two and two together after I ate a sandwich for dinner one night (I typically don't eat sandwiches). This time, my stomach turned into shooting pains and I immediately felt sick. Upon further investigation (and my own eliminating) with a doctor, we figured out it was the gluten. And now, I have never felt better! I still do get a little bit of bloat, but it's definitely from the veggies now.
This is a fantastic summary of going GF. My experiences were similar and I can direct people here when they ask me about being GF.
Lately I've been readying about GF as a fad diet craze, and while some make tend towards this to "eliminate " something else from their diets I have found that my weight has stayed the same and slightly increased. It is suggested that those who are gluten intolereant/sensative can gain weight when they eliminate gluten since they are now actually able to absorb what they are taking in!
Great post, Ash! I went Gluten free around January of the last year and have been feeling so much better, too. I was tested for celiacs via blood and biopsy and both came back negative. That being said, I think, like you, my sensitivity is an intolerance and not celiacs. I actually have more of an aversion to beer and any "malt" products than I do bread and crackers...so strange. Your blog has been so helpful during my transition, you create such great GF treats and meals!! Thanks for the info and recipes :)
Thank you SO much for writing this post. I have been struggling with weight gain, bloating and over all feeling miserable. I know that I have a gluten, processed food and sugar problem as well as an addiction. Your post made me realize that it's time that I start listening to my body and doing the right thing. Thank you for motivating me.
Thanks so much, great post! I've ben toying with the idea that I have a gluten sensitivity. I bloat really easily and usually go to bed with a pretty distended stomach. I, like you, chalk it up to fiber/beans, etc. I can't wait to look through your detox posts. I just wish the detox wasn't so difficult! But if I really want to find out I have to make it work.
Thanks!
Great post!! I have been wondering if I was allergic to gluten, and this was exactly what I needed to read! My younger sister is gluten free, and was soo much better off when she discovered she was allergic to it :)
WOW Ashley, this is such a wonderful post!! It's so great to hear your perspective and understand more about how you realized you needed to eliminate gluten. I know exactly what you mean about the big belly bloat. I suffer from it too, but I'm pretty sure it's because I have a ridiculous amount of fruit and veggies in my diet. I've thought about eliminating/reducing gluten, but to be honest, I don't eat a whole lot of it anyway (or so I think). I'll eat bread occasionally (like maybe once every week or two) and other than that, I usually get my whole grains from quinoa and (sometimes) cereal. Any products I should know about that most people don't realize contain gluten?
This was interesting to read! And everyone's journey and story is so different regarding gluten intolerances. I also had to cut it out about a year ago now and have felt healthier and stronger than ever. Thanks for putting the time into such a great post.
This is a great post! I have a friend who is trying to determine if she has a gluten sensitivity. I'm going to send her a link to this post. She may want to try the elimination diet.
such a great post ashley! i use to get bloated every.single.day. where my stomach would protrude and i had the same thoughts- its from the fruit + veggies, and its normal. this went on for years for me too, and then i slowly started eliminating breads, cereals, etc after doing a ton of research. at this point, i've basically eliminated all grains and my digestion has improved significantly.
a while ago i was having stomach issues and had blood work done. when testing for celiac, i was on the "higher end" of the scale, but not technically celiac. the doctor just prescribed me prevacid [that i never bothered picking up from the pharmacy because i dont do drugs haha], and instead changed my diet and feel great :)
I absolutely loved this post (as well as all of what you write daily!) because I've had significant belly-bloating ever since I cut out meat from my diet and started consuming more soy and gluten (in the form of seitan, especially, as I dislike tempeh with a passion!) as my protein source, though I still consume eggs on occasion.
I would love to take the time to do this kind of detox to figure out what is the culprit, but I'd also like a true allergy test by my doctor first. We'll see! Regardless, this post was very informative! Thank you!
glad you shared ytour perspective. I feel like too many people go GF because they think they will lose weight. IF you do it for the RIGHT reasons, it can works wonders! I'm glad you found what worked for you!
Great post. Sending some GF love! I haven't tried beer yet to see how I react but they now sell Fat Tire in Va so I've been contemplating trying it. You've given me hope.
Great post Ashley. You totally summed up my gluten-free experience too. You're right, it's so challenging to be social with a gluten-free diet, but things are getting better. You should be proud of yourself for going through the elimination diet and figuring out what was causing the issues for you. I think that detox series was one of my favorites in the blogdom.
I feel best when I mostly eat GF...so that's what I stick to as well! I haven't been eating a lot of oats lately, but even when I do, they don't seem to bother me, but I just got some GF oats to try at Whole Foods.
Do you know why you would be sensitive to other gluten, but still able to eat oats?
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
my dad has celiac so he is VERY strict about what gluten he can consume (although he has always been fine with spelt and all oats which I guess typically are not ok for celiac) when he has a social event such as wedding at a catered facility, etc. i call no more than 2 days ahead of the wedding to ask what they are serving, and then i say "ok this is how you can make it work for him." i never bother the bride/host and this has never been a problem. growing up with my dad being gluten free far before it was 'cool' or 'trendy' has actually made me less sympathetic to people who are veggie, vegan etc. some of them still do not understand that my dad's diet is not a choice, and "no his steak cannot be grilled after your marinated shrimp because he is allergic to the marinade." or restaurants think that they can just pick the croutons off of his salad.
Neil and I just decided to go Paleo two weeks ago and are doing something similar to your first few weeks. I'm noticing the bloat, which I used to think was the result of my endometriosis, is COMPLETELY GONE with no bread/gluten/dairy. I'm not retaining water anymore. It's great! I know our diet will never be 100% perfect, but just making the change during the work week has helped heaps.
Wow, this has really got me thinking. One of my friends was recently diagnosed with an intolerance to gluten and she keeps suggesting I try to eliminate it based on some of my symptoms. I, like you, get severely bloated sometimes, and it's sometimes so painful I can't even stand upright. The problem is, I can never pinpoint what is was that I ate that caused it because I was thinking in terms of what I *just* ate vs. what I've eaten in the past day. Interesting!!
I'm going to read the other posts you linked, and maybe try giving it up for a week or 2 and see how I feel. I'm really thankful for this information. I've only been reading your blog for a couple of weeks, but it has quickly become one of my favorites!
Boo to the haters here - so not necessary! I <3 your blog Ash!! I like how you summarized with the Q&A format. I've also been working on gluten elimination, for very similar reasons. No medical concerns - just that oh-so-uncomfortable bloat. I super <3 your recipes!! Buckwheat bakes are now my breakfast staple...yummers! I'm really looking forward to the follow up post including some of your favorite ingredients &/or products. I'd love to see you do a post on your kitchen staples/products (like what do you always keep on hand, besides almonds, of course! ;-)) - or a typical shopping trip? You've done some like that before & they are very helpful to me. With a sweetheart who is a carnivore & a kiddo w/lots of nut allergies, I struggle to keep my diet the way I need it - but we are definitely eating MUCH healthier than we were. And many thanks to you for helping us with that.
Thank you for publishing this Ashley! I was always curious about why and how you went gluten free. I have always wondered if I have an intolerance because I've had digestive issues for as long as I can remember. It's also helpful because my best friend was just diagnosed with celiacs disease so this has been helpful to understand what she is going through!
thanks for doing this post, it is really informational.
I have bloating too but I don't know if it's normal type kind of bloating from food or if it's gluten related. Regardless, your explanation about your experience is a great read and I hope you continue these kind of posts.
Never have I come across a blog more educational, intelligent, and readable than Ashley's. It's obvious that the attention to detail Ashley provides on numerous and diverse topics (like travel, DIY green projects, amazingly creative recipes, and discussions of health) is what brings Ashley's loyal readers back for more. Reflections of life and its happenings are never perfectly organized (thank god).
I am not any place to speak on behalf of other readers, but for any blogger to sacrifice his or her creative integrity to make it more convenient for others to read "a ton of [other] food blogs" would be a complete shame and waste of talent.
Amazing again, Ashley! Can't wait to see what's to come for your GORGEOUS photography!!
I am very interested in this as I have celiac and had the exact bloat and was told it was normal. I am curious why you did not have a doctor or ND do an elimination diet with you. And you said you do not have celiac disease, have you been tested(biopsy is the most reliable)? It is worrisome to know that you still eat gluten sometimes not being sure you have celiac as people with that can have an increased risk of gut cancer. From things like beer and non GF oats your symptoms may not show up but there are a lot of long term complications that can arise--like other autoimmune problems. I am concerned people will eliminate gluten without checking with their doctor about celiac. It's important for their long term health.
On another note, that's great you got your husband off meat too. So many people stuggle with that and I think it's really nice as a couple to be able to eat things that they can both safely have. He must be really supportive.
Wow, great post! I've suffered from Crohn's disease for 3 years, and while I'm almost completely healthy now (from changes I've made in my diet), I still have times where my stomach hurts after I eat. I have this nagging thought that it may have to do with all the wheat based foods I eat, but I've been just too scared to see if that's really that case. I don't know if I can give up that crusty bread! I'll be anxiously awaiting your next post!!
I just have to say that I LOVE reading your blog, and look forward to your posts everyday, not to mention all the recipes I've bookmarked. :) We love your maple cinnamon almond butter!
I did a detox that looks very similar to yours with Katie at http://www.rootedwellbeing.com/. I had amazing results and love how I feel now! It has caused my husband and I to clean up our diet too, although we haven't gone completely gluten-free (I can't give up a good baguette every once in a while!).
I recently discovered that gluten is the cause of my bloating, gas, steatorrhea (TMI?), etc. I've spent the past 4 years with gut-wrenching episodes, which I minimized by following a vegan diet, but they've been few and far between since I went gluten-free. I, too, am able to eat any type of oats - thankfully! - but I am having a really hard time not being able to eat bread. Being vegan AND gluten free is probably one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but it makes the days less painful, so I do it. So happy to have found your site!
I am so with you! I used to think that the bloating and stomach ache was "normal". I actually felt like something was wrong if I didn't have a stomach ache, and would find myself over eating to induce a stomach ache. So weird. I feel so liberated after doing an elimination diet myself and eliminating gluten, wheat, soy, caffeine, and alcohol for 4 weeks. I am not constantly walking around thinking about how bad my stomach hurts or how bloated I am. I have also made a strong effort to know every single ingredient in all of the food I eat and I have been amazed at how many of the foods I used to eat on a daily basis are full of additives, processed soy, and other who knows whats. It is amazing what a little experimentation will teach you! I am so glad you found the culprit and are feeling better. Thank you for sharing your story.
hey Ashley! Remember in your last post you said you wish that apron was a dress? I sort of "stalk" this clothing website called Lulu's and I saw a dress there that looks similar to your apron.
http://www.lulus.com/products/champagne-and-chocolate-ruffle-dress/28295.html
I have a question for you after reading this interesting post. How do you know you're not celiac? Maybe I missed the part where you mentionned it, but I was really wondering. Being celiac myself, I know how it is important to completely eliminate gluten and since you are still having some reactions...
thanks!
Mélissa
While I can understand where Lola is coming from, I think it was stated very rudely. I initially felt somewhat of the same way when I started reading the blog, but I've come to look at the blog not as a recipe blog, but just as a blog I read that has recipes. I love Ashley's writing style and the way she talks about her life and such. Essentially, it's a "day-in-the-life" blog that is centered around food (or, at least, that's how I look at it). That is what has kept me coming back.
I agree with the other responders that perhaps your comment could have been stated another way so as not to come off as so rude.
LOVE this post. I had a lot of the same issues and it's been a whole different world without gluten!
Loved this post, Ashley! Mostly because I can so relate to the bloated feeling. I felt bloated all of the time before going GF last month. I've only been GF for a short time and I feel so much better. I have celiac disease so I miss beer and am feeling rather depressed about no pumpkin beer but other than that, it's been okay. I am so happy to start feeling normal.
I do hate going out to restaurants. That's been taking some getting used to. Hopefully it gets better soon.
I was tested for Celiac, with a biospy, by my Gastro at The Cleveland Clinic [I'm from Cleveland - My mom has suffered from GI problems - and long story, but I've had many "checks" from the gastro for various issues]. When I decided to do the elimination diet, I did let my doctor [in Colorado] know beforehand, at my yearly checkup.
Thanks for your comment Amanda! :)
Thanks for your comment. It's definitely true, especially with my older posts, that they are overloaded with information. :) I will be the first to admit it. My blog has transitioned many times and for the past 6 months, I think there has been a lot more focus. I try to not jump around as much and put too many topics in one post [unless it's a weekend recap]. A blog is something that evolves with time and I'm so glad you enjoy reading it. In the next month or so I will actually be redesigning the blog, focusing on simplifying + organization. It's a big undertaking but I'm really excited. I appreciate your support!
I didn't mention it in this post, but probably should have. I know it was mentioned in another one of my detox posts though. I was tested for Celiac 2 years ago, by my gastro doctor, with a biopsy and bloodwork. It came back negative. Thanks for your concern Melissa!
Hahaa, that is awesome Gina!!! The dress is adorable. Thanks for passing it along!
I've really been enjoying your blog and following your journey!! Miss you friend!