Gluten-Free

So now, you're probably thinking, gluten-free too?  What the heck do you eat?  Yes, I know.  This can be daunting, too at first.  My choice to go gluten free was a little different than going plant-based though.

About four years ago, I started experiencing some weird hormonal problems. (this was before I went plant-based by the way.)  At the age of thirty-four, I started having hot flashes.  I mean BAD hot flashes.  Day and night.   I had recently stopped breast-feeding my one-year old daughter, and at first, I thought my hormones were just trying to recover.  But it kept happening.  The doctors were baffled.  Tests didn't reveal anything (except that fact that my hormones were out-of-whack), so it was concluded that I must be experiencing early menopause.  NO!!! I just could not accept this.

Eventually, I decided to do my own research--especially after going plant-based and learning about how diet affects everything.  I narrowed it down to two possibilities--iron related anemia and gluten sensitivity.  So I had my iron levels tested and those were fine.  I talked to my doctor about testing for gluten sensitivity and he told me that most insurances don't cover the cost of the test.  So I decided the best route would be just to stop eating gluten and see what happened.

Well, I can tell you that it was no short of a miracle.  Within a month, the hot flashes subsided and as a huge bonus, my migraines, which I'd just accepted as a fact of life, quit occurring.  I was elated.

Since I plant-based by this time, yes, going gluten-free added a new challenge.  But I new this challenge was well-worth it.

All the recipes I share on this blog are gluten free as well, but you can always substitute wheat products, if you wish.  But I would like to encourage those of you that have any health problems at all to research the effects of gluten.  You might be surprised to learn of the many, many conditions that are linked with gluten consumption.