GOING GLUTEN-FREE

“Food, wonderful food, glorious food.” … from the musical, Oliver

 

Food is such a sensory experience.   

Inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives, it evokes feelings of both pleasure and comfort on a daily basis.

We taste or nibble, and sometimes devour, depending on our moods and level of hunger. If we are really mindful and aware, we savor every morsel.

Our daily meals are as basic to our existence as taking our next breath.

Yet, when you add Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance or Food Allergies into the mix, things aren’t quite so simple.

Along the way, life gets a little more interesting, and a lot more challenging.

For this reason, I’ve decided to share with you my personal philosophy for designing a Gluten-Free Life, while embracing my twin passions for Food & Design.

Yes, I also happen to be an Interior Designer – hence the name Gluten-Free Designer! (You can visit my website at www.harmonydesignstudio.com ).

My own story started out simple enough, beginning with an article I read about nine years ago on Celiac Disease.

Up until that time I had never heard of Celiac Disease, but then I’d also never heard of gluten. I had no idea there was a name attached to the debilitating symptoms I’d been dealing with for years.

Yet something about the article caught my attention. I read it all the way through, then read it again. What I read in that article described me exactly – including the stomach pain and discomfort I experienced on a daily basis with no obvious explanation.

To think that all this was attributable to a single protein called Gluten was astounding, almost exciting!

Now – one of the unfortunate facts about Celiac Disease (or gluten intolerance or sensitivity, or whatever you want to call it) is that it can take on average years to diagnosis.

Perhaps this sounds familiar.

The first time I was tested for Celiac Disease the tests came back negative. As far as the doctor was concerned that was it. Done.

I wasn’t convinced.

After all, I knew my body. I also knew that prior to the blood test, I’d already been cutting back on gluten in my diet and had noticed a big difference.

Here’s the thing:  if you start eliminating gluten from your diet prior to being tested, the test results can indeed come back negative. This is why patients are told over and over again to wait and get tested first.

Of course, I didn’t know this at the time.

Celiac Disease is tricky to diagnose under the best of circumstances. Not only are the symptoms all over the map, but some people experience none at all!

However, I’ve heard over and over again from various people, that finally knowing the cause of their intestinal distress, was one of the best things they’d heard in a long time – because they finally had an answer.

Whether Celiac, Gluten Intolerant, or Gluten Sensitive, the cure is the same – to change  the way you eat. There are no medications to take, no surgeries to schedule.

That’s it.

Easier said than done, you might say, and I certainly understand the struggle, especially in the beginning.

My goal, here, is to help you figure things out while navigating this new terrain, by providing plenty of useful information & tips as well as a forum for sharing our experiences. And of course, the occasional recipe.

My ultimate wish is that you learn to Embrace this new lifestyle, rather than resist what life has handed to you.

After all, your long-term health and well-being are at stake. There’s little room for errors.

I’m not saying it will be easy.

Just know that it does get easier, I promise!