I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 27 years, disabled daughter, college-aged son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!The last time I had gluten was on May 21st and I started my diet on May 23rd. As of today I have lost 10.4 pounds, dropped a clothing size, which gives me a lot of new options with capri pants and shorts and sweat pants, if not jeans. My shirts are a lot looser, too, and longer than they were before, or at least they go down further.
I feel better, too. I am not having near the trouble with mucus pooling in my throat that I was when I was on wheat. It isn't gone, we are in cottonwood season, but it isn't where I feel like I am almost drowning in it. I also haven't had to use my asthma inhalers since dropping gluten and I am barely using my nasal spray at all, and certainly not first thing when I get up so I can breathe. I always thought it was dairy that was my problem, but I've had milk and cheese through this, so it doesn't seem to be.
I have also noticed that it has become a struggle to meet my daily calories for a safe daily intake. I'm just not hungry or craving bread all the time. I do push myself to eat at least 1200 calories a day, and I am happier if I can get it closer to 1400 to 1500. I've never had to worry about that when wheat was in my diet.
My stamina is also getting better and my legs are getting stronger. I was having trouble standing for more than five minutes at a time since having what we suspect was Covid19 back in February. Not with walking, mind, just standing in one place. Two night ago I was able to stand the entire time I was cooking instead of having to pull up a chair. Not to mention how much longer I can work in the garden, including doing things like shoveling. I was so weak when we started putting in the garden in April.
I've also noticed my RA symptoms don't seem as bad, despite using my hands a lot and my fibromyalgia, while still noticeable, is not as bad, but that may just be from the increased exercise.
I'm not sure if I have a gluten intolerance or just a wheat allergy. I know I don't have celiac. Considering the mucus output going down so much, I think it is an allergy.
Franz now has a gluten free bread line that tastes good. It has two types of bread, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and bagels. That's the same as what Udi has, but Udi comes frozen. I like the Franz better as it is softer. I am still learning to bake gluten free, just haven't stumbled on any great recipes yet. I am going to attempt to make cornbread this week though, as I found a recipe that looks promising.
Mostly I am happy with just eating meat, veggies, and fruit, though. The bread craving is gone, so unless I am going to have a hot dog or hamburger on the grill, I don't feel much of a need for it. The kids do, though, so I buy the gluten free bread mostly just for them. They've been off wheat since the beginning of the year and both feel better and have dropped weight as well.
I read wheat belly years ago and was just not ready to give it up. Now I wish I had tried. I might have saved myself a lot of weight gain and physical pain and breathing issues.
Dietary Changes are Making Me Feel so Much Better
May 31st, 2020 at 08:17 pm
May 31st, 2020 at 09:02 pm 1590958965
June 1st, 2020 at 12:00 pm 1591012853
June 2nd, 2020 at 07:30 am 1591083053
I still have really bad allergies. It's seasonal and both my girls are doing terribly. DH is not that bad but his were worse earlier in the season. My DK1 has gotten hives from being outside in the pollen. You can tell because she's come in swollen and then we've had to benadryl her and rub lotion.
For me I have constant sinus and pressure and I feel great otherwise but it's definitely seasonal allergies. DH has a lot of food allergies now due to the pollen of fruits. He absolutely can't eat a lot of fruits like avocados, mangos, berries, all exotic fruits, melons, etc. His throat starts to itch and he eyes swell up. But a lot of this has been since childhood.
For me it's interesting being off dairy, carbs, sugar, legumes. I miss legumes and dairy. I can't wait to introduce them and see how it is. I don't miss carbs except when I smell it. but i miss tofu, peanut butter, soybeans, and yogurt.
I can't eat the butter chicken I'm making. I'm not even sure I can eat the japanese curry I'm making either. I certainly can't eat any teriyaki chicken or mochi chicken or spam musubi. Meh. i'll get there eventually.
June 2nd, 2020 at 06:26 pm 1591122385