I've just been to the second doctor who recommends I go on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. Maybe it's time to listen! The first time, about four years ago, I tried the gluten-free, dairy-free diet for a time, then had an allergy test and found out "Hurrah!" that I'm not allergy to either wheat or dairy. So I stopped the diet.
I've continued to feel bad for the next four years, and my new doctor explained that I can be gluten-intolerant, etc. without it showing on any allergy test. Ah ha! She strongly urged revisiting, so here I am.
I have almost zero energy, and am suffering from lots of brain fog, but I've committed - this time I'm going to give it a year! Yeah, that sounds like a lot, but I've felt bad for ten years. I have Graves Disease, and allergies, and sleep apnea, and I've recovered from breast cancer, and I recently retired and sold my beloved toy & bookstore because I didn't have the health to run it anymore. And now I'd like to enjoy life a little. No, a lot! So this is my commitment, in writing on the web (and we KNOW that everything on the web is true, right?) I will embrace the new myriad of foods I can eat and enjoy, and I will totally avoid all things with gluten and dairy in them. I will keep a journal and, hopefully, watch myself get healthy and energetic. And I will learn from and with the multitude of other people who have embarked on this journey.
The first thing I've done is visit Whole Foods and New Seasons to check out the gluten-free/dairy-free items. I'm keeping a list of things I like, things that one could live on if you had to, and things I immediately threw in the garbage. Fake cheese went in the trash immediately, and coconut oil yogurt was a close second. So far, it seems like there are more acceptable gluten-free products than dairy-free.
I bought a very inspiring book, The Healthy Gluten-free Life, after talking a bit with the book's author, Tammy Credicott. All her recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free & egg-free, and they come with beautiful photographs and her delightful narrations. Unfortunately for me right now, I'm reading in bed, and have absolutely no energy to shop for or prepare these recipes. Right now I'm going to have to rely on the fast and easy pre-made stuff that she suggests may not be the healthiest, let alone the tastiest. But you can be sure I'm going to try her recipes as soon as I can!
I did cook up some quinoa this morning, and my husband is going to barbeque chicken. We'll have a baked sweet potato and some fresh fruit and that will be a lovely dinner. Thank God for my wonderful husband, who, when I was at my worst, actually spoon-fed me in bed! He's great on the barbeque. Oh yeah, I bought some gluten-free barbeque sauce. Hopefully it will taste good.
