The G-Free Project: Day 56 ~ Now...why am I doing this?

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Day 56 ~ Now...why am I doing this?

Sometimes I have to remind myself, or explain to others, why I am going gluten free for what was originally 6 months...although I have moved my deadline to one year now. I get so caught up in the effort of NOT eating gluten, that even I forget my purpose...well, sort of. So here is a good Google explanation:

Gluten sensitivity is actually an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation throughout the body, with wide-ranging effects across all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints,digestive tract, and more. It can be the single cause behind many different "diseases." To correct these diseases, you need to treat the cause--which is often gluten sensitivity--not just the symptoms.

Basically, it is the inflammation that causes joint pain and stiffness that I am looking to reduce. And if it turns out there are more benefits from GF living than that even--then all the better. But I will be happy if I can just squat down and hug a grandchild without pain. That is all I really want!

2 comments:

Janice JohnsonJuly 27, 2011 at 4:17 PM
Lorrie says she is having trouble posting a comment--so I am testing it for her!
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2breedsJuly 27, 2011 at 4:32 PM
Well. I guess I wasn't doing something right. This seems to work! Thanks for the tip!
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Why I Went Gluten-Free

I have committed to stay gluten free for 6 months, or till after Christmas 2011, and then reevaluate. It feels less restrictive to say that, than to say this will be forever, even though it might very well be. The reason this is an experiment, is that I don't have a disease in which gluten makes me sick. However, I do have many health complaints that I have attributed to advancing age (I am 55--is that old??), menopause, or else to the osteoarthritis that I have had since the early onset age of 40.

This past year or so I have had several people mention to me, almost in passing, that wheat can cause inflammation in the body, which can then cause stiff and achy joints, and stomach and "bathroom" issues. I also have struggled with low energy levels for several years. Going on thyroid medication helped that a lot--but I still feel like my energy level is lower than I would like. So I hear that going gluten free can made a bigger difference than anything else you can do. Finally, I took this advice seriously and decided to go for the diet change.

The day before I planned to make the switch, I ate all the wheat products I could (including 3 slices of lemon buttermilk cake!) that were stored in my freezer and pantry--some things were my favorite things that I had baked, and it was hard to let go of them. I never knew I was so attached to my food!

On the designate day—May 31, 2011, I ate only gluten-free foods. To my surprise that morning, David, my hubby, said he wanted to do the project with me. This was HUGE for him, mainly because he is hamburger fanatic and that passion would have to die a sad and sudden death. My chatting the week before about my research on the advantages of being gluten-free made David think it could improve some of his “aging” issues too. I must admit, going g-free is more motivating, maybe even fun, with a partner to share the pain and successes with. I thank the Lord for my good-hearted hubby! ~ Janice