The G-Free Project: Day 74 ~ Adding on to g-free...

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Day 74 ~ Adding on to g-free...

I decided to pick one more inflammatory food, besides gluten, to eliminate from my diet to help out with cutting down on inflammation that causes pain. I looked into several kinds of foods/drinks I had seen listed as promoting inflammation. Finally I debated between dairy and caffeine. As much as I enjoy my coffee, I decided that it would be easier to cut out caffeine than it would be to cut out dairy. So I decided to start a slow cut back with the caffeine. I am not in a big hurry to make the switch, but I made a start this morning by first drinking a cup of tea, then a little leftover iced coffee I happened to have in the fridge. I did end up the day with a slight headache. But it was expected, and not as bad as it could be. So for now, it is no gluten, and less caffeine.

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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