5 Gluten-Free Ways to Survive the Summer
Why I went Gluten Free
It was spring 2016 when I woke up at four in the morning with incredible pain in my abdomen. I tossed and turned a little bit, thinking it was just another crazy dream. About an hour later, as it progressively worsened, I slid out of my bunk bed and tried to stand up. Once my feet hit the ground, I doubled over: my upper right quadrant throbbing as though it was being stabbed.
Hobbling over to my bathroom, I studied myself in the mirror for a moment and was horrified to see a pale complexion decorated with beads of sweat. Closing, then sitting on the toilet seat, I mentally reviewed all the possibilities that could have contributed to this searing pain.
What’s wrong with me?
Food poisoning? I didn’t have any dinner. PMS? I just had my cycle. Gas? From what? Pulled muscle? Maybe. I grabbed a foam roller, applied the area of pain to it, and nearly screamed at the contact. Nope, it was not that.
Getting back in bed, I reasoned time would pass, and I would get up for class. Shortly after, I concluded that I would not make it in this condition. Doubled over, I immediately got out of bed and crawled to my parent’s room. Panicking, my mother prescribed some ibuprofen and the pain soon subsided.
Gallbladder Attack
I soon discovered that what I’d experienced was the first of many gallbladder attacks. So, to ensure it would never happen again, I began to monitor my diet carefully. Fat? No, it makes me sick. Dairy? No, it makes me sick. Soy? Nope, it makes me sick. Wheat/Gluten? Nope, it makes me sick. Rice? Same as others. Corn? Not.
For a while, it worked. I dropped weight at a rapid pace, and I stopped feeling pain, both of which I didn’t mind. But I couldn’t live like that forever. So, a week after my birthday, my gallbladder was removed.
The doctor told my mother he’d never seen a gallbladder that inflamed. I felt better, but I was still afraid of food. I was terrified. What scared me even more, was that I was putting my weight back on. So as soon as I got the okay from the doctor, I immediately resumed working out to try and combat it
Gluten Free Diet
By the end of the year, I was eating properly and incorporated many things into my diet, except for dairy and gluten/wheat. I had more energy, and my drive was returning, but nobody in my family had severe food allergies like me.
Family Reunions were full of foods packed with gluten, dairy, and an abundance of fat: everything I couldn’t have. I began to realize that potlucks were chock full of the favorites I couldn’t consume, so I just avoided them. I would find an empty room and sit there and fast while my family would get food and socialize.
Traveling
Traveling became a nightmare. Restaurants hardly have accommodations for vegans, let alone people with a gluten/wheat allergy. Professional dinners and banquets seldom have options for people with dietary restrictions; on top of that, I was rarely happy. Food is culture, in itself, a love language. Food is friends and socialization; activities are centered around food.
To reject the gesture is to deny the person. Individuals have picked on and mocked my lifestyle as though I chose this out of fun or to lose weight when that could not be further from the truth. Every summer, life gets one thousand times more frustrating, and although it has only been twenty-two months since I have adopted this lifestyle, here are five tips/ways to survive this summer, not only gluten-free but also vegan.
Meal Prep
Meal prepping has been such a lifesaver. So what? Options may be low, but because it is mostly from scratch, taking twenty minutes to an hour to plan and prepare meals for the week saves so much extra time. For example, Bob’s Red Mill has gluten-free instant oats that can be prepared in three minutes. Buying about five of them for the work week eliminates the worry of what to eat when rushing out the door.
Not interesting enough? Add dates, nuts, berries, and/or cinnamon to spice it up. Find Out What You Can Eat At an event? Don’t completely abandon the refreshments table or dodge the dinner. Walk down the line, do they have any options for people with food allergies?
If not, is the salad okay? What can be added to the salad that will be satiating? Ask the caterers or waiters questions about the food if need be. Never be embarrassed to inquire about the preparation of food. You might find out there is something that’s okay.
Don’t Be Afraid of Trying Alternatives
Love cake but haven’t had it in ages? Go to the store and find a box of cake mix or a prepared one. It just might suit your fancy (or it could be grotesque). Either way, you are one step closer to being reunited with a childhood favorite. These days, there are gluten-free versions of practically everything. Cookies, crackers, bread, cheesecake, French toast, waffles, pancakes, muffins, burritos, etc. Everything.
Discover and Enjoy Activities that aren’t centered around food
Everything does not have to be about food. My sister and I used to love cooking together, but after I stopped eating gluten, that quickly flew out the window. Instead, we started working out together. Spending quality time with family and friends is possible without fast food being the center.
Educate Others
Shopping for clothes/shoes, or going to a concert, for example, are great ways of hanging out without awkward moments or being unable to find “safe” foods. Educate Your Family and Friends Have an honest conversation with your loved ones.
Let them know about your allergies and the reactions you could get. Once they understand that you are not blatantly rejecting them, they will likely be supportive of you and the lifestyle. Give them recipes, or offer to bring side dishes to events. Just because you may be the only person with those problems does not mean you will automatically be the outcast.
My Life Today
So I got my life back. I am now the healthiest I have ever been, the strongest, and have gained a new level of maturity. I have not learned everything there is to know and learn, but I have come a long way. I eat only when I am hungry and have prepared dishes for my family that is vegan and gluten-free.
Traveling has gotten better. I found a pizza place that has gluten-free options. My family knows what to look for when shopping and the dos and don’ts of food preparation. Yes, food is still a love language, incorporated deep in culture, and how we socialize, but it is not emotional for me anymore. I eat to live, not live to eat.
For more information on please check out the National Celiac Association at https://nationalceliac.org. They assist individuals with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease.
Great post for anyone with food issues, or even anyone who is on a diet!
I have a number of food allergies and sensitivities that make potlucks and cook-outs extremely difficult. Eating at a restaurant is always a risk due to cross-contamination.
But as you say, just talk to people and tell them why you are hesitant or concerned. They will be more than happy to accommodate. The next step is getting over the guilt you feel that they had to make special/extra/different food just for you. I always feel like I am asking too much when I give my future hosts a list of approximately 8 things I can’t eat! But everyone is always so gracious about it.
I am so glad you enjoyed this article! As for guides for travelers that indicate good gluten-free restaurants, I have to look into that. Currently, I don’t know where to find them, but am more than willing to do some research. Sorry for the late response.
Thanks for this extremely poignant and informative article. To your credit, you never gave up, and you continued to look for solutions to healthfully fill the gaps in your diet and habits. I believe that if you look hard enough, reasonable solutions CAN be found. You’ve proven this in multiple ways. Building on the comment by Furkan a little further up, are there any types of guides for travelers which indicate the best places to eat where gluten-free foods are served? I think something like this would be very helpful.
Thanks for sharing!
Norman
When I travel I want to continue eating gluten free foods but it is quite difficult to do. Yeah I have not eaten a cake for ages but I worry that local markets might not prepare it right.
Can you recommend a brand or should I just go with a local one?
Traveling can be very difficult when you have dietary restrictions. I am not familiar with many brands that make cakes, and depending on your location products I use may be hard to find. However if you do not feel confident with how your cake would be prepared, I would recommend King Arthur Flour’s Gluten Free Cake Mix. Though it takes a bit of time to make, I find their brand very reliable.
This is a great article, and very informative. How terrifying that must have been for you for being in so much pain, and then being scared to eat anything again! I really feel for you. I think I have a gluten sensitivity, but I find that all the filling and easy to eat foods contain gluten. i really want to be gluten free and your article has given me some much needed pointers about where to start. Thanks so much!
I am so glad my article could help you, and yes, it was very terrifying when I first went gluten-free. Be prepared for trial and error, because it will take multiple attempts to find products and recipes that you like, but I know that you will succeed.
j. grey
This was a great article. I enjoyed the practical insights for living a gluten-free lifestyle with family and friends. I am not gluten-free but I appreciate the information so that I can more thoughtful to family members who are sensitive to gluten.
Thank you for your response! j.grey did a great job describing not just the challenges of a gluten-free life but also the struggles of coping as a teen. Her tips for managing with this food allergy are good for all age groups. She is an excellent writer so look to hear much more from her in the future. Education is key to not only understanding those with this allergy but helps you be more in tune with trying to accommodate those who may have a special diet when preparing dinner or when dining out. Please check j. gray out at Tumblr @jgreyblog. You can expect to hear a lot more from her in the future.