I didn't realize until my senior year of high school that I was gluten intolerant (not allergic, but my body is negatively affected in many ways by gluten). This is common for celiac disease to come up later in life, which is so cruel!
Years of indulging in delicious pasta, french bread, and pastries made me scared that I wouldn't be able to stick to this diet. But here I am!
Three years later and not only am I gluten-free, I'm also vegetarian.
After making these diet adjustments, I have never felt better. I learned how to listen to my body and decipher what it needs. Inevitably my health and lifestyle improved through this newfound awareness of what I put into my body.
While it may seem like a nightmare to go out to lunch with me, there are many tricks to being a smart celiac!
Here are some of the things I've learned over the past three years of being gluten-free.
Avoid anything with flour at all costs.
Instead opt for flour substitutes like almond flour or, my personal favorite, coconut flour. Many people even mix gluten free flours for different flavors and consistencies.
Cook at home.
This allows you to control everything that goes into your meal, so there's no hidden surprises.
Substitute traditional pasta for black bean or chickpea pasta.
Not only does this pasta bring distinctive flavor to a dish that flour pasta does not, it also is packed with protein!
You don’t need to stick to just the gluten-free section.
Many foods are gluten-free on their own. Rice, quinoa, raw meats, produce, etc. You will just have to get used to reading labels thoroughly.
