For years doctors told me nothing was wrong, that I had a "nervous stomach." I'll be the first to admit that I am an anxious person, and my nerves do get the best of me. But that was not what was making me sick every night of my childhood for as long as I can remember. No amount of Tums, Pepto Bismol, or antacid medicine stopped the constant pain I was in, and no doctor would listen.

Finally, one fateful day, my mother just happened upon a segment of Dr. Oz concerning gluten. At the time it was not a common household term, and most people, doctors included, brushed it aside without much concern. After watching the segment, my mother decided to look up the self test he had posted on his website regarding gluten sensitivity.

I ended up exhibiting more than half of the symptoms listed. We decided to do a trial run of sorts, and I began cutting things out of my diet that he had listed as containing gluten. It was not an easy task. I cheated a lot, but slowly I began to see improvements.

It wasn't until I cut out all gluten products (including the beloved Oreo) that it truly changed my life. I wasn't in pain or sick every night, my mood lifted, my skin began to clear up (eczema and acne both) and the frequency of my migraines lessened. Going out to eat wasn't a fiasco anymore because I didn't get sick five minutes into the meal. And I actually gained a few healthy pounds because my body was no longer rejecting the nutrients it needed.

I am lucky that my case is not so advanced that I have the full-blown Celiac disease. But I am even luckier that I have family and friends that support me and don't tell me it's "all in my head" or "not a real thing." It is very much a real thing, and my health today and the lives of many others prove it.

My advice to everybody, whether you suffer from this or not, is to listen to your body. Nobody knows your body better than you, even your doctor. If you don't feel right, or your body is rejecting something -- listen. Don't ignore it and hope it goes away. The solution could be as simple as cutting something out of your diet.