This month I embarked on a 14 Day Gluten Free Journey inspired by Udi's (read more about my first day thoughts HERE.) I'm 8 days in now, have some interesting changes going on with my body and have learned some valuable lessons along the way so far. The first thing I noticed is I have no body bloat. You know, that uncomfortable feeling where you have puffy parts, particularly in the abdomen region? Well, that has disappeared. And it only made a reappearance on the day I slipped and indulged in a non-gluten free meal at a dinner theater. Got back on track with gluten free the next day and "poof!" puffy body bloat gone again.
Without the bloat in the belly area, I'm finding that I need a belt to keep my pants up (totally great feeling!) and I simply, generally overall feel better, healthier, and less "weighed" down.
Udi's has not only been a great inspiration for me to go 100% gluten free but they've certainly made it 100% easier for me to feel like I'm not sacrificing foods or flavors in the process. All the items I love to have from time to time are still available to me with gluten free pizza, muffins, cookies, bagels, bread, rolls, granola, and a range of other staples in my dietary preferences.
What has not been easy is navigating dietary choices on-the-go or at restaurants. CeliacCentral.org has some handy printable guides and I found a number of websites listing hidden sources of gluten (just Google "hidden gluten in foods") that were helpful. Still it's difficult to truly know if a restaurant dish includes any hidden sources, so I'm getting really good at asking questions!
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| Roma Tomato and Cheese Pizza made with Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust and homemade pizza sauce |
In my own kitchen, it's been easier to sort things out by reading labels thoroughly, searching for words like "contains wheat." It's really amazing to learn how many things may contain gluten that I had not thought of such as mayonnaise, packaged rice, sour cream, yogurt, canned baked beans, and mustard.
As good as I'm getting at identifying hidden sources on labels, I didn't think about things like cross-contamination in my kitchen (because my family is not gluten free) that I will need to begin addressing. Things as simple as using the toaster can cross-contaminate a gluten-free product. Learning to have a gluten free kitchen will be my next step in this evolving process.
Do you think that you may be gluten sensitive?
If you have fatigue, GI distress, unexplained weight loss/gain, infertility, inability to concentrate, or tingling/numbness in legs, you may be contending with Celiac Disease or a Gluten Intolerance. Be sure to open up a dialogue with your doctor if you have concerns.
If you've been considering or already embarking on a gluten free diet, join me in the 14 day challenge, or follow along as I'll continue to report my findings along the way.
If you are interested in sampling Udi's Gluten Free foods, check out their $1 off coupon offer at http://shop.udisglutenfree.com/special-offers
Disclosure: I received product and information from Udi's for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are solely that of Rural Mom. I am choosing to participate in the 14 day Gluten Free Challenge for personal health reasons, I am not receiving compensation for my time or communications.
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