If Ignorance Is Bliss…

… and knowledge is power…. then I’m just all sorts of confused.

Way back last April I was having some stomach issues and decided to jump on the fad that was gluten free. That lasted about two days. Major fail on my part. Although as it turned out my stomach issues at the time were due to way too many veggies and once I cut back on those for all intensive purposes, problem solved.

Then in November I decided to throw caution to the wind and went gluten (and dairy) free when I began prep with Blueprint. At the time I admit it seemed like the end of the world. Not that I was stuffing myself with bread and garbage, I was eating a few servings a day and didn’t really realize everything that contained gluten. Regardless, I decided to just take my coach’s word for it, give it up and see how it went.

Looking back I don’t think I noticed the changes as they happened, and even if I had I don’t think I would have put two and two together that a lot of things that were clearing up were due to cutting out both wheat and dairy.

Since prep has ended and my few weeks of not being so well behaved on my diet is over I’m feeling back to myself. I have more free time on my hands and have been reading and educating myself on everything gluten right now. I’m kind of at the mercy of google and the picked over selection of books at the library but the blood type diet book and now a stack of gluten free books and articles (from science based to gluten free for dummies types) is making everything so much more clear.

In the weeks after my show when I was sick and just… not really sticking to a plan… I didn’t feel like myself. Sure mentally I was off, but it was physical too. At the time I blamed this on my sickness, but now that I’ve been 100% back on plan for just over a week now the change is like night and day.

My skin that freaked out (okay, not bad… but for me bad) is back to normal

The bloating I was dealing with has gone down considerably

My gurgling/upset stomach is no more

My energy is back

I’m sleeping better

The aching that came back in my joints is gone

Now I’m not saying that cutting out gluten and dairy has been a magic cure all, but if the last 6-7 months was a human experiment I’d have to say that there is something going on. The more I read and educate myself on the science and the logic behind it all makes clear sense to me. I’m sure as I get more into it I’ll discuss it more, but for now I just wanted to state some simple facts.

I’ve had a few people ask why gluten and dairy free. This post is why. My body just seems to feel better without it.

Yes, a lot of it probably has to do with cutting out all the artificial crap. I used to love 100 cal packs, processed rice cakes, cereals, sugar free this and fat free that…. and well, with the exception of some stevia in my coffee I’m off that. I eat whole, natural and real foods. No, it’s not all organic and wonderful and sunshiney, but it’s a start.

Eggs, steak, chicken, quinoa, (organic) brown rice cakes, vegetables and fruit.

I’ve started making my own almond butter and homemade salsa. I buy local veggies and fruit when I can. Small little things like that are making a difference. I always swore I’d never be one of those “gimicky" dieters, jumping on this fad or that bandwagon. I used to pride myself on prepping with all the normal foods everyone else ate, cereal, greek yogurt, popcorn. I didn’t want to “do without”. But by including these I was doing without reaching my goals and more importantly the best self I could be.

A little crazy, but I’m giving up on ignorance and embracing knowledge instead. I’m trusting the process and loving every second of it. Geeking out over this makes me feel like me again, a bookworm who wants to know everything.

So maybe I’m jumping on the bandwagon, but I’m okay with it because I know it’s not something I’m falling off anytime soon.

(… Don’t worry, I’m not about to start drinking green monsters, eating granola or fancy oatmeal every morning…. I much prefer my oats at bedtime thanks.)