Gluten-free Experiment

Photo credit: KevinLallier on Flickr

I'm taking a month (31 days) off of eating wheat and gluten.

I am keeping a daily journal of my thoughts and feelings and a rough food diary throughout this month so that I can see how things have changed and progressed (if at all) throughout the month. I will be trying out various wheat-free/gluten-free products from the grocery store and I plan to compile a post with all of my favorites. I will also publish only wheat-free/gluten-free recipes on Foodie Fridays throughout November.

At the end of the month, I will go back to my "regular diet" with plenty of wheat and gluten, and see how I feel, and I will also write about all of the things I have learned throughout this process. I suspect that even if I don't find that I feel any different when not eating wheat, I will choose to eat less wheat after having done this experiment. Before this, I didn't know how many foods wheat is added to, and I worry that this is why so many people now have allergies and sensitivities to wheat and gluten.

What this is:
An experiment! Isn't it great we can do things like this with our bodies to see what happens? It's not at all dangerous, and only mildly inconvenient, so why not!? I've resisted doing this for years, even after numerous medical professionals (a nurse practitioner, two acupuncturists, a chiropractor, both of my midwives, and a family practice doctor) and family members (my mom and sister both don't eat wheat or gluten) have suggested that I try it. I have a lot of inflammation going on in my body, and I hope that this might help to decrease some of that.

What it isn't:
A "diet" in the traditionally accepted definition of the term. I'm not trying to lose weight. That being said, the experiment has already been in progress for a little while now, and I have noticed some change in that department. I'm not restricting fat, salt, sugar, dairy, or processed foods. I've included convenience foods and (maybe not-so-healthy) snacks in my diet for this month, because I felt that would be a good way to help me to succeed at making it through this time without eating any "forbidden" foods. I am also cooking most of my meals at home, because it seems that is one of the only ways to be sure that I'm not inadvertently eating any gluten.

Maybe this is old news to you, and I'm late to the game (or whatever that sports-related expression is) but I'm still learning a lot about food, so I want to share that journey with you!