I spoke to a colleague the other day, after I had given a presentation about being gluten-free. As she left the room, she said, “I’m pretty much gluten-free, except when I’m not.” I had to laugh, because this has also been how gluten-free eating works for me. I commonly eat bread when I’m traveling abroad, but when I get home, I go back to a diet free of wheat, barley and rye, because it feels best for me.
Many of my clients must maintain a gluten-free diet. Their body reacts quickly to the protein in wheat, and they have a damaged intestinal lining from years of eating pizza, bagels, and pasta. Other people make the choice to omit gluten for different elective reasons. The motivation may come from aching joints, inflammation in the body, or rashes.
There are some drawbacks if you are gluten-free and make occasional exceptions where you eat wheat:
1. Even a small amount of the gluten protein can irritate the intestines. If you notice that your bowels are upset in the hours or days after consuming food with wheat, it may be best for you to stick with the gluten-free diet.
2. Aches, pains and chronic soreness can come back right away.
3. Some people find that they get grumpy.
4. Other people notice that small amounts of gluten make them groggy and tired.
Here are some benefits of eating gluten from time to time. This is only appropriate if your body can tolerate gluten, and your gluten-free diet was chosen for a reason other than celiac disease.
1. The handmade pasta in Italy is going to taste amazing.
2. The baguette sandwiches in Paris will be an experience that will put you in awe.
3. You can still enjoy Annie’s brand salad dressing (this is definitely my favorite, but the Goddess Dressing contains soy sauce that has wheat as an ingredient).
You can see that there are 2 sides to this story, and it’s a personal decision that you will make. As always, please let me know if there is any way that I can support you in finding a diet that works exactly for what you need.
© 2011 Ava Waits
