I was first diagnosed with a gluten allergy when I was in high school. My mother has always been one to experiment with diets, cleanses, and what not because she had her own health problems. At this point in time my mom was seeing a holistic doctor, which most people are skeptical of, but he changed our lives.
The way he diagnosed is very different from traditional medicine. He had four thin, tall, sealed glass jars filled with different powders. I had no idea what was inside. I had to hold my right arm high in the air, above my head, and pull the collar of my shirt down. Nothing revealing just so the jars could be pressed against my sternum. He would lightly hold my arm in the air, while pressing the different jars onto my chest, and going back and forth between them to double-check. I had to focus on my arm, and use all my strength to keep it in the air. For some reason, I do not know why or how it is possible, for one of the jars I could not keep my arm in the air. It was impossible. The human body is so fascinating. That jar contained gluten, the dropping of my arm indicated that I was allergic.
While in high school and living gluten-free, it was easy. My parents made my lunch for school. I eat almost every meal with them. I did not have to think about my meals or what I was eating because my parents knew what to do, and took care of me. Leaving home and moving to Lubbock, Texas beginning school at Texas Tech University proved to me how challenging life can be gluten-free.
I gave up. I admit it. I was 18 years old, I had no idea what exactly I could, or could not eat since my parents helped me out for so long. I didn’t have a car, so I couldn’t get to grocery store. None of the food on campus was helpful, and no one that worked there even understood what gluten-free meant. I had never had a serious reactions so I gave up. Until, I did start to have serious reactions 3 years later.
My senior year of college I continued to have serious problems and finally realized I needed to start eating the way my body needed me too. I was so blotted and had gained so much weight, and my body refused to drop it, not matter how much I worked out. When I finally became completely gluten-free, the weight came off so much easier. Since I have gone gluten-free, I have become guilt free. I have made this blog to explain what happened to me by becoming gluten-free, and to give advice from my experiences eating at home and out at restaurants. I hope it helps!
Shelby Lynn (10/18/2014)
Gluten Free, Guilt Free 