Living my life gluten free
Living my life gluten free. I am sure many of you have noticed that there have been several new Gluten FREE recipes and tips and deals being posted on the blog lately.
Living my life gluten free:
In late September early October, I was very sick and couldn’t get better. After going to my general doctor 3 times in 2 weeks I was referred to a specialist. I lost 10 lobs in 12 days, and I was feeling like my life was spinning out of control. I endured many tests, and the end result came up with nothing is wrong. Knowing that something was WRONG I turned to alternative medicine.
I started seeing a new chiropractor and turned to the support of good friends and the internet to figure out what was wrong with me. In the end my Chiropractor suggested I may have a gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease. I went back to my doctor who tested me and confirmed what my chiropractor thought and then began my new journey of eliminating gluten from my life.
Prior to my positive test result I did 6 days off gluten and 1 day “on” gluten to see if it truly was the gluten that was causing my problems. I paid dearly for the “1 day on” gluten. I was in DENIAL! How could it be gluten? I “tried” eliminating gluten but was constantly having attacks so on November 27, 2011, after a painful Thanksgiving I finally made the decision to go completely gluten free. I find that ironic for a coupon queen to choose Black Friday to make this kind of life change.
So the Gluten Free journey began. I made a lot of mistakes at first (not realizing that a product had an ingredient that contains gluten) and it is still a learning process for me to say the least. At first we thought I had a gluten intolerance but I have since learned that I am Celiac.
What I can tell you is that I have never felt better. Being “off gluten” for me has caused me to have more energy, sleep better and feel better. Of course the downside to living a gluten free lifestyle is that it is harder to stockpile and find coupons for gluten free food. However it is not impossible! I plan to share my journey with you. Of course the main focus of our blog remains the same and our mission is to help you save money to stretch your family budget and live a savvy lifestyle. Adding Gluten Free to the blog I hope is just a nice addition for those of you who share the journey with me.
I would love to know if you are Gluten Free or if you have a family member that is? Does saving money on Gluten Free interest you? I can’t wait to hear about your journey too!
Melissa is a football and soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 24 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
I am also G-Free and find it hard to find coupons for the products and to save money on these items. If anyone has any tips, I’d love to hear them!! I have found a website/blog with a ton of great recipes though, go to: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
Check out this post – full of coupons and I to it all of the time – https://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2012/01/gluten-free-coupons/
Thank you so much for the info. I am going Gluten free because it is the best for my Diabetes. I feel way better too. I was tested for Celiac and it came back negative. but my IBS problems have gone away since I went gluten free!!!!
Just remember a negative test result does not mean that you are not Celiac – I also had IBS problems which I was told were “stress induced” – however now that I am gluten free I don’t have IBS isn’t that ironic?
Hugs to you!
Teri I am thinking of doing the same thing, please let me know how you are doing on cutting the carbs out (ex. exchanges for those breads, pasta type things). [email protected]
Thanks Deb
I was diagnosed with celiac’s back in June 2010. I got pregnant in April of 2009 and had this weird rash that nobody could explain. I went to several different doctors and it just kept getting worse during pregnancy and even after I gave birth. I would get severe headaches, nausea and severe gi discomfort. My doctor sent me two and a Neurologist who did CAT scans MRIs to find where my headaches were coming from. Finally they sent me to a dermatologist. He knew within minutes what the problem was and ordered blood work and a scratch biopsy of the rash. Is words to me were if I’m right you’re going to have to change your lifestyle. I had dermatitis herpetiformis aka the gluten rash and celiacs disease. Only 20% of those with celiac get the gluten rash too. Since its hereditary I informed my family and my sister who had a kid two months before me was feeling horrible too but no rash. She went and got tested too and she has celiacs also. I can’t say it’s been easy but well worth it. There were days that I wanted to cheat cuz I missed a favorite food but after paying dearly for it and I decided it wasn’t worth it. I have found really good deals on a lot of gluten free food on Amazon.com and by carefully reading labels. I don’t have to buy the expensive gluten-free cereals I have found ones like fruity pebbles that are gluten-free and chex. I have loved seeing your post about the gluten-free stuff and hope to see many more in the future
Thanks so much for sharing! There will be much more to come!
Just decided to go G-Free for the same reasons! Excited to follow you on your journey and hopefully gets some tips on couponing G-Free. 🙂
Thanks Charity
Just 1 month into Gluten-Free. Trying it to see if I feel better. The jury is still out on that. I’m going to give it 6 months. I am looking for help and ideas and, yes, money saving offers. Thanks!
Martha – the turning point for me was 6 weeks. I would do as much detoxifying as you can during the process. Take hot baths with epsom salt and drink as much water as you possibly can. It has to be 100% Gluten Free to detox it out. It takes 3-6 months though.
I have followed your site for a little over a year and I have two young sons that have lots of food allergies (including: wheat, soy, egg, peanuts and milk) so I have found that there are so many more gluten-free foods that they can eat, that I have found my self shopping for them in the gluten-free section of the grocery. Your site has helped me find some good online deals that have gluten-free stuff they can have as well. I am always looking for good reciepies that small kids like.
Thanks Snoopymom!
I also have gone gluten free since October. For the past 2 years I have been feeling terrible, I have raised liver enzyme levels, for no reason. After many tests and no answers from my GI I went online and based on all of my symptoms (liver issues, headaches, stomach problems, “fuzzy brain”, exhaustion, depression, etc), I decided to try a gluten free diet. I felt amazing. I had so much energy. However around Christmas, I “cheated” for about 2 weeks, the end result was stomach pains and me getting a horrible cold, which lead to bronchitis, then a stomach virus, another cold and now I have Asthmatic Bronchitis. I will really be sticking to a gluten free diet. I still need to get more tests done and have my GI confirm what i have discovered.
You also will want to look at Gluten in your cosmetics and skin care products. I have done some extensive research and ELF and NARS are both Gluten free. Otherwise you need to contact each company and ask which of their products are gluten free. I used to have a haze over my eyes, and it would feel like I was stabbing needles in my skin when I would put makeup on. Not a normal reaction. After I went Gluten free, I looked into cosmetics. When I changed those products I no longer had a haze over my eyes and the whites of my eyes brightened up. I also switched my hair care and skin care products. Check with Suave, and I use a Hugo Naturals moisturizer for my face, and a Natural essentials body moisturizer.
I also read Elisabeth Hasslebeck’s book. It was eye opening!
Thanks! I had many of the same symptoms too. Yes, GF cosmetics are very important.
I also read her book and ordered her cookbook. I have read a few others and will do book reviews on all of them 🙂
My husband has celiacs disease and lives a gluten free live, I found an opportunity one day knocking at my door and you can visit my website, I am a represenative of snack healthy and we provide gluten free snacks. They are low calorie and taste great, and let me tell you my husband would not eat anything that tasted like cardboard he gives his opinion strong!!! I get my husband snacks for free by promoting this company and you can do the same, if you are interested you can contact me, listen to what information I have and listen in on the conference call we have Wed (2/8/12) night and see if you might be intersted. You can order the snacks or join in spreading the word! It is a great way to save money for those living a gluten free life!!!!
Website snackhealthy.com/wendyhuff
email [email protected]
Would love to try them Wendy
I don’t have to be gluten free but I do have a aunt that suffers with IBS. Granted I used to think her food was weird and strange but now I enjoy it cause I have been trying to go to all natural as much as I can.
The thing that gets me is the number of people that ask me at work if we have gluten free cakes and baked goods cause they heard that will help them loose weight…. I think to myself, that eating cake will not help you loose weight……………..
I have a friend and a co-worker that is, and they have a hard time with people that (I have done this before) don’t understand the fact is sometimes gluten is hidden!
Yes, gluten free is not low calorie when you eat baked goods…I suffered from IBS too and now that is also gone.
Hey there! I am starting week 3 being GF. 12 doctors, 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions later, I cured my problems by quitting gluten. To my doctors dismay, I threw all my prescriptions in the trash because they were only putting a bandaid over the symptoms and not fixing the problem. I feel great and am enjoying the new food adventure.
So glad to know others are out there….especially couponing others!
That is awesome Liz! I appreciate it!
I have really enjoyed reading everyones story. I have been sick for a couple of years now. I have been reading about g-free and I am going to try it! Hopefully I will start feeling better soon! Any suggestions on starting would be great!