How to be a Gluten-Free Goddess
What is a Gluten-Free Goddess?
First things first, what exactly are we talking about when we say “gluten-free goddess”? If you have any kind of gluten sensitivity and have ever gone a spell of time without consuming gluten, you may have found yourself feeling light, glowing, clear-minded, and powerful—almost like a superhero. This has been my precise experience on the numerous occasions that I have stopped consuming gluten for some months.
The most recent time I cut gluten out of my life was January of this year when I began the Auto-Immune Protocol diet to try to heal my body from the chronic inflammation brought on by my autoimmune condition. Although this time around there have been many other factors at play affecting my health and how I feel in my body, being gluten-free still feels a bit like having wings.
At the End of the Camino de Santiago: Feeling Like Flying
That feeling of lightness, glowing safety in one’s body, freedom from brain fog (inflammation of the brain), and a renewed sense of ease in mobility and digestion after letting go of gluten is exactly what I mean by a gluten-free goddess.
More energy
Clearer mind
Better digestion
If you feel better emotionally, physically, and mentally after not eating gluten, it may be that you have some degree of gluten sensitivity. Although this is not ideal, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It could mean that with some careful dietary and lifestyle changes, you too may soon be embodying the feeling of the gluten-free goddess.
Spectrum of Gluten Sensitivity and Intolerance
All of our bodies and beings are unique. Being sensitive to gluten doesn’t necessarily mean you are someone that has or will develop celiac disease, IBS, or some other autoimmune or gastrointestinal condition.
Has a doctor advised reducing or eliminating gluten?
Do you just feel better when you don’t consume gluten?
Whatever your unique journey may be, your place on the gluten sensitivity and intolerance spectrum is unique to you. The most important thing is to listen to your body and try to make sense of all the information it gives you.
If you notice your reaction to gluten is very strong or painful:
It would be wise to discuss this with a medical professional or nutritionist.
You shouldn’t have to live in pain!
Dietary changes, although sometimes initially difficult to implement, can bring liberation from suffering.
For those of us with autoimmune conditions, it is very common to be advised by a rheumatologist or other doctor to “reduce” gluten or “cut back.” A functional medicine practitioner recently asked me if I would be willing to permanently eliminate gluten from my diet. Knowing how much better I feel without it, it was easy to say yes. But thinking of all the foods I would then be “missing out on” made it feel like somewhat of a trick question.
Why We Love Gluten
Like it or not, gluten has completely permeated the modern human diet across many regions of the world. This becomes particularly problematic in places like the United States where:
The majority of wheat grown to produce gluten-based products is doused with the chemical glyphosate, a toxic pesticide banned in several European countries.
We love gluten because it is the basis for many products that we consider “filling” like:
Pizza
Pasta
Bread
And many other foods that we associate with “treats” like:
Cookies
Pastries
Cakes
Croissants
Pancakes
Muffins
As we grow up in societies where gluten is a staple ingredient of meals all around us, especially for occasions like holidays and birthdays, it begins to morph into not only an ingredient we enjoy consuming sensorially, but something that we associate sentimentally and nostalgically with memories, people, and even our sense of place and belonging.
Nostalgia for food tied to memories
Comfort foods that remind us of times or people
Our partaking (or longing to) in the consumption of these grounding and filling “comfort-foods” could also come from a place of deeper nostalgia within us for a time when our food was not mass-produced with toxic chemicals that destroy not only our soils and planet, but also our own bodies.
The good news is that for every delicious gluten-full treat we may hold dear, there is probably a way to make it without gluten that is equally if not more delicious. Although this might not hold true for a pan au chocolat or pastel de nata, the gluten in Europe is very different in many ways from the gluten consumed in the United States, and may be just fine to consume as a special treat during your travels.
Potential Benefits of Dropping Gluten
Eliminating gluten from your diet can lead to a wide range of benefits, including:
More energy
Better sleep
Less bloat
Increased nutrient absorption
Clearer skin (through healing breakouts)
For those with autoimmune conditions, a gluten-free diet is known to:
Reduce inflammation
Improve digestive health
Help with hair loss
Promote bone health
Boost mental acuity
For some people, giving up gluten can even help with:
Depression
Balancing blood sugar
Reducing headaches
Easing symptoms of lactose intolerance
How to Know if Gluten-Free is Right for You
If you are regularly affected by any one or combination of these issues, considering a little break from gluten could be worthwhile for you.
Try a gluten-free experiment for a few weeks.
If after some time, you notice your symptoms improve or feel lighter and more energetic, you may have found the key to better health.
How to Live Without Gluten
Key Ingredients for a Gluten-Free Diet
Some key ingredients that have helped me on my (autoimmune) gluten-free goddess journey include:
Sweet potatoes
Cassava (yucca) flour
Coconut flour
Corn (reintroduced after initially eliminating on the autoimmune protocol diet)
Once you can have tortillas as much as you want, the craving for bread begins to dissipate.
Understanding Cravings
When you realize that cravings are simply that—temporary desires for something we remember or know—it’s easier to let them go.
If I crave a food I know causes pain or digestive issues, I recognize it as a passing craving and don’t attach emotional significance to it. Instead:
I try to recreate a gluten-free version of what I’m craving.
This usually helps the craving pass and keeps me on track with my health goals.
Find something you love more than gluten- like handmade blue corn tortillas.
Taking Action
If while reading this you feel any inkling of resonance with the struggles of giving up gluten, navigating gluten-free life in a gluten-full society, and the pain that arises in your body when you consume gluten, don’t lose hope! Instead, take action.
Consider Trying a Short Gluten Cleanse:
5-7 days of going gluten-free
Track your symptoms, note any improvements, and see how your body responds
It is helpful to take notes, journal, or track your experience and symptoms with an app. Our bodies are constantly communicating with us, and journaling about it helps us to listen and maintain awareness of all the information our bodies are trying to get across.
A Pro Tip for Living Gluten-Free
Don’t beat yourself up if or when you do occasionally eat something with gluten. Sure, it may wreak havoc on your body’s digestive rhythm for hours or days and you may experience bouts of brain fog that remind you why you let it go in the first place, but moments arise when it happens and it’s important to not see these moments as regression or defeat.
Huevos con chaya (eggs with mayan spinach) and corn-based gorditas.
Bounce Back and Keep Going
The ability to bounce back to the gluten-free you and keep moving forward in your health journey is invaluable in navigating the aftermath of the inevitable, unpredicted gluten-full moments that arise every now and then.
Conclusion
Whether you're new to the gluten-free world or have been living gluten-free for a while, remember: the key is to listen to your body. With the right adjustments, you can embody the lightness, energy, and clarity of a true gluten-free goddess.
