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, glowly, 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 effecting 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- a bit like letting go of gluten.
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. If you feel better emotionally, physically, and mentally after not eating gluten, it may 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. Maybe a doctor or health care provider has suggested that you eliminate or reduce gluten from your diet. Maybe you just notice you feel better when you don’t consume it. 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.
Strawberry tamales, my favorite gluten-free treat in Guadalajara.
If you notice your reaction to gluten is very strong or very painful, it would be wise to discuss this with a medical professional or nutritionist. You shouldn’t have to live in pain! And dietary changes, although sometimes initially difficult to implement, have the potential to bring liberation from suffering that is not necessary for us to endure. 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 consider “treats” like cookies, pastries, cakes, croissants, pancakes, and muffins. [Does gluten release happy chemicals in the brain?] 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. 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 so consume as a special treat during your travels.
Gluten-free yucca pancakes with homemade coconut golden milk.
Potential Benefits of Dropping Gluten
Potential benefits from eliminating gluten from your diet include more energy, better sleep, less bloat, increased nutrient absorption, clear skin, through the healing of breakouts. If you suffer from an autoimmune condition, you might be particularly inspired to let go of gluten because a gluten-free diet is known to reduce inflammation, improve digestive health, help with hair loss, bone health, and mental acuity. For some people, giving up gluten can even help with depression, balancing blood sugar, reduce headaches, and help with symptoms of lactose intolerance.
If you are regularly effected by any one or combination of these issues, considering a little break from gluten could be worthwhile for you. If after some days or weeks gluten-free you notice your symptoms have improved, or perhaps you feel a sharp clarity of mind and light and glowy in your body (like a gluten-free goddess), you may be on to something that could work wonders for your health and energy.
Find something you love more than gluten- like handmade blue corn tortillas.
Of course it is always recommended to speak with your doctor or health care provider before undergoing any major dietary change. It is also good to keep in mind that many doctors are not trained in the benefits of treating food as medicine and using dietary and lifestyle changes to improve health. Listen to your body, your intuition, and get as many professional opinions as you can about your specific symptoms and needs.
How to Live Without Gluten
Avoiding “gluten free” processed products, letting how good you feel be your teacher, embodiment (listening to the body), once you go without something and feel better, it is easier to keep letting it go.
Some ket ingredientes that have helped me on my gluten-free goddess journey have been sweet potatoes, cassava (yucca) flour, coconut flour, and corn. Although corn is initially elimiated on the autoimmune protocol diet, it is the first thing I reintroduced (being a corn farmer), and luckily that reintroduction was successful. When you can have tortillas as much as you want, the craving for bread begins to dissipate. Especially when we can realize that our cravings are simply that: a craving. A wanting for something we remember or already know. Usually due to its association with pleasure or comfort. When I get a craving for a food I know causes me pain or creates even more challenges for my gut and immune system, I try to recognize that is simply a passing craving and not attach or identify with it. If there is something I can prepare that is reminiscent to whatever it is that I’m craving, I do so and that usually helps the little craving thought move right along through and out of my consciousness.
Huevos con chaya (eggs with mayan spinach) and corn-based gorditas.
For anyone who is intolerant or sensistive to any food, but especially gluten, we should not forget that we are very lucky to be living in a time on the forefront of creative cooking- when gluten-free recipes and ingredients abound. If (when) you do get a craving you just can’t kick, there is probably a way to make whatever you’re wishing for gluten-free. It might taste slightly different, have a different texture than the gluten-full version, and it might not be the most convenient thing to prepare or hunt down in the store- but you will invest the time in caring for yourself and creating something delicious that will also be kind to your body. If it turns out well, you’ll also be adding a new recipe to your deck that you make anytime you want. Although requiring some care and experimentation at first, many gluten-free recipes get easier to make with practice and turn out better each time.
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 lost hope! Instead, take action. Possibilities include trying a short gluten cleanse (5-7 days) and observing how you feel. It is helpful to take notes, journal, or track your experience and symptoms with an ap. 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 seasonal fruit plate is a great alternative to gluten-full breakfast and snack choices.
A pro-tip for living life as a gluten-free goddess is to not 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 its important to not see these moments as regression or defeat. 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.
