Going Gluten Free? The Lifestyle Changes Necessary

​There's a lot to learn when changing to a gluten-free diet.  You can make it an easy process if you know what's ahead.  

Making Food Choices:

When going gluten-free, it is important to first focus on eating a nutrient-rich,whole foods diet. You've decided to go gluten free for the benefit of your health, so it's best to start on the right foot and nourish yourself! There are plenty of gluten-free "junk foods" that everyone should avoid.
Make sure your food choices are nourishing and have positive health benefits, not depleting. (read more)

AT HOME:
This involves cooking and eating in your kitchen, learning about basic nutrition, and using cooking skills. Next, learning to read labels on processed foods is vital to avoid gluten. This involves knowing the various foods to avoid, hidden sources of gluten, and recognizing gluten-free junk food. (See my previous post: Gluten: The Sources - Plus, Where is it Hiding?)

AWAY FROM HOME:
Learning new behaviors when eating in restaurants, at work, at school, or other homes is also important.  This may involve calling ahead to inquire about gluten-free choices, looking at menus online, speaking wishes clearly to the server, asking to see labels, bringing your own gluten-free food items, letting your hosts know your dietary restrictions in advance, and inquiring about the methods in the kitchen. 

​The Emotions that Come with Change:

Improved health, well-being, and disease prevention are the reason for a gluten free diet.  Therefore, special attention should be paid to foster a positive outlook when you're learning about a gluten-free diet and lifestyle.  Additionally, behaviors in coping with your emotions of being newly gluten-free should be addressed:  

• It is common to feel sad and angry that many favorite foods cannot be eaten.  
• There can also be frustration toward doctors, when shopping for food, on holidays or special occasions, and at restaurants.  
• New behavior patterns must be established, your relationship with food may need to be re-examined, and new habits and values formed.  
• Dealing with temptation and peer pressure are also important.  
• These behaviors can be learned and reinforced by using food/mood journals and by tracking your personal biofeedback.   

​There is Much to Learn.  YOU Can Do It!

There truly is much to learn when in the process of going gluten free. It cannot be learned over night, but you may quickly realize that being gluten-free is not nearly as difficult as you'd imagined. The the Gluten Intolerance Group at www.gluten.net. has loads of information on their website, plus branches offices in many states where there are experts to support you in your gluten free lifestyle.
 
Whether you enlist the help of others, or figure it out on your own, here are the items you'll eventually learn over time:

•  Which foods contain gluten 
•  Which grains are gluten-free 
•  Which non-food products contain gluten 
•  Which foods may be cross-contaminated with gluten 
•  Hidden sources of gluten 
•  How gluten harms the body 
•  Benefits of a gluten-free diet 
•  Statistics about the gluten-sensitive population 
•  How to prioritize health benefits vs. eliminating foods with gluten 
•  How to read food labels FDA labeling rules for gluten-free products 
•  How to identify and avoid gluten-free junk foods 
•  Lessons of basic nutrition; both macro and micronutrients 
•  Whole, nutrient rich foods 
•  How to heal a leaky gut 
•  How to make a kitchen gluten-free 
•  Kitchen skills for home cooking 
•  Gluten-free recipes 
•  How to alter recipes to make them gluten-free 
•  Gluten-free grain substitutes for baking 
•  Strategies for eating at restaurants    
•  Gluten-free eating while travelling 
•  Gluten-free holiday celebrations 
•  Pregnancy and a gluten-free diet 
•  How to combat cravings for foods containing gluten
•  How to deal with the emotions of changing to a gluten-free diet 
•  How to cope with initial feelings of isolation and grief 
•  Making a food/mood journal 
•  Understanding symptoms and bio-feedback 
•  Strategies to develop new lasting behaviors and habits 
•  Strategies for talking with others 
•  How to have a gluten-free social life 
•  How to interact with gluten skeptics 
•  Resources for gluten-free support groups  
•  Gluten-free literature, websites, smartphone apps  
•  Finding the right doctor and dietary consultant  
•  How to support children who must eat gluten-free 
•  How to heal from damage done by gluten 
•  What to look into if symptoms persist 
•  Proper nutrition to deal with nutrient deficiencies 
•  What to do in case of gluten exposure 
•  How to deal with a setback

​Au Naturale Nutrition series on Gluten:

• Gluten: The Sources - Plus, Where is it Hiding?
  
• Gluten Reactions: The Spectrum and Prevalence.  Should YOU go Gluten Free?
• Gluten: The Symptoms & Long-Term Health Consequences
• Going Gluten Free?  The Lifestyle Changes Necessary

References
Anderson, J. (2012, February 2). Coping Emotionally with the Gluten-Free Diet. Celiac Disease - Gluten-Free Diet. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/GlutenFreeEmotions/a/Newly-Gluten-Free-Emotions.htm

Marcason, W., RD., & LDN. (2013, April 1). How to Order Gluten-Free in a Restaurant from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442470091

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