I have been on a gluten free diet for 8 years now. I started my gluten free journey in 2014 when I was 18 years old. I had dealt with gastrointestinal symptoms for years, and nothing we tried had made a difference. In 2013 I underwent a surgery to fix a hiatal hernia, which we thought would solve a lot of the issues, but about a year after the surgery it became clear that it had not taken away all of my symptoms and I needed to make a change. At the time, the gluten free movement was seen as more of a fad diet, and many people I spoke to thought that the idea of gluten causing health problems was all fake. But the more I researched it, the more it seemed to fit a lot of my symptoms.

It was definitely not an easy change to make. There were not many GF options available at the time, and half of what was available just did not taste good. It took a lot of trial and error and research to learn how to live gluten free and enjoy it. But it had a positive impact on my health, so I kept with it. As time has gone on, I have learned how to shop and cook GF, and realized it’s not as hard as it seemed in the beginning. There are so many foods that are naturally GF, so once I learned what to avoid it became much simpler! And there are so many more options out there now, compared to what there was when I started.

I have never been diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten allergy, but it has become clear that I have a strong sensitivity to gluten. Now I can tell when I have been “glutened”, almost immediately sometimes. The most noticeable symptom for me is my “gluten baby”…a swollen and bloated belly that makes me look pregnant. And then there is the general pain and discomfort that comes along with it. For me, it can also cause a flare in my fibromyalgia symptoms. Everyone is different, and there are so many ways it can present itself. One thing I’ve learned is that you have to trust your own body. My sensitivity does not show up on any tests they run, but I know what happens when I eat gluten, and that’s enough for me.

I’m so thankful for the GF community, and especially to all the food bloggers that give us GF recipes! I don’t know what I would do without them. And I’m so glad to be able to share my GF sweets with my community. I hope the story of my gluten free journey might help others that are struggling with going gluten free!