happy saturday y’all! i just spent the last couple hours cleaning my apartment while blasting christmas music. i’m not usually that productive on a saturday but i figured i should do something other than be a complete couch potato watching hallmark christmas movies. today’s post is about something i could probs write an entire dissertation about but today will just be more of an intro into my food intolerances and sensitivities and how i manage to live not only on a daily basis but also during the holidays.
let me start by repeating the wise words of my bff marty/tish: i did not choose the gluten free life, the gluten free life chose me. besides being gluten and lactose intolerant, i also have a wide variety of other food intolerances including but not limited to: green peppers, overly spiced foods, anything with too much acidity e.g. vinaigrettes and vinegars, sausages (yeah that one is just f*cking ridiculous), black beans….the list goes on. i’ve had so many stomachaches and digestive problems throughout my life which improved as i gradually started to figure out what was wrong with me. i figured out i was lactose intolerant in 2014 and have been able to figure out how to still enjoy dairy, thanks to my friend lactase. 10/10 recommend. i’m constantly rolling up with a stash of it because panic attacks can happen if i’m without it.
my gluten probs just became a thing in june/july. and if you’re wondering if i’ve been to a doctor, yes, i saw a gastroenterologist a few months ago and was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and food sensitivity with gastrointestinal symptoms. i finally realized and accepted i had a problem with gluten because i was constantly bloated, tired, sad, and unable to focus. i would eat a small amount of salad with croutons and feel bloated. i would eat a waffle and feel bloated. i would eat a couple bites of pasta and – you guessed it – feel bloated. there was one time i ate a cookie and legit looked like i was santa. holiday reference for the win lolz. so while it hasn’t been easy eliminating all the delicious and wonderful things that make life worthwhile (i desperately miss mozzarella sticks and beer), i’ve never felt better now that i’m not bloated/sad/confused 24/7.
a lot of people ask me how i manage to eat. it often feels isolating not being able to eat a lot of things that my family, friends, and coworkers can eat. my family pretty much eats mostly gluten free now and i always have to make sure there are food options for me whenever i go out with friends. i have to make sure that i’m able to eat something at a work potluck, which can be really frustrating. but it’s more than that. it’s knowing that there are limited options for me but not letting that get me down. it’s going to get donuts and hot chocolate with friends and finding out they’ve sold out of GF donuts and you have to make sure they can make hot chocolate with soy milk. below are just some of the foods/snacks i’ve found that are actually really good and leave my stomach feeling happy:
my life is essentially just made of snacks. i always make sure i’m carrying these kind bars or other GF snacks that i can eat just in case i get stranded somewhere and the only option is muffins or bread. not pictured are GF pretzels (which tbh are better than regular pretzels) that make the perfect snack with wine and just in general. i tend to eat small portions that i divide into several “meals” throughout the day. can i just take this moment to say THANK GOD RICE AND POTATOES ARE NATURALLY GLUTEN FREE. this is literally the only reason i haven’t given up on life yet. the fact that i can still eat rice, fries, and chips gets me through my darkest times.
so when it comes to holidays, it can be really hard if you’re somewhere that doesn’t accommodate the GF/DF life. there are a lot of times something is GF but not DF. again, this is where lactase is your best friend. i can only recommend filling up on whatever meat/protein is being served with TONS of mashed potatoes and vegetables. stay away from that gorgeous looking mac and cheese unless you know that sh*t was made with GF pasta. the important thing here is not to be discouraged by not being able to eat what everyone else is. the GF/DF life is definitely hard but the key is not fixating on what you can’t have. the best coping skill is always reminding myself of foods that i can still eat.
so this was for those of you whose stomachs are not happy with gluten or dairy and you’re in need of some ideas about how to manage. it might also be for those of you who are trying to eat GF for fun in which case i’m here to say that i can’t imagine anyone doing this for sh*ts and giggles. fortunately there are more and more GF options available. e.g. lou malnati’s makes a wonderful GF pizza. mariano’s has a ton of GF options throughout the store. many restaurants have gluten free/gluten friendly options. do i have to study menus with a microscope sometimes to make sure i’m not ordering something that will essentially poison me? yes, but you get used to it and put a smile on your face because at the end of the day you can always have a glass or five of wine and that always makes things easier.
a huge thank you to everyone in my life who is always thinking of me and accommodating my food probs and making ya girl feel good about herself, you’re the real MVPs!!!
