Well, Mike and I decided to add some gluten back in for a week to see if we would notice the difference going backwards. A reverse experiment.
For the last few days I have been cranky. Not my normal, bubbly self. I have been more easily upset and work has just been more challenging than necessary. Mike's tales of work have been similar, though his moods have been better than mine.
Ummm....What's going on here???
At first I was willing to chalk it up to life being life. And it took until today for me to realize that all this coincided pretty much with Sunday brunch, a gluten and wheat extravaganza of delicious proportions. The more I think about it, and the more I look back to the events of the last week, the more I am starting to think that all the bad stuff (moods, anxiety, stress, cravings, disinterest in eating well) can be linked to gluten being back in our lives. Ok, work is stressful, but not more so than it was last week or the week before. And life is life, but not in a significantly different way than it was before. So I really have to believe that there might be something to this.
At first we only had small amounts, and a lot of time in between each gluten/wheat containing food, but since Sunday we have had a rather heavy does of gluten with at least 1 meal per day. And coincidentally or not, that is also when I started getting grumpy. I don't think it is a coincidence!
Of course I would come to this realization today, on our anniversary, which I decided to celebrate by making homemade pizza on a wheat crust. We ate it anyway and it was good. Maybe even really good. But it wasn't great. It wasn't better than the gluten free pizzas of the previous month. Different, but not better. And this surprised me a lot. I was expecting nirvana. I make damn good pizza crust. And this one was pretty much my usual crust, but it just wasn't that great :(
While eating our pizza, Mike and I discussed how we were feeling, and had been feeling over the last few days. Mike admitted that he had not been feeling that great. Upset stomach, gas and even a little heartburn. I had the symptoms I mentioned above plus a few additional physical symptoms that were rather mild, but not insignificant; loose stools, smelly gas and mild heartburn.
Light bulb moments can happen at any time and I seriously think this was a light bulb moment. Even though we were initially skeptical that gluten/wheat was an issue for us, we both now feel it is very clear that gluten/wheat affects us in a negative way.
What to do now?? Well....back to gluten free for starters.
But that won't be enough. When we went gluten free for the 30 day challenge we found ourselves eating a little less healthy than we had been prior. Many of the gluten free products available on the market are very high in starch, which causes high blood sugar levels and has an insulin roller coaster effect. NOT healthy. I will use the excuse that we were in the experimentation phase and just checking out what was available. Moving forward we will shy away from these products, except for on special occasions. I had also been baking a lot, something I didn't do prior to the GF challenge, and therefore eating more baked goods, many of them made with GF flours that were relatively high in starch. Seeing a trend now.
You see where this is going, I am sure. Eating all this extra food was filling and we found ourselves cutting back on truly healthy, and naturally gluten free, foods such as fruits and vegetables. No wonder so many people who go gluten free gain weight. It can be a dangerous expedition full of health pitfalls.
So, out with the GF products and in with fruits and veggies. Out with the GF alternatives and in with naturally GF whole grains, like quinoa. Out with the high starch baked goods and in with lean protein and healthy fats. And of course, more Isagenix! Especially the cleanse. We need to release these toxins post haste.
I look forward to being able to blog about how much better I am feeling, again, in just a few days!
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