Over the past few months, my family slowly began cutting gluten out of their diets. Up until a week ago, my nine-year-old niece has called her and me the last remaining soldiers. After getting some news from my doctor that same morning, I too started a gluten free diet.
I am that kid who when she was little would ask for plain pasta with nothing on it, especially no “green stuff” that we all now know as parsley. My favorite food has forever been Italian. Pasta or pizza was always a good go-to for meals with friends or first dates. Needless to say, going gluten free will be a major life change.
Last Thursday, after a day that felt like it would never end, I, with the help of my roommate cleared out my kitchen cabinet and my shelf in the fridge of anything I couldn’t eat. There was not much left once we finished. I had to plan a meal for the first time in a while for a friend and me. I ended up making meatballs, rice and asparagus and I’ll be honest, it was pretty delicious.
Fortunately for me, I have two sisters and a mom who have become experts at cooking gluten free. I’m nervous to do this. My whole life has been eating pasta. I was that girl who ordered pasta at a restaurant that didn’t serve it and they made it for me. Now, I’m starting to realize how hard it will be to eat out. Since kosher meat is not readily available at restaurants in Boston, I will be very limited.
This is going to be an adventure and while I’m looking forward to it, I am sad to give up so many foods I went to for comfort. I know that I am doing this for a good reason, because if I can solve this medical issue with a diet change, I am game.
After one week of going gluten free, I have definitely struggled at points, but my energy level is higher, my sleep is better, my stamina working out lasts longer and my medical issue has practically cleared up. Menu planning is not nearly as hard as I had anticipated and shopping for ingredients or snacks that are gluten free is relatively easy, especially at Whole Foods. Going gluten free still scares me, but I can see it’s doable, which makes the adventure less hopeless and more of a, well, adventure!
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