How Quitting Gluten A Year Ago Transformed Every Aspect Of My Life

I don't know why, but gluten is my mortal enemy. It makes me feel like death. I've managed to avoid it for the last year, and I am not exaggerating when I say that every single aspect of my life has improved.

For years, I couldn’t figure out why I always felt like crap. I was constantly tired, had never ending brain fog, and just felt uncomfortable in my own body. I felt like I had the flu nonstop.

I’ve done a bit of yo-yo dieting throughout my adult years. Not healthy, I know. I would not recommend it. But every time I did it, I cut out all gluten Whether I was trying to eat keto, carnivore, low-carb, etc… I always cut out gluten. And every time, I felt so much better, lighter, and to be frank, less like I was dying.

I never had the willpower to quit gluten until someone else’s health was at stake. Soon after my son was born, it became clear to me that he couldn’t tolerate it when I consumed gluten. His stomach was upset and he had a rash all over his body.

I stopped eating gluten (and dairy) as soon as I realized that it was negatively impacting my son’s weight gain, comfort, and sleep. When I tell you that we both started to absolutely thrive almost immediately after I stopped eating it, I am not kidding.

I went from feeling like my body was under attack with aching joints, flu-like symptoms, brain fog, fatigue, and the rest of it to feeling absolutely fantastic. That’s something considering that I was only a few weeks postpartum. I truly felt better a few weeks postpartum after cutting out gluten than I did before I even got pregnant.

My swelling and inflammation went down drastically. My face looked like I had lost ten pounds within days. I finally recognized my previously swollen face when I looked in the mirror. My clothes fit so much better. My rashes cleared up almost entirely. I no longer felt hot, itchy, and tense all the time.

My anxiety improved. I wasn't irritable or short with my family anymore. I had so much more patience and empathy. I no longer felt like I was on the edge of my seat (or a cliff) constantly. I could finally breathe.

The painful mouth ulcers that I’d been dealing with for years vanished. My dry eyes were no longer itchy. My nails grew stronger and much more quickly. My nose stopped running, and the congestion in my head all but vanished.

I can run again. When I was eating gluten, I would be sweating and winded after a half mile walk. Now I can run two miles without any issues, and I no longer have to use my inhaler.

A year into my gluten-free journey, I’ve lost 25 pounds. There are other factors at play, but I think having less inflammation from gluten has been one of the key factors in my successful weight loss.

My energy levels are higher and more consistent and my mind is much sharper. I can recall words quickly, remember conversations better, and I finally feel like myself again. I have the motivation and stamina to do the things I love and I can keep up with my babies so much better now. Perhaps best of all, I am no longer so wiped out by the end of the day that I can't read a book. The last few years I read about seven books on average. It's August, and I'm at 25 books. I count that as success.

Of course I miss normal bread, pasta, and baked goods. But I wouldn’t trade the way I feel for every delighful freshly baked, warm, perfectly frosted cinnamon roll in the world.

I promise.

Disclaimer: This article was originally posted on Medium.