Frank and I have been talking about trying a month without gluten. Neither of us have Celiac disease (that we know of) but there are some reasons why we would like to try this.
My family has a history of Rheumatoid Arthritis (I'm already preparing to be one of those in my family who have it). The thing about RA is that you can have RA for 20 and 30 years before you start exhibiting symptoms. There are ways to decrease your risk, or at least slow down the negative progress RA has on your body. One of those ways is to avoid inflammatory agents, and eat anti-inflammatory and foods instead. A list of foods to avoid involve:
* all refined sugar
*citris
* dairy products
* gluten/wheat/bread products
* corn
* soy
* pasta
* foods of animal origin
* margarine
Although we won't possibly be able to avoid all of these for other reasons, we want to try practicing the elution of gluten for a little while, and then maybe some other foods will go, too. We've already stopped using margarine, and we have cut waaaay back on dairy products. In fact, we just got a quart of milk - this is the first milk in the house since ...maybe June? So we're trying to change small pieces of our dietel intake for our general health, but also for our long-term health, avoiding these auto-immune and genetic diseases we are at risk for (especially me). Of course, even if our bodies never succumb to auto-immune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, I know it's better for our bodies to get rid of toxins ;)
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So here's the challenge: I'm already giving up refined sugars for the month of November. All the while, I will be attempting to avoid gluten when I know I can make that sacrifice. However, I think we might try taking on this challenge in December. Frank won't be around the gluten in the caf as often, so there will be little temptation; we will be able to stock up our own food for the winter; and we won't have so many gatherings that will include a lot of gluten products.
I'll let you know how it goes, and ask for help if I end up needing it ;) But if any of you gluten-free people have any advice, please send it to me! Any advice will help and be of encouragement. ;)
Avoiding gluten/dairy/soy/corn/citrus/animal products will NOT prevent RA. It can help reduce symptoms with a positive diagnosis if you have known food sensitivities. By eliminating these foods, you miss out on vital, natural components of food. Deficiencies of some of these components can eventually lead to GI problems, multiple types of anemia, osteoporosis, and various other medical issues. The better option is definitely to go as non-GMO and organic as possible, avoiding added chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones, unless you have a known food sensitivity. If you are serious about trying gluten free, avoid as much processed food as possible (including bread products) and self monitor for signs and symptoms of deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that you may be missing out on.
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