When Gluten Free Isn’t Enough

Dear Rebecca: I started keeping a food diary as you suggested. It was really, really awful. It was too embarrassing to show anyone. I was grazing the entire day until supper, my one square meal. I was feeling stuck. So I said to myself, “I need to be gluten-free. I’m going to go gluten free. I can go gluten free.” It wasn’t a scary thought anymore.

I’m not sure how long I’d been gluten-free, but at a certain point I noticed that my complexion seemed brighter. My abdomen was less bloated, but I didn’t lose weight or inches, and that was very disappointing.

Last week I ate some baked goods. I was curious whether I would feel different. Within a few hours I got bloated again and my nose started dripping. I’ve been intending to send you another picture, but will wait until I’ve been gluten-free for a good while. —Shelia

Dear Shelia: Good work. You’ve made an invaluable discovery: that your complexion brightened and you weren’t bloated is a clue that your body doesn’t like gluten (note: gluten intolerance symptoms vary widely from person to person). Then after abstaining, you ate gluten and your symptoms returned. Together these make a strong case that gluten has become a toxin to your body.

But why didn’t you lose weight or inches? This is telling. When problematic foods are eliminated from the diet, weight typically stabilizes at a healthy norm. So you didn’t lose weight likely because there is still another allergen or allergens to identify and eliminate. Once your diet is free of irritants, your digestive tract mends, you lose undesired pounds and your face really shines!

Dear Rebecca: What do you think about green drinks? —Nin

Dear Nin: When breakfast is a smoothie, it’s a given that you’ll be snacking before lunch. Frequent nibbling on chocolate, cheese, nuts or something starchy is not a sustainable diet.

Unlike any green drink or smoothie, a real meal deeply satisfies. In contrast, note how a substantial meal supports your core energy.