Being diagnosed with a disease or disorder by a physician or a healthcare provider typically means getting a prescription to treat the problem. With celiac disease (CD) or gluten sensitivity, however, there are no pills. The only treatment is to completely avoid gluten. No-brainer, right? Read the pamphlet you got from your doctor, maybe do some internet research, talk to a few people you know who are gluten-free. Done. Gluten-free. Problem solved…
If only it was that easy…
The reality is that changing a lifetime of ingrained habits and behaviors can be quite an undertaking, especially when it involves food. Granted, the Gluten Freedom Project was created to help guide you through the process, making it a pleasant and enjoyable experience rather than a painful sacrifice. But before you even consider getting started, it’s important that you decide whether or not eating and living gluten-free is what you truly want for yourself. Ultimately, the only way it works is if YOU have made the decision and commitment to change. Your frame of mind and desires will determine whether the experience is smooth, bumpy or a dead end.
We’ve created a simple set of questions to help you determine if going gluten-free is, in fact, what is important to you right now. Give yourself some quiet time to answer the questions and pay attention to what you’re honestly feeling, not just what your mind is telling you that you “should do!” Jot down anything that comes to mind and let the ideas flow without pre-judging whether they’re “good” or “bad.”
- Currently, the ways you see gluten affecting your health are…
- When you picture yourself as healthy, what does that look like?
- When you think about eating a gluten-free diet, what fears or doubts come up for you?
- Looking honestly at your life as it is right now, what seems most important to you? Are there any significant stressors?
- Considering what you already know about yourself and eating, what’s important for you to focus on right now?
- How much time do you have to dedicate to making health-related changes?
So, now what?
After this conversation with yourself, what have you discovered that you want right now? Is this the right time for you to try to go gluten-free? If feeling fully healthy and alive is what’s important to you now, we hope you’ll let the team at the Gluten Freedom Project help you navigate the gluten-free waters. We have all gone through this process and are here to guide and cheer you on!
If you decide that you are not quite ready yet, keep in mind that any little change can help. Print out these questions, keep reflecting on them, and one of these days you may find that you are ready to take the gluten out of your life. At that time, we hope you’ll come back to the Gluten Freedom Project to get started!