Last Thanksgiving I was mentally prepared to delve right into some stuffing, Mac and Cheese, cakes, cookies, and pies. I ate and magically I was unaffected. I was perplexed. I wondered, maybe it isn't gluten at all. How is it that when I was sure that I was safe and contamination free that I would suddenly find myself running to the bathroom, yet I'm blatantly eating foods that I have made my mission in life to avoid for the past two years and I seem fine?
Well, that lasted about two weeks and then every once and a while I would find myself running to the toilet in a dire emergency, a few times I didn't even make it. But I continued to eat it anyway all the way through Christmas, New Years, my birthday (Feb 1), my cousin's Bar Mitzvah, and even today. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not doing well AT ALL. I find myself going to the bathroom probably about 10-20 times a day and for the last week I found myself with the pain in my right side that I had been experiencing before I started shunning gluten. I'm bloated, my skin looks terrible, and I just don't feel very comfortable.
So now I'm right back where I started (almost, I have thrown caution to the wind, but I still have a fear of bagels, and malted things). I really should get tested now that I'm pretty well Glutenized, but I just changed jobs and I currently do not have health insurance. Also, the whole point of me doing this blog was to help people who didn't know how to cook find pre-packaged gluten free foods that taste good for a fair price, and Gluten free friendly restaurants. Well, I'm sorry to say that even though the market for Gluten free products has expanded, prices are still outrageous, and intolerable.
I'm going to regroup and start learning how to make quick simple meals that are naturally gluten free, or if they aren't find a way to substitute with gluten free ingredients. I tried the Gluten Free on a Shoestring and failed miserably on my first attempt and never tried again. It is not for a beginner, I assure you. Last week I made some turkey stuffed peppers and they were fantastic! So I will start with that in the next few days.
