A few months ago, my sinuses were so clogged that I couldn’t breathe, smell, or taste. The congestion got even worse whenever I lay down to sleep. The only way I could breathe well enough to fall asleep was to prop myself up in a sitting position on our family room couch.
I can’t tell you how much I missed tasting my food. The psychological repercussions were deeper than I ever anticipated. I crammed every sort of food I could think of into my mouth, hoping for some fleeting sense of taste on my tongue. For a while, I could only taste Twizzlers. Much as I love Twizzlers, they don’t pack a big nutritional punch.
I heard about doing a gluten-free diet from a close family member. Unfortunately, she suffers from an arthritic disease that causes great pain and fatigue. She’d been taking a course of drugs that gave her some relief, but when her health insurance suddenly stopped paying for that treatment, a holistic treatment was her only option. She opted to try the “elimination diet.” Her doctor explained that for some people, certain types of foods cause inflammation: wheat gluten, dairy products, sugar, and corn syrup are some of the culprits. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to discover if you have a problem with these foods because food sensitivities don’t always show up in standard allergy tests. The best way to discover a sensitivity is to eliminate that food group from your diet.
My family member eliminated gluten, dairy and a number of other foods from her diet and went organic. To my amazement, she started to improve. Her energy levels rebounded and her pain levels receded, all because of what she put into her mouth. At that point, I’d been unable to smell, taste, or breathe through my nose for nearly 6 months. My sinuses were so inflamed and swollen that not even two courses of antibiotics worked. I was desperate for relief. I decided, on the spur of the moment, to go gluten-free. Within a week, my sinuses started to clear.
Gluten-free homemade bread
I’m really lucky. I live near an organic market that has lots of gluten-free products. Because of that, I’ve been able to find replacements for the food I like to eat. So, even though I’ve made a big change, I don’t feel deprived. I can eat pizza, bread, cookies, and even ice cream, but I just choose to eat them only if they are made with specific ingredients.
I’ve got to admit that gluten-free products don’t taste as good as wheat products, but I am okay with that. The decision to drastically change my diet has been a life-altering experience. My energy levels are much better; now I’m able to stay up as late as my husband. I don’t have the wild dips in blood sugar that I used to experience, perhaps because I don’t eat many things made with corn syrup anymore.
gluten-free cookies
Admittedly, I still have stuff in my nose. My seasonal allergies always produce some amount of congestion, particularly when the pollen and mold spore counts are high. But my sinuses aren’t inflamed anymore. I no longer feel like I have a cork plugging my nose up. When I blow my nose, stuff comes out.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I was surprised how much the food I eat affects how I feel. I feel lucky that I stumbled across a holistic solution to my health problems, and I decided to write about it today in case any of you are experiencing chronic health issues. Believe me, I was a skeptic at first, but I’m amazed at what a diet change can do. By all means, find a doctor or specialist who understands food sensitivities. Talk to other folks who have reduced their symptoms by changing their diets. As simple as it may sound, you might be able to improve your health just by changing the foods you eat.
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Lynn Kellan is a romance novelist devoted to finding the love and the funny in every story. Her novella will be available in 2012, but she is always here to focus on the lighter side of life. 
"You make me start my day with a smile!" from Ravit
{ 23 comments }
I know so many people who have gone gluten free and the benefits have been huge!! It is totally amazing how what you put in your mouth can do to your body. I really ought to stop eating so much crap. Sigh.
This is really good information to have and I hope to pass it on to others with the same problem. Really glad to hear how this is working for you, Lynn!
Valerene Matthews, Malaysia´s last [type] ..Allisons French Onion Dip It Wasnt
I may not have recurring health issues, but I’ve often wondered about this. I eat a lot of crap. I’ll admit it. I’ve thought about really making some changes to see if my general well being would improve. Mainly, I have no energy these days. It could be related to the 2 and 5 year olds sleeping in the other room, but I really do have a feeling a big part of it is the food. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s GREAT to hear that you actually had some good results.
Jamie´s last [type] ..Down the Drain
Hey, thanks for writing this. My mom is trying gluten-free and has seen amazing results. Im going to send this her way. I think it can help so many people!
Lynn, I’m a regular follower and I’m so glad you have found some relief. And, who’d have thought it would be gluten? I wouldn’t. Maybe I’ll suggest this to my husband…
All the best for continued health and success.
Linda
Linda B´s last [type] ..Results are in – the Winner Is 3D Lavender Photo Card
Wow! Duly noted!
It amazing how much things like food or sleep can affect your overall health. I know for me, since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, changing my diet has made a difference in how I feel. The hard part for me is the exercise. I’ve heard gluten-free is beneficial to many people for many different reasons.
Glad you are feeling better!
Elizabeth´s last [type] ..E-newsletter versus paper
We just went through this process with my Sheltie about 3 weeks ago. Come to find out, her constant ear infections and itchy skin were all due to corn and wheat products. She was drastically better within 3 or 4 days, and that has made me contemplate the idea of reducing our gluten intake, as well. I doubt we will ever be able to call ourselves gluten-free, but I am going to try to sneak in some substitutes for a few things and see how it goes. Thanks for writing! To read about Gracie’s misadventures with the diet change, visit my blog.
Carol
antiquetexan.blogspot.com
I’ve been dairy free for over 14 years now and gluten free for atleast 6 or 7. It’s only been in the last year that I have been able to get the last bit of hidden evils out of my diet. What a change in my whole personality. I get effected emotionally. The company I work for will often hand out free cookies or Pizza and people will say that they’re sorry that I can’t be involved. I always say I’m ok with it; it hurts less to say no to a box of chocolate chip cookies than the health deterioration that saying yes would result in. Good luck in your Journey.
Wow, good for you! I think I am going to do a little test too and see if some of my tiredness goes away.
I eat a lot of crap and often feel like crap, too. Thanks for the reminder that what we put in our bodies is important!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.
I’ve heard some really good things about going gluten-free. I’ve been thinking about trying it, but it’s so hard to find gluten-free in Alaska!
Nikke Brown´s last [type] ..Something to look forward to
I’m glad that the gluten free diet is working so well for you. I have a suggestion regarding your allergies and sinus problems. Please try using a neti pot for a nasal wash. It is painless, and clears the allergens away. Just Google it for more information.
Good luck!
Congratulations! My son has been diagnosed with high functioning Autism and I’ve heard that going gluten free would be very beneficial to him.
This is an empowering post.
Thank you.
Robin Tramble aka The Empowerment Diva´s last [type] ..What you focus on expands!
Kind of makes one wonder about the education on food we recieved early in our school years doesn’t it. Allergies. You might find a beekeeper that sells honey in your specific area. Try adding a little local honey to your diet. Might help with those allergies. Read several books on eating for your blood type also. Interesting stuff. I feel we must work to discver what food works best for us individually. Not accept what we were taught at one time as the proper diet as fact.
My husband went gluten-free about two years ago, and we have been astonished at the change it has made in his health. He was prone to chronic sinus infections, and seriously spent at least 9 months out of the year for about 4 years in a row with an infection. The doctors talked about doing sinus surgery on him. He went to an osteopath who had him do a cleanse, then a gluten-eliminating diet, and that did the trick. He now has maybe one sinus infection a year.
The best part (to me)? He hardly ever farts anymore. Seriously, the man used to fart like a rhinocerous, and now it’s like we don’t live next to a hog farm anymore. Well worth the change…
Its funny how you can go for years eating something and never truly realize that you don’t feel good eating it until you are off. I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy when I was younger, and when I went of wheat I grew 3 inches and suddenly lost the health problems I had been having. One thing to note, especially for those without good “gluten free” options is that sometimes its enough to just go off the overly hybridized “wheat” that is used now days. There are heirloom grains like spelt, amaranth, kamut, etc (hopefully I spelled those right) that are technically wheat, but they are the low gluten variety. Right now I have a mainly spelt based diet for my grains and I’ve been doing great, something to try if you can’t go all gluten free. Also, if you are having dairy problems, which are also linked with a lot of the gluten issues, try goat milk. The fat globules are smaller and easier for the human body to process so those who have dairy sensitivities might not need to give up all dairy, just to avoid the cow dairy. ** note… some goat milk is not the best tasting, most commercial dairies use toggenburg milk which isn’t as sweet, but if you can find a dairy that uses saanens or nubians the milk is great! **
and I will concur with the local honey comment! Its a very good way to help minimize pollen allergies.
Buggsby´s last [type] ..A New Blog
I am also gluten free – welcome to the club! I’m glad that going gluten free has really helped you. For me, not eating gluten means less headaches, I’m less tired and hormonal, my stomach feels better and I’m not dying when my time of the month comes around.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about your gluten free adventures!
Christine´s last [type] ..Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
thanks for the article
I went gluten free in June because of 6+ months of SEVERE stomach issues. And my face was a dermatologists dream too! Within 8 days of gluten free eating my stomach was 100% back to normal and my face was clear. No lie!!!
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