The Emotions of Coping with a Gluten-Free Diet
The Emotions of Coping with a Gluten- Free Diet
Most individuals will have discovered that they need to be on a Gluten-Free diet after years of struggling. Many times, it’s a big relief to know the reason for the unexplained symptoms and feelings of being miserable and sick.
During the first few weeks and months of trying out a gluten-free diet, you will experience several different emotions. You may feel relieved or even happy for your diagnosis of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity to explain what may have been perplexing symptoms. You also may feel angry if it took a long time for you to finally be diagnosed. And you may feel sad as the realities of day-to-day gluten-free living sink in, and you realize you no longer can eat the gluten versions of many of your favorite foods.
Giving yourself permission to experience whatever feelings you have, positive or negative, is important in learning to cope with the challenges that the gluten-free diet presents daily.
Gluten-Free First Grocery Trip May Come with Frustration
For many people new to the gluten-free diet, their first trip to the grocery store is an exercise in misery, frustration, and anger. It’s pretty normal to spend several hours in the store, reading labels of foods, but still to walk out with far less than you intended to buy, simply because you couldn’t figure out what’s gluten-free and what’s not. Many people have burst into tears during that first trip because it’s so overwhelming and frustrating.
Even though following the gluten-free diet is getting easier than ever, there’s still a tremendous learning curve involved and so much of that learning seems to take place in the aisles of your local supermarket. To make those first few shopping trips easier, you should check for a comprehensive list of gluten-free food. You should also learn the tips on food that is always safe, never safe, and what you’ll need to control.
Gluten Foods You Can’t Eat Anymore Could Make You Upset
Once you’ve got your food sorted out and you’ve got enough gluten-free food to eat, you’ll need to deal with your emotions surrounding the fact that you can’t eat lots of foods you used to love. This is another tough one. It’s hard to watch your family and friends enjoying your old favorites, especially if you haven’t yet found any new favorites to replace them. These feelings are most acute around the holidays and other special occasions but can occur at any time of the year like, say, when your buddies decide on the spur of the moment to order pizza.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this? CONTACT me right away to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation and share your personal experience.
Finding better ways to support your health regardless of the challenges in finding gluten-free products that are safe for you is the best advice I can send out to you. There are so many good options available for us these days that the transition time of learning what’s best for you is worth it.
These days, plenty of restaurants serve gluten-free pizza (some even deliver), or you can enjoy a gluten-free frozen pizza. Independent gluten-free bakeries are springing up in larger towns and cities, too, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth with something really good. You’ll inevitably have some really sad patches (especially around the holidays), but if you focus on finding or creating truly excellent food that’s better than the gluten-filled food being served, you can pull yourself out of the doldrums.
Gluten-Free Gathering
We may address it well enough on daily basis but when it comes to family and social gatherings it may be a different story. One study even found that: 46% of respondents felt that the gluten-free diet limited their social lives; 55% found the gluten-free diet to be embarrassing and 33% reported that their family and friends did not understand their need to follow the diet. These difficulties affect more than just emotional wellbeing; they may even affect your ability to stay on the diet. During the holiday nearly 19% reported intentionally consuming gluten once or twice during the past year. Of that group, 13% reported eating foods with gluten at least once a month. Yes, the health effects of cheating on the gluten-free diet if you have celiac disease is clear, so why would someone intentionally eat something they know is harmful to them? The answer may lie in how we cope with celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. Learning and educating yourself is the key to success in being on a gluten-free diet supporting your health.
Safely Dining Out Gluten-Free Takes Practice
Many people love to eat out. But once you’re following the gluten-free diet, it can go from an enjoyable experience to (you guessed it) a frustrating, sad one. When you’re first starting out, only go to restaurants with gluten-free menus. These restaurants are more likely to have trained their staff members on how to handle gluten-free meal requests, so you won’t need to do so much explaining. Do you find it difficult to get the right diet when you dine out with your loved ones? CONTACT me for a FREE consultation to help you with this.
Once you feel more confident, you can venture outside of your comfort zone and try a new restaurant. However, you always should follow the rules for safely dining out gluten-free. You should also expect some emotional swings during your first few months on the diet (especially if you experience depression from gluten, as many people do). But overall, your mood should be on an upward trajectory as your health improves and you learn how to follow the diet more easily.
Summary
The psychological health of people on restricted diets is often an afterthought. It typically takes a back seat to the blood draws and workups during health care visits, if it is addressed. The mind-body connection plays an unmistakable and important role in overall health. Scientific evidence is mounting to convince even skeptics of the association between our physical and emotional well-being. The psychological health of anyone on a restricted diet requires attention and care. Ignoring it may be the roadblock to complete wellness.
Pay attention to the emotional health of anyone who must adhere to a restricted diet. It is often ignored during medical evaluation, but could this be the missing piece to the healthcare puzzle? CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation to discuss how you cope with the emotional burden of a gluten-free diet.
Take The Next Step and Schedule Today
Did the switch to a gluten-free diet have a mental toll on your health? You could take charge of your health today with a FREE 20-minute phone consultation. We will identify the key areas that need support and give the necessary support to show what needs to be done uniquely for your case. Please CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation if you or your loved ones are seeking support as a result of the emotional effect of switching to a gluten-free diet. Chen Ben Asher, will give you her best care recommendations and give recommendations based on what’s happening inside your body on a cellular level, in a bid to achieve optimum results. Be rest assured that no stone will be left unturned as we look for the root cause!
