Gluten-free diet: “I did the self-test for a month – and I felt this positive effect”
Pizza, pasta and my beloved pretzels: These are regularly on my favorite menu. A life without her? Unimaginable! Even though I generally pay attention to a healthy diet with little fast food, I am of the opinion that complete bans usually have the opposite effect. Namely, that you can no longer deny yourself the desired food.
So why do I choose the gluten-free experiment? There are several reasons for this. On the one hand, for the first time in my life I visited a naturopath who advised me to do this. Next reason: Bestsellers like “Weizenwampe” and Co. have been promoting a diet without grains or grains containing gluten for a long time. And thirdly, I recently met tennis legend Novak Djokovic. And he fought his way to number one in the world through a gluten-free diet.
So there are numerous reasons why I'm now banning myself from doing something. I would like to completely avoid anything with gluten for a month. What do I expect from it? A better body feeling with fewer bloated stomach attacks, less fatigue and, above all, better.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a gluten protein or storage protein that is found in many types of grain. These include rye, barley, wheat and spelled. In pastries, the gluten ensures that the ingredients hold together.
By the way: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but harvesting and processing can result in contamination from grains containing gluten. People with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should therefore use specially designated gluten-free oat products.
The transition is hard, but not as hard as expected
Every beginning is difficult. But the gluten-free diet in particular really messes up my everyday life at the beginning. The gluten protein is not only found in grains, but often also in dairy products, sauces, vegetarian substitute products, breaded dishes, ice cream and much more. Anyone who follows a gluten-free diet must pay close attention to the ingredients and study the label on the back down to the smallest detail. Gluten is not only hidden behind popular grains such as barley, barley malt, wheat and its derivatives wheat starch, wheat gluten and wheat protein. It is also found in oats, green kernels, bulgur, einkorn, emmer, triticale, kammut and seitan.
So the first week I spend a lot of time researching and planning. What can I still eat? It's easiest for me when I cook fresh and use lots of foods such as vegetables, fruit and pseudo-grains, such as quinoa. I'm also incorporating more proteins into my diet again. I get buckwheat bread from the organic supermarket. For the most part, I avoid cheap substitute products that contain numerous additives. After just a few days, the change was over and I said goodbye to all gluten-containing foods from the fridge and pantry.
Gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity?
Gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, is an autoimmune disease. In people with celiac disease, eating gluten causes inflammation in the small intestine. The consequences of gluten intolerance: nausea, vomiting and other violent body reactions that can only be prevented by completely avoiding gluten.
In the case of gluten sensitivity, which has long been controversial, those affected also react sensitively and with similar symptoms to the gluten protein - although no changes in the intestinal mucosa typical of celiac disease or intolerance have been detected. The only way to find out whether you have gluten sensitivity is to do a practical test, i.e. completely eliminate gluten.
