When Gluten Attacks
The awesome thing about the Plant Paradox Protocol that I’ve been following is that I genuinely feel better. I’m sleeping better, I have better recovery during and after my workouts, my mood is more stable and all-around lighter/happier, and I can think clearly - which is just a really, really cool perk.
The downside? Man, when I have foods from OFF the protocol? WOAH do I feel it. Maybe not “more” but it’s definitely relative compared to how good I feel ON the protocol.
To be clear, I have consciously chosen foods, drinks, and restaurants that are ON the protocol for this very reason. I set out on a mission to follow it, and damnit, I have. I have not wavered in my decision to follow this protocol and have a healthier gut!
But cross-contamination is a really, really big issue. I mean huge.
Let’s Get Biological
After several doctors visits, speciality visits, blood work, and testing over the course of the past year, I was diagnosed with a relatively long list of allergies and serious intolerances/sensitivities - to include Celiac Disease. That’s right - no gluten for this athlete. 100% positive diagnosis for Celiac, meaning that I have an autoimmune disorder where my body attacks me if I ingest gluten. This is NOT the same as a sensitivity, intolerance, or typical allergy.
Celiac disease is a serious, genetic autoimmune disorder triggered by consuming a protein called gluten, that is found in wheat, barley and rye. When a person with celiac (me) eats gluten, the protein interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food by damaging a part of the small intestine called villi. Damaged villi make it nearly impossible for the body to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, leading to malnourishment and a host of other problems including some cancers, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, infertility and the onset of other autoimmune diseases.
More Bad News
See, what did I tell you? Not really an insensitivity we’re dealing with here. Much, much worse.
What makes this disease a little bit more complicated is that not everyone displays the same symptoms when they ingest gluten. For me, personally, when I eat gluten or anything that has been cross-contaminated (including foods processed in the same facility, in the same kitchen with the same utensils), several negative reactions happen:
I get sores in my mouth and my tongue gets inflamed, and I lose my sense of taste for 24-48 hours.
My stomach gets distended (swollen) and ingesting any foods, even fluids, becomes extremely painful and uncomfortable.
My joints swell and become more painful on impact (but just in general, too.)
I feel extraordinarily foggy mentally, cranky and uneasy, and so so tired.
These symptoms tend to last anywhere from 3-9 days depending on the amount of gluten that was introduced to my system. Typically, drinking water and tea can help mitigate some of these reactions, but in general, it’s just a week of utter discomfort.
Moving Forward
Over the past 28 days, I have put more time and effort into understanding what ingredients and processes are involved in the foods I eat and the fluids I drink. It’s actually insane the number of foods that you don’t think contain gluten, but they actually do. Or facilities that you’d never expect to have gluten, but they do, too. Even at home, the cookware and containers I use have to be a certain grade or material, cleaned in a certain way with soap and not in the same dishwasher as containers that had gluten, and handled with care. When it comes to your health, why not spend the extra $5 or the extra 5 minutes focusing on that?
For anyone suffering from the same, or similar, reactions, my heart goes out to you. It just plain sucks. And right now, there’s no way around it, no magical pill or medicine, that can help the discomfort subside. Maintaining the same routine, hydrating with plenty of unflavored water (lemon water can be too acidic and actually exacerbate the problem), and focusing on rest and recovery, is the best way to go. Remember that your body is trying to protect itself - protect YOU! - and it can only do that with your help. Understanding that can go a long way. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with questions or concerns! Always seek a medical professional for diagnoses, but I can absolutely share my experiences and some tips and tricks for those who need them.
#eatunbreakable #liveunbreakable