One Meal at a Time

A few months ago I learned that I must follow a gluten and casein (a milk protein found in all dairy products) free diet for the rest of my life if I want relief from my chronic health condition, otherwise known as ulcerative colitis. I have active dietary gluten and casein sensitivity. This news came as a shock and was very depressing at first glance. I like products made with gluten. Actually, I LOVE products that contain gluten. Gluten is in everything from soy sauce to licorice to pasta to bread and almost everything yummy in between. While I've never been fond of drinking milk, I do enjoy cheese, butter, sour cream, whipped cream, ice cream, etc. So, to be told to give up most of the things I enjoy eating was not welcome news. I just couldn't fathom a happy life without pizza, pasta, sandwiches, pastries, milk chocolate, ice cream . . . Would life be even worth living?

Then came the epiphany. I didn't have to look at what I'd never be able to eat again in my whole life; I could just take life "one meal at a time." I could concentrate on what I could eat. I could learn to like new foods. I could try new recipes. I could buy gluten and casein-free diet cookbooks (of which there are many). I could shop at Whole Foods and PCC more frequently. I could connect with another group of people and be part of a new network.

This attitude has really helped me adjust. I have been gluten-free (with a very occasional slip-up) close to 4 months, and life has been good. I even feel better. I've lost 6 pounds. Of course, I haven't "gone off" dairy just yet, but that will come in time. I've made gluten-free brownies, bread, coffee cake, pancakes, muffins, cookies and other yummy stuff. I've become familiar with xanthan gum, mesquite meal, sorghum and other "new" flours, rice milk, and the list goes on. I've yet to find a gluten-free bread that is worth the effort to make it or the cost to buy it. I'll keep looking. I have to be careful as I experiment, because many of the gluten-free products (especially baked goods) have a higher carbohydrate and calorie count than their gluten-laden counterparts. Bummer!

My sweet, supportive husband has even "converted" to my food lifestyle. We're going to get the kids tested. We started with Rachelle who just tested positive for gluten and casein sensitivity.

I recently learned that autistic children are very often gluten and casein sensitive, and when the offending foods are removed from their diets, they begin to recover and make great strides. Who knew!

I'm joining friends for lunch at a restaurant today. I have to be careful and read menus carefully. (Many restaurants have gluten-free menu items.) I went to an Italian restaurant with another group of friends recently. It was the restaurant that sells my very favorite pizza--Passion Pizza of Verona. This pizza was loaded with Italian sausage, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, feta cheese, kalamata olives, pine nuts . . . It looked so good. It smelled so good. I could almost taste it. I was just beginning to drool when I looked down at my Greek salad. I shifted my focus and enjoyed my meal without another thought of the yummy pizza sitting just a few inches in front of me. Almost.