My Gluten-free and Dairy-free journey.
So, I am the lucky recipient of not one, but two food sensitivities. It took me a long time to figure them out and let me tell you, it has not been fun.
Let me back up a bit. I gained 50 lbs. with my first pregnancy and spent the next several years trying to lose the baby weight. I tried a popular weightlifting program that promoted eating wheat germ and lots of vegetables as low-carb options, with protein in the forms of meat, yogurt, and whey protein.
I soon realized I had an immediate reaction to consuming my post-workout whey protein shake. I then tried the ever-popular Whole30 to determine what foods negatively affected me. If you’re not familiar with the Whole30 diet, it omits all forms of added sugar, alcohol, legumes, grains, and dairy for thirty days before systematically reintroducing these foods back into your diet to discover if or how these foods affect you. Well, within six days of starting it, I had a date night with my husband and I consumed a dish that I had made to fit within the Whole30 parameters.
Or so I thought.
It contained mozzarella cheese, and the gastrointestinal effects were immediate.
I felt awful.
I had confirmed my lactose intolerance.
No amount of Lactaid pills could ever make the GI issues worth consuming any dairy products.
Okay, so that food sensitivity was confirmed. What else was causing my extreme brain fog, fatigue, constipation, mouth ulcers, and discomfort?
Well, that question proved a lot harder to answer. I completed 2-3 more Whole30 protocols over the next several years following the birth of my second son, during which I gained 35 pounds. While that pregnancy was great, I still had/have an additional 20 lbs that I hadn’t lost from the first pregnancy. During that time, I was more consistent with my exercise, tailoring it as my body changed to remain safe for my baby. I felt a lot better and I was able to keep up with my busy 5-year-old son.
Then, after several years, I finally realized that my symptoms of mouth ulcers would appear about a week after I consumed gluten. I would also have horrible constipation during that time, and I finally put two and two together.
I am also gluten intolerant.
I had blood tests to confirm this and while I am not diagnosed as celiac, as I did not complete the required intestinal biopsy, I do loosely label myself as such. Mainly because ordering at a restaurant, it seems that's the only way the kitchen will take it seriously to avoid cross-contamination. This is not to say that the wait staff doesn’t try their hardest when I say I am intolerant. I do know that they try and I do try to acknowledge that.
Being gluten intolerant means I can no longer eat fried foods unless it’s in a dedicated gluten-free (GF) fryer due to the breading that most fried foods have. I can no longer have the basket of bread that comes to the table, I can't have croutons on the salad and many sauces are thickened with wheat flour.
The main takeaway: most prepared foods have either gluten or dairy or both.
Which makes life a tad bit difficult.
But I have learned to live with it. I am grateful that I have the means to purchase the foods I can consume. I want to acknowledge my privilege here. I am grateful that these lifelong food issues are relatively easy to manage once I learned how to live with them and what to look out for.
So I’m here to tell you that you can also live a happy life if you are also gluten and dairy intolerant!
Here’s another nugget for you. As I pursued my education in dietetics, which includes extensive medical nutrition therapy practices, I discovered this little gem: patients with celiac disease (CD) can also have a secondary intolerance to dairy, or more specifically, the sugar in dairy—lactose (Kane and Prelack, 2018, p. 1306).
So, again, I loosely call myself celiac as I have both sensitivities. Now, I do know some folks who are true celiac, and well, I think we can agree that while none of us would choose this path for ourselves, we’re in the same boat together.
Allergy vs sensitivity & intolerance
I’d like to clarify the difference between intolerance, sensitivity, and an allergy.
An allergy is a serious business—think anaphylactic shock. As in needs immediate medical attention or else the person’s fate is sealed.
An allergy is far more dangerous than a sensitivity or intolerance.
However, I do interchange the terms sensitivity and intolerance. I feel that I am sensitive to both dairy and gluten food items, and therefore I am intolerant to them. I do not have an allergy to which I stop breathing, like some people do with peanuts.
True allergies are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention, while intolerances or sensitivities are hella annoying, but I can deal with it.
Disclaimer Learn which applies to you. Talk to your doctor and see what protocols you need to follow if you do have an allergy.
Learning to deal with the gluten-free (GF) and dairy-free (DF) lifestyle.
It does suck. Not gonna lie. Many times, I see that a menu item looks appealing and then request further information from the wait staff and kitchen staff, only to be told I can’t have it.
But once in a blue moon, miracles happen, and the menu item checks all the boxes, and I can have it! Such was the case at the end of December when I discovered a GF, DF eggs benedict.
It. Was. Heaven.
Literally.
Because butter is still tolerable.
Thank you, sweet baby kale.
I mean.
Come on, Seriously.
When the stars align just right and the offerings are divinely presented on a white platter, you dig in and enjoy every wondrous bite.
Ok, so back to reality—you might be asking, ‘Great, well how do I order GF, DF foods when I’m out?’
Get used to eating protein and vegetables.
Seriously.
If you can have corn, then Mexican foods can be made with corn tortillas; ask for no cheese. Thai restaurants have rice noodles. Ask for grilled instead of breaded. Ask about the sauces and the dressings that foods come with. Don’t be afraid to speak up again when the food is delivered—sometimes things get missed, and they do deliver fully glutened and dairied foods to you.
Full disclosure though: I often still come home with mouth ulcers and constipation when we travel, even with my diligent adherence. It just happens. And unless you can eat at a certified gluten-free establishment for every dining experience, it might happen to you as well.
The cooler lady.
Fun fact: I used to bring a rollaway briefcase and a cooler with me to my community college. Like one stacked on top of the other.
Yup.
You just pictured that, didn’t you?
Ha! Yeah, it was a sight, I’m sure.
That was when I was really trying to figure out my dairy-free journey and hadn’t yet figured out my gluten issues. But I was also food prepping for weightlifting and building muscle, which requires a hell of a lot of protein and calories (That’ll be a great topic post for another time!)
But I digress.
The cooler situation has evolved since then.
Thank goodness.
I discovered a wonderful invention by a brand called Wolfpak. It is a backpack with a built-in cooler.
It was a game-changer!
I drooled over their website for a while, not quite ready to make the leap.
The price tag is a hefty one, so I waited until their Black Friday sale to take the plunge.
Wolfpak 35L meal management backpack
I was beginning my commute to the university at this point, and it was the right decision for me. I would pack my food trays the night before, and in the morning, I just threw my food into the cooler, and away I went.
Now, it was heavy AF with my laptop and food, but I learned to deal with it.
Not going to lie, I definitely had to watch my posture and engage my core when I rucked my pack around, but I was so grateful to have it on the days that I was gone for 8-9 hours straight. It saved me time and money while on campus, and most importantly, my belly was happy.
Well, that’s my GF & DF journey––I hope that this post was helpful!!
In my next post, I will discuss gluten, the how and why it royally messes up your gastrointestinal tract when you’re gluten intolerant or have celiac disease ––>
Sources & Resources:
Wolfpak link: Wolfpak 35L meal management backpack
Kane, K., & Prelack, K. (2018). Advanced medical nutrition therapy. Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
