Guest blog post from Angela Berry Editor, Ripped me

You might hear a lot of people say how gluten-free diet is a nonsense, the latest trend or simply a whim. However, there are a lot of people out there who would absolutely disagree, myself included. Many will wonder if gluten intolerance is an illness of the modern society or simply the result of unhealthy habits and there are a lot of articles and studies about this topic. The fact is, when a person cannot tolerate gluten, there are obvious symptoms that one mustn’t disregard. These symptoms include: constipation (often followed by diarrhea), bloating, various aches and fatigue, headaches, and even restless sleep. If you’re having some of these problems, you might want to try avoiding products that contain gluten and see if your health will improve. And don’t be afraid that your life will get complicated, you can have a normal life even without having certain ingredients in it. Here are some tips that will help you have a normal, gluten-free life.

1. Cuisine

It often happens that as soon as we’re suggested that we need to avoid some foods and even change our diet, we panic. This is because we immediately wonder how we’ll survive without our favorite meal or how we will prepare all this strange, new food. But there really isn’t any need to panic. Gluten-free cuisine is the same as any other cuisine. If you tend to spend a lot of time out of your home and are not sure if you’ll find gluten-free food, the best solution would be to prepare food at your home and bring it with you. There are so many gluten-free products nowadays and all you really need to do is find some recipes and dedicate an hour of your time every day to making your own food. Not only will you know where exactly your food came from, but you’ll also get a healthy meal that you made by yourself.

2. Reading labels is a must

This might sound like an annoying chore, but if you really want to take care of your body, you’ll need to carefully read labels of the products you want to buy. This way, you’ll avoid all the ingredients that might cause you problems. Don’t think this means your menu will become limited; there are gluten-free versions of almost every food that you can imagine, all you need to do is look.

3. Gluten-free life today

Until a few years ago, it was really difficult to find gluten-free products, but luckily that isn’t a problem today. You can find all sorts of gluten-free products in almost every store, regardless if it’s regular products, sweets or even cosmetics. And even when it comes to organizing parties, weddings, or casual get-togethers, it’s been much easier to hire professionals that also offer a gluten-free option. I have noticed, in my own experience, that in Australia, if you are throwing a big business gathering or a celebration, now you are just one phone call or click away from really great corporate catering in Sydney. This has really been a rising trend in my hometown, and I am sure everywhere else. While this wasn’t possible a few years back, today it is, so you can make your parties and gatherings gluten-free as well as stress-free.

4. Be creative with your recipes

As it was already mentioned, just because you’re going to follow a gluten-free diet doesn’t mean your food choices will suddenly become limited. This means you can still enjoy your favorite food, maybe just with slightly different ingredients. All you need to do is stick to the gluten-free guidelines concerning ingredients and get creative. Once you learn what the appropriate substitutes are and how to use which ingredient, you’ll be able to make your own delicious creations.

5. Yes, enjoying gluten-free food is possible

The fact is, I’m a foodie. I love different tastes of food, I very much enjoy having a good meal and feeling full. Life is too short to waste it on boring and tasteless food no matter how healthy it is. So, maybe the change in your diet is a chance to try out new things. Try food you’ve never tasted before, try different recipes, try preparing food in a different way and all in order to find something that you’ll love and enjoy eating.

6. Your social life doesn’t have to suffer

A lot of people ask me if I can still drink coffee and the answer is yes, I can. As a matter of fact, coffee is considered to be one of the best antioxidants, so not only does it help you get up in the morning, but it’s healthy, too. So, the next time you worry whether you should cancel on your friends because ‘there’ll be nothing for me to eat at that place’, don’t. There are always some things you can munch on, no matter where you are. Don’t let your social life suffer just because you’ve started taking care of what you’re bringing into your body. And another piece of advice: you can always keep a small zip bag with various nuts in your bag; this way, you’ll never get hungry.

Don’t forget, your health should be a priority. If you’re not healthy, there isn’t much you can do for other aspects of your life. So if you can’t tolerate gluten, try following a gluten-free diet and stick to these tips in order to make your life easier. Be persistent and listen to your body because that will lead you to a healthier and happier life.

Gluten-Free Diets Are Easier to Follow Than Ever