Our decision to go Gluten Free

It's an entire lifestyle change. 

But one that needed to be dealt with now. In both the kids and us as parents. 

For about a year on and off, Chad dealt with some pretty severe internal gut issues. We were going to Doctor after doctor and leaving with zero results. At one point, doctors believed he was battling giardia, but tests said otherwise. He was tested for celiac, but that too came back negative. 

But you see, there's a fine line difference between Celiac Disease and a gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is the most severe form of gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is a condition that causes an immune system reaction when an individual consumes food containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Milder forms of gluten intolerance occur independently and cannot be diagnosed with blood tests or a small intestine biopsy, (tissue sample), the way celiac can be. 

So, with all that, finally, a little bubble popped up in my head. (A long time ago). We tried going gluten free a year ago, and it was a disaster. We did it ALL wrong. We were trying to buy too many replacements, boxed foods (and even gross gluten free breads). Long story short, we sucked at it, and back to our gluten infested diets we went.

Time passed, obviously, and I noticed Hasting's skin was flaring up worse than I had ever seen it. He had occasional flare ups prior, and I just shoved it aside. I would lather him up in essential oils and coconut oil and be done with it. I chose to ignore it, because seriously, who wants to go gluten free? 

Well, I started to notice that Annestyne's skin was doing the same exact thing as Hasting's. Now, I'm not calling my self parent of the year, but they got a stellar PB sandwich almost daily. Along with all kinds of other gluten goodness. 

They were constipated, complained of their bellies hurting, gassy, fussy, and overall irritable. 

I was exhausted. Pure EXHAUSTED. I'm a mother, I know, I'm supposed to be exhausted. But this was different, and not your "pregnancy exhaustion" tiredness either. But you know what sucked? With exhaustion came insomnia. I wasn't sleeping to save my life. And headaches? What's that? I was having the most severe headaches I've ever had. And I dreaded sitting on the toilet to poop. Poop? What was poop? 

It still wasn't clicking. 

So more time passed. My grandmother fell very ill, and I got reconnected with one of my first cousins. We met up to visit with our grandmother, and somehow got on the conversation of diets. That's when it clicked. 

My kids are miserable because of this gluten crap. Stop it. Stop it right now. Slowly deminish this demon OUT of their diets. 

So, Chad and I discussed it. 

We decided to slowly wean ourselves of all gluten. We began to little by little get what gluten was left in our home, out. I went through our pantry and our fridge. We gave away food to friends and family. We said goodbye to flour completely. We buy more whole foods than ever, and I cook more than ever. 

Wanna hear an embarrassing secret?

I added up how much we spent on eating out during the month of November. 

$367. Yes $367. You heard me. 

We have been gluten free for around 2 weeks now. We've ate out 3 times. And it has cost us less than $50. 

My husband. He's killin it. He has lost over 15 pounds. 

The kids? Oh they're pooping like they've never pooped before. Their bodies love them so much. So much. Their skin seems to be getting better. Mind you, it can take weeks for gluten to completely free your system. Like up to 6 weeks or something like that. 

So. Here's my point. 

We're THOSE parents. The ones who will probably be called "strict loonies" because we won't allow our kids to shove that delicious processed fake sugary cake in their mouths at a birthday party. People WILL judge us. And that's ok. Food is everything, especially in growing and thriving children. Instead of winning a child over with sweets and treats, about you just try pure love and affection? 

I now send snacks everywhere with our kids. I've asked grandparents to stop buying junk food, and to pull it completely out of sight from our children. If they aren't with us for a main course meal, I pack it. I've made a very thorough list of what they can and can't have, and if anyone has questions about feeding them something, they call me. 

And NO none of us are deprived. Or have allergies. Or do this just because. We feel better. We look better. We are better. And trust me, our carbs that are "deminished" from not eating gluten are most certainly taken in elsewhere. 

We're coming up on our first holiday as a gluten free family. I'll be baking a pie or making some sort of sweet treat to take to our family get togethers. None of us will be left out at the sweets table (don't worry). 

Both of the kids have birthday parties coming up. But, it's gluten free cakes to the rescue! Our local bakery that I've used since day 1 makes GF cakes--so guess what? I still get to have my overly expensive, overly awesome, beautiful cakes my children just HAVE to have (because I say so). 

Don't let your food make you suffer.