Mere Mortals
In this four part series, Good Men Project columnist, Taylor García invites you to examine what you eat to better understand who you are and how you function
My best dad joke one-liner goes as follows: “I used to be the toast-of-the-town, but now I’m gluten-free.”
It’s a distinct counterpoint to what I used to say, when I wasn’t gluten-free, in response to those who said they were: “I’m a gluten-freak.”
Neither are that funny, especially when engaging with people who are more than likely dealing with some very serious food sensitivities.
One of those people was my sister. Several years ago, she converted to a gluten-free lifestyle after she started experiencing some serious health issues. For a while there, I made fun of the special pizza she had to order while we feasted on the real thing, or I chided her that being gluten-free was just a fad.
And then, said health issues afflicted me, and after some testing, turns out I was flirting with celiac disease. All those jokes and comments I made about people eschewing wheat and bread came back to haunt me.
So, what did I do? I too gave the stuff up. No more tortillas, bread, pasta, baked goods, pancakes, etc., etc. Pretty much everything. It was brutal, but it helped me get my health back on track. After about six months of gluten (and wheat) avoidance, I could breathe and sleep through the night again. I lost weight, my skin cleared up, my raspy voice went away, and I kid you not, my hair started to thicken again. It wasn’t all 100% gluten avoidance. I was eating all together more healthful food that I will discuss in a later post, plus, exercising, sleeping, hydrating, going to therapy, and taking care of me.
But, the gluten and wheat was a major culprit. It was the bad common denominator in my overall health picture. Do I miss it? Yes. I miss it so much, that I’ll indulge with a donut or a cookie here and there, or I’ll have a few bites of glorious pizza. Then I’ll have some more, and then a few days later, my gut says “please stop.” Or my joints will ache a bit more, or I’ll have that feeling in my throat that something is stuck there, or my chest will tighten up for a few days.
My functional medicine doctor advised I give it up completely. My general physician said to limit it; drastic diets can be dangerous, he said, advocating for some exposure versus none at all. And so, I limit and pay attention. I consider my options and keep track. I’ve developed a new relationship to wheat and gluten products. They’re no longer the devil, but they’re certainly not heaven sent. They’re more like mere mortals, regular boring people, who I only hang out with once in a while.
I’ve learned to spend my time with more exotic foods, things that are deep green, purple, red and orange. Those ones with real skin and peels, not plastic wrap or bags. Whole foods complete us, and sure, wheat and gluten were once whole foods, however they have been trafficked and exploited for far too long. Most of today’s foods contain a version of them that is so highly modified and processed that it’s not even real food; instead, it’s a vector mechanism for dangerous oils, fats, and chemicals.
I’m not here to tell you to quit all your gluten and wheat. I don’t want Big Wheat coming after me. I’m just trying to say that I’ve learned to be careful with the stuff. I’ve learned what it has done for me, and what it can do for me. I’ve seen how my body uses it, and how it uses my body. I’m here to say I’m somewhere between gluten-free and gluten-free-for-all, and never the two shall meet.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Unsplash
