If you've been here for a while you'll know that I'm gluten intolerant, which means my body struggles to break down gluten & foods with it in.
I check the bad of every food packet I pick up, I have to. However some things like sweets don't always come in packet that breakdown the ingredients. So I have a way of staying on the safe side of things..
Eat specialised gluten free sweets!
Candy Kittens are a company that make gluten free & (some flavours) vegan gourmet sweets. They have actually just undergone a rebrand so their flavours are limited, however my favourite are the Wild Strawberry & Eton Mess.
They sweets are great if you fancy a littler gluten free treat! They aren't that healthy so I wouldn't recommend eating a whole bag in one go, but they are nice to have now & again.
I also really like their new packaging!
These used to be quite hard to get hold of, but they are now available in your normal supermarkets as well shops like Selfridges.
I've been gluten free for just under a year now so I thought it was about time I posted some tips for going gluten free.
1. It's not as hard as it seems!
I know any dietary changes can seem scary & complicated, but it doesn't always have to be. Gluten free sections in supermarkets are now quite visible & with a huge variety. You can still have the odd treat like cake but it's a great diet to cut down on the naughty things like that.
2. You need to check labels on everything.
Although supermarkets have sections it always does to check the label. Some items like frozen goodies aren't generally in the 'free from' sections. Same applies to items like dairy-free cheese!
Another reason to check the label is for me I also can't have oats, barley & rye, so even in the 'free from' section I have to check.
3. Find gluten free recipes to stop your diet getting boring.
There are plenty of websites, companies & books with some amazing gluten free recipes. So don't feel you're limited to fish/ meat & vegetables, because that's really not the case!
4. Check your drinks too!
By this I generally mean alcoholic drinks. Drinks like beer have yeast in them & therefore gluten so stay away! Spirits that are distilled are generally fine.
I can do a more in depth blog post on this if you would like, just leave a comment below.
5. Ask at restaurants.
Yes, you can still eat out! However a lot of menus STILL don't have gluten allergens listed, so ask your waiting staff. Also before going anywhere I always check menus online, if I don't see anything I think I can have I won't be going there.
6. Fruit & vegetable are gluten free!
In case you didn't know fruit & veg are gluten free, so eat up! Go for veg over fruit because of the sugars, however fruit can help curb your sweet tooth. This is another thing about the diet which can help with weight lose, if that's part of your aim.
So I hope these tips help you a bit. Whether you're going gluten free by choice, intolerance or celiac reasons these tips should help you out!
As someone who has to be gluten free it can be hard to snack, as most things you'd consider a normal 'snack' has gluten in it!
So I've had to find different thing to snack on throughout the day. With this diet I feel like I snack more as gluten free foods aren't as filling as normal foods, so it's important to pick snacks wisely.
I try to have bigger meals so that I stay fuller for longer, however sometimes I do find myself looking in the cupboards for a quick snack. So here's some of my favourite things to have when I'm feeling a bit peckish between meals:
1. Fruit
I try to get some of my five a day in when it comes to snacks, so picking up a piece of fruit is ideal. My favourite fruit to have are raspberries or strawberries, followed by bananas.
2. Corn Thins
Very similar to rice cracks/ thins apart from my nutritionist said I can't have rice, so I have to have the corn version instead. These do seem a little boring but you can put things on them like spreads or smoked salmon etc.
3. Kale Chips
These seem to be the 'it' thing at the moment, however for me they're just an alternative to crisps (chips if you're American). Most crisps contain gluten, but I sometimes miss the crunchy texture as a snack. This is where kale chips come in. Kale also has great health benefits.
4. Cupcakes
Now you're probably all thinking, doesn't that completely contradict the above items. Well I say we all deserve a treat or 'cheat' snack every now & again. This is my favourite thing to have, a cupcake. I recently found a local bakery that produce & buying in loads of gluten free items & these cupcakes are one of them. Honestly you wouldn't even know they're gluten free! They taste AMAZING!
Let me know your favourite gluten free snacks below, so I can try them too!
So these blog posts have been strictly blog exclusive, however this post has a video to go along with it.
You can read this & watch the video (which I advise) but it's honestly up to you.
So first of all an update on my Gluten Free diet.
This diet has really changed everything for me. I feel a million times better for cutting out gluten!
When I started the diet I was struggling to fill myself up, however my mind is starting to learn what being full really is (and it's not being bloated).
I also feel like I have so much more energy on this diet.
Which leads me nicely onto my next point..
Getting a bit fitter!
I haven't been exercising too much (slaps wrist), so that is now my main focus.
I already think my immune system is getting stronger due to the diet and I think exercise will just help further.
I have also booked a holiday.. so I want that Ibiza body!
So it has been about a month since I wrote one of these posts. So that's means I've been gluten free for about that amount of time too!
I honestly think it's the best lifestyle decision I've ever made!
I feel so much better!
I have also noticed I haven't been feeling as run down & sluggish in general. It's amazing the difference it has made. I have still been suffering from my allergy but other than that I haven't been ill in any way.
I also noticed within the first week of the diet I had lost about two pounds. I don't want to lose weight but that indicates that it might help people do so.
I am just loving not feeling bloated. Before, I was feeling like I looked fat (for me) but now I'm noticing it must have just been bloating. below is a photo of how my stomach is looking now, which I am pretty happy with honest.
The only problem with this diet is I don't often feel full. I guess because what my brain has always thought is full is actually bloated. So I am therefore eating more, but am not putting on weight (sounds great doesn't it, this might not be the case for everyone though).
Due to this constant feeling hungry I haven't been exercising as much because it leaves me feeling starving even more. Naturally, because of the amount of calories you burn whilst exercising. However I am doing more stuff with my horse as the weather is getting better, which results in more exercise!
So I am getting on track with the diet & exercise side of things!
As for my allergy, I have finished all my allergy testing & have my vaccine. Now it's just a case of building up a resistance. However if it doesn't work it means there is another allergy to something we haven't tested. This could be a very long road (hopefully not), but we'll just have to see!
Also in case you are wondering the hospital I have been going to is called Breakspear Medical Group.
Hi, I'm Eve. I'm a 23 year old professional photographer, who also has an interest in blogging/ vlogging. I like to write about anything really, from beauty to health issues!
