One of Those People

When I was told I had a gluten allergy, my first thought was, "Oh no! I don't want to be one of those people." You know, the people who you overhear in restaurants, grilling the wait staff about every last ingredient; those sad, deprived people who can't eat pasta or bread or croissants or cake? I had already given up coffee in the interests of my digestive health and even after five years that continued to be a daily struggle, so I could only imagine how wretched not eating my favorite baked goods would make me feel. But after spending my entire life assuming my digestive system just didn't work right, and after being (mis)diagnosed with ailments like an ulcer and pancreatitis, I figured I would give it two weeks and see how it went.

Imagine my surprise when, after only three days, I started to feel better. My stomach pains diminished, the gas, bloating, and cramping went away, and after two weeks I felt better than I had in years. Guess I was going gluten free. But what did that mean, exactly? I knew anything with wheat in it was off limits, but I was surprised to learn that oatmeal contains gluten (oatmeal! ) as does beer. (Nooooooo!)

Thus began the slow process of redesigning my diet. I'm lucky to live in an area with a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's and a few awesome co-ops that all have a great selection of gluten free products. It's been two and a half years since my last scone (still searching for a good one – scones have become my gluten free holy grail) and I've learned enough that friends have started asking my advice. So even though there are scads of food blogs, including some excellent gluten free ones, I'm tossing my laptop into the ring and starting Gluten Free Pioneer Valley, specifically for people who live here in beautiful western Massachusetts to connect and share ideas.

I'll be writing about restaurants and recipes, places to shop, and how to survive as the lone gluten free member in your family. There's no need to feel deprived – there's a whole world of deliciousness beyond wheat, and it's easier than you think to make it work.